NFC East: Victor Abiamiri
Breaking down the DLs: Philadelphia
April, 19, 2011
4/19/11
1:00
PM ET
By Matt Williamson, Scouts Inc. | ESPN.com
Scouts Inc.'s Matt Williamson examines the defensive lines of each NFC East team. Today: Philadelphia Eagles.
Trent Cole is one of the very best defensive ends in football. He is a tremendous all-around player. But he did wear down as the season progressed. A year ago leading into the draft, the Eagles obviously fell in love with Brandon Graham, trading up quite a ways to land him to complement Cole. I remain very high on Graham, but he did have an up-and-down rookie year and ended the season with a serious knee injury. If the knee comes around quickly, Graham might be the ideal bookend to Cole.
Maybe adding one more end -- a guy with size - makes sense here as insurance for Graham and to help spell Cole. Juqua Parker also is an all-around defensive end who played really well for the Eagles’ in 2010. But he wore down late in the season, too. In fact, Philadelphia recorded just 15 sacks in its final eight games. Darryl Tapp also could figure in as a part-time player, preferably using his pass-rush ability off the edge. Adding one more end could leave restricted free agent Victor Abiamiri as the odd man out.
The Eagles are loaded at defensive tackle. Mike Patterson is built low to the ground and is difficult to move in the run game. He also has some quickness. But Patterson has just four sacks in three seasons and won’t contribute much on passing downs. Brodrick Bunkley has a lot of ability and can contribute well in both phases, but he also could step up his game. Trevor Laws has been a solid contributor since joining the team and could be ready to take the next step forward. But the player who has just demanded playing time is Antonio Dixon. He is an animal versus the run and also has the athletic ability and quickness to develop more as a pass-rushing force. If you don’t yet know about Dixon, it is time you learned.
This line -- Bunkley and Graham in particular -- also should benefit from the addition of new defensive line coach Jim Washburn, who comes over from Tennessee. But Philadelphia is already stacked up front, and I was tempted to rank them ahead of the Giants.
Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles for ESPN.com.
Trent Cole is one of the very best defensive ends in football. He is a tremendous all-around player. But he did wear down as the season progressed. A year ago leading into the draft, the Eagles obviously fell in love with Brandon Graham, trading up quite a ways to land him to complement Cole. I remain very high on Graham, but he did have an up-and-down rookie year and ended the season with a serious knee injury. If the knee comes around quickly, Graham might be the ideal bookend to Cole.
Maybe adding one more end -- a guy with size - makes sense here as insurance for Graham and to help spell Cole. Juqua Parker also is an all-around defensive end who played really well for the Eagles’ in 2010. But he wore down late in the season, too. In fact, Philadelphia recorded just 15 sacks in its final eight games. Darryl Tapp also could figure in as a part-time player, preferably using his pass-rush ability off the edge. Adding one more end could leave restricted free agent Victor Abiamiri as the odd man out.
The Eagles are loaded at defensive tackle. Mike Patterson is built low to the ground and is difficult to move in the run game. He also has some quickness. But Patterson has just four sacks in three seasons and won’t contribute much on passing downs. Brodrick Bunkley has a lot of ability and can contribute well in both phases, but he also could step up his game. Trevor Laws has been a solid contributor since joining the team and could be ready to take the next step forward. But the player who has just demanded playing time is Antonio Dixon. He is an animal versus the run and also has the athletic ability and quickness to develop more as a pass-rushing force. If you don’t yet know about Dixon, it is time you learned.
This line -- Bunkley and Graham in particular -- also should benefit from the addition of new defensive line coach Jim Washburn, who comes over from Tennessee. But Philadelphia is already stacked up front, and I was tempted to rank them ahead of the Giants.
Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles for ESPN.com.
Eagles acquire Reggie Wells, cut 10 players
September, 3, 2010
9/03/10
3:27
PM ET
By Matt Mosley | ESPN.com
The Philadelphia Eagles have acquired offensive lineman Reggie Wells from the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for an undisclosed draft choice in 2011. The Eagles also got a head start by trimming 10 players from their roster.
Wells, 29, started all 16 regular-season games and both playoff games for the Cardinals in '09. A sixth-round draft pick of Arizona in '03, Wells (6-foot-4, 314 pounds) has started 70 consecutive games (64 in the regular season, plus six in the postseason). He has starting experience at left guard, right tackle and left tackle, according to the Eagles.
“We’re adding a player that has started several seasons in the National Football League and has played at a very high level during the course of his career,” said coach Andy Reid on Friday. “He has experience at several different positions along the offensive line and he will be a welcome addition to that group. You can never have enough depth at that position as you go through an NFL season.”
