Dez Bryant can curse at off-duty police officers as much as he wants.

Look, the Dallas Cowboys are one of my favorite foils. I heap Texas-steer-sides of beefy condescension on that blue star and all who support it. I burn offerings to the sports gods to strike down every blue chip Dallas prospect with Fibromyalgia.
I'm no fan of the Dallas Cowboys. Nor am I a fan of Dez Bryant, who I've derided in this blog before.

So it is with a heavy heart that I bring you this news. Dez Bryant does not deserve recent criticism leveled at him by the press and Neon Deion Sanders.

Dez was shopping at some undoubtedly garish Dallas area mall this past weekend and got hit with a warning for criminal trespass. What actually happened at the mall is not entirely clear, but the consensus story so far is that Bryant was asked to pull up his low-riding pants by an off-duty police officer (or officers), and Bryant responded to the request with a profanity-laced tirade. One or both of these off-duty police officers slapped Bryant with the criminal trespass warning for "creating a scene."

Let's go over this in slow motion. Dez Bryant is sporting some saggy shorts. It's a misguided, lame, and antagonistic fashion statement. It's tacky, but not against the law. An OFF DUTY police officer tells Bryant to pull up his pants. Wait, let's pause the tape.

What the hell business is it of this off-duty police officer's how Bryant dresses? The officer is not acting in any official capacity ("off-duty"). There is no official capacity to this encounter; it's one citizen telling another citizen that he doesn't agree with a perfectly legal fashion statement.

We don't know how politely the officer asked Bryant to adjust his waistline, so we don't know how reasonable Bryant's tirade was. If I had to guess, though, I'd say that Bryant's outburst was understandable, because I'd assume:

1. That the off-duty police officer was white
2. That wearing one's pants low enough to reveal one's boxers is an urban (read: black) fashion trend
3. That the off-duty police officer was racist
4. That the off-duty police officer wanted to display authority over a wealthy young black man
5. That the off-duty police officer was abusing his power as a lawman and acting outside his capacity

In other words, the officer was fucking with Bryant, and Bryant didn't take kindly to that. This, in my scenario, led to:

1. The off-duty police officer feeling that his authority was challenged
2. The off-duty police officer re-establishing his authority by issuing a citation

And all of this culminated in a news sensation, feeding the white media's need to read stories about misbehaving young, wealthy black athletes. Because the white media are uncomfortable with wealthy young black men, and want to be reassured that rich, misbehaving black people can be put in their place.

Sound about right? It might not be. But it probably is. And, even if it isn't, it's probably close. Because there is no way that an off-duty police officer discreetly walked up to Bryant and initiated polite conversation about fashion.

Bryant could have responded differently, absolutely. But you know what? It takes two to "create a scene." And, in this case, centuries of racial discord.

Also, will someone please pass along this article about saggy shorts, written by my favorite Jazz Critic Stanley Crouch, to Dez?

****3/29 Update: ESPN is reporting that Dez Bryant is being sued for over $850,000 by two separate Jewelers who claim that Dez owes them money for jewelry, tickets to sporting events, and loans. These suits are unrelated to his altercation at the mall. I bring you this update to let you know that the Dallas Cowboys, and all their players, suck. *****

Superbowl Prop Bets, 2011

Here are some prop bets that the people are betting on for Super bowl XLV.

(Update 2/16) The winning bets are in bold.

1)  Will Christina Aguilera don a cowboy hat to sing the national anthem?

A) Yes

B) No

2)  How long will Christina Aguilera hold the word "Brave" at the end of the national anthem?

A) Longer than 6 seconds

B) Six seconds or less

3) Will the result of the coin toss be heads or tails?

A) Heads

B) Tails

4) Will either team score in the first 7 minutes of the game?

A) Yes

B) No

5) Which team will score the first touchdown?

A) Green Bay Packers

B) Pittsburgh Steelers

C) Neither team will score a touchdown

6) Which Celebrity will appear in more commercials during the Super Bowl broadcast?

A) Betty White

B) Kim Kardashian

C) Justin Bieber

D) Draw/None in any commercials

7) Will a field goal be kicked and made from more than 42 yards?

A) Yes, 43 yards or more

B) No, 42 yards or less

8) Will the first coach’s challenge be successful?

A) Yes

B) No

9) Will Brett Favre be mentioned by the FOX announcers during the game?

A) Yes

B) No

10) Whose hair will the Fox Announcers mention first?

A) Clay Matthews 

B) Troy Polamalu

C) Neither

11) Will any player do a Lambeau leap during the game?

A) Yes

B) No

12) Will Fergie dress as a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader at any point of the Black Eyed Peas halftime concert?

A) Yes

B) No

13) What color Gatorade will be dumped on the winning coach?

A) Blue (10-1 odds, according to BoDog.com)

B) Clear/Water (7-2 odds)

C) Lime Green/Yellow (7-3 odds)

D) Orange (7-4 odds)

E) Red (5-1 odds)

F) Other

14) Who will win the Super Bowl?

A) Green Bay Packers

B) Pittsburgh Steelers

15) Who will the Super Bowl MVP thank first?

A) Coach

B) Family

C) Fans

D) Teammates

E) God

F) Other *Rogers didn't thank anyone at the podium, though he did thank his coaches first in a later interview.

Vick becomes Top Dog until he is pounded into oblivion behind a weak offensive line.

"Well, let me say it again. I know I'm using poor English here; Kevin Kolb is the #1 quarterback." -Andy Reid, 9/15/10

"Yes [Kevin Kolb will start at quarterback]." -Andy Reid, 9/19/10.

"We'll see how it goes [at quarterback]." -Andy Reid, 9/20/10

"Michael Vick will be the starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles." Andy Reid, 9/21/10

I am absolutely shocked that Michael Vick has been named the new starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles. Shocked because Andy Reid, obstinate tyrant, has never reversed fields like this. Stunned, because the Kevin Kolb era was etched in stone on this year's player guide. Dumbfounded, because if Vick is the quarterback of the future, there is no future beyond this season when Vick's contract expires.

Like I said before, Vick gives this team the best chance of winning right now. But like I also said before, starting him is the wrong decision. To recap my reasoning:

1. Despite the early results in the NFC East, the Eagles do not have the talent to compete for a Super Bowl.
2. If the Eagles wanted to compete for a Super Bowl, they should have kept McNabb and not dismantled their defense, punting good players like CB Sheldon Brown (7 tackles and 1INT for his new team in two games), DE Jason Babin (10 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 2 sacks), LB Will Witherspoon (12 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 2 sacks). Also, a team that wants to win would have made hard runs at free agents in this uncapped season.
3. Since the Eagles don't have a Super Bowl in them, winning a few more games with Vick will hurt their draft position.
4. At age 30, Vick may not be long for this league given the punishment he takes as a rushing quarterback, and you have to wonder how many miles he has left in his legs. If Vick's accuracy hasn't improved from his Falcons days, he's a bad quarterback without his mobility.
5. Kolb needs seasoning and development, and he can't get that on the bench.

Speaking of Kolb, what does it do to his confidence to be benched for the season after 2 quarters? What does it do to his teammates confidence in him? Professional athletes in the NFL are all supremely talented physically; all things being equal, it is their mental state that separates them. It's very possible that Kolb's NFL career is cooked.

I have to wonder what made Andy Reid change his mind about starting Vick. Kolb is owed $12 million this season and Reid has stubbornly backed him from the offseason until yesterday. Did he see something on film? Did ownership pressure him? Is he fighting for his coaching job? Or does he really believe that Vick has returned to a "superstar" playing level and that Vick is going to have a better career than Kolb from this date forward?

