Eagles: Front Office Hiding In Back Room
Philly.com, Inquirer, and Daily News coverage of the Eagles
Eagles: Front Office Hiding In Back Room
Bob Ford, Inquirer Sports Columnist
Howie Roseman and Joe Banner have been quiet about the Eagles' struggles. (Yong Kim/Staff file photo)
The Eagles dressed 46 professional football players for Thursday’s twilight special in CenturyLink Field in Seattle, and it’s fair to say that the 43 of them who made their way onto the field didn’t have a great game.
The exact failures in the 31-14 loss have been picked over like the parking lot trash consumed by the great flocks of gulls that collected outside the deserted stadium when the night was over. The Eagles didn’t tackle well, they didn’t run the ball effectively, they committed too many turnovers and they were being put through their paces by a collection of coaches often working at cross purposes.
By this point in the season, the players see that the mistakes brought about by faulty or too ambitious schemes are not being addressed. Instead, the coaching staff is sticking to a bad plan the way a faithful diner stays with a favorite restaurant long after the chef is dead and the health department has pasted flyers on the door. The players are being used poorly and they know it.
That much is obvious. What is more difficult to decipher is whether the Eagles would have been good under any circumstance this season, or if the combination of turnovers (an incredibly bad minus-13 on takeaway/turnover), injuries (mostly Michael Vick, but Jeremy Maclin, too; and earlier this season, the mess on the offensive line) and some plain, old bad luck (some of the turnovers were night-of-the-blue-snow weird) sentenced them to a record that looks far worse than the actual merit of the team.
It might be for the 2012 season to decide that one. If the Eagles come back with essentially the same core, and essentially the same staff and philosophy – oh, yes, that certainly is possible – then judging the oddity of 2011 will be easier.
A real concern, however, is that the Eagles, as presently constructed, just aren’t that talented, and that the bulk of the roster is made up of average or below-average players whom the player personnel department has misjudged as something more.
For a handy example, look at the three players who put on a uniform but didn’t play a single snap on Thursday: Brandon Graham, Mike Kafka and Steve Smith. This isn’t meant to pick on them, but there they were, taking up uniform space and contributing nothing.
Graham, a defensive end, was the first-round pick in 2010. He didn’t do much during his rookie season and, before he tore his ACL at the end of the year, he had all but disappeared. They even tried him on the inside, at tackle, to little effect.
This season, he was on the PUP (physically unable to perform) list until Nov. 7, played sparingly against Chicago and Arizona, was inactive the next two weeks, and then dressed but didn’t play against Seattle. Maybe the front office and personnel departments – who recommend the picks to Reid for consideration – get a pass here because of the injury, but if a guy’s dressed, he’s healthy. If he’s healthy and he doesn’t play, and he was a first-round draft pick, you messed up. If there’s another way to look at that, let me know.
Kafka was another 2010 draft pick, in the fourth round. In all probability, he was projected as a backup, not someone who would develop into a starting NFL quarterback. Nevertheless, the coaching staff doesn’t appear to have enough confidence in him – after nearly two years of observation and coaching – to put him in a game when the starter (in this case, Vince Young) is incapable of doing anything but get you beat.
Then there is Steve Smith, who the Eagles signed during their binge of training camp transactions. He’s a former all-Pro, but was coming off an injury and surgery. Still, the organization’s judgment was that they were smarter than all the teams shying away from Smith. And on a night with the season’s survival on the line, on a night in which Jeremy Maclin couldn’t play and Riley Cooper was a starting wideout, on a night like that, Steve Smith couldn’t get on the field for a single snap. Nice signing.
Anyway, the point is that, as bad as Reid and his staff have done this season, he might not have much to work with, depending on how you judge the roster put together by the front office tandem of president Joe Banner and general manager Howie Roseman. The two drafts conducted by Roseman since he took over after Tom Heckert, Reid’s guy, was forced out, have been awful and could get worse, depending on which direction Danny Watkins and Nate Allen go.