The Eagles also announced they have placed defensive end Victor Abiamiri on the reserve/PUP list and released the following 10 players: Running backJ.J. Arrington, receiverDobson Collins, defensive endPannel Egboh, tight endNate Lawrie, running back Martell Mallett, tackleJeraill McCuller, cornerbackDavid Pender, cornerbackGeoff Pope, defensive tackleBoo Robinson, and safety Anthony Scirrotto.
By being placed on the Reserve/PUP list, Abiamiri is not eligible to play in the team’s first six regular-season games. After the sixth game, the team has three weeks to decide whether to activate Abiamiri to the 53-man roster. If he is not activated during that time period, he is placed on the season-ending Injured Reserve list.
By releasing Arrington, the Eagles will now receive a sixth-round pick from the Broncos in 2012. No big surprises with this initial cut. Mallett had his moments early in the preseason, but the Eagles feel like they have enough depth at running back with LeSean McCoy, Mike Bell and Eldra Buckley. It helps that fullback Leonard Weaver can basically perform like a tailback in Reid's offense.
Right now, the Eagles have 65 players on the roster. Wells will likely compete for playing time at right guard with Stacy Andrews and Nick Cole.
Could the Eagles end up cutting Andrews? It's possible.
Wells, 29, started all 16 regular-season games and both playoff games for the Cardinals in '09. A sixth-round draft pick of Arizona in '03, Wells (6-foot-4, 314 pounds) has started 70 consecutive games (64 in the regular season, plus six in the postseason). He has starting experience at left guard, right tackle and left tackle, according to the Eagles.
“We’re adding a player that has started several seasons in the National Football League and has played at a very high level during the course of his career,” said coach Andy Reid on Friday. “He has experience at several different positions along the offensive line and he will be a welcome addition to that group. You can never have enough depth at that position as you go through an NFL season.”
The Eagles also announced they have placed defensive end Victor Abiamiri on the reserve/PUP list and released the following 10 players: Running backJ.J. Arrington, receiverDobson Collins, defensive endPannel Egboh, tight endNate Lawrie, running back Martell Mallett, tackleJeraill McCuller, cornerbackDavid Pender, cornerbackGeoff Pope, defensive tackleBoo Robinson, and safety Anthony Scirrotto.
By being placed on the Reserve/PUP list, Abiamiri is not eligible to play in the team’s first six regular-season games. After the sixth game, the team has three weeks to decide whether to activate Abiamiri to the 53-man roster. If he is not activated during that time period, he is placed on the season-ending Injured Reserve list.
By releasing Arrington, the Eagles will now receive a sixth-round pick from the Broncos in 2012. No big surprises with this initial cut. Mallett had his moments early in the preseason, but the Eagles feel like they have enough depth at running back with LeSean McCoy, Mike Bell and Eldra Buckley. It helps that fullback Leonard Weaver can basically perform like a tailback in Reid's offense.
Right now, the Eagles have 65 players on the roster. Wells will likely compete for playing time at right guard with Stacy Andrews and Nick Cole.
Could the Eagles end up cutting Andrews? It's possible.
The Eagles were the only team in the NFC East to invite all their veterans to a minicamp this weekend. And quarterback Kevin Kolb was front and center. I've spoken to Kolb via text and we'll hope to hear from him Monday. In the meantime, let's see what folks are saying about this minicamp:
- Paul Domowitch of the Daily News wonders if A.Q. Shipley might have an outside shot to win the starting spot at center.
- Jeff McLane from the Inquirer says the Eagles are happy to see Donovan McNabb go.
- Why did Max Jean-Gilles decide to have lap-band surgery this offseason? Les Bowen of the Daily News has the answer.
- Stewart Bradley appears to be at full strength after recovering from an ACL injury.
- Michael Vick is fine with being the backup quarterback, according to McLane.
- Defensive end Victor Abiamiri underwent microfracture surgery this offseason and he may not be able to play this season.
- Marty Mornhinweg talked Saturday about the differences between Kevin Kolb and Donovan McNabb: "There's no question Donovan had one of the stronger arms of all time. He could make the brilliant play. Kolb is very consistent, he handles two or three play selections very well [and is] typically very accurate. He is athletic ... but he doesn't have the athleticism that Donovan has."
- Former Clemson defensive end Ricky Sapp thinks he'll be able to help the Eagles right away.
» NFC Recent History: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South
» Draft Watch: Biggest needs (2/17) | Busts/gems (2/24) | Schemes, themes (3/3) | Recent history (3/10) | Needs revisited (3/17) | Under-the-radar needs (3/26) | History in that spot (3/31) | Draft approach (4/7) | Decision-makers (4/14) | Dream scenario/Plan B (4/21)
Each Wednesday leading up to the NFL draft (April 22-24), the ESPN.com blog network will take a division-by-division look at key aspects of the draft. Today’s topic: Recent history.