This is pure hearsay, but I wonder if the Eagles motive in starting Vick is not to end the Kevin Kolb era, but to prolong it. Whoever starts behind the Birds' woeful offensive line is going to get pounded, and perhaps Andy Reid is benching Kolb to keep him from breaking in half. If so, Vick is cannon fodder until the Birds rebuild their O-Line over the offseason. And I may not be crazy in this suspicion. Check out this tidbit from ESPN:

"Team sources told ESPN's Sal Paolantonio that in the early morning hours on Monday, Reid, general manager Howie Roseman and the rest of the Eagles coaching staff and front office started going through the game film of Sunday's win in Detroit and saw the severity of the problems on the Eagles offensive line.

The film study showed that Vick, who was sacked six times, was under constant duress because backup center Mike McGlynn had difficulty recognizing blitzes and then setting the protection. As a whole, the offensive line did not play well, and Reid realized then that Vick, with his mobility, would be a better fit to start -- not Kolb. There was also a concern that the offensive line play was so poor that Kolb would be exposed to another concussion, sources told Paolantonio."

More after the jump- be warned, there is press conference video that starts automatically.

The Controversy of the Hurtling Herpes... I Mean, Hermes.

****Note 9/21 Michael Vick has just been named the starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles. While that invalidates some of what I've said here, other points should stand out in stark relief.********

Michael Vick had a nice game yesterday against the Lions, throwing for 284 yards and 2 touchdowns. He ran for another 34 yards. The debate about keeping Vick as the Eagles starting QB is going to simmer until it reaches a boiling point next weekend, especially if Kolb has another bad game.

Right here, right now, I'm going to say that Michael Vick is the best option at quarterback this season if the Eagles want to win. That's a point that should be obvious, because:

1. The Eagles offensive line looks like it was constructed by the army corps of engineers. As he proved with some nifty escape moves against the Lions, Vick can elude pressure behind a leaky offensive line and still make big plays. Conversely, Kolb is going to suffer concussion after concussion behind the Eagles line. If a defense decides to blitz early and often as Detroit did, only Vick has a prayer of avoiding the rush.
2. The Eagles offense is currently better suited as a vertical passing game, and Vick throws a tremendous deep ball as evidenced by a 60 yard bomb that he dropped in DeSean Jackson's lap (splitting double coverage). Kolb's deep ball needs improvement.
3. Vick's mobility almost forces the opposing defense into designating a "spy" player who has the sole duty of shadowing him, which means that there is one less defensive player in coverage or rushing the passer.
4. Speaking of his mobility, Vick can make big plays with his feet- he ran for over 100 yards in roughly half a game of work in week 1. Having two running threats on the field at the same time- McCoy and Vick, is a big advantage for the Eagles. Defenses have to be aware of Vick's speed at all times because he can out-run defenders if they don't take proper pursuit angles. Vick can draw defenders toward him by scrambling and then burn them by passing before he reaches the line of scrimmage.
5. Vick's field vision and pocket awareness is much better than Kolb's. Kolb eyes his target so much that he oughta blush, and he has no idea when pressure is coming. Vick instinctively moves away from (and escapes) pressure.
6. Everybody says that Kolb is a more accurate passer than Vick. I don't think that's true right now.

 So, I say again- The Eagles have a better chance of winning right now if Vick is behind center.

The thing is, though, if the Eagles wanted to win this season, they wouldn't have traded McNabb and gutted the team. This team is in no shape to make a serious Super Bowl run, and winning a few extra games with Vick at the helm is only going to cost them draft position in the offseason. People are starting to say on Philadelphia sports radio that the Eagles have a chance in the division because the Cowboys are off to a terrible start and the Giants got smoked by the Colts- I say, stop that noise right now. The 'Boys are by no means buried in the division- they are one game back! They will come around. Meanwhile, the Giants are a strong team, they just ran into a Peyton Manning buzzsaw last week. Getting beaten by the Colts doesn't say anything about a team because the Colts beat everybody. So, the Cowboys and Giants still need to be considered the favorites in the NFC East. The Eagles are a long shot to take the division with or without Vick.

And, even if the Birds do miraculously win the NFC east, or, more likely, grab a wild card spot, they can't keep up with elite playoff teams. Beyond their NFC East rivals, the Saints, Falcons, and Packers are all much more talented and multidimensional than the Eagles. And to push the point further, the teams the Eagles would meet in the Super Bowl- the Colts, Texans, Ravens, Jets, Dolphins, Steelers, or Bengals- would embarrass the Eagles. We'll get two previews of a Super Bowl butt-whipping when the Eagles face the Colts and Texans this season.

Nope, the Eagles shouldn't play Vick just to squeeze out a few more wins. This team is all about the future, and Vick is not the future. The team needs to see if Kolb can develop as they planned, and then build a quality squad around him. If Kolb can't develop, then Kafka gets a shot next year. Vick, who is only signed through this season, is too old (especially considering his style of quarterbacking) to warrant an investment on a rebuilding team.

I assume that Eagles brass know this and that Kolb will be the starter next week. So, I have a revolutionary idea for the Birds. Trade Vick now while the season is young and his stock is through the roof. A ton of teams pulled their starting quarterbacks this week and would love to have a shot at signing Vick long term. Strike while the iron's hot and get something for him. Because Vick is gone after this season and useless on this team despite his ability.

Now, I'd try to pry a 1st or 2nd round pick from a desperate team for Vick's services. If that fails, then I'd be all about grabbing a useful, young, and maybe out of favor player from another team. What team would want Vick? Glad you asked, because I've identified 13 teams that I'm sure would love to have him. Here is my wish list of trade partners and players:

Team: Buffalo Bills
Reason they want Vick: Both Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick are terrible quarterbacks, and they're all the Bills have.
Who they'll give up: RB Marshawn Lynch. He's a perfect compliment to Shady McCoy because he's a tough, straight ahead, running back. The Bills buried Lynch on their depth chart and he's clearly in the doghouse. The Eagles should give him a second chance, since they're so fond of giving second chances.

Team: Arizona Cardinals
Reason they want Vick: Every player on the team is ready to win now- except the quarterbacks.
Who they'll give up: CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. No, the Cardinals don't want to give up their 24 year old star corner, but they should be desperate and he's what I'm taking.

Team: Seattle Seahawks
Reason they want Vick: Matt Hasselbeck is in the twilight of his career, and Charlie Whitehurst is an unknown.
Who they'll give up: I don't want any of their players, honestly. I'd take a draft pick unless I could wrestle LB Lofa Tatupu from them.

Team: San Fransisco 49ers
Reason they want Vick: Alex Smith is bad. With Vick in place, this team is a super bowl contender.
Who they'll give up: I doubt they'll give him up, but the Eagles could use OT Joe Staley.

Team: Kansas City Chiefs
Reason they want Vick: Matt Cassel is not working out like they Chiefs thought he would when he signed a massive contract.
Who they'll give up: Draft picks. The Chiefs will want to keep their young talent, and the Eagles don't need veterans.

Team: Oakland Raiders
Reason they want Vick: Jason Campbell has already fallen out of favor in Oakland, having been benched for Bruce Gradkowski. Al Davis loves players with speed and questionable character- he probably wants Vick more than any GM in the league.
Who they'll give up: RB Michael Bush. The Raiders want to give Darren McFadden every chance to be their featured running back, and his hot start this year means that Bush is going to be spending his time on the sideline like he did last year. He's a powerful back and a terrific compliment to LeSean McCoy.

Team: Detroit Lions
Reason they want Vick: Matthew Stafford's latest injury should have the Lions wondering if he'll ever be able to stay on the field. Backup Shaun Hill has the arm strength of Michael Cera.
Who they'll give up: They probably won't give him up, but I'd make a play for RB Kevin Smith since Jahvid Best is clearly the Lion's starter at running back.