I went into greater depth on this subject, and the shameful way the front office has let Reid absorb all the public blame, in this Saturday column in the Inquirer, and link it for you here because many of you don’t flip on the computer to check out Philly.com over the weekend. Too bad for you. There’s good stuff here every day.
Now you’re back at work, however, and the boss is out on a call somewhere and, well, you just can’t read enough about the Eagles at the moment.
Comments (64)
As much guff as Ray Rhodes took, he was a defensive coordinator. I would take him back as a Defensive coordinator of scout. His defensive choices combined with Jim Johnson's coaching was what helped this team greatly in Reid's run up to the superbowl. I think Reid needs to be involved in just coaching.— sw-sportsfan
2010 draft class: Graham. Allen. Te'o. Trevard Lindley. Keenan Clayton. Kafka. Ricky Sapp. Riley "hands of stone" Cooper. Charles Scott (who??). Jamar Chaney (rd 7). Jeff Owens. Kurt Coleman (rd 7). That is an unbelievably bad draft class.— djack10- If there is only one word to best describe this cluster%*&# of a season, that word is arrogance. It is arrogant and delusional to appoint a greenhorn to GM, to make your pedestrian OC your new DC, to pencil in seventh-round no-names at linebacker, to instruct your undersized QB to stay in the pocket and keep eyes down the field, all while his offensive line learns how to block, and it is the height of arrogance to peddle the idea week after week that you can succeed by putting your players in a better position. A "better position" for the Eagles D would be the CFL or the NCAA.— gnarlyscuzz
- Hiding in the back room? Yes they are and they are letting Reid take all the bullets. Reid needs to admit his Juan Castillo experiment blew-up in his face. And he needs to let "predictable offense" Marty go packing too. Hire Mike Singletary as our DC and bring back Brad Childress as OC. Hey F/O stop tripping and pay DJAX, he has earned it.— NC Eagle Fan
- Bob, nice job on this article. No one seems to talk about the fact that Andy had surrounded himself in the past with excellent coaches which I think was critical to his success. Over time, he lost those coaches (think 4 became head coaches) and he has not been able to replace them. Seems like Andy wanted more and more control over everything, Lurie allowed him to take control over decisions and Andy has proven that he can't handle the control.— gottadoabetterjob
- We should get an ex super bowl, quarterbacks coach to lead the team, so we don't throw so many interceptions.— gmr18901
- I agree with the article. When you look at the last two drafts, it is disturbing how bad they have been.— PhillyfaninChicago
- This would be a much better team if they had one player--Brian Dawkins! Did you see the game he had for the Broncos?— Boulder Steve
- Prepare for at least two more years of the Front Office Follies. It's clear to me that Reid will not be fired, and Lurie is not going to break up the Brain Trust until he starts losing money. My guess is, that won't happen; they've got the system down to a science, maximizing profit by any means necessary.— MidStaterUXB
- Thousand Gods and Tyronne7, I do prefer the kid from Southern Cal, his chances of winning the superbowl are 97.5%. Griffins is 2.5%. You two geniuses need to forget your dream of a black QB winning super bowl and play the odds. But you do have Reid and Lurie to bank on here. I make it 70-30 they draft Griffin.— Phil Checchia
- With "over 25 draft picks" in 2 years, what has Roseman delivered.
NOTHING... he can't carry Heckert's bags, and Heckert wasn't all that good. Please, Eagles can not afford another Roseman draft. You got to get a recognized quantity football guy, known for talent picking.— Lerze777 - The D- PASS COVERAGE has been a disaster. But Reid MUST have had full front office BUY-IN to hire Juan Castillo as DC [due to past team affiliation].
The O- PASS DEFENSE has had many early season failures. Vick's broken ribs play was by a completely UNBLOCKED pass rusher who was there instantly.
