The Philadelphia Eagles are likely to use their first round pick on a defensive player next Thursday, but they must do much better than they’ve done in the recent past.
They don’t have one Pro Bowler to show out of the three number one draft picks they have used in the past seven years on defensive players.
They drafted defensive end Jerome McDougle in 2003 with the 15th pick in the first round and he never busted a grape here.¬† McDougle came out of the University of Miami and proved to be one of the few players on their squad that couldn’t play in the NFL.
He fit the mold of a smallish defensive end that the Eagles have had over the years, but he proved to be a horrific mistake.
Defensive tackle Mike Patterson was drafted out of USC in 2005 and he’s been a solid football player for them but a dominator.
The Eagles front office acts like they’re happy about what they’ve gotten out of Patterson but I don’t see how or why they should be.
Last year he had 1.5 sacks and 55 tackles.¬† His best tackle and sack total was in 2007 when he had 67 tackles and 4 sacks. ¬† Those aren’t Pro Bowl numbers.¬† He’s never even mentioned when people talk about the best defensive tackles in the league.
The same is true of their other starting defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley, whom they drafted in round one of 2006 with the 14th pick in the draft.  I was expecting a dominating player, who could be depended upon for close to ten sacks and a tackle or two behind the line of scrimmage every game.
Bunkley’s best year was 2007 when he had 47 tackles and three sacks.
You don’t hear or read many negative comments about Patterson or Bunkley but I’ve been disappointed with both of them.
I want to see the Eagles do a good job against the run, but you’ve got to get more than 2.5 sacks from two defensive tackles which you used two first round draft picks to acquire.
In 2008 the Eagles traded out of the first round and made defensive tackle Trevor Laws their first draft pick that year.¬† He can’t even earn a spot on the roster at game time.
He was supposed to be pushing Patterson and Bunkley for playing time, instead he’s sitting in the stands like the rest of Eagles fans.
The Eagles should use these picks as motivation to do much better in the first round of the draft this time around.
Join GCobb.com for Eagles Draft Talk tomorrow night at 7pm at P.J. Whelhan’s on Rte. 70 in Cherry Hill, NJ. ¬†We’re going to do a mock draft and talk about what the Eagles should do in the upcoming draft. ¬†
There’ll be plenty of great wings and you’ll be able to get $10 dollar domestic draft pitchers. ¬†We’ll have prizes to win and a good time to be had.
When a late summer Free-Agent pick-up (cut by the Redskins) DT Antonio Dixon by mid-season outplays both M Patterson and keeps T Laws from being Active on Sundays, you ended up thinking,
wow this Dixon is a very good ball-player, or you end up really start thinking and realizing that Laws is a bust and Patterson is simply average…(consistent but just average)
This is why I prefer Eagles to grab a big,mean nasty DT like L Houston from Texas 6’3-330lbs,
someone with an attitude who can be had in the 2nd Round, this is one of the best drafts in recent memory for the DT postiion and the Eagles could definitely use an upgrade and a playmaker there….
G:
Not that you care, but I’m a/k/a Stan Still. I’m glad to read that you’re publicly espousing a center if the Eagles cannot obtain an elite safety. I think that this is THE most important need. And not just because Jamal Jackson is injured, but also because Jamal can be supplanted with an upgrade in the draft. My hope is that if they draft a center, Jamal will stay on the sidelines.
I think the defense needs to look at hour our DTs are utilized. It seems to me in lots of games that they are being asked to hold their gaps and not fully attack. I’d like to see what Bunkley can do if they allow him attack more.
Considering we now have a GM and Phil Savage, 2 guys with major roles on draft day, we better come away with a stud ready to make an impact from jump street. This ‘D’ was a mess last year, due to injuries and lack of depth. Additionaly, having a first year coach in McDermott with an unreliable assistant coach made it worse. B April and D Jauron have years of good experience and are major upgrades.
I would be very happy with both a safety and cornerback capable of starting in the first year. It is within the realm of possibility. I see the birds being more active that previously considering all the new talent.
