Despite the fact that most of the talk this pre-season has been about Kevin Kolb and the offense, the Eagles may have improved their defense much more than they have improved this offense. The defense has been winning the battles with their offense most of the time out here at training camp.
I can’t remember too many times that the offense has put together any long drives against the number one defense. The defense clearly has been the unit that has led the way during this training camp.
They’ve defended the Eagles offense when playing them straight up and dominated them when getting the chance to blitz them.
So far in camp the additions to the defense have made quite a difference. Brandon Graham is sharing time with Juqua Parker at the left defensive end spot and providing serious pressure on pass plays. With Trent Cole on the other side and a new, stronger and more dynamic Trevor Laws getting penetration inside the defensive line looks reborn.
At the linebacker position, the return of Stewart Bradley and the addition of Ernie Sims has made the team more aggressive and much more athletic at the linebacker position. Bradley will need to stay healthy and Sims has cornerback speed and will knock you out but he needs to learn to anticipate plays by formations and down and distance. He’s almost like a rookie when it comes to the mental side of the game, but they’re already much better now than they were a year ago at the linebacker position.
At safety, rookie Nate Allen has more than done the job during this training camp. The great majority of the time, this youngster has been in position nearly all the time. He’s a rookie, so you can’t assume he’ll get the job done all the time, when the games start to count, but the kid is smart, has good speed and does a great job of playing the ball in the air.
New right cornerback Eillis Hobbs does a nice job of beating up on receivers when he gets the chance, but I would go after him and the rookie, if I were an offensive coordinator looking for ways to attack this football team. The difference between this year and last is that you’re probably have less time to throw the ball.
No doubt, the Defensive front 7, has been the story of Camp so far…
The Additions of Graham,Tapp,Teo have brought a new energy,sense of urgency and with a more mature T Laws along with the consistent profesionalism of T Cole,Bunkley,Patterson & Parker have given the Eagles their deepest D/Line in years.. Add this group to an upgraded LB corps, with the return of it’s leader in S Bradley,the engery and excitement of SIms and the battle for playing time between Jordan and Fokou and then the young players flying around to try to secure a roster spot in Cheney/Clayton to go along with the reliable veterans LB (Gaither/White) is a very strong group with lots of potenial as the mesh together as a cohesive unit..
I do notice watching the scrimmages that Sims bites on the play-action really bad and his natural instincts is to hit the hole 100 mph before diagnosing the play sometimes, he needs to improve his play recognition to be able to be a 3 down LB. Bradley and Jordan have looked very good as has the youngsters Cheney and Clayton. Fokou is a wildcard who is up and down but has tremendous length,atleticism and upside, he’s an emotional player who sometimes loses his focus, His coverage skills are very good and I envision him on the field a lot fillling in for Sims in passing situations and maybe even used as a “Joker” on blitz packages
The Secondary has been more difficult to gauge for me, With D-Jax/MAclin missing some time last week, it’s hard to see the progress of the younger players working against the top WR’s.
Nate Allen has looked very good, He’s brought a mature,smart,calming energy to the Safety Position that has been lacking since Dawkins departure.. He’s not a real physical player like Dawk, but he has great instincts and hands and will be making a lot of plays in the Secondary for years to come and has quiet,confidence about his approach and game. Demps,Hobbs & Hanson by most accounts have had solid camps as all 3 are trying to bounce back from disappointing 2009 Seasons and have the opportunity for serious playing time with goods solid camps… the Draft picks LIndley/Colmeman have had up and down camps as most young players do, but I think they have impressed the coaches more times than not with their ability to pick-up the playbook,proper positioning and their overall physical play.. I believe both make the squad, participate on Special teams and get to see the field in certain nickle & dime packages during the season (outside of injuries to other players), but I can see both of these players competing for starter roles come 2011 as Hobbs & Mickell get another years older
If you look at the Draft Class of 2010 (Graham,Allen,Teo,Lindley,Calyton,Coleman) and the additions of Tapp & Sims, there is a new look with lots of speed, high-energy players with athleticism up and down this entire defense and the best thing is the age of this group outside of Parker who is 32, Mickell & Samuel are 29 years old is that the rest of this Defense is still very young with lots of upside and the potential to be very for the next 4-5 years
Pauly..I tried..I really did..to read your post but damn, the cliffnotes would serve better next time. Is this going to be on the test?
Brevity is not one of my strong points, WWW,
I will suspend myself (with full pay and benefits) for the remainder of the day
But first a **TRADE ALERT** if you will.