BTW: Vick's contract is under 15-million a year and only firm through 2012.— saunhi - Vick makes 2 mil per year than Peyton Manning. Who would you rather have at QB? Nice job, guys.— kunivas
- Banner and Rosenman are the biggest part of the problem. The defensive personnel are NOT GOOD ENOUGH. This is a result of thier poor draft picks, poor personnel decisions and poor position value analysis. The Eagles have never highly valued LBs, BUT they had Dawkins and a good nickle LB earlier on to support their mediocre linebacking corps. They lost Dawkins and Ike Reese. They used to have at least on CB who could tackle, first Vincent and then Sheldon Brown. NOW the linebacking corp is weaker. None of their SAFETIES can tackle or cover and NONE of their corners can tackle. Even a defensive genius as defensive coordinator can't put together an effective defense with this personnel. Take the Eagles CBs deep and alternate between running the ball and passing in the middle. The safeties and the LBs can't cover or tackle. When the Eagles lost Dawkins they needed to get an experience proven replacement. Rolle was available but the Eaqles didn't pursue him. The Giants did. The Eagles have since wasted 3 high round picks on safeties and none of their picks are good. Harris was bad. Allen is decent in coverage but can't tackle. Jarrett can't break into a weak lineup. They also wasted a high pick on an undersized DE. They could have used those picks to get better LBs, There starting LBs are 5th round and lower picks and they show it. There is no one to blame for this debacle except Banner and Rosenman. THEY BOTH NEED TO GO. No self respecting high quality proven coach would agree to come into the Eagles situation with these two in the way.— Commonesnes
- The executive leaders of the Gold Standard...chubby Banner holding down his toupee while Pee Wee Roseman is out looking for his bicycle. Both need to go.— Astro Jones
- The comment about Kafka is just plain silly. He is a third string QB. All 3rd string QBs are taking up space. He has as much to do with this Titanic of a season as the radio operator on the Titanic had to do with the sinking.— Fredclaims
- All teams have weaknesses that can be exploited. Bad teams have holes that good teams will kill you with when they find them. It doesnt take a rocket scientist to realize the Eagles are not competitve at linebacker or safety.— tr88
- When all is said and done, Reid is a key member of that front office. Banner and Howie may find the players and put together the deals, but make no mistake, if Reid doesn't agree and endorse them, they are not going to happen!— Colonel Klink
- @JudgeReinhold - have you lived under a rock? Andy Reid is HC and VP of Football Operations. He is the final decision when it comes to personnel including the draft and FAs. Banner and Rosemann are bean counters/lawyers who negotiate with the players.
The fiasco is 80-90% Reid's fault. He drafted these players, with a lot of head scratching decisions (drafting Graham over Earl Thomas, selection of Te'o-Nesheim), Reid made Juan his defensive coordinator (after canning McDermott because he didn't have enough experience), and he allows the offensive play calling to get completely out of wack in some games.
The fault I lay at Banner's/Roseman's feet is the handling of DJax. They knew the type of personality they were dealing with, and they let it get completely out of control and saw the impact TO had on this team a few years ago. Let's hope they don't make the same mistake with LeSean McCoy, who will be in a similar situation next year. Most teams take care of their star players when the time is right and these guys dropped the ball! If I'm LeSean - I'd holdout until the Eagles forked over the money (see what happened to Matt Forte?)!— dankil13 - The best we can hope for is a high draft pick and we pay Jaws and Gruden to select our draft choices.— 4thand10
- Dave in Wect Chester. I'd also add Colt Anderson to the few that are playing well. Looks like he was heading to the pro bowl until he hurt his knee. I thought I'd never say this but I hope the Eagles lose the remainder of their games. That might force management to cut off some heads. Getting a high draft choice in the first round won't matter though. Their picks are pitiful.— fanup
- The two Howie Roseman drafts are God-awful. I wouldn't be surprised if the whole 2010 draft is gone by Sept 2012. The ONLY reason Graham and Allen would be on the team then is because they are high picks, and not on merit...they are both epic busts, and even the clueless Eagles brass realizes this now.