Team: Minnesota Vikings
Reason they want Vick: The Vikings need to win now, which is why they went to such great lengths to bring back Favre. With the old gun slinger off to a rotten start on one good ankle, the Vikes should be worried that he can't carry them at quarterback.
Who they'll give up: WR Sidney Rice. Hear me out. Rice won't be back until at least November, and even then there is no guarantee that he'll be healthy or effective this year. Since the Vikings are gunning for the super bowl right now, they should pull the trigger on the rumored trade for Vincent Jackson of the Chargers. With Jackson in hand, Rice becomes somewhat expendable, and the Eagles could really use a big target like Rice in their passing game. It's a long shot, but I think it's a win for both teams.

Team: Cincinnati Bengals
Reason they want Vick: Carson Palmer seems like he'll never return to elite Quarterback status. Vick would be an upgrade at the position, and the Bengals love players with checkered pasts.
Who they'll give up: Probably a draft pick, but I'd ask for rookie QB Dan Lefevour to compete with Kafka and Kolb. One of those guys is going to be an NFL quarterback.

Team: Cleveland Browns
Reason they want Vick: When Seneca Wallace and Jake Delhomme are battling for your starting QB spot, your team is in trouble. Vick's mobility could really open up their offense.
Who they'll give up: RB Jerome Harrison. Coach Mangenius hates Harrison, and drafted his replacement in the offseason. And when his replacement went down, Harrison has had to suffer the indignity of splitting carries with an inferior back in Peyton Hillis. Not sure what Mangenius' beef is, but Harrison is a useful back who would fit well in the Eagles offense.

Team: Carolina Panthers
Reason they want Vick: Matt Moore has thrown 4 interceptions, been sacked 8 times, and boasts a 41% quarterback rating in this young season. John Fox is battling for his coaching job, and Mike Vick might just be his only lifeline.
Who they'll give up: RB Jonathan Stewart. The oft-injured but very talented Stewart is in the last year of his contract, and he won't be re-signing with Carolina as long as DeAngelo Williams is top banana. If the Eagles can trade for Stewart and sign him to an extension, he'd immediately become the top RB option in Philadelphia. Stewart and McCoy would be the best 1-2 running back combo in the league.

Team: Jacksonville Jaguars
Reason they want Vick: David Garrard was just benched after throwing 4 interceptions. He's a mediocre quarterback at best, and Vick would be a far superior option.
Who they'll give up: RB Rashad Jennings. He's a big back and would be a good compliment to Shady McCoy.

Team: Tennessee Titans
Reason they want Vick: They just benched Vince Young for Kerry Collins. In the words of the immortal Stan Lee, 'Nuff said.
Who they'll give up: Draft picks.

Eagles v. Lions, The Aftermath

Here are my Eagles-Lions thoughts, coming at you live from my parents' basement.

• Nate Allen made a nice leaping interception in the end zone. His interception last week was a gimme, but this one was timely and athletic. Nate adjusted to the ball in the air and inserted himself in front of the intended receiver.
• My pit mix, Beautiful Josephine, is really put off that Vick is starting this game. She just completely ignored Action Jackson's Usain Bolt style touchdown.

 

• I'm not sure if the Eagles offensive line is suck city, or if the Lion's defensive front is just mean. The Eagles O-line disintegrates right after the snap.
• That DeSean Jackson "catch" looked good to me. The ground cannot cause a fumble- so how can it cause an incomplete?
• Jason Peters had teammates roll up on his left leg not once, but twice.
• Tom Brady needs drama tutelage from Peyton Manning. His acting is stiffer 'n a dead porcupine.
• Jahvid Best is lighting the Eagles up. That's a speedy back. That's a spicy meatball. Not to take anything away from Jahvid, but the Eagles are creating a problem for themselves against the run by collecting defensive ends who are light in the butt. They are very good speed rushers, but these fast, relatively lights DE's are getting enveloped by bigger offensive linemen on running plays.
• Quintin Mikell just broke up what would have been a spectacular catch by Calvin Johnson. He stayed within his ability and out-muscled Johnson, who out-leapt him.
• Mike Vick is not very accurate, but he throws a beautiful deep ball. DeSean Jackson, by the by, catches a beautiful deep ball.
• Maclin is off to a slow start. He scored a touchdown, yes, but he had to get away with offensive pass interference to do it.
• Halftime score 21-17 Eagles. Sadly, I'll miss the rest of this game. I feel like the Eagles have the victory in hand now; as long as they devote their defense to stopping the run, I don't think Shaun Hill can beat them with his pitiful arm. Final score prediction: 31-23, Phila.

NFL Predictions 2010

NFC East

1. Dallas Cowboys I really hate to admit it, but the Cowboys are stacked deep and wide. And tall. Only Wade Phillips can screw this team up.
2. NY Giants The Giants weren't a bad team last year, they just mysteriously quit trying. With the Eagles rebuilding and the Redskins down, the Giants have the talent to take second in the beast.
3. Washington Racists  Donnie Mac is going to lead this team from atrocity to mediocrity.
4. Philadelphia Eagles The Birds have some nice offensive toys, but they let a lot of talent go in the offseason and could have a dreadful defense. QB Kevin Kolb hasn't looked particularly sharp in the preseason. I just don't know if the young players on this team can grind out a winning season this year.

NFC North

1. Green Bay Packers More talent than Dallas, I think, and so much more wholesome.
2. Minnesota Vikings (wild card) I love Brett Favre, but if the O-Line protects him like they did in that playoff loss to New Orleans, he's going to be ground into dust by the end of the season. The Vikes also are in trouble at the wide receiver position, where Sidney Rice will miss at least half the season, and Percy Harvin' status will be in doubt on a weekly basis.
3. Chicago Bears Da Bears made some bold moves this offseason, and they'd have a healthy shot at the playoffs if they didn't have such a tough schedule.
4. Detroit Lions I'm actually going to look forward to watching the Lions play this year. They are two years of development away from being Super Bowl contenders.

NFC South

1. Atlanta Falcons  Matt Ryan is ripe on the vine, as is the rest of the Falcon's core. The Falcons are a well-balanced team ready to overtake the villainous Saints
2. New Orleans Saints (wild card) The Saints played dirty in the NFC Championship vs. the Vikings, and karma + the Madden Curse will keep them out of the playoffs this year if there is any decency in the world.
3. Carolina Panthers The Panthers have two brittle, all-world running backs, a one-armed Steve Smith, and little else. Better luck next year.
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Young and frisky, the Bucs are going to be a lot better than last year. But they need to grow a few more inches before they can get on the big boy rides. Also, Aqib Talib needs to stop punching cabbies.

NFC West

1. San Francisco 49ers  This tepid division will make the Niners look unstoppable. They have a strong defense and some quality pieces on O. Alex Smith is not one of them.
2. Arizona Cardinals  The Cardinals lost a whole lotta talent this offseason and didn't pick any up. They need to coax Kurt Warner out of retirement.
3. St. Louis Rams  The Rams are making a huge mistake starting Sam Bradford right out of the gate. This team is going to blow chunks with or without him, and he's likely to develop bad habits while running for his life behind a shaky offensive line. It'll be a shame to see him flame out.
4. Seattle Seahawks  Worst team in the conference this season. Pete Carroll wrote a book detailing his misguided ideas about how keeping athletes (and worker bees) looking over their shoulders is the way to bring out the best in them. The fact is, Pete doesn't know how to bring out the best in anybody- he just knows how to best utilize boosters to bribe the best talent into signing with what becomes the best college team. That formula won't work in Seattle.