In all fairness, you really can’t be too hard on the Eagles drafting for McDougal and Bunkley not living up to potential. The Eagles got HIGH marks post-draft for taking both these guys. And really, who knows what McDougal might have been if he hadn’t gotten shot in the ass. I will openly admit he wasn’t playing well before that either, but if memory serves he’d been injured so it’s really hard to say. And Bunk, while not a Pro Bowler (yet) is certainly a solid tackle. He could still develop. Remember he looked like a bust early on and has only come on to “solid” status recently. Maybe he’s got even more in the tank.
Laws, though … he’s a bust. But at least they got compensation for moving down before taking him.
the birds need to get play makers and not just guys that fit the system. play makers who impact the defensive is how teams build for a championship. the idea is to tailor the system around the players skill set.
High marks after the draft is a joke. Who gives them high marks? Guys in the media who know nothing really about the game? These front office guys are paid millions of dollars to pick the right players, if they don’t they should be fired, in the same way the players are treated. The NFL is a produce or get fired business.
*TRADE ALERT*
Eagles have traded Michael Vick to fox sports news for Hugh Douglas!
Garry, sure, but the gray area is where do you draw the line on what is production. Playoff wins for a coach? Winning seasons? SBs alone? Probowlers drafted? Is there a set # of objectives to hiring/firing coaches? No. ‘The right players’ is a tricky thing, though you’re talking like it isn’t. It’s not like they’re picking out the red M&Ms from a bowl that has yellow ones too.
In any case, I wouldn’t get too excited for Eric Berry. I just cant see him falling out of the top ten, and I wont even say what the Eagles would have to give up to get to like #7 according to the point chart bc it makes me sick! We prolly wouldnt have a pick again til third round, and maybe only 1. Its crazy to me. I LOVE Berry and watched painstakingly through many hours of film, and he really is impressive. I am no expert, but I think he is good enough for people to feel safe as well as excited and snag him top 10. I would look at Earl Thomas. He is talented enough and good enough hips to play corner, yet also isnt afraid to bring it on run support. I hear people say “hes too small”…hes less than an inch shorter than Berry and weighs the same…what the hell? Hes the SAME SIZE!! Mayock says he’s better, and out of ANYBODY I listen to it would be him. I’d still take Berry but wont be mad if we get Thomas, if we get Mays/Tebow, I will jump off a small building. But NODOUBT, the Eagles will SURELY do something none of us expect and we will be left floored. I have a feeling we wont be picking in the first after we got that 37th, the 2-3 are too deep and talented, and CHEAP, unless someone we love slides, which can happen very easily.
Meaning I would listen to Mayock moreso than anyone else on TV let me correct that. Like outta him Kiper and Mcshay. Kipers record for knowing who will pick who is so damn impressive though its crazy
The Eagles don’t have any defensive players that instill fear into the opponent. Laws and Abiamiri are flops and Patterson and Bunkley are nothing to brag about. Receivers and runners punish our defense instead of the other way around. Cowboys released Flozel Adams who had his way with trent Cole, supposedly our best defensive player. Let’s see what Howie (FF) Roseman does with the overwhelming needs on defense.
“The Eagles front office acts like they‚Äôre happy about what they‚Äôve gotten out of Patterson but I don‚Äôt see how or why they should be.” Quote from Gary Cobb. This sums up the Eagles sentiments about their roster front office and organization. They are happy just being competitive and average.
