Decisions ahead for Eagles
The Philadelphia Daily News - Eagletarian
Decisions ahead for Eagles
Daily News staff
The Eagles have some difficult decisions to make in the offseason. That coach Andy Reid and quarterback Donovan McNabb are retrurning seems like a certainty, even though McNabb wants to sit down with management, presumablty to discuss a new contract.
After Sunday's game, team president Joe Banner said Reid and McNabb have always had the "absolute support" of the front office.
Still, other issues loom for the Birds. They have seven unrestricted free agents and two restricted free agents.
Unrestricted free agents: Correll Buckhalter, Sean Considine, Brian Dawkins, Joselio Hanson, Jon Runyan, L.J. Smith, Tra Thomas
Restricted free agents: Hank Baskettt, Nick Cole
With Dawkins making his seventh Pro Bowl, while also making it clear he isn’t looking to break the bank, that decision would seem to be the easiest. Thomas had a strong year in pass protection, though he might have been part of the reason why the Birds couldn’t run the ball effectively much of the time. Runyan, a valiant warrior, might be just about used up. It seems apparent that Smith has played his last game as an Eagle.
A few other things we're talking about in the aftermath of the Eagles' loss to Arizona:
* Can this current regime ever win a championship? As we heard over and over again, the opportunities to get to this point are precious. Letting another go to waste has to only re-open the previous scars, especially for the six players who have been a part of the Eagles for all five NFC title games.
* Defensive struggles. A defense that had given up just 65 points in its last 6 games and hadn’t allowed a touchdown pass in 5 games, gave up 24 first-half points and couldn’t prevent a game-winning 14-play scoring drive at the end.
* The kicker. Usually reliable David Akers missed a point-after and a 47-yard field goal attempt and sent a kickoff out of bounds.
* Another missed comeback opportunity for McNabb. The Eagles quarterback brought his team back from a 24-6 halftime deficit, but couldn’t engineer a game-winning drive at the end.
* Tough day for Quintin Demps. The rookie safety, who got his most reps of the season, got beat for a 62-yard touchdown by Larry Fitzgerald, and later was flagged for a late hit on Kurt Warner.
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Also on Eagletarian:
Paul Domowitch's Eagles-Cardinals Report Card
Andy Reid: It's a shame, plus our poll of painful Eagles losses
Dawk, Hanson, Cole and Runyan gotta come back. Considine is good on ST but he would have to come back at a bargain price. We have alot of money coming off the books next year. Reggie Brown and Lito will also more then likely be gone. We should make a move for Antonio Bryant or TJ whatever the hell his last name is. We need an impact DE like Peppers from Carolina. DO NOT trade our two first round draft picks unless it is to move up.— beeron- Runyan needs to retire, time to look for a new kicker under the same scenario when Akers joined the team: a guy to do kickoffs and long FG attempts, Dawkins can come back but only at league minimum, the team needs a legitimate #1 franchise Wide receiver: Arizona has 3 1000 yard WRs = the Eagles have 0— BHite15
- Baskett is to unreliable, so let him go (e.g., one to two dropped passes in this game). LJ Smith is unreliable and can't consistently get his head into the game, so let him go (e.g., having to call timeouts because is on the wrong side and laying down on his blocking assignments). Thomas may need to be let go too; he was impersonating Justice in this game and is a weak cog in one of the largest offensive lines in the NFL. While Runyan puts in a great performance hurt; Thomas puts in a weak one when well. Bring back Cole, Dawkins, Hanson, Runyan, Buck, and Cole. However, they need to give more reps next year in Westbrook's place. As for Considine, look for an alternative. He is nothing special on defense.— dross
Comment removed.- We should sign Nnamdi Asomugha— Sammy II
- MCeaser...no CB's match up with Fitz...you have to either help over the top or get to the opposing QB quick...seems like Runyan may have a year or two left in him...gotta get a legit receiver to compliment this group..Curtis Jackson Avant are a pretty good 3 but need someone that strikes even just a little fear in defenses...Brown Basket and Lewis should probably go— phillyfanEugene
- I'm confused why Demps saw so many reps? I don't remember him getting that much time in the previous couple of games. He is the third safety after all is he not? Was he in to avoid having to play Lito? As disappointing as Lito has been, I think I would have rather had him in there when it counted.— patsully
- Samuel stays. Baskett gone. Demps what do we do with him? Runyan, Dawkins, Considine...I am indifferent but think they should stay.— SeaJim
- Get Peppers on D and bring in Brandon Jacobs on O.— thatkidrich44
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- Demps got reps because Johnson had changed his defense--when the Cards--and before that even, going back to the 2nd Giants game--had 2 backs in, Demps was in there to protect against the run--problem was they passed a lot on 1st and 2nd down.— bobbyuk