AFC East

1. NY Jets  If this team stays hungry and the Sanchise blooms, they are a top Super Bowl contender. I love the offseason moves.
2. Miami Dolphins (Wild Card)  The Dolphins are a sturdy team. They ought to be sponsored by Carhartt.
3. New England Patriots  Resentment and discontent abound. Randy Moss feels disrespected by ownership. Pro Bowl Left Guard Logan Mankins feels so disrespected by ownership that he's holding out. Tom Brady (and his hair, see picture) should feel disrespected by ownership because they haven't made any progress on his contract. The Mass Pike is littered with the corpses of players disrespected by ownership. On the field, meanwhile, the Pats have no running game, a declining defense, and an admittedly "not one-hundred percent" Wes Welker. New England is going to be ghoulish by Halloween.
4. Buffalo Bills  Speaking of ghoulish, your 2010 Buffalo Bills.

AFC North

1. Cincinnati Bengals  A solid team all around. Like the brick house built by the third little pig. Stout and mean defensively, above average and well-rounded offensively.
2. Baltimore Ravens (Wild Card) The Ravens have a phenomenal offense. The best four-man receiving corps in the league, an emerging superstar in Ray Rice, the best O-line in the league, a hard-nosed quarterback ready to break out, an underrated, dependable (when he's on the field) tight end, a bruising, old-school fullback, and a fine complimentary back in Willis McGahee. I don't know how any defense can game plan against the Ravens, especially if Donte Stallworth steps up as a deep threat.   The defense, on the other hand, is not what it once was. If that secondary is as leaky as it looks, I see a lot of shootouts in the Raven's future.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers  Big Ben is out for four games, Santonio Holmes is gone, and while the Head and Shoulders pitchman is back, the defense doesn't look like an Iron Curtain anymore. Rashard Mendenhall, the team's only decent running back, has fumbling problems. The Steelers have a lot of talent, but do they have enough to recover from an 0-4 start to the season?
4. Cleveland Browns  The good news is that Shaun Rogers won't be suspended for bringing a loaded gun to an airport. The bad news is that this team stinks.

AFC South

1. Indianapolis Colts  Peyton Manning is incredible, and this might be the best wide receiver rotation that he's ever had at his disposal. Young running back Donald Brown might be poised for a bustout. Yes sir, the Colts are going to be resting their starters again for the last two weeks of the season.
2. Houston Texans  With their depth of talent, there is every reason to think the Texans will make the playoffs this year. Except that they never make the playoffs.
3. Tennessee Titans  This is a really good team. Chris Johnson was unbelievable last season, and Vince Young went from suicide watch to pro bowl watch. They play the Roethlisberger-less Steelers in week 1 and the Colts B Squad in week 17. The Titans could easily swap places with the Texans and nab a wild card spot, but I think they are a lesser team.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars  MJD has a mysterious, undocumented knee ailment. Without him, this team falls flat.

AFC West

1. San Diego Chargers The Bolts hold on to win this division only because it's putrid. They have a rookie at running back, a linebacker who lost his star power when he stopped taking steroids, and an elite wide receiver who is going to miss at least the first 6 weeks of the season.
2. Kansas City Chiefs  The Chiefs are coached up and have some bright spots on the roster. With a hearty running game and Matt Cassel's potential as a starting quarterback, they will be mildly better than last year.
3. Oakland Raiders  The Raiders were ready to grab 2nd place in this division before injuries hit in training camp. Jason Campbell has an iffy wrist, their best running back has an injury which prevents him from holding on to the ball, and their sleeper wide receiver is about to be sleeping on a surgeon's table.
4. Denver Broncos  I hate that B-Dawk is on this crappy team.

AFC Championship: Jets over Colts
NFC Championship: Packers over Cowboys
Super Bowl: Packers over Jets

53 men on a roster

The Philadelphia Eagles will whittle their roster to 53 men among men by 6pm this Saturday. Though it made my eyes bleed, I poured over the second string Eagles in Thursday's woeful final preseason game to take a stab at the lucky 53 before the Turk makes his cuts. Here's my guess at what the roster will look like heading into the 2010 regular season.

Physically Unable to Perform List: Victor Abiamiri
Injured Reserve: Marlin Jackson, Ricky Sapp

Offense
Quarterbacks: Kevin Kolb, Mike Vick, Mike Kafka

• These guys are iron clad locks to make the team

Running Backs: LeSean McCoy, Mike Bell

Fullbacks: Leonard Weaver, Eldra Buckley

• Despite a nice job on kickoff returns and his ability to catch balls out of the backfield, I say JJ Arrington misses the cut. Martell Mallett has shown some consistent, up-the-middle running ability, but I don't think he cracks the roster. He's a practice squad candidate.

Wide Receivers: DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Jason Avant, Kelley Washington, Riley Cooper

•  Coop had a solid grab in Thursday's game, but also missed a somewhat catchable ball a few plays later. Still, the phenom makes the team. I think Washington edges out Baskett for the last receiver slot, though Dave Spadaro disagrees. Washington made some nice special teams plays, and I think he's a more reliable receiver than Hank. Sorry, Kendra.

Tight End: Brent Celek, Clay Harbor, Cornelius Ingram

• Andy doesn't usually keep 3 tight ends, but this is a unique situation. Ingram isn't fully recovered from injury, but he could be a special player. Harbor has to stay on the team as insurance for Ingram, though. Unless one of the two goes to the practice squad, the Eagles have to keep all three.

Offensive Tackles: Jason Peters, Winston Justice, Austin Howard, King Dunlap
Offensive Guards: Stacy Andrews, Todd Herremans, Nick Cole, Max Jean-Gilles
Center: Jamaal Jackson, Mike McGlynn

• Injury concerns aplenty here, thus the need for 10 lineman.

Defense
Defensive Ends: Trent Cole, Brandon Graham, Juqua Parker, Daniel Te'o-Nesheim, Darryl Tapp

• I don't believe that Daniel Te'oNesheim has enough football smarts to become a great player, but Andy loves him. Got to keep Tapp for depth. Pannel Egboh flashed intriguing skills versus the Jets, and I say he makes the practice squad.

Defensive Tackles: Mike Patterson, Brodrick Bunkley, Trevor Laws, Antonio Dixon, Jeff Owens

• I didn't notice Owens at all during the game, but I know the Birds have love for the big fella.

Linebackers: Stewart Bradley, Ernie Sims, Akeem Jordan, Omar Gaither, Keenan Clayton, Moise Fokou

• Of the linebacker candidates on the team, I think Tracy White has to fear the Turk's footsteps the most. Moise Fokou seems to be emerging as a linebacker/defensive end hybrid.

Cornerbacks: Asante Samuel, Ellis Hobbs, Trevard Lindley, Joselio Hanson, Jorrick Calvin

• Calvin sticks as a return man, and because the Eagles saw fit to trade away a potentially good fullback for him. I don't like Hanson's play and think the Eagles should consider cutting him and keeping Dimitri Patterson instead. They won't.

Safety: Nate Allen, Quintin Mikell, Kurt Coleman, Quintin Demps

• Kurt Coleman could be one of those players who isn't supremely physically blessed, but is nevertheless a smart and successful football talent. Also, au revoir, Macho Harris.

Kicker: David Akers
Punter: Sav Rocca
Long Snapper: Jon Dorenbos

• Duh. And Rocca is having his best preseason ever.

Practice Squad: Martell Mallett, Jordan Norwood, Boo Robinson, Jamar Chaney, Dimitri Patterson, David Pender, AQ Shipley, Pannel Egboh

• Tracy White, Macho Harris, Hank Baskett, and Chad Hall are my alternate picks for the practice squad. But I don't think any of them, except Hall, can't find spots on other teams.