Graham lost his starting job that he never earned in the first placed to Juqua Parker BEFORE he was hurt. They wouldn't have given Babin those big bucks this year if they thought Graham could play. Oh, and like another poster mentioned, Graham cost them a 1st *AND* TWO 3rds!!
Nate Allen...OMG this is a "cover corner"? What the hell is a cover corner in the first place? Too bad he can't cover, and his tackling is horrible.— Only in Philly... - That's the problem with some folks; they think they're so clever to the extent of fooling only themselves. I'm sick of this regime. I'd love to hear that the Eagles are for sale.— Atomic Fury
- @JudgeReinhold- They got rid of Modrak so that Andy could have all the power. That's when he became VP of Football Operations, yes he's not just the head coach. Heckert was Andy's boy because he had no real power and didn't make waves. which was why Heckert kept applying for other jobs and he's no genius either. The last good draft, they had, was the combination of Ray Rhodes and Tom Modrak in 1998. They got Tra Thomas, Trott, Allen Rossum(punt/kick returner) and Ike Reese. The drafts weren't really different under each because they continued to draft undersized(weight/height) D ends/LB's and they made a habit of trading to get as many late round picks as they could.— duke56
- These signings during the off-season are a very good indicator that Reid is not calling all of the shots. The eagles have never done anything like this off-season's spending binge before under his tenure. Howie may not be as obnoxious as Vinny Cerato but he is just as clueless about talent. More than anything, this season shows that our talent machine is broken. Other than Rolle, the linebackers and safeties are all terrible. The Eagles might have a good defensive line and cornerbacks but with nothing in the middle, the Eagles have no one to stop teams. Roseman should not be allowed to make any more picks. It's surprising that a guy who never played and had no college experience thought himself capable of doing this. This brings to mind the "be careful what you ask for, you might just get it." With current management, firing Reid would not solve anything. He or any other coach needs more support from the front office. Lurie has been a good owner but needs to change things to get them right. For now, the Eagles are off-track and badly so.— casehop
- Hard to believe that they hired Castillo for a job that required "on the job training".
Hard to believe that they didn't draft ANY offensive linemen in the 2010 draft.
Hard to believe that their 3rd round draft picks over the years are so bad (except Westbrook).
Hard to believe that there is still no "hurry-up" offense in place.
Hard to believe that the only players playing great are McCoy and Peters.— Dave in Wect Chester - They talk abut Kafka's better understanding of the offensive system...so why not start him? Because Young was a high pick and more is expected from him? Andy is a good coach but decision making in-game have been questionable for years. He can prepare a team sure but... I think the city is tired of not being listened too and we are paying the saleries. We want a balanced offensive attack and Andy refuses to change. Great coaches take the talent they have and develop a scheme for that talent to succeed. Again, Andy is not getting it done. The city should demand from the powers to be to put the product on the field we want. They are not listening and change is due.