Dallas Cowboys
One of the reasons the Cowboys don't have any glaring needs (other than place-kicker) is that they hit on some picks in '07 and '08. And of course, you can't discount what Bill Parcells and Jeff Ireland accomplished in stocking this team with talent from 2003 to 2006. Owner Jerry Jones has spent a lot of his money on defense, and in the first round in '07 he turned to Purdue outside linebacker Anthony Spencer, who was brilliant down the stretch in '09. In 2008, the Cowboys found a running back and a cornerback in the first round. Felix Jones and Mike Jenkins could both be stars in the league for years. Because of the Roy Williams trade in '08, the '09 draft was pretty much a wash. The Cowboys tried to land special-teams standouts who could hopefully play their way into larger roles. Other than kickoff specialist David Buehler, the '09 draft is still a mystery. With the 27th pick in next month's draft, the Cowboys don't have to reach for any position. I know they're hoping to see a couple of cornerbacks slip in the first round and it would be nice to add a linebacker. But there are no glaring needs heading into the draft, and that puts Dallas in an enviable position. But if you study trends over the past seven years or so, you'd have to expect the Cowboys to go with a defensive player in the first round.
New York Giants
The Giants can't rest on their laurels of that outstanding class of '07. When you land a quality running back such as Ahmad Bradshaw in the seventh round, you're on a roll. And general manager Jerry Reese will always be remembered for a class that included Aaron Ross, Steve Smith and Kevin Boss. It was an immediate impact draft, and the Giants need another one in April. In '08, the Giants took a safety and cornerback with their first two picks. Safety Kenny Phillips out of Miami has the talent to become a Pro Bowler if he can recover from a serious knee injury, and cornerback Terrell Thomas was one of the few defenders who played well in '08. The Giants selected wide receiver Mario Manningham in the third round, but the '08 draft was about creating depth on defense. It's hard to nail down a trend with Reese and his scouting staff because they're pretty patient about waiting for the right players. They rarely get obsessed with a certain position, although linebacker is certainly a big need in April. I expect the Giants to stay right where they are at No. 15 and select a talented player. But I promise you that Reese hasn't committed to taking a linebacker.
Philadelphia Eagles
In the 2007 draft, the Eagles drafted their future (presumably) quarterback in Kevin Kolb. Then they landed starting middle linebacker Stewart Bradley in the third round and superb tight end Brent Celek in the fifth. Defensive end Victor Abiamiri has never really lived up to his second-round status and running back Tony Hunt was an outright bust from the start. The Eagles tried to bolster their defensive line in '08, but Trevor Laws has been a disappointment and Bryan Smith is nowhere to be found. The draft was saved by a wide receiver out of Cal named DeSean Jackson. He's become one of the most feared offensive players in the game. The Eagles continued to covet speed and quickness on offense in '09 by drafting wide receiver Jeremy Maclin and LeSean McCoy. They also hit on late-round pick Moise Fokou, who could emerge as an outstanding special-teams player -- if he'll stop getting penalties. The Eagles haven't done enough in the draft to bolster their secondary over the past three years. It's time to start drafting cornerbacks and safeties a little earlier. Macho Harris and Quintin Demps have been decent finds, but you can't just throw them out there as starters. It's time for the Eagles to use premium picks on the defensive side of the ball if they want to close the gap with the Cowboys. To be clear, it's time to find someone who can cover Jason Witten and Miles Austin.
Washington Redskins
With new coach Mike Shanahan and general manager Bruce Allen, this organization is headed in a different direction. We haven't seen any of the splashy moves in free agency that owner Dan Snyder loved. In the past, the Redskins rarely had a lot of picks in the draft. They took safety LaRon Landry in '07, but he's never really met expectations. He obviously has a lot of physical gifts but his habit of biting on double moves gets the Skins in big trouble. In '08, Snyder and Vinny Cerrato turned to the offensive side of the ball and spent their three second-round picks on two receivers and a tight end. The verdict's still out on the '08 draft, but tight end Fred Davis emerged as a consistent threat when Chris Cooley was injured last season. And Devin Thomas has rare speed and quickness as a wideout. Now, he needs to continue showing maturity. With the addition of pass-rusher Brian Orakpo in '09, the Redskins landed a Pro Bowl player. Now it's time to start drafting offensive and defensive linemen. That's the trend that stands out over the past decade. The Redskins didn't build in