The Year of the Bird

What the Fans Want

- The highest-profile position for the past two years, for better or worse, has been wide receiver (we need not delve into details). As a result, the departure of an All-Pro player at a skill position has many fans crying for a guy like Santonio Holmes (Ohio State) or Chad Jackson (Florida) with the 14th pick in Round 1. Don't count on this, though. The Eagles picked up Gaffney from Houston in the off-season, and Andy has consistently said that he wants Reggie Brown to step up as their go-to guy.

- Injuries and a lack of depth at the RB position have caused the running game to be a glaring achilles heel for the majority of Andy Reid's tenure in Philly. The fans love Westy, and his ability to catch passes out of the backfield, but he's not a powerful back. A lot of people would love to see the Eagles take a Deangelo Williams (Memphis) or a Laurence Maroney (Minnesota) off the board in the first round. Or, they could always gamble on a guy like Lendale White (USC) if he's still available in a later round.

 Deangelo Williams

- Here's a stat that's scary enough to strike fear in the hearts of even the most casual of Eagles fans -- The Birds racked up a total of 47 sacks in the '04 season, followed last year by a paltry 25. Injuries in the secondary didn't help Jim Johnson's options on D, but the lack of a compelling pass rush is more than evident. A speedy defensive end could be just what this team needs to revitalize a once great defensive presence. The Philly fans love a crushing D (just listen to the stadium when Dawkins delivers a bone-crunching blow -- especially if it's to a Dallas chump).

What the Team Will Actually Do

"We've got to do a better job up front. That's where it starts. Up front. If the playoffs showed one thing, it's that you better be solid on both sides of the ball up front. You do that, you'll usually be OK." -- Andy Reid

- Andy traditionally focuses on the front lines, and that means that this year will (most likely) not be any different. Though they need help up front on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball, if a guy like Haloti Ngata (Oregon) -- no, I can't pronounce it either -- is still on the board by the 14th pick, they'll snatch him up with a quickness. He could be a great addition to the pass rush at defensive tackle, working next to last year's first round pick, Mike Patterson. Even if they can't nab him, don't be surprised if Andy focuses on the D line in the first round.

 Haloti Ngata

- Though the defense needs a lot of help, Andy will rely on the fact that when his secondary was healthy two years ago, they sent three of the four starters to the Pro Bowl. Reid has also never drafted a linebacker in the first round. Considering the Birds already re-signed Shawn Barber, don't expect to see an LB behind the podium in the first round. The second most-likely possibility for a first round pick is on the offensive side of the ball. Not a WR or a RB, but rather an offensive lineman. Here, they lack depth, not to mention the fact that left tackle Tra Thomas is coming off major back surgery, and right tackle Jon Runyan is 32 years old. The top offensive tackle that's available in this year's draft, D'Brickashaw Ferguson (Virginia) will be snatched up far earlier in the first round than the 14th pick. USC's Winton Justice was apparently in town last week for a chat, but the Eagles might not be wise to draft him so high.

Wild Card

- This may shock some of you, but the Eagles need to start thinking QB. If not this year, then very soon. McNabb is pushing 30 and though they just signed Garcia at back-up, he's clearly not the future of this franchise.

The Big Question

Will Philly fans boo the organization's first round pick? Most likely. If what I've discussed above is any true indication of the disconnect between who the fans want to see drafted, and who's on the top of the Eagles' list, there could be discontentment in the City of Brotherly Love. For once.

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• #2 Comment from jaxcalls 
  10/7/07 11:13 PM | Permalink

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• #1 Comment from mrbiersnob 
  5/1/06 11:57 PM | Permalink

  Hey Erin!
  
  Nice job on the Justice pick! I too had him as our pick at No. 14, and I'm sure you've seen my reaction (at the time) to the Bunkley pick. You'd never know a guy my size could do a backflip when we got Justice in the 2nd round!
  
  Biggest surprise for me, sleeping in Sunday, and finding out we'd taken Jean-Gilles with our first 4th rounder! Pass the word, the Eagles running attack is back!
  
  No doubt, Reid's best draft ever!