Players

NEXT TO GO: LESEAN MCCOY?!

Posted by The BEAST on 2014/04/03
Posted in: Front Office (F.O.), Players. 6 Comments
Image courtesy of Zimbio.com

Image courtesy of Zimbio.com

ACCORDING to 6abc’s Jamie Apody (3/28/14) though the Eagles won’t issue a public statement regarding DeSean Jackson’s release, they basically had some issues with his character. Here’s a direct quote from Apody:

“Jackson happens to be one of the team’s highest paid players and they want their highest paid guys to be stewards of the Philadelphia Eagles and represent what they’re all about. The higher ups in the organization were concerned he was not representing them well and that it was increasingly getting worse.” 

When I read this I couldn’t help but think of LeSean McCoy. Does anyone else recall last year when he doused a woman with a drink and tossed her off a bus in the middle of Pigfuck, New Jersey? Is that what a steward looks like?

Then again, Riley Cooper got $25,000,000 for calling people niggers.

And Jason Peters did get a new deal after being arrested for leading cops on a high speed chase.

Stewards? But of course!

When you get right down to it, Jackson was cut because he was a vastly overpaid, one-trick pony, whose contract threatened the long-term stability of the franchise. But instead of manning up and admitting that he made a huge mistake awarding Jackson that deal,  Howie Roseman and company are trying to make this an issue of character.

Because you know…Stewards.

At least until it’s time to move another large contract off the books. Then there will be a need for a new scapegoat. Another sacrificial lamb. Another trusting player who’ll be a deer in headlights. (Wow. We’re really awful to ruminants, aren’t we?)

Meanwhile in the next 3 years Shady is due 11, 8, and 7 million respectively, at what is currently the sport’s most undervalued position.

So when Shady gets run out of here (a la Reggie, Randall, T.O., McNabb, Dawkins, and Jackson), what do you think it’ll be? They just did “gang”, and they played that “player didn’t call us back” card with Reggie and Dawk already. My guess is since it won’t be a contract year it’ll be something new. Maybe something with midgets…..

THE 12th MAN IN THE MIRROR

Posted by The BEAST on 2014/04/02
Posted in: Offense, Players. 2 Comments

0: nofear

NOT sure why everyone wants to talk about a guy who isn’t here anymore. Seems a little disrespectful to the guys who’ll actually be putting their bodies on the line in Eagles uniforms.

No disrespect intended to those who’ve come before, but shouldn’t  it be the future we want to talk about? That and the players now responsible for fulfilling the dream? Maybe they deserve to be on our minds a little more. Maybe it should be those players we’re discussing so passionately.

I mean, they do inspire the fans don’t they? The fan base does Trust Chip, right?

If so, then act like it. Don’t say it, show it. Not to me. Not to each other. Just show it.

Don’t talk big, BE big. Because our future, is now.

MAY THE STRONGEST SAFETY WIN

Posted by The BEAST on 2014/03/28
Posted in: Defense, Players. Tagged: . Leave a comment
Image courtesy of Phillymag.com

Image courtesy of Phillymag.com

THE question of who is going to start at SS opposite Malcolm Jenkins came up yesterday. Some fans say Nate Allen, some say Earl Wolff. Some are even holding out hope for prospect [Calvin Pryor]. Unlike most Eagles questions this one has a simple answer. And it’s staring you in the face.

This team’s biggest need right now is a top shelf pass rusher, so I wouldn’t put my money on drafting a Safety high. Unless he falls into the 2nd Round, I’d rule out Pryor.

Nate Allen is here on a 1-year deal. That indicates that he’s not seen (at least right now) as a long-term solution. He’s still young enough to have a breakout season and rake in some cake in 2015; but with the Eagles already cash strapped for 2015, I wouldn’t bank on seeing Allen here past 2014. If he’s really blowing it up this season, they could always sign him to an extension during the season and trade him prior to any 2015 salary obligation. (At least I’d do it that way.)

The Birds already had Earl Wolff when they brought back Allen. If they wanted to start Wolff on Day One, there was no need to re-sign Allen.

The handwriting on the wall says that barring a kick-ass Training Camp, Wolff opens the season behind Allen, and is slowly moved into a starting role somewhere around Week 7-9.