Just my .02 but there is a long list of proud Philadelphians voicing the same opinion. Please listen Jeff!— spooky0512 - From day one I don't think the D ever bought into Juan Castillo as DC, starting with the Casey Matthews fiasco and right up to the present. The players are not dumb and they know what will work and will not work. What little belief they did have in him, if they had any at all, was wiped out very early in the season and can be attributed to their soft approach. It makes it easier to give maximum effort when you believe and have faith in your coach, that he will make the right decisions and right play calls. Juan has done neither and it is reflected by the play of the D. What happened to that aggressive style of fundamental football we were promised? Having your corners playing 10 yards off the receivers is not aggressive, it is scared, confusing, and asinine style of D. The Eagles were a better defensive team last year under Sean McDermott. Once Andy fires Juan after the season and brings in another DC, that will make it 3 DC's in 3 years. This type of insanity has to end. Blow the whole thing up, bring in a new GM, and a head coach and let him choose his own staff.— billro33
1Republican - First off we agree, Reid has to go but that's 33% of the problem here. Are you in the war room with these guys? How do you know that Andy Reid has been given what he wanted every time? How do you know that he wanted TO? How do you know that he personally hand picks every FA they sign? Because I disagree. Based on what's been written, Andy Reid's choice personnel guy was Tom Heckert who was forcefully replaced by Howie Roseman. Even with Heckert, Andy would tell the front office what type of personnel he needed to run his schemes and the GM would then give him a list of options that were feasible. As far as drafts go, I argue that Reid does not make draft picks. Look at how different their drafts have been under Modrack/Heckert/Roseman. Reid was here for all 3, if he was the grand puba they would haven't drafted so much differently with each GM. The only one that had a clue in my opinion was Modrack, Heckert was OK, average at best. Roseman is just a joke, and a bad one that's not even funny.- It appears the only way Andy get fired is if he commits some criminal act. Apparently his drafts don't qualify---- but they should.— 4thand10
- I gave up on this season... Im watchin Lingerie Football League... Those WOMEN knows how to wrap up and tackle better than these so called MEN... And they look good doing it.... MTV Fridays @ 11pm....— Cool 1
- -JPB - You have no reading and comprehension skills what so ever. What part of this sentence did you not understand? Andy Reid does not pick player and I'd guess that you listen to WIP too much, especially in the morning. "The two drafts conducted by Roseman since he took over after Tom Heckert, Reid’s GUY, WAS FORCED OUT, have been awful and could get worse, depending on which direction Danny Watkins and Nate Allen go."
- in the last 13 years while other teams trained and brought QBs like Brady, Rodgers, Brees, Payton Manning and other fairly good QBs like Flacco and Cutlere, Ried has had two starting quarterbacks,. Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick. Let me hear from the guys who had McNabb and Vick on their fantasy team. I had Rodgers.— mario1239
- Look at those 2 athletes.— FLYERS LOSERS FOR 37 YEARS!
- It was always the FO, even back to 1995 when they couldn't hire Vermeil because he wanted control of personnel, even back to when they let Tom Modrak go because they couldn't understand why he didn't listen to their great football "knowledge". Reid has just been taking all the bullets for the last 13 years. I've said it before , I'll say it again. They could hire Knute Rockne or Vince Lombardi as their next coach , as long as Lurie and Banner are there,they'll never win a Super Bowl.— drbob1
- So it was the FO that pursued and signed Vick, then gave him a $100 contract? It was the FO the signed Vince young to throw interceptions? Or Nnamdi to get burnt several times a week? Or that signed Steve Smith to sit on the side lines ($2.2 million per touchdown - not a bad contract!)? Or draft bust after bust after bust (with a few good ones like McCoy or Maclin thrown in to fool people like you)? Or was it the FO that sat on the side line while 35 seconds rolled off the clock at the end of the half last week? Or refuse to EVER implement a hurry up offense (going all the way back to the Superbowl against NE)? Or refuse to run the ball consistently with the top back in the NFL?
No, all that coaching "goodness" lands squarely on the shoulders of Andy Reid! Not the front office!— gdibig - Oh, and how could I forget the FO making Castillo the defensive coordinator? Yep those guys are terrible! — gdibig
- It was fun yesterday watching the Denver Broncos win yet another nailbiter with Tim Tebow demonstrating real leadership at QB and Brodrick Bunkley, Joe Mays, and Brian Dawkins playing major roles on the defense.— dasher
- Howie looks like Gomer Pyle in that picture. Gomer and Goober would draft better players than Roseman and Banner though.