Its a poor quote Big E – GCobb isn’t happy with what Patterson is doing, so he thinks everyone is unhappy – notice how he bashed the media for giving grades after the draft – yet he’s the one in the media making comments now – I want to know if he sat down and broke down the films of the game or is he just looking at a stat sheet – does Patterson force teams to run away from his area, does he get single blocked or do other teams have to have two people on him – notice he mentions ‘pro bowl numbers’ – the pro Bowl seems to pop up when a guy doesn’t make it, but gets thrown out when someone does make it (aren’t 9 ints pro bowl numbers) . Note the comments on sacks – Patterson is taken out on passing downs – the reason for that you would have to ask the De Coordinator, but JJ did it too – they put Howard in – notice Howard isn’t with the team. Hollis Thomas used to gripe about the rotating of D Lineman when he was here. The correct quote comes from edogma who write you should take a look at how we use our DTs. If the boss asks you to fill a gap and take on two blockers and you do that, check, if a news guy sez go get sacks, do you do that? As for the person talking about ‘playmakers’ – Bunkley and Patterson’s main focus in life is to keep people from touching Stewart Bradley – that is how they are ‘playmakers’. And Big E again – how is 11-5 average – 8-8 is average – not going to the playoffs is average – how after this season, when they changed positions in the FO (GM, hired Savage for draft etc.), and it looks like almost 20% of the roster is being turned over are they demonstrating ‘happiness’ Look how many people were shown the door because it appears to me they were not happy being 11-5 and losing first round of playoffs – of course then we have our typical panties twisted in a knot catch 22 – first we bash the organiztion for settling and being average, then we bash Banner for saying that prior to last years camp they thought they had the best roster, then we bash them for not winning the Super Bowl, then we bash them for getting rid of veteran’s that weren’t helping (saving money by cutting the cost of the roster), then we bash them for getting rid of the veteran’s that were on the ‘best roster’ comment – when to me and my untrained eye – it looks like the organization is trying to make some fairly significant changes to get better – then of course we bash those attempted changes if they don’t work out perfectly – like Asante or Peters or Andrews – Asante and Peters made the Pro Bowl and we have people bash them (note pro bowl comment prior), but we will still call the organization ‘egotistical’. Guys crack me up. Patterson and Bunkley much like Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan (a high paid FA and a #1) have provided the Eagles a solid pair of DTs for years, you think solid DTs grow on trees? How’d Haynesworth do last year? Isn’t he skipping OTAs?
YOU ARE AN APOLOGIST EXTRADINAIRE. I DON’T CARE HOW OTHER TEAMS PLAYERS ARE PERFORMING. YOU SOUND LIKE A POLITICIAN DEFENDING YOUR PARTY BY EXPLANING THE
ILLS OF THE OPPOSING PARTY. JEROME BROWN’S STATS WERE BETTER THAN BOTH COMBINED. THE DEFENSE DOESN’;T HAVE ONE GREAT PLAYER. ASANTE IS INCOMPLETE AND NOT A PRESS CORNER. I LIKE PETERS BUT HE NEED TO LOOSE WEIGHT AND GET IN BETTER SHAPE. THE EAGLES OVERLOOK TO MANY ITEMS EACH SEASON AND IT IS EMBARRASING. LIKE PUNT RETURNERS, FULLBACKS ON AND ON.
BiG E – stop using big words you do not understand – I did not, nor have I ever, nor would I apologize, for anything someone else does, let alone a team or an organization – that’s idiotic, but on par with almost 99% of your posts. A team can not have human qualities. I will keep my words smaller and use words you can probably understand – you are a chronic bitch. Every team, every year, in every sport overlooks something – every player has weaknesses – you bitch. Not intelligent bitching, chronic nothing is ever good enough bitching. My daughter just took second place in a beach tourney – lost int he final by two points – I need to go bitch at her for not doing well enough – se setlled for mediocrity. She almost seemed happy to accept her award and the little gifts they get – I’ll teach her the Philly way.
Your such a swine’s ass NAVY EAGLE. What big words did I use that confused you. A team is composed of humans. These weaknesses do not include letting a guy return a punt who hasn’t done it since high school. This is just plain stupidity,that even a little league coach would understand. We’re not talking about beach tournaments. I just finished watching Tampa Bay win the Super Bowl in 2003 with the youngest coach @39 a former assistant of Reid, but don’t give Reid any credit as if he is the winner.
Reid is a coach who will never take the Eagles to a Super Bowl. Maybe a Supper Bowl. If a player is average he is average. Nothing you can conjure up will change that. You smoke cronic. This has nothing to do with children you dork and I am not advocating that you bitch at your kids. I wonder if there is a full moon. The Phillies to a man were not satisfied with just getting to the World Series. The Eagles were formed in 1933. 77 years ago. It’s time for their coach to make his third five year plan succeed.
You don’t over look the fullback position and get a washed up defensive line man to fill that position. That is just pure stupidity or such a belief in your own judgement that you become an idiot without common sense AND FLAWED REASONING. GET YOU LITTLE BOATS OUT AND TAKE A HOT BATH AND COME BACK TO REALITY.