Dez Bryant makes a scene at Cowboys training camp

Cowboys rookie Dez Bryant refused to carry the shoulder pads of a veteran teammate at training camp, an innocuous hazing ritual that has been around for decades. I don't know if I like hazing, but I'll tell you what I do like: Dez Bryant already getting negative publicity for himself.

Oh, and the player whose pads Dez wouldn't carry? That would be Roy Williams, a former first round darling himself. Bryant is trying to steal Williams' position as a starting wide receiver- think that played into Bryant's refusal?

Let's hope Bryant's diva-meter keeps rising!

Eagles war room invades Radio City music hall, suspect hidden WMD's

The Eagles are in the first of what I hope will be only a few years spent rebuilding the franchise. Reid and Co. have booted the old guard, and the baby birds have some glaring needs to address before they can expect to be playoff contenders again. This draft and next are crucial in recruiting new talent if the Eagles want to return to prominence in the near future.

I didn't follow any of Eagles draftees during their NCAA careers, so I can't really judge how they'll fare in the NFL. From what the professional sports news industry is saying, some of the Eagles picks have potential. I've already posted about Graham, Nate Allen, and the dude with the really long last name. Later in this post I collect opinions from across the web on each draftee to get some clue what we're dealing with here.

Of the Eagles later round picks, I'm excited about the DE Ricky Sapp, who most people agree was a steal, and the QB Kafka, mainly for his name.

Mel Kiper, ESPN's NFL draft guru, thinks that the Eagles draft was worth a B+. Pretty high praise from him- it was the third highest grade he handed out. He thought they had the best draft of the NFC east teams. Here are his full comments:
"The Eagles were positioned well to take advantage of a deep draft, and they did, piling up seven productive picks between the third and fifth rounds. But Philly started well too. In Brandon Graham they have a potential Rookie of the Year on defense. They filled a need at safety with Nate Allen, and I like Trevard Lindley in the fourth. He has second-round ability. Ricky Sapp may be a tweener, but getting a guy who can get to the quarterback like he can in the fifth round is good value. He could be a solid situational pass-rusher early in his career. Riley Cooper is quicker than many people think to go with above-average size. "

Chris Steuber from Scout.com also had praise for the Eagle's draft:
The Eagles were loaded and ready to make a splash in this year’s draft, and when they traded up from No. 24 to No. 13, it appeared that they were angling to get Texas safety Earl Thomas. But instead, they improved their pass rush with Michigan DE Brandon Graham. Graham is undersized, but is an explosive pass rusher that will complement Trent Cole very well on the defensive line. In the second round, the Eagles got their safety in South Florida’s Nate Allen, who will compete for the starting free safety position in training camp. The biggest surprise of the Eagles draft was third round pick Daniel Te’o-Nesheim from Washington. A tweener on defense who can play inside or outside on the D-Line, Te’o-Nesheim was considered to be a late round prospect. One player that fans in Philadelphia should keep an eye on is Missouri State tight end Clay Harbor. He’s a solid all around tight end who possesses great speed and hands and is a very good blocker. At the end of the day, the Eagles made 13 selections and added some interesting names in the late rounds: Clemson DE/OLB Ricky Sapp (5th round), Florida WR Riley Cooper (5th round), LSU RB Charles Scott (6th round), Mississippi State MLB Jamar Chaney (7th round) and Georgia DT Jeff Owens (7th round).

Draft Grade: A-

So, as you see, smarter people than me think the Eagles had themselves a fine draft. I hope they're right, because I have some concerns:
1) I think the Eagles traded down too much and gave up opportunities to grab consensus impact players earlier in the draft. I think they should have been trading up the entire time, not trading down to collect more late picks. The eagles don't need depth on their team, they need talent.

2) Though I love the guy's name and he sounds like he'll make a good NFL QB, I felt the Eagles wasted a pick grabbing The Metamorphosis. We have a young QB in Kolb; we need help on defense.

3) I don't understand why we drafted so many defensive ends, especially when we used the 13th pick of the draft on one. When you use the 13th pick, shouldn't you expect that the player will be the future at his position? The 13th pick should be a pretty sure bet and shouldn't require insurance.

4) The Eagles didn't draft a single offensive lineman, even though their starting center destroyed his knee at the end of the season.

That's a cornucopia of concerns, indeed. So far I've only found two answers-

Gregg Easterbrook, better known as TMQ, takes a hack at concern #1. He thinks that there's no way to predict how a draft pick will pan out, so the more picks, the better your chances of finding talent:
"If NFL choices are essentially lottery tickets, then the more held, the better your odds. In recent drafts, Denver, New England and Philadelphia have pursued multiple trade-downs to add picks -- that is, buy more tickets.... Saturday, the Broncos traded a fifth-round selection for two seventh-round choices -- two lottery tickets are better than one, especially if you are honest and admit to yourself you have no way of knowing who "should" be in the fifth round in the first place. Philadelphia traded down so many times it ended up with 13 selections, almost twice the league average, including four picks in the fourth round. Would you rather have four fourth-round choices or one first-round pick? Four lottery tickets are better than one."

Dave Spadaro from philadelphiaeagles.com addressed concern #4:
"Why no offensive linemen? The Eagles will sign some in the post-draft period, and they just didn't think there were any difference makers after the early part of the draft. They truly think Stacy Andrews is going to blossom in 2010 and that Nick Cole and -- here is a surprise name -- Mike McGlynn are going to have a very good battle for the starting center job. Jamaal Jackson continues his rehab from the knee injury."

I hold out hope that the Eagles know more about football than me, and that this is the greatest draft in NFL history. At any rate, it's always exciting to watch new players develop.

Speaking of all the new Eagles players, a full breakdown of every Eagles pick with scouting reports is here after the jump.

Eagles acting strangely during the draft, I suspect hydrophobia

The Eagles went into the draft with 5 picks in the first three rounds. That's five chances to find impact players for a team that needs more impact players. Instead of using all of their picks, the Eagles start wheeling and dealing. The first trade they made was to move up in the first round. That's a way to get an impact player! Then, the birds stand pat and use their first 2nd round choice. I'm loving it.

But then things got weird.

The Eagles start trading down. And down. And down. Late in the 3rd round, they finally take a player: DE Daniel Te'o-Nesheim.

The Eagles walked away from day two having made only three draft selections in the first three rounds, one of which is the 86th pick of the draft- not a place to fish for impact players! Moreover, the guy they pick plays the same position as the fella they drafted in the first round! Seeing how only one of them is going to get to play opposite Trent Cole... strange move.

So strange that I am concerned that rabies has broken out inside the Novacare complex and leadership is losing they minds!

I think that this draft and next are going to be crucial for a rebuilding Eagles team. They need to hit on these drafts to get the team back to dominance. What are they doing screwing around and passing up 2nd round talent? We need impact! IMPACT! We don't need training camp bodies. We have bodies on the team that need replacing! And what are we doing picking two athletes who play the same position?! There are plenty of other positions on defense that need a talent infusion.

I also have a fear that the two guys they picked early, Graham and Allen, were the wrong moves. I'm no scout, so I may be wrong here, but- it seems to me that Graham and Allen were "safe" picks and not necessarily guys that are going to bust out and become superstars. Jason Pierre-Paul was taken by the Giants after the Eagles selected Graham, and Taylor Mays was selected by the Niners after the Birds took Allen. Both of those other guys are supposed to be risky, sure, but they both have freakish physical gifts and have the chance to be special players. Nobody is a sure thing in the NFL draft, and I'd rather roll the dice on a special player.That's just me.

