Not Feeling Draft: Will Lockout Cage Eagles?
The Philadelphia Daily News - Eagles Blog
Not Feeling Draft: Will Lockout Cage Eagles?
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
With nobody outside Judge Susan Nelson's chambers knowing when or whether there might be NFL free agency this year, the focus across the league sits more squarely on the draft than anytime in recent memory.
But I'm having a hard time getting into it. It's almost like the league is going to pretend to function for three days, then stop again. Unless the lockout is lifted, draftees will attend press conferences in their respective new cities, then they won't be able to take playbooks, sign, or in any way participate in the functions of the franchises they supposedly have joined. There won't be any undrafted free agents signed, which is going to make the seventh round suddenly nerve-wracking for many dozens of guys.
And, if the lockout remains, the Eagles will not be trading Kevin Kolb. Please, spare me your scenarios that involve shipping a blowup doll in a No. 4 jersey to Arizona in exchange for a blowup doll with "Cardinals' No. 1 draft choice" written on it, or something. This isn't the kind of thing you trick the NFL on. Either trades will be allowed by the draft, and Kolb will be traded, or they won't, and he won't. No double-secret handshakes on a deal to be consummated later.
I am wondering about how the lockout will affect the Birds' favorite draftime activity in recent years, trading up or trading down. Right now, the Eagles draft 23rd overall in the first round. In a normal year, we could be assured of one thing -- they wouldn't be picking 23rd. After not moving at all in Andy Reid's first four years in charge, three of which when the draft was run by Tom Modrak, the Eagles have moved out of their designated spot six times in the last eight drafts, including the last four years in a row.
The last time the Eagles stood pat, they used the 14th overall pick on Brodrick Bunkley, after a 6-10 2005 season, the only losing season for Reid since his first year here. They didn't need to trade up that time to get where they seem to like to be, the teens. (Excepting 2007 and 2008, when they decided they'd rather be in the second round.)
It seems that the farther the Eagles move up, the less success they have with the pick. Their biggest move under Reid was from 30 to 15 in 2003, to nab Jerome McDougle. Their smallest move, 21 to 19 in 2009, netted them Jeremy Maclin.
Teams will still be able to trade draft picks, if not players, this year, so moving up or down will remain possible, but if you go into the draft with, say, two first-round picks, one from trading Kolb, you have a lot more ammunition to move. And moving up means giving up later-round picks. Will teams be willing to do that in a year when nobody is sure if there will be free agency? Or undrafted rookies? These draftees might be the only guys you can bring in.
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Oh, the preseason schedule is coming out this afternoon, another excercise in pretending things are normal. I wouldn't make a lot of preseason game-travel plans.
Jerome McDougle had a high ceiling and a lot of potential, but got shot in the stomach and was never the same. I wouldve used Brandon Graham as the example.— Tough* Juice*- McDougle was in the league 2 years before he got shot. In those 2 years he had fewer sacks than Graham did last year.— fig
- His example was fine. Get a life and stop being so critical.— 76er
- Haha, preseaon game travel plans...good one...what idiot actually makes pr.....
-not bob levy— remyy 
Comment removed.- Not being able to trade Kolb will assure Eagle fans that we won't have 6 5th round choices this year. Too bad Howie!— younged
- The accounting office of Banner, Roseman and Reid always has a plan. You can make book on that missy.
- Comment removed.
- Eagles better hope lockout gets solved quick or most of their thugs will be in jail..— bill19666
- "The accounting office of Banner, Roseman and Reid always has a plan. You can make book on that missy."
Wow, still with the alleged cheapness claim...Don't let facts hit you on the fanny as you walk out that door. Eagles are not cheap, and have always spent when they wanted a player. Go root for the Redskins if spending money is your criteria for team. Works wonders for them.
Les, I still think the eagles could do a handshake deal involving Kolb. Let's say no lockout and the cards are willing to swap their first for Kolb, done deal. Okay, the eagles say, pick player x at that spot and we will trade kolb even up for that player when the lockout ends. No rules violated, and both teams get what they want. If a team reneges, it will get around.— mjposner - I think he was saying that they "wouldn't" do it not that they "couldn't" do it. Quite frankly, I like that the team watches their dimes. Do you want to bail them out if they do a "Tose"?
- If they don't do a trade for Kolb the draft will be a bore. Eagles will pick a OLineman and no names after that....yawn....— greenflyer
- Comment removed.
- I STRONGLY FAVOR Delaying THE DRAFT. Until the Strike/Lockout is settled....Having the Draft without being able to make trades is just Horrible for us...If Carolina wants Kolb and we get their #1 something that really makes sense to both teams...we could trade down that #1 to a #3 or #4 pick and pick up an extra Player then Grab Peterson ...Who will be there....and From there go for that offensive RT and the Defense line people we need....
At it is what do we Do Keep Kolb Trade him and get Future Picks...and what about all those teams that need QBs...THE WHOLE THING IS A MESS....Not to mention the settlement will no doubt include some kind of limits on 1st round pick comp packages....how do you handle that...have the 1st round pick limits go into effect next year would be the likely choice but then that effects how you deal this year...who would want to trade up for example when that early pick will be much less costly Next year.
DELAY THE DRAFT UNTIL THE STRIKE/LOCKOUT IS SETTLED....— Bigmike 34 - Why don't they just call Buddy Ryan when they're ready to pick a defensive player??....Geez, it's not that difficult!.....i know,i know! NICKELS will never pay for it....then again why pay him when REID is so much smarter than everyone else!— Geno D
