Philadelphia Eagles Post Draft Commentary

The Philadelphia Eagles had an up and down season in 2008 finishing the season at 9-7 but made it all the way to the Conference Championship game, losing to the Arizona Cardinals. The Eagles showed that they had some weaknesses in 2008 as they struggled with consistency on both sides of the ball. Sometimes the Eagles struggled to score points and run the ball. Then, they would have trouble stopping opponents from running up the score. There is a great deal of talent on the roster and the team could be primed for another run at the Super Bowl if the pieces fall into place.

One of the biggest needs the Eagles had was offensive tackle, but after trading for Jason Peters, that need no longer existed. But, the team did need to bring more help at the running back position as Brian Westbrook has had trouble staying healthy of late and Correll Buckhalter left via Free Agency. LeSean McCoy is a similar runner to Westbrook and may be faster and gives the Eagles a viable backup for the position. Westbrook’s production cannot be removed from the offense, and with McCoy on the squad, the Eagles should be able to continue without skipping a beat if Westbrook goes down. L. J. Smith was also allowed to leave via Free Agency and the team used a 5th rounder on Cornelius Ingram, who unfortunately may be a clone of the former Eagle. Ingram has had injury issues in college and there were concerns as to whether his knees has been repaired adequately. If Ingram can stay on the field, he will bring the down the field threat that Smith was, although he too is not an accomplished blocker.

The Eagles drafted some backup help along the offensive line in the form of Fenuki Topou in an effort to upgrade over Winston Justice. Topou will need a great deal of tutoring before he is ready to play in the NFL, but he is nimble enough to compete at left tackle. Paul Fanaika may compete for a roster spot on the interior as Shawn Andrews needs to show that he is in fact ready to play. Both players are not being counted on as starters and will be backups at least to start their careers. The Eagles again tried to address their need for a wide receiver with the selection of Jeremy Maclin, but Maclin is not the most polished player so he too will need some time to make his mark on a consistent basis. Maclin’s versatility may get on the field more so than refinement to start, but he has the tools to become a solid contributor.

Perhaps the biggest area of concern; cornerback was tentatively addressed through one selection; Victor Harris. The club may have issues in the secondary this fall if there are an injuries to either Sheldon Brown or Asante Samuel as there is not much depth behind either. Brown has been unhappy with his contract so that situation bears watching. Jim Johnson’s defense is predicated on safety play, and the Eagles replace both in the off season, but the team still needs more depth overall to compete throughout a 16 game season. I am surprised that this position did not see more than one draft choice used on a player to fill a role. Corner was the only real issue on defense other than maybe another outside linebacker for depth, but again the lack the commitment to upgrading the corner position may come back to hurt the team’s chances in 2009.

The Eagles will again compete for the NFC East crown, but they may fall short if their secondary sustains any injuries as they are paper thin at this position. The team will likely look to add a veteran later on in the off season as teams cut down their rosters. I would be surprised to see the Eagles pick up 2 player for the position. The team must become more consistent on both sides of the ball however and hopefully the newest additions will help that cause. Last year Westbrook’s injuries hurt the team chances to win some games it should have, and with McCoy in the fold that may no longer be the case when Westbrook is injured. If so, then the NFC had better watch out for the Eagles in 2009, as they could have an explosive offense.

Pre Draft Needs: WR, RB, OL, TE, CB