Do Eagles lack an elite player?
A couple national lists with the league's top players were recently released, and it's tough to find an Eagles player among the top 50. Do you disagree with the lists, or do the Eagles lack an elite player?
Do Eagles lack an elite player?
Sheil Kapadia, Philly.com
DeSean Jackson is the Eagles' best offensive player.
Trent Cole is the Eagles' best defensive player.
That's how I see it. That's probably how you see it. And while that might be how the national media see it, that doesn't mean Jackson and Cole are considered elite players around the country.
Which brings us to a couple lists I stumbled upon today.
Let's start with Pete Prisco's list of the top 50 players in the NFL on CBSSports.com. How many Eagles made the cut?
How about zero?
No Jackson. No Cole.
Here are the receivers that made it ahead of Jackson: Andre Johnson (7), Larry Fitzgerald (11), Randy Moss (28), Brandon Marshall (40), Steve Smith (49).
There are no specific guidelines for Prisco's list - just that these are the top 50 players in the league. Moss is 33, and Smith is 31, but both guys have some good years left in them. If you're projecting forward, in other words - Which 50 players would you start your franchise with? - it's easier to make the case for Jackson, who's only 23.
As for Cole, Prisco lists him among the players who "just missed" the cut. The pass-rushers in the top 50 are: DeMarcus Ware (5), Dwight Freeney (10), Jared Allen (12), Mario Williams (17), LaMarr Woodley (26), Julius Peppers (31) and Elvis Dumervil (32).
Meanwhile, Peter Schrager of FoxSports.com put out a similar list recently, but he goes with the top 100.
Four Eagles made the cut, and one even cracked the top 50: Asante Samuel:
A two-time Super Bowl champion, three-time Pro Bowl participant and two-time All-Pro, Samuel's evolved into a senior leader in the Eagles locker room. Though he rarely plays press coverage and isn’t exactly Dick Butkus when it comes to tackling, he's one of the league’s premier interception artists. In the last two seasons, the 29-year-old's recorded 13 regular-season interceptions, including two in the playoffs. His nine picks last year were tied for most in the NFL.
Jackson comes in at 53; Jason Peters at 65; and Cole at 95.
Here is the criteria for Schrager's list:
1. Which player would I rather have on my team?
2. Which player would make the most impact on my team?
3. Which player will be the best in 2010, specifically?
Given those rules, I have a hard time believing Cole shouldn't be higher. He has 34 sacks in the last three seasons and hasn't missed a game. He's only 27 and has shown he's excellent against the run also. There are really 94 players better than him?
Your thoughts?
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A lot of people may disagree with this, but the Patriots won their first and second superbowl without a superstar. Brady was a average QB and they had no superstars other than maybe a younger Samuel and Harrison on D. Brady didn't make mistakes on offence, the special teams was superb, and the defence was a top ten squad. Throw in a couple of lucky breaks (fumbles, ints, officating) and they won three superbowls as TEAM. Argue all you want about Brady being a superstar now, he wasn't one until his stats blew up and that may have had something to do with Moss, Welker, Stallworth.— Atlas- A lot of people may disagree with this, but the Patriots won their first and second superbowl without a superstar. Brady was a average QB and they had no superstars other than maybe a younger Samuel and Harrison on D. Brady didn't make mistakes on offence, the special teams was superb, and the defence was a top ten squad. Throw in a couple of lucky breaks (fumbles, ints, officating) and they won three superbowls as TEAM. Argue all you want about Brady being a superstar now, he wasn't one until his stats blew up and that may have had something to do with Moss, Welker, Stallworth.— Atlas
- The Reddgie, when have things "just as easily go right instead of wrong" for the Birds? The WR's are by far the strongest asset of the team, no argument there, but you have to get them the ball first. Maybe KK will be better at quick drops and fast releases to minimize the time spent in the pocket, but with a below avg Oline, RB's who still have to prove they can pick up the blitz, a coach that refuses to call max protect packages in lieu of multi WR sets, and a still-to-be-proven QB, realism leans toward losing before winning. When you look at the team with emotion aside (which is what the majority of the nat'l media does), this team is not impressive at all.— Bleue
- Thanks barrywil, I love this team and bleed Eagle green like most of the people on here, I'm just not going to punish myself this season with delusions of grandeur before they even play a game and think they are going to be a playoff team.— Bleue
Cole's numbers the last three seasons are better then every other DE except Allen. And are you telling me Steve Smith and Randy Moss at this point in their careers are playing better/making more plays, on offense AND special teams then Desean? How many of these players make plays and score on special teams as well? Sure they do'nt have a roster of all stars, Sure I may be a little biased, but to omit these two? For all in agreement with this losers' assessment: Either you know nothing about football, or are plain haters against any players for Philly.- Brent Celek should crack the top 100.— Darren9
- Come on Bleue. No one thought Winston Justice could play RT all year long, and while he was nowhere near being a Pro Bowler, he was more than sufficient most of the year. He could progress and improve some more this year and ultimately become a stalwart at RT. This is the "glass-is-half-full" thinking that I prefer to engage in. Are there question marks on our roster, at key positions no less? Of course, but show me 1 team in this league that doesn't have questions marks up and down their rosters.— The Reddgie
- The Reddgie, you're only in a "glass-half-full" approach because it's Friday, don't lie. Not all teams have question marks up and down the lineup, and for the Eagles, some will work out and some won't, and I think the Eagles did a good job of providing depth this year to hopefully negate some of the injuries that are bound to occur, but there are more indications of a down year than an up one. My original point was that without the emotional attachment of being their fan, analysts don't see anything special (agreed 1yard is top 50 player in the league, as is Trent who does more with less around him than 98% of NFL defenders out there) this year with so much 'replacement', aka rebuilding. It's not like T.O. year when everybody was back from the year before, and the one achilles heal was added.— Bleue
- Bleue, every team absolutely has question marks, they just may not have as many as the Eagles. Taking an unbiased look, 8-8 seems like the record for this year, plus or minus 2 wins. You know I think KK will be as good or better than 5 FOR THIS OFFENSE (not to be confused with whether KK is a better all around QB than 5), but the OL will take some time to solidify and that will have a negative impact on the offense and the entire team. The all around youth on defense will pay off in the end, but their will be some bad growing pains this year.— The Reddgie
- Kevin Kolb is the best QB in the Division--top 5 in the NFC. And we've got Trent Cole, DeSean Jackson, and Brent Celek--ALL elite!!— IdahoMoose
- Kevin Kolb is the best QB in the Division--top 5 in the NFC. And we've got Trent Cole, DeSean Jackson, and Brent Celek--ALL elite!!— IdahoMoose
- i don't know if jackson is a top 50 player yet, but i sure as heck would rate him over steve smith! although i heard smith is really dominating the Charlotte YMCA league these days...even with one arm!— bturner5680
- whoever wrote this is an idiot, i love randy moss but brandon marshall is way sicker than moss is now...and why is demarcus ahead of peppers and dumerville or any of them...stupid— asanteboom
- This team is about 3 years from serious contention. And Trent Cole is probably the best player on the team when measured in talent AND heart. I see Brandon Graham becoming a perfect bookend to him. Two relentless bulls coming off the ends. The biggest question mark is obviously Kolb.— nosupportgroup
- Let Mike Vick start for the Eagles, then that WILL BE THE ELITE / SUPERSTAR PLAYER that we need.— BooDuhBud
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