I think Allen finishes 2014 as the starter if Wolff doesn’t look ready by Week 9. By that point we’re talking playoff push. If it’s a tight division and the Safety play is solid, you don’t rock the boat, you “dance with the girl who brung ya”. 

But I’m interested to hear who you would start and why? Poll and comments right below. 

FINALLY,  A FRANCHISE QB!

Posted by The BEAST on 2014/03/27
Posted in: Offense, Players. 13 Comments
Image courtesy of goldmedalimpressions.com

Image courtesy of goldmedalimpressions.com

FINALLY! The Eagles have applied the word “Franchise” to a QB.

Since the trading of Donovan McNabb to the Redskins in 2010, we’ve had QB’s named the Starter. Kevin Kolb, Michael Vick, and Nick Foles respectively; but none of them were referred to as the Franchise QB. Now that we have declared one, this franchise can really begin to focus on winning a Super Bowl.

You may say “Jeez dude. It’s just words. You can “declare” anybody anything, it doesn’t make them any better. It doesn’t spot you points, or win you games”, and you’d be right for saying that. So why am I so excited? It’s because franchise QB is vastly different position from starting QB.

With a starting QB the coach names a guy because he’s the best fit on the roster for the system. A few shaky performances or not being 100% can change that, however.

With a franchise QB, he is the unquestioned starter because the franchise has anointed him so. He’s not the best fit for the system, he is the heart of the system, and pieces are added that fit him. If he’s not 100% he’s still expected –scratch that− counted on to play. When he’s shaky for a few games, no one mentions his back-up.

Better than that, the word “Franchise” says he’s going to be here for some time. If you’re a receiver it means you need to realize what side your bread is buttered on. When the QB calls a 2 week off-season workout at his house, you show up and you stay. For both weeks.

Tell the wife or girlfriend whatever you have to, because you can’t have your QB falling in love with another receiver, only to see your numbers drop, just ‘cause her heart was set on Cancun. Stats are money, stats come from execution, and execution comes from practice. That nice house she lives in, ain’t free. So you pack a bag and grab your ass a seat on a plane. The Franchise QB has juice like that.

When the coach hems and haws about a starter, even if both/all competing QB’s call a work-out, neither has the pull to punish if you don’t show.

This however, changes everything. Foles is THE MAN now. The focus is now on getting him the tools that HE needs. Now we can get around to seeing if he can deliver 10 wins a year, or if the Eagles have made a grievous error. We get to see if 2013 was real, or a marvelous fluke. Because now, we’re committed to our QB. We’re not approaching cautiously. We’re all in.

Finally. For the first time since McNabb was traded, we have ourselves a Franchise QB.

NOTHING HAS CHANGED

Posted by The BEAST on 2014/03/26
Posted in: Front Office (F.O.), Players. Tagged: , . 7 Comments
Image courtesy of philly.com

Image courtesy of Philly.com

I’VE spent the day laughing at the notion that a rumor that was started and sustained by Tweets, is somehow supposed to be killed by Tweets.

During most of Jacksongate 2014© we’ve had to endure some of the worst “reporting” by professional outlets that I’ve ever seen. Tweets, sources close to blah-blah, and raw speculation have all fueled one of the most idiotic rumor sagas in modern sports history. It was even big enough to suck in an additional 5 NFL teams (Raiders, 9ers, Jets, Panthers, Ravens).

What’s funny is it all comes out of the fact that the Eagles won’t issue a single statement on the matter. Even now, after DeSean Jackson’s ‘go-team-go’ themed Tweets. It makes you wonder what’s real and what isn’t.

 

HERE’S WHAT’S REAL:

The Eagles can afford Jackson in 2014. They can’t next year (Exhibit A, Exhibit B, Exhibit C). Not if they want to field an entire NFL team. Did you see the 7 TD’s Nick Foles rectally inserted into the cash strapped Raiders last year? (FYI: Foles didn’t throw more than 3 against any other opponent.) So unless you want the 2015 Eagles to be the 4-12 2013 Raiders, you want him (and others) to be moved.

Restructures won’t provide relief. Foles is still on his rookie deal for 2014 and 2015; but in 2016 he’ll command a salary of better than 12 million. So other player’s 2015 money can’t be spread out over 2016 and on, because they’ll need that room for Foles and the upcoming new deals for guys like Fletcher Cox, Mychal Kendricks, and Lane Johnson.