- It's actually very simple; the Bengals are rebuilding, so give them both our first round picks for TJ Houshmanzadeh; it is a win-win for both teams. We get a dominating WR instead of trading out of the round and screwing up picks anyway, and the Bengals get two high picks to try to upgrade their team. As ticked off as I am this morning about another big loss, we are only a player or two away from getting to the promised land. Keep the core we have now, no need to break up the team and start over.— cgrant
- Two first round picks for Houshmanzadeh? Man, I'm glad you don't run the Eagles.— Captain Splendor
Not that I like to depend on Free Agency in the NFL, but is there anyone of particular interest who will be available in the offseason?— dpcoz- McNabb is a very good QB but not great. Therefore if McNabb to remain, then must add big time running back and better run blocking lineman. Then convince Andy to rely on the run recognizing that McNabb cannot get it done without running the ball every game. This is much more important than adding another WR. Would Brandon Jacobs look good to complement Westbrook Eagles fans?— JBP
- i like the comments here so far. Reggie Brown and Lito Sheppard should be dealt. Eagles need to find a better WR (a rookie wouldn't be a bad idea) who can complement DeSean Jackon. Lito's existence is compromised since Hansen is coming back and Jack Ikegwuonu will be around to hopefully prove he was worth 'wasting' a draft pick. Unrestricted free agents: 1. Correll Buckhalter - keep but draft a strong north-south guy or get Eckel involved 2. Sean Considine: you can probably find or draft a better guy for ST 3. Brian Dawkins: This guy should retire as an Eagle, keep him for situational play and have him teach Demps (or move Mikell to FS and put Demps in SS). 4. Joselio Hanson - keep, no doubt. 5. Jon Runyan and Tra Thomas - keep at least one of these guys or both, I don't know. Thomas showed his age vs. the Cardinals. 6. L.J. Smith - goodbye, need to draft a strong playmaker TE we can see that McNabb NEEDS and prefers a good TE, good job to Celek. Restricted free agents: 1. Hank Baskett: keep, he's played better than Reggie Brown. 2. Nick Cole: keep, proven backup.— jjmiv
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- Larry Johnson, RB. I think we're very close. Keep the core, add two stud 1st rounders at WR and O-tackle.— ItalianSausage
- Dawkins, Hanson and Runyon should stay if Runyon can play. Tra Thomas depends. Basket and Cole should stay. McNabb is a good quarterback, but he will never get back to the big dance. He can not change the way he plays and everyone knows his weaknesses. Banner said the words, but did he really back McNabb and Reid? One of his other quotes yesterday was that the definistion of insanity was to repeat the same failed actions over and over while expecting different results. Lurie and Banner want that trophy and the parade. If they wait too long, they will be back in 1999 again with a long steep climb, one that is very difficult to do a second time. Look at Dallas, Washington, and San Fransisco. there is change brewing.— dutchman
- Your TEAM, your CITY, you the PHILLY FANS are all a bunch of LOSERS! Tell your fat coach he can take a bath now that your playoff run is over. OVER! I can't tell you how happy I am to see your loser franchise go down the drain.— poorphillyfan
- Forget Housh, PLEASE go get Anquan Boldin!— 24more
- The Eagles have to sign either Runyan or Thomas. Do we have 2 tackles that can step in? I think we could get one in the draft.....— OKC_EAGLES
- The 800 pound gorilla no one has (Tackled)acknowledged so far is that mcfail/coachconfussed once again have been out played/out coached/out classed and have failed to deliver the big one again!! Whilst I appreciate that the Iagles are/have been/mite be only a couple of players or two away from a championship, the facts are they have been/and sadly will always be just that; runners up never being able to figure out how come its jan.29th and we're not suitin up? Unless of course they(jeff and yes men) shake things up so violently that EVERYONE notices and can't duct their heads in their lockers with the shame/enbarassment/so forth that seems to be the only prize they consistantly earned. That this will be the off season that someone becomes a man/men and that the rest of the team steps up a notch or two on the manly metter and do what theyre paid to do. Maybe they have forgeten that its more than chest thumping winning at stake. A winning team in philly in these times that we're gong thru helps us to get by because WE ALL can focus on something greater then ourselves. When they fail, not only do we fail but have to acknowledged that perhaps our effort/s might not have been worth it.I myself just can not do that, can you? When will the team as individuals/en mase realize this and put the best team on the field that has the chance to TCB!!!— Lord Mazzour
- The defense needs some help in the linebacker ranks and the secondary AND we need a strong big back. Giving away two number one draft picks for anyone unless it is a Peyton Manning is insane, but to get what we need we are either going to have to give something up or draft well. Something we have not done well at lately. But there is something else we are need to face. First, Donovan is going to be around for awhile. Second, we will some day win a Super Bowl. Having said that we need to understand that the Super Bowl win will necessarily come after Donovan is gone. Deal with it.— obergruber
