Birds not strong enough to be Super, need to upgrade several spots

Originally published December 16, 1996.

I don't think I'm bursting anybody's bubble, including Ray Rhodes's, by suggesting that the Eagles won't be going to the Super Bowl this season.

They have another 10-win season in their sights and have wrapped up a second straight wild-card invitation to the playoffs. And that's a lot more than they can say in Tampa Bay and Atlanta and New Orleans and Hempstead, N.Y., and a lot of other NFL outposts.

But the harsh reality of the situation is that if you don't have a first-round bye, your chances of going to The Big Game are pretty slim. Since the NFL began extending first-round byes in 1978, just three of 92 teams that have played first-round games have made it to the Super Bowl. The Eagles have given us little reason lately to believe they can become No. 4.

So let's forget about next week's regular-season finale against Arizona for a minute. Let's forget about the playoffs. Let's look ahead to the offseason and some of the things the Eagles are going to need to concern themselves with:

Some who need to go

If not for Mike Zordich, the Eagles probably would have lost to the Jets on Saturday. His two interceptions were instrumental in the 21-20, come-from-behind victory.

He's still a smart, gutsy player with tons of heart. But the 33-year-old strong safety has lost a step and too often has been a liability in the secondary this season. The Eagles need to find someone younger and faster.

Changes also need to be made along the offensive line. Guard Joe Panos is about the only starter you'd classify as a keeper. Right tackle Richard Cooper isn't worth the $2.5 million a year the Eagles gave him, but he's a serviceable player when healthy.

Left tackle Barrett Brooks didn't show near enough improvement in his second year. But it's still too early to give up on him. Same with first-round pick Jermane Mayberry, whose first NFL start against the Jets was a disaster.

Right guard Lester Holmes looked like a future Pro Bowler before injuring his knee last year. But he's been a major disappointment this season. He'll be an unrestricted free agent after the season and the Eagles probably will let him walk.

Center Raleigh McKenzie, another free agent-to-be, will be 34 in February. It probably is time to think about making a change there, too.

One who needs to stay

Defensive end William Fuller has played most of the season with a tendon injury in his left elbow and without defensive tackle Andy Harmon. He has struggled at times, but still has managed to notch a team-high 10 sacks.

He'll be 35 in March and a free agent in February. But so what? The Packers had no qualms about giving 35-year-old Reggie White a rich, new contract last week. Fuller, one of the team's defensive leaders, still has a couple of good, productive years left.

Run-stuffing DT wanted

Harmon missed all but two games this season with a slow-to-heal knee injury. His return next season will give the Eagles the inside pass-rushing push they have sorely lacked this year. But they still need someone else inside who can plug the run.

Both Harmon and the Eagles' other starting defensive tackle, Rhett Hall, tip the scales at 280. I'm not big on having two guys inside who are that light. They need to get a big body to mix and match with them and, as luck would have it, there will be several good ones available in free agency in February.

My personal favorite: Gilbert Brown, Green Bay's 6-2, 325-pound sun-blocker. Three other possibilities: the Redskins' Sean Gilbert (probably too overpriced), the Colts' Tony Siragusa and the Chargers' Reuben Davis.

A man in the middle, too

Middle linebacker James Willis hasn't embarrassed himself as Kurt Gouveia's replacement. He's played well at times, particularly when you consider he's spent most of the second half of the season hobbled by a knee injury.

But they need to do better. There are going to be two free-agent linebackers on the market who would be perfect in the middle of Emmitt Thomas's defenses.

One is Pittsburgh's Chad Brown. The 6-2, 240-pound Brown was an inside 'backer in the Steelers' 3-4 scheme who was moved outside by Bill Cowher after Greg Lloyd went down with a knee injury early in the season. All Brown has done is notch 13 sacks, second in the AFC.

But Brown is going to be one of the hottest properties of Free Agency V, and the Eagles might not have the cash reserves to lure him to Philadelphia.

A slightly more affordable possibility: Vikings middle linebacker Jeff Brady. In only his second year as a starter, the 6-1, 243-pound Brady is developing into one of the league's top all-around middle linebackers. He leads the Vikings' in both tackles and passes defensed.

Put pounds on Mikey

Rhodes says he is dead set against the idea of packing more pounds on undersized defensive end Mike Mamula. He says he has seen coaches try to bulk up other speed guys, and while they got a little bigger and stronger, they also got slower.

I say take the gamble. Bring on the burgers and the milk shakes and bulk him up to 260 to 265. It'll be a cold day in Honolulu before he makes the Pro Bowl at 245.

A new deal for Detmer

Ty Detmer hasn't been perfect in his 10 starts since replacing Rodney Peete. But he's played well enough to convince me he is a good long-term fit for the Eagles' West Coast offense.

Detmer still has another year left on his contract. But why wait? Redo him now. If he goes out and has a big season in '97, he's going to be able to command big, big money on the free-agent market. That's a risk the Eagles shouldn't want to take.

What to do about Ricky

Running back Ricky Watters also has one more year left on his contract. Despite what his teammates think, he was the club's offensive MVP this season. He's the best ballcarrier the Eagles have had since Wilbert Montgomery.

The Eagles need to spend the time after the season and before the draft trying to either sign him to a contract extension or at least determine how much he really wants to stay in Philadelphia.

If they come to the conclusion that they probably aren't going to be able to keep him in Philly beyond '97, then it would behoove them to shop him around before the draft and see what kind of nibbles he gets.