**** Here’s a Trade Alert I expect to happen over the Weekend ************************
Eagles trade O Gaither to Cleveland Browns for 5th Rd Pick in 2011
Eagles trade H Baskett to the Oakland Raiders for a 6th Rd Pick in 2011
I think we’ve given enough to the Browns this year. Derrik Brooks just retired, I’ll send him to the Bucs for a 5th that can become a 4th depending on escalators (sic)
Paulman, they’re WAY more likely to just relsease them. Who makes trades this close to cut day? Any team who receieves an offer knows that the player would be available for free very soon….
Cleveland just lost 2 starting LB’s and don’t have a lot of quality at the position on their team right now. Raiders have no proven big target WR’s who can help with their young WR’s.
Browns also just lost Starting CB Eric Wright and will probably have to play their top pick J Hayden opposite of S Brown ..(appearnetly Hayden the #7 overall pick has not looked too impressive in camp and is having a hard time picking up the playbook by most observors)
The Eagles have in the past tried to move veteran players early in camp if they don’t feel they will make the squad to give that player a chance to hook up with another team. I see no way Baskett makes this Eagles roster (barring any injuries), Do they string along a 5 year Vet like Baskett and get rid of him during the final cutdown.. I think not, they will let the younger players get more reps who they may to place on the practice squad like a D Collins, C Hall, J Norwood at the WR spot
I think it makes sense for the team and the players that they are moved soon while they may still have a little value to a team that has a need due to holdouts,injuries or underperfoming players
I agree w/ Shill…why pay for the players when you can get them for free soon enough.
Some of the teams (the Browns,Broncos who have had tons of injuries this camp season so far,
cannot wait 3 weeks and pick-up players on the cheap a week before the season starts.. C’mom guys…
Paul, I agree that it makes sense for the team and the players – but that’s only 2/3 pieces of the deal – and only one that counts. The other teams have to want to make the deal. That’s the improbable part. NFL teams are more (if not just equally as) knowledgeable about how the WRs and LBs for the Eagles are doing in camp, as we are. So they wouldn’t do the deal. Additionally, you are assuming that the FO sees Baskett and Gaither the same way you do. It’s possible that they have a higher value on Gaither as a backup at Will and Mike. It could be that they want to keep baskett and cooper. Just saying…
There’s no doubt that FO sees players more different than me,you or any other fan which is their job to put the best 53-Man roster possible together..
I just sense with the trend of getting younger and GM Roseman putting his initial Draft Class stamp on the team, that if your a veteranm,who is simply viewed as a back-up,insurance policy, for 2010 and beyond and have a decent salary, that you are probably expendable. If that player has any value around the league,(which I think a Gaither/Baskett do) then I would think you would pursue that path to accumulate future picks to a team in need. You always plan for contignecy when putting a roster together, but I really thing the Eagles FO/Coaches like what they see of these young draft picks and will give them every opportunity to make the squad. The reason I keep bringing up the Browns is that they have potentially lost 4 projected starters from the Defense in Camp so far and the fact that their GM Heckert is obviously familiar with players on the Eagles squad ..
I’m still thinking the D is looking great because the OL is so bad.
I agree a little with TT above,
Before we go overboard with the new and improved D/Line, let’s see them perform versus the Starters on other teams in Pre-Season games since the Eagles have only had 60 % of there projected starters playing in camp so far, but I do think the current 9-10 deep of the Defesive line with Cole,Parker,Tapp,Graham,Teo,Bunkley,Patterson,Laws,& Dixon is a definite improvement over the last 2-3 seasons.. Then there is the D/Line Coach R Segrest factor…
it’s a combination of things..one the offense is out of sync with a new “not too good” of a quarterback and the offensive line is shot up the middle along with Jusctice being average at best.
While the defense could be improved, it’s too early to credit them against this offense. I think the test comes when we see a bubble screen to a big reciever thrown to Asante’s side of the field and the run defense holds against the tough NFC east, or Hobbs singled up with a reciever and not get toasted.
We really don’t know what we have in the defense that lines up daily against our O-line. It could work against them playing against our guys then think they can push Dallas line around like our depleted line with a center.
It’s just too early.
Songs, you’re right, it IS just too early to know for sure that there have been improvements and the team can succeed against good OTHER teams. You’re ABSOLUTELY correct, and nobody can make an argument against it. But the funny thing is – THEN THE SAME GOES FOR YOUR NEGATIVITY! If your argument is ‘we can’t possibly tell yet if they’re good’ then be default ‘we can’t possibly tell yet if they’re bad’. Do you get that? If not, go check out Kindegarden at your local educational institution, and they’ll tell you where to go from there…