Anyway, here's the goods on Te'o-Nesheim:
From the ESPN.com draft tracker-
"What he brings: Te'o-Nesheim is limited athletically and does not show great lateral movement. On the plus side, he has great core strength for his size at 263 pounds. He plays the game with a high motor and gives great effort on every play. This might be a bit of a reach at this point, but the Eagles are looking for this type of player.
How he fits: This is yet another undersized, high-motor defensive end. This pick is a little surprising given that the Eagles got Brandon Graham in the first round. While he does sound like an Eagles-type defender from an effort standpoint, the team had bigger needs here in the third round."

From SI.com, who expected Te'o to go in the fourth round:
"Positives: Relentless college pass rusher with poor size/speed numbers. Plays with a nasty attitude, works hard to get involved in the action, and consistently makes plays on the ball. Quickly changes direction and can bend off the page as a pass rusher or collapse to the outside defending the run. Flies around the field, stays with the action, and wraps up tackling.

Negatives: Really struggles going up against large offensive tackles. Lacks great bulk and is easily handled at the point of attack.

Analysis: Te'o-Nesheim is an undersized college pass rusher who lacks the pure speed to play outside linebacker in the NFL. He's a competitive defender who plays with a non-stop motor and goes beyond his physical skills to produce on the field. Will offer possibilities at the next level as a pass rush specialist and special teams player."

In the 2nd round, the Philadelphia Eagles Select...

Nate Allen, safety from South Florida. And that's all the Eagles pick. They went on a pick-trading rampage, and won't pick again until at least the third round. Unless they trade again. And they might.

What's worse, one of the Eagles' trading partners was the odious Dallas Cowboys. Why would the Eagles help a bitter rival move up to get their man? I hates it.

On to Nate- kind of interesting that the Eagles draft a #5 with the Donovan McNabb pick. Allen seems to be a ballhawking safety, and his film reel on ESPN highlights some really nifty interceptions. The knocks I've heard knocking on him say that he isn't an intimidating presence like Brian Dawkins, and that he launches himself to tackle instead of wrapping up. It looks like Nate might be the starter this season.

SI.com's reaction:
"The Eagles choose to fill the safety position opposite Quintin Mikell that many expected them to select in the first round. Allen is an excellent athlete who was considered the third best safety in this draft. The Eagles are happy he was still available, using the selection they received from the Washington Redskins for Donovan McNabb.

ESPN's Mel Kiper considers Nate Allen the 5th best safety in the draft, behind Taylor Mays who was drafted later in round 2.

Todd McShay comments:
"Allen is a smooth athlete that shows a willingness to support the run, but is at his best roaming center field in coverage."

ESPN's Matt Mosley blogs:
"Marlin Jackson will certainly be in the mix, but I would expect for Allen to eventually take over as the starter. If you've watched any South Florida football the past three years, you know how many plays Allen makes. He's not as special as Earl Thomas and Eric Berry, but he's a huge upgrade over what the Eagles had last season.

The Eagles now match up with Jason Witten a lot better. And don't think that wasn't on Andy Reid's mind when he made the pick."

Sounds good to me- I'm sick of Jason Witten wrecking my Sunday afternoons.

ESPN's draft tracker says:
"What he brings: Allen needs to be a more consistent tackler and take better pursuit angles in run support, but he has the potential to excel in coverage. Although he's 6-foot, Allen is fluid enough to match up with slot receivers in man coverage. He also has the range to play a centerfielder-type role and plays the ball well.
How he fits: The Eagles definitely needed a safety as they try to replace Brian Dawkins. Allen may not be the physical presence Dawkins was versus the run, but he will be an improvement providing versatility in pass defense. He will be an improvement over Quintin Demps, Macho Harris and Marlin Jackson, who's coming off his second ACL injury in two years. Quentin Mikell is tough and a consistent, blue-collar player, but Philly needed a good pass-defender next to him. Sean Jones is gone to Tampa Bay and this very possibly could be an upgrade over him."

Eagles trade up to draft DE Brandon Graham

The Eagles traded to Denver their first round pick and two third round picks to move up in the first round and select Michigan DE Brandon Graham with the 13th overall pick. He is listed at 6'1.5" and 268 lbs.

The consensus seems to be that Graham is a mid-first round talent, and that he is a safe bet to be a good player in the NFL because he was very productive in college. Jason Pierre-Paul, a DE drafted two picks later by the Giants, was ranked ahead of Graham by most analysts but is considered a much riskier pick. This much is sure: JPP can do 23 backflips in a row and Graham can't.

SI.com has Graham graded as slightly worse than the DE Jason Pierre-Paul, but they describe JPP as "boom or bust," and have Graham listed as a first round talent. Here's their instant reaction:
"The Eagles trade up in order to take the former Michigan pass rusher who completely dominated the competition at the Senior Bowl. Graham is extremely powerful and athletic which enables him to overcome his lack of height and short arms. The Eagles have been searching for years for a pass-rusher to team with Trent Cole and clearly they felt Graham was their guy, otherwise they would not have given up two third-round choices in order to secure his rights" 

And here's what they say about him on their scouting page:
"Positives: Intense defender constantly flying around the action. Fires off the snap, plays with leverage and excellent pad level. Immediately alters his angle of attack, fast up the field and displays speed in pursuit. Can bend off the edge, fast getting to the flanks, and chases the action hard. Loses no momentum changing direction, easily redirects to ball handlers, and wraps up at the point of attack. Gives effort until the whistle blows and displays good recognition.

Negatives: Struggles against large tackles and engulfed at the point of attack. Displays marginal skill moving in reverse if asked to play in coverage.

Analysis: Graham has displayed a terrific combination of quickness, explosion, and speed as well as hustle the past three seasons. He causes a lot of problems for opponents with the ability to quickly get up the field and disrupt the action. Graham is a high motor defender who goes hard and gives effort. Offering possibilities as a one-gap defensive end or outside linebacker in a 3-4, he shows a lot of Dwight Freeney in his game."

Over at ESPN, Mel Kiper has JPP 5 spots before Graham on his "Big Board." He has Graham ranked as the 3rd best DE behind JPP at 2. Mel's comments:
"Awesome athlete, force off the edge, led nation in TFLs."
and
"I'll repeat again that Graham is as productive a player as you'll find in the draft. He led the nation in tackles for loss, even as opposing offenses targeted him. His battle was proving that he is more than a potential 3-4 outside linebacker. Well, the proof is here. Graham has the leverage to be disruptive against the run, and his ability to disrupt the backfield as a pass-rusher is unquestioned."

Todd McShay has Graham listed as his top "underrated" prospect, and gives him a grade of 94. McShay, too, has JPP going ahead of Graham. He calls Graham the stoutest run-blocking DE of the top picks.

ESPN Draft tracker scouts Graham thusly:
"What he brings: Graham doesn't have ideal height for a defensive end prospect and he doesn't have elite natural ability, but he makes the most of his skill set. He's a tough run-defender who can set the edge. He shows adequate range in pursuit. While he is a bit of a straight-line pass-rusher, Graham is relentless and powerful. He also does a good job of getting under offensive tackles and bending back inside.
How he fits: Graham gives the Eagles a versatile defender who will add needed pass rush ability and a great motor, much like Trent Cole. Juqua Parker is aging, Victor Abiamiri has become a role-playing inside sub rusher and newly-signed Darryl Tapp is not a team savior. Graham adds toughness and aggressiveness to a defense that thrives on it. Graham will also be able to take some of the pressure off of Cole as the lone pass-rushing threat."

John Czarnecki from FoxSports says this about Graham:
"The Eagles traded away two of their third-rounders to the Broncos (the 13th pick acquired earlier from the 49ers) in order to take Michigan pass rusher Brandon Graham, who dominated offensive tackles in the Big Ten this past season. Graham's play was a big reason why Iowa's Bulaga is still available in this draft because he beat him like a drum when he played him. Now, Graham is a speed rusher and Andy Reid is hoping that he can mature into another Dwight Freeney" 

The Philadelphia Eaglets heading into the draft.