— s - Phil Checchia. I do agree with what ya all said bout draftin Robt Griffin III. He a great backup for Mike. If Mike get hurt, he step right in.— Tyrone7
- Brandon Graham was not just a 1st round pick. He was a 1st, and (2) 3rds. Eagles traded (3) top picks to move up to draft Graham. It's curious that most people/reporters do not mention this fact when discussing Graham. The Giants took Pierre-Paul two picks later.— chocolatethunder
- I was thinking that too, our "1st" couldn't even get on the field and JPP was all over the best QB in football right now — xlGmanlx
- Ford: Get the facts correct! Reid put this team together not the front office. Why would you say otherwise. Its been made clear numerous times by all front office people that Reid has the FINAL say.— Lets Eat
- @ Phil. I would LOVE to have RGIII on my team next year. Every article I've read on the guy says how talented and SMART he is, plus an outstanding person overall. Why wouldn't we want that again?? Please do some research before throwing useless opinions around.— athousandgods
- Go ahead,...admit it,...no shame,...We were all thoroughly entertained by a REAL football TEAM last night...Go get your perfect season Packers, you deserve it...— wvbillz
- I agree with this, I am an iggles fan but it was fun to watch the Pack do their thing. Why is it their QB is famous for winning SB and photo bombing, ours......... — xlGmanlx
good column, Bob. A succinct summary of this regime's failure portrayed through a current example of three no-talent duds (see also Todd Pinkston, Matt McCoy, Jerome McDougle et al.).— Sam Crow- The picture of Roseman and Joe Banner standing with their hands on their foreheads made me laugh. Like, "Oy, what have we done?!"— dtrain67
- Howie is off limits.....he always brings Joe his coffee on the way from his total football experience, in the mail room....and JoeB is the real GM and Jeffery's personal bean counter so we know he is going nowhere....Andy may stink in schemes and coaching hires, but he and howie team up to select low, limited talented players who he thinks he is brilliant enough to coach up (how is that working???) and that makes Joe happy for he does not have to pay them anything.....So while Joe is sitting in Jeffery's office showing him the money rolling in, Howie is bringing them their coffee and bagels....and the three smile as they watch the arrogant obnoxious one takes all the heat......Ah, to be a member of the Gold Standard, Dream Mangement Team...— nuggett
- Can someone in the press ask Banner if he minds that his nickname is "Nickels"?— fmMD
- It would be nice to get a new defensive coordinator and a new GM, but something tells me it will take two bad years to make those changes not just one, especially if, with Vick back, the Eagles finish strong -- which I think they'll do. Young was just awful.— fgdavis
- The premise of this column is completely wrong. Name one time Reid was not given exactly what he wanted by mgt. in his 13-year career. Begin with signing McNabb, through a bunch of failed draft choices, going to T.O when they needed to "get over the hump" and to the Super Bowl after losing early in the playoffs.
Right up until this season Reid's had the total support of the owner and the front office. They went along with promoting Castillo, bringing in a lot of free agents that don't play together and draft picks that have flopped. All of this is Reid's handywork. Lurie, Banner, Roseman gave Reid more support than almost any other NFL mgt. team would have. Does Ford actually believe Reid would have lasted 13 years under Jerry Jones ownership? In Green Bay where the fans own the team and GB is tendering another IPO? In New York? In L.A., or any other major media outlet?
Have you ever heard Lurie, Banner or Roseman defend a coward like Jackson who short arms the ball, won't catch in traffic or return KOs? Reid continues to do so even though Jackson is a cancer in the locker room (shades of T.O.) Have they complained publicly about linebackers, safeties and cornerbacks that can't or won't tackle? No, mgt. has done none of those things because it would undermine Reid in the minds of the fans and media.