Your the swine’s ass you buffon. You know nothing except how to whine, complain gripe and bitch – there is not a word in your very limited and ill used vocabulary I do not understand, that’s the problem (clearly you have a reading comprehension problem also) you constanlty use words incorrectly. You say things like ‘the eagles screwed the fans’ I am still trying to figure out how a team screws things? Ried has already taken the eagles to a super bowl – and Jon Gruden was FIRED after his SB team broke up and moved on and he was left alone – you very selectively use little tidbits of lame facts to support your lame analysis to justify and rationalize the fact you are a huge wanker
Reid’s time is over. He is a poor game day coach who can not adjust to game conditions. His refusal to value and understand the running game’s contribution to victory is beyond comprehension. Saying the Eagles screwed the fans does not denote a reading comprehension problem. You have a problem with anyone who disagrees with your analysis which you think is so comprehensive and all inclusive ala Reidian Personality disorder. For the last five years the Eagles have not won as many games as NY or Dallas and have been below average. How many years did it take for Reid to figure out the strength and conditioning coaches were not effective. You should know how long those bozos were here. Don’t use my words Swine ass it was mine sharpen your own vocab without plagerizing. Seamen face.
Huge Wanker vs Seamen Face. Oh my God! This is the greatest heavyweight showdown ever on GCobb.com! There were some heavy blows, my favorites being “Get Your Little Boats out and take a hot bath” and “tidbits of lame facts to support your lame analysis to justify and rationalize the fact you are a huge wanker.” Can it get better than this? Perhaps, because the first match was………..a draw. I look forward to the rematch. Thank you, gentlemen.
Lobotomy boy. 2-10-2. It’s time to scuttle the ship, captain fat first.Seaman lobotomy second.
There ya go douche bag – no one else is allowed to talk about other teams – now you can – especially after NY last season right. You loved Cobbs quote about the FO acting like they are happy and saying it was the sentiment of the FO – you wrote that – no comprehension problem – I then pointed out the 10 different ways they did not appear they were happy – new Special teams coach, new d backs coach, new strength coach, new GM, new draft guru (whatever Savage is called) – all the veteran players they got rid of, as clear indications the FO seemed satisfied? So how do you extrapolate out of that all this nonsense and then do this whole apologist thing. Clearly – you have never played the game, clearly you have never coached the game, clearly you know very little about the game other then the nonsense you read and think you understand. And again, the NAvy is the college – you know the US Naval Academy, Annapolis MD, it is not my occupation – and while you think you are being cute with the seaman face comments – there are about 20,000 actual seaman out doing this country’s business overseas in some bad places – try to raise the level of your insults above 3rd grade. and lastly – I’ve written it a hundred times – feel free to have any opinion you want – but when you write nonsense like ‘the front office appears happy’ when its clear to anyone that’s even remotely paying attention they are not happy – expect to get called on it, as I would if I wrote nonsense like ‘the eagles are the greatest team ever’ – though you would kind of expect on a pro-eagles website that 100 people would write back hell yeah right?
All these changes you refer to 10 different ones just validate the point that for all these years they were on the wrong track and finally woke up from the fantasy dream that they have been Super Bowl champs. You seem to know what people are thinking when they make a statement. Are you a mind reader. When you talk about other teams it’s always the loosers that you compare to the Eagles.Too little too late should be the Eagles motto. Obviously you know more than you let on about wanking and douching. I played football, basketball and baseball and even a little league coach would have a
provided for a fullback, punt returner and pass rusher. I wasn’t refering to all seamen just your rediculous references to the Navy to bolster your failing ego and sense of belonging. Knowing the game does not mean making excuses for all the bobeheaded move. For years I have noticed that the Eagles players were not as strong or as conditioned as they could be. How did it just become an issue to the FO. Reid had a five year plan if I remember correctly he is working on his third and not making up for a former coaches screwups but his own when he makes these changes that you so proudly refer to. You have the mouth of a classless swinehearder. Do you think you juvenile names have any effect.
Incidently navy boy, G Cobb wrote that the FO seemed happy. Why aren’t you calling him your little juvenile names.
Dude, seriously – been through this – go back to the previous post where i talked about bashing the front office – bash for acting like everything OK – bash for changing, bash for not changing sooner, bash, groan, complain, gripe. And I realize using football talk eludes you – so I’ll stop. Promise, becuase clearly doing anything then evrything in eagleland blows is just too intense for you. Just go ahead and complain – go for it. Live the dream – surely your team won the title every year you coached because you are the man! So you win – I give you permission to have the last word, the last post, the last insult – go ahead – permission granted