The Philadelphia Eagles have boldly cut ties with some fine players this offseason. The players they jettisoned largely have one thing in common: they are football old. The average age of players who left the Eagles this offseason is 30. The average age of players signed by the Eagles this offseason is 25.3. This kind of youth movement usually means that a team doesn't think they can win a superbowl with their current veteran core, that they need to dump the old guard and try to build a winning team from scratch. I say "usually" because I think there were a few other factors behind the drastic changes Eagles management made to the franchise.

See, the Eagles were a playoff-caliber team last year even after they lost a whole slew of starters to injury. With the development of some of their younger players, I think they could have expected to be competitive in 2010 even if they brought back an identical roster. Also, since they weren't part of the "final 8" teams who finished ahead of them in the playoffs last season, they had a distinct advantage over 8 superior rosters- they could go out and sign any free agent they desired while those other teams were very limited on acquiring new talent. If the Eagles sold the farm in an uncapped year and grabbed bigtime free agents to fill roster holes, they could have made themselves favorites for the 2010 crown.

They didn't do that. They didn't want to be quite that bold, even though fortune would have surely favored them.

Why not shoot the moon? I think there were two major factors. First, they would have had to choose a quarterback to pilot the 2010 dream team and then given him a contract extension. Both the incumbent McNabb and the upstart Kolb were in the last year of their contracts, and the Eagles would risk losing both if they couldn't get one to sign an extension. Quarterback is the toughest position to fill in free agency and in the draft, so the Eagles would be taking an unacceptable risk if they didn't sign one of the two QBs to a long term deal.

It would have created a clubhouse-shattering media storm to lock up one QB long term while starting the other. So, the Eagles would have had to make a tough choice- extend the contract of an aging McNabb, a fragile player whose career could end at any given snap, or give the Kolb kid the keys to a Ferrari.

Eagles brass would have had to make a choice, then, that they didn't care to make. Both options would have been too risky for them if they'd invested in building a dream team in '10. McNabb could be counted on to perform well, but only as long as he could stay on the field. Kolb would seem to have many years ahead of him, but hasn't proven his gridiron mettle- if he sucked then the Eagles wasted a ton of money on a lost season.

You might argue that Brett Farve and Kurt Warner proved last season that quarterbacks can age well, and the Eagles could extend McNabb five more years without worry. That's a good point. Or, you can say, Kolb threw for 300 yards in his only two starts last season, and Andy Reid seems to have a lot of confidence in the whippersnapper- he sounds like a capable enough quarterback to run a playoff-bound offense. Sounds reasonable to me.

This brings me to the second factor that influenced the Eagles decision making.

The second reason the Eagles chose to rebuild over loading up the team for a super bowl run in '10 is that nobody knows how the outcome of the new collective bargaining agreement will shape the financial landscape of the NFL. Golll-eee, there is a chance that there won't even be an NFL season in 2011. If the Eagles spent like mad, they might have doomed the franchise with financial inflexibility for years to come. More importantly for them, there's a chance of losing money (gasp!) if there isn't a season in 2011, or if they miss a chance to utilize new collective bargaining spending loopholes.

Something tells me that the money matters more than the QB pickle, but I'll concede that the two factors conflated to make building a superbowl winner in '10 unpalatable for Eagles management.

So, we're left with an apocalyptic post glory-decade roster of fresh faces. It stings that the team that reached the playoffs 8 of the past 10 years- going to five NFC championship games and one superbowl in that span- is officially kaput. It's the end of an era.
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Here's a rundown of how the Eagles reshaped their roster this offseason:

Below is a list of the aged players who departed the Eagles and the young boys who joined up or signed extensions. Ages in parenthesis. The small text is from Scouts Inc scouting reports from 2009.

Flown the Coop:
Donovan McNabb (33)
Traded for a 2nd rounder in 2010 and a 3rd or 4th rounder in 2011
CB Sheldon Brown (31)
one of the league's most consistent corners since 2002, has had excellent durability throughout his seven-year career. He is a smart, instinctive player who leverages receivers well and understands route progressions. Brown has good strength to jam and reroute receivers off the line of scrimmage. He's also a solid run-support defender. He doesn't have great pure speed and can get beat deep at times. 
LB Chris Gocong (26)
Gocong has good power when rushing the passer of the edge. He needs to improve his hand use and ability to leverage defenders to maintain body position. He is a hard-nosed, aggressive linebacker who is best attacking the line of scrimmage. He lacks great agility and quickness in man coverage and lacks great awareness in combination zone coverage. Cocong is a very productive special-teams contributor who has the tools to develop into a consistent linebacker.
Traded to Cleveland for Alex Hall and 4th and 5th round picks
DE Jason Babin (29)
UFA let go to Titans 
S Sean Jones (28)
UFA let go to Bucs
DE Darren Howard (33)
WR Kevin Curtis (31)
OG Shawn Andrews (27)
LB Will Witherspoon (29)
RB Brian Westbrook (30)
LB Jeremiah Trotter (33)
All released

Comments: Sad to see Trotter, McNabb, Westbrook, and Sheldon Brown go. Only Westbrook was cooked of the four, Trotter was effective as a role player and the other two have good football left in them. Sheldon Brown, I think, is actually a better corner than Asante Samuel, who takes too many risks fishing for interceptions and gets burned frequently. Sheldon was dependable in coverage and a sure tackler; his only weakness was against taller players who could make catches over him. Too bad the Eagles didn't trade Samuel instead of Brown.


Shawn Andrews can still be a dominant player if he can get on the field. Some people say he doesn't like playing football, so I'm not sure we'll see him again.


I'm not sure why the Eagles let Gocong go. I guess he wasn't working in the defensive system.