The room simply doesn’t exist. You went to school. You can do basic addition. This is just math. Besides, what do you do if guys don’t want to restructure? FYI: Connor Barwin and LeSean McCoy are the guys who would at that point be asked to take a cut.

Nothing has changed.

Jackson’s Tweet is completely meaningless. It carries as much weight as one put out by you or I.

Jackson was never going to trade or release himself. He never was said to be shopping himself. He never declared media silence on the subject of himself. That was all the Eagles as an organization, not as a team. None of his teammates threatened to shop him/trade him/release him. That was the Eagles organization, not the Eagles team.

The organization STILL has yet to declare what its intentions are. Keep in mind, Jackson spoke to Chip Kelly, not to Howie Roseman. Hell, Kelly has yet to issue a statement either! That’s an extremely important characterization. Especially in light of what Jeff Lurie said on Tuesday. You mean you didn’t know??

It’s still on folks. Eyes on the prize, not the distraction.

This story won’t go away until someone in the organization kills it, or if Jackson is still here on May 10th. Barring that, it still looks to me like he won’t be here much longer.

DID THINGS JUST GET HARDER FOR US?

Posted by The BEAST on 2014/03/23
Posted in: Players. Tagged: , . Leave a comment
Image courtesy of Newsday.com

Image courtesy of Newsday.com

THE Cowpies flat out don’t have the money to pair DeSean Jackson with Dez Bryant. Unless of course Jerry Jones was willing to do something absolutely crazy and… You know what, I don’t want to think about that!

However, the “giants” and the Foreskins, could push around some cash and pull it off a lot easier. Especially if Jackson were released, and there was no contract to renegotiate. He could sign to fit the cap structure of any team in the NFL. 

But would he be so motivated to stay in the NFC East and give away signs, signals, keys and intricacies of the system he just played in? And if he were, what number would he wear? 

WHAT I THINK ABOUT TRADING DJAX

Posted by The BEAST on 2014/03/20
Posted in: Front Office (F.O.), Players. Tagged: . 2 Comments
Photo: Michael Perez

Photo: Michael Perez

TRADING DeSean Jackson doesn’t have to hurt.

Chip Kelly’s Spread Offense as its name indicates is more horizontally based than vertically based. To his credit, in 2013 Kelly did a good job of transposing Jackson’s skillset over his existing system. Due to what Jackson could do, the coverage shifted and the impact was felt on the opposite side of the field as well as in the running game.

That being said, at its heart this is a horizontally based running system. It doesn’t require a guy like Jackson for it to run effectively. He’s a nice option to have out there, but the reality is, his abilities fit a mobile QB much better over the long haul than they do a pocket passer.

If this system is going back to its roots, then Jackson won’t even require replacing. You replace something when the replacement is supposed to do what the old part did. If you swap out the old part for a part that works differently, it’s usually referred to as upgrading.

That may be what the Eagles feel they can do here. This is a place where a rookie could be drafted whose skillset is entirely different from Jackson’s but better fits what Kelly wants to do.

I also already indicated how the Sproles Effect could easily offset the loss of Jackson, even if they simply cut him. (Pray that Howie Roseman isn’t that stupid.) If the system doesn’t need the top taken off the defense to make plays, your need for guys who can do that diminishes. Even if you still want one, lo and behold there’s a Draft coming up.

So a trade really comes down to getting value for him. In the end, aside from losing a player who gave us a few truly awesome memories (The New Miracle at the Meadowlands; falling backwards into the endzone against Dallas; a bomb for a TD as the first play of a record setting Monday Night game against the Redskins; the sideline bump with Andy, to name a few), perhaps this doesn’t have to hurt at all.

I just somehow can’t help thinking AND feeling, that it will.

HERE’S WHY 2014 COULD BE MAGIC

Posted by The BEAST on 2014/03/18
Posted in: Offense, Players. Tagged: . 1 Comment
Image courtesy of Eagledelphia

Image courtesy of Eagledelphia

THERE is plenty to be excited about if you’re an Eagles fan!

Surely, most of us were expecting something a little different from Free Agency. Many of us were expecting a big defensive signing. We wanted a statement to be made.

What we got instead was a Safety in Malcolm Jenkins who possesses the type of coverage skill that we’ve lacked for a half a decade at the position. This is an improvement.