This team and its decline is traceable to only one individual: Andy Reid, who, if he had any pride would resign immediately after game 16 and save Lurie from "eating" the remaining two years of his contract.— 1republican - Draft Baylor's QB Griffin in the first round next year. After all, he is a mirror image of Mc Nabb, Vick and Young. All fast, innaccurate and dumb. That's what we eagle fans have become accustomed to since the Mc Nabb draft. Plus, it appeals to that 52% of the philly population that is minority. ( Hmmmm, Juan Castillo as defensive co-ordinator). Nah, they wouldn't do that, would they?— Phil Checchia
- He is going to finish his Master's Degree this year. Baylor academically is the best of the Big 12. Dude is not dumb. — coloradoeagle
- No, colorado, you're missing it. He's black. So it follows that he must be dumb, you know, like 52% of the philly population. This is what those two extremely worthy gentlemen are trying to say. — auntesther
- I don't know but the implying of your mirror image is that Griffin is afro-american? I've been saying that Reid needs to be admitted to Dr.Drews celebrity rehab for his obession/addiction to afro-american QB's before he can start working on his cheeseburger problem. — jwatson
- I guess they said all they had to say in their pre-season interviews when they were congratulating themselves on a job well done and basically engraving their names on the Executive of the Year awards.
Maybe they should've given those interviews on an aircraft carrier in the middle of the ocean with a huge "Mission Accomplished" banner hanging in the background.— PinkstonsStrengthCoach 
get a real GM. roseman isn't qualified to carry modrak or heckert's jock— oliver north- Howie seems more interested in trading down than finding quality football players. Howie seems to think he is a day trader playing the stock market. No impact players drafted in 2010 or 2011.— zeke128
- You can't make "chicken soup" with out the chicken. The Eagles could be coached by Vince Lombardi and the defense would still stink.— HappyBob
- Sure they are hiding in the back room; counting their profits, money scammed from dopey fans that are willing to buy into their "Eagles Ponzi!"
How is that, fans and their money pay for this team, the players, the stadium -tax dollars YOUR MONEY- the more the fans are willing to shell out, the more profit Laurie and Banner make...with the fan's money, not theirs....the team is already worth more then twice what they paid for...they are running in the black and fans keep them there. 52 years and countin, with a wiat till next year promise....that is the scam, the ponzi and product that the fans invests in.....dopes!— STEPHEN1988 - Sure Andy regrets not having any bridge players from better days. No Dawkins, no Westbrook, no McNabb, no Trotter. Front office had there hands in the Dawk non-signing. As the announcers of the Broncos game said, "eagles really would love to have Dawkins back"! When you look at the number of BUSTS that this front office (which includes Reid) has made over the last 4 years, it is easier to see why they are 4-8. Think about Stacey Andrews. Chris Clemons. Vince Young. Ernie Sims. On and on.— JBP
- Not any? LeSean McCoy is at least as good if not better than Westbrook. Landing a headliner QB like Vick while not having a top 5 draft pick is damn near impossible these days, yet we took advantage of the situation and managed it. The corners have been replaced twice with all-pro replacements during Reid's tenure. The D-line has been consistently good-to-great with only a couple off years.
You make a good point about Dawk, Trotter and the O-line, though the O-line always needs time to gel. And if you remember, the great O-line we had was not all that good initially, it took a good season and a half for it to gel. As far as Dawk and Trotter, well Dawk is a once in a lifetime aberration (in a good way for the team that has him, obviously), and they came close to replacing Trotter with Stewart but Stewart kept getting freak injuries.
I think the issue is not that the Eagles are not replacing the top line guys adequately, they are not replacing the journeymen types with players who can make a play when the ball comes their way. Especially on defense and special teams (i.e. backup players).— mkk9772 - Wonder if Michael Vick would give Lurie a interst free loan for the back taxes owed the city from the $40M he stole from the gold standard piggy bank? — jwatson
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Bob Ford has been writing about Philadelphia sports since 1981, and is still trying to figure it all out. A former beat writer covering the Phillies and the 76ers, Ford became a general sports columnist for the Inquirer in 2003, following in and occasionally falling in the deep footsteps of Bill Lyon, Frank Dolson and many distinguished others. He comes to the Philly.com blogosphere after award-winning success as designer/editor of the fabulous Pen & Pencil Club softball blog. Likes: Palestra, inside-the-park home runs, sunny days. Dislikes: phony people, cloudy days, rewrites.
Reach Bob at bford@phillynews.com.
Bob Ford
Inquirer Sports Columnist
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