Egg Teeth:
LB Ernie Sims (25)
Sims had another excellent season in his third year in the league. He is an undersized linebacker who plays at a high level due to excellent athletic ability, toughness and instincts. He is a natural football player who reacts quickly as plays unfold. He is adept at slipping blockers and getting to the pile. Ernie has great fits to the line of scrimmage and his front four. He leverages the ball well using his hands to work through trash and staying alive to the ball. He has great range in pursuit with excellent lateral agility, quickness and speed inside out to the play. He is a solid pass defender getting excellent leverage in both man and zone schemes as he reads route progressions well. He is an excellent rap tackler with great pop and power on contact. He is better in coverage than attacking the line of scrimmage in blitz packages. Sims is a good football player who continues to improve and though he lacks great size has been durable early in his career.
Acquired for 5th round pick
G Max Jean-Gilles (26)
Re-signed
LB Alex Hall (24)
Hall didn't make an impact in 2008, his rookie season, but he has a lot of ability and could be a surprise pass-rusher who bursts onto the scene in 2009. He is also a top-notch special-teams player who has made an immediate impact in that regard.
LB Omar Gaither (26)
Gaither is instinctive player who reacts quickly as a run defender and has a good understanding of route progressions versus the pass. He has excellent lateral agility to maintain leverage in his gap responsibilities. He is more effective playing the edges rather than stacking at the point of attack. He can be effective in both man and combination zone coverage. Gaither has the ability to be a productive linebacker for years to come.
CB Ellis Hobbs (26)
Hobbs is a short, well-built player with good athletic skills and excellent toughness. He is a fierce competitor who plays bigger than his listed size. Despite his size, he has been a durable defender and consistent performer. Ellis is an aggressive run defender who will throw his body around and insert in piles. He has deceptive pop and power when tackling as well as a strong upper body to ward off blockers. Larger backs and receivers can exploit his size, but for the most part Ellis is physical enough to be an effective perimeter defender. He is an active defending the pass and gets his hands on lots of balls. He has great vision and anticipation jump break points in zone coverage. He does a nice job leveraging the ball and takes proper angles when closing to the play. He has good foot agility, quickness and balance to transition well out of his pedal. He maintains excellent body position while in his pedal as well as redirecting to plant. Hobbs doesn't have outstanding pure speed to match up well in pure man coverage, but can be effective in combination man and zone schemes. He has been a solid kick returner.
LB Akeem Jordon (24)
Jordan is an undersized linebacker with good athleticism and toughness. He runs well and has good range in pursuit. He lacks great power to hold the point versus the run and needs lots of work on his route progression reads as a pass defender. Jordan has the tools to develop, but his size limitations will likely relegate him to a back up role.
DE Darryl Tapp (25)
He was an 11-game starter last year and played both RDE and LDE. Tapp is a good athlete who has good burst off the ball and he can turn the corner with above average speed. He is a developing better hand use to change give different looks and has started to show an increased ability to counter. His burst allows him to gain the quick advantage up field and when changing direction. He is explosive with his movements and can closes hard to the QB once he clears contact. As a run defender he is slightly undersized to control the point of attack. He can be overpowered at times but when he plays off contact quickly and shows good hand uses to shed, he has a good closing burst to the ball his quickness. Tapp is a better pursuit player versus the run than a true take on guy and will need to be rotated at times in short yardage and goal-line situations.
DB Marlin Jackson (26)
Jackson is a good-sized corner who has been a starter for the past two seasons. He missed the final nine games of the 2008 season due to a knee injury. He has good initial quickness and above average straight line speed. He builds to speed more than being explosive and will flash a decent burst of acceleration to close on the play. He tends to be a bit upright in his pedal and often has to bail out early to avoid getting beat deep. He can be a little sloppy in transition and takes extra steps to redirect to break on the ball.
WR Jason Avant (27)
Signed a 5 year extension.
FB Leonard Weaver (27)
Weaver is a good overall athlete with adequate size and strength. He is an adequate run blocker who can identify and adjust on the move. He is still developing his overall technique to secure angles quickly and create movement after contact. He will get overextended at times, which limits his ability to finish. He is a good athlete with the ball in his hands and is versatile enough to be effective as a runner or receiver out of the backfield. He runs with good vision, but is primarily a one-cut runner who will get up field quickly. He doesn't always pluck it cleanly and will try to body catch, when possible. After the catch, he does a good job of making subtle moves in space. He is more of an athletic FB than a power, smash-mouth one, which makes him a good fit in a West Coast system.

Comments: Avant and Weaver are good football players. The rest on this list are serviceable players with potential. Ernie Sims, in particular, was a first round pick for the Lions who didn't live up to his draft position and might have some star in him. ESPN's Scout's Eye says this about the trade for Sims:
This was a very good trade for the Eagles, as they were able to get a player who will make an immediate impact in their defense. Sims is an undersized LB who will play on the weak side. The Eagles have a solid front four, which is key for a player like Sims, who lacks size and bulk and needs to be covered up and protected at the second level. Sims is an excellent athlete who has sideline-to-sideline speed and range. He makes a lot of plays outside the tackle box. He is athletic in coverage and is an every-down player. In his first three seasons in Detroit, the Lions were extremely vanilla on defense. Last season they were a little more exotic, but Sims was not healthy and had his worst NFL season. In Philadelphia, look for the Eagles to ask more of Sims, who totaled 100-plus tackles in each of his first three seasons before a down season last year. The Eagles will ask him to blitz more and play more man coverage, areas that are strong suits for the athletic and undersized Sims.  

Please don't draft Tim Tebow! and other Eagles draft needs

Before the NCAA football season ended, sports heads unanimously agreed that Tim Tebow would never make it in the NFL, and would be lucky to get drafted at all as a WR/RB/TE/QB hybrid.

Cut to a few months later, after Tebow promised to change his throwing mechanics, and he is regarded as a first round pick. And rumor has it the Eagles are interested.

I don't know how perception about Tebow's ability changed so suddenly and dramatically. Wait, I do know. Tebow debuted an inconsistent new throwing motion at a workout, and it was all NFL teams needed to justify taking him early. The only problem is that the new justification doesn't make any sense.

Anybody can change their throwing mechanics if the practice with coaches for a couple months. Even I could do it. Even my dog could do it. GM's had to know that they could change Tebow's mechanics after they signed him. The things they feared they couldn't change about Tebow- his inability to make progressions after the snap, his poor decision-making, his dependence on athletic ability to get him out of trouble (which won't work in the NFL as much because everyone is freakishly athletic)- are still unresolved and unlikely to change.

As for the Eagles drafting Tebow... isn't Kolb the QB of the future? That's the reason McNabb got bumped, isn't it? Yes and yes. It would be a hideous mistake to draft another QB of the future when there are other, glaring, actual needs.

That said, here are the Eagles draft needs by position, in order of importance:
Safety, Cornerback, Defensive End, Linebacker, Offensive Tackle, Center, Running Back, Guard, Defensive Tackle, Tight End, Punter, Quarterback, Wide Receiver, Fullback, Kicker. Got it, Andy?
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4/23 update: Denver drafted Tebow with the 25th pick in the first round. Rut roh, mile-highers! Let us always remember that Tebow was drafted far ahead of Jimmy Clausen- Who Mel Kiper believes is the best QB in the draft- and also Colt McCoy and Dan LeFevour. Always remember, never forget.

Eagles 2010 Season Predicition

Here is my optimistic prognostication of the Eagles season in 2010:

WK	DATE	OPPONENT	TIME (ET)
1	Sun, Sep 12	Green Bay	4:15 PM   (L) Aaron Rogers eats lightning and craps thunder
2	Sun, Sep 19	at Detroit	1:00 PM (W) One of the few teams the Eagles can handle
3	Sun, Sep 26	at Jacksonville	4:05 PM (W) A tight game, but J'Ville gots a mediocre QB
4	Sun, Oct 3	Washington	4:15 PM (L) Donovan's revenge, Part I
5	Sun, Oct 10	at San Francisco	8:20 PM (L) We'll see how Ernie Sims covers the TE
6	Sun, Oct 17	Atlanta	1:00 PM (L) Philly D can't handle WR White and TE Gonzalez
7	Sun, Oct 24	at Tennessee	1:00 PM (L) Andy Reid is awful before the bye week
9	Sun, Nov 7	Indianapolis	4:15 PM (L) Reid excels after the bye, but won't beat Peyton
10	Mon, Nov 15	at Washington	8:30 PM (L) Donovan's revenge, Part II, in prime time
11	Sun, Nov 21	NY Giants	8:20 PM (W) The Giants were quitters last year
12	Sun, Nov 28	at Chicago	1:00 PM (W) We can only hope Cutler throws bunches of INTs
13	Thu, Dec 2	Houston	8:20 PM (W) Home team prevails in the short week
14	Sun, Dec 12	at Dallas	8:20 PM (L) Dallas swept a superior Eagles team last year
15	Sun, Dec 19	at NY Giants	1:00 PM (W) Gaints coming off a pounding at Minnesota
16	Sun, Dec 26	Minnesota	1:00 PM (L) IF Farve plays, (W) otherwise
17	Sun, Jan 2	Dallas	1:00 PM (L) Ignominious defeat

The Eagles miss the playoffs, finishing 6-10 if they're lucky.

I can see 3-13 with a Giants split (hard to beat em twice), and loses to the Jaguars (running all over the Eagles), and Texans (Andre Johnson explosion!). Oh, bother.

But wait, here's the case for 0-16! Detroit beats an overconfident Eagles squad, Chicago wins as Cutler throws like he did at the end of 2009, and the Giants sweep with a return to superbowl form. Oh, the horror.