Then there’s the Darren Sproles trade. His presence is going to do things specifically for this Spread Offense, that may change how teams draft and formulate their depth charts.

Allow me to show you a magic trick:

Sproles table 1

That guy right there is Sproles. Notice how he’s lined up behind Brent Celek? Not an accident that he’s there. You might have also noticed that DeSean Jackson is not on the field. I did that to point out that the Sproles Effect is not contingent on Jackson still being here. It’s deadlier if he is, but if he isn’t we’re still golden.

Sproles table 2

Now we pick our bitch. I like Player “A” (the OLB) for this. Player A’s primary duty is to set the edge and not let the TE establish underneath.

Sproles table 3

We’ll put Sproles on a simple Shoot route to the flat. Player A now has to release the TE immediately to Player B (the SS) and cover Sproles himself. Otherwise there’ll be a quick completion to Sproles, in space and with a blocker out in front.

The counter to this of course is to walk the SS down to cover Sproles at the snap. One problem with that. Look all the way to the right. That’s Jeremy Maclin  in one-on-one out there. With no help deep.

I promised you a magic trick right? It’s a draw to LeSean McCoy. Behind Jason Peters and Evan Mathis with no backside pursuit, because it’s all running the other way. Wait it was a fake! Nick Foles is out the backdoor! Or Foles could sit and throw the ball, since it’s all one-on-one anyway. Oh you didn’t notice that? In the heat of the moment neither did the defense.

And that’s just ONE play.

So while Free Agency didn’t quite turn out the way we’d have liked, let’s not forget to be thankful for what we DO have here. Because fellow fans, it could be better than the “crazy” that Sproles suggested.

It could be downright magic.

THIS PISSES ME THE F#@% OFF!

Posted by The BEAST on 2014/03/17
Posted in: Defense, Front Office (F.O.), Players. Tagged: , . Leave a comment
Image courtesy of Fansided.com

Image courtesy of Fansided.com

NATE Allen got a 1-year extension today, and at first it pissed me off a little. Then I gave it some thought.

At which point it pissed me off a lot.

Keeping around a guy who’s been a sub-par NFL Safety for the last few years now, is bad enough; but what message does it send to young players like Earl Wolff or free agents who don’t know the team culture? How do you tell THEM that that they have to elevate their play, if you keep shelling out for what you brought them in to replace? 

Did Allen get an extension to sit the bench? Likely not. If he starts and we still suck vs. the pass, worse still if it costs us games, many fans will blame Allen for that. Not me. 

This one is squarely on the narrow little shoulders of Howie Roseman. He talked a big game about getting a player at that position this off-season, and to be fair he got us a decent cover Safety in Malcolm Jenkins, but when the moment came to do something big, he bitched out. Now we have this crap load of back-up Safeties. These Special Teamers with “upside”. Man fuck outta here! MAKE AN EFFORT! 

Special Teams hurt us in the game against New Orleans, no doubt. But you know what hurt us more? Getting the ball run down our throats, by a PASSING TEAM! Having the league’s leading rusher fairly bottled up by a defensive front that pushed our Offensive Line around. Having the NFL’s Most Over-paid Player blanketed by a 3rd round draft pickalready on his second team. THAT’S what hurt us.

We need some NEW STARTERS. Notice the capitalization of the words “new” and “starters”? That was not a mistake.

This signing on the other hand, is.

DARREN SPROLES AND NOLAN CARROLL

Posted by The BEAST on 2014/03/13
Posted in: Front Office (F.O.), Players. Tagged: , . 1 Comment

nofear

ADDING CB Nolan Carroll was a solid Day Three move. I like his resume his, size, and his age. I also like the notion that he’s going to be pushing for a starting role. I can’t see the point of adding a back-up early in Free Agency.

Darren Sproles on the other hand I’m less thrilled about than everyone else. It’s not that I don’t think he can play, because I think he can. I don’t like the idea that we PAID for something New Orleans was about to give away, and I’m not sure how much football 3.5 million will buy you behind LeSean McCoy. My guess is we’ll see him on screen and screen decoys.

On the whole it’s better than adding Special Teams aces, but I’m still waiting for them to do something that changes signals that we’re better armed than the team that got out-muscled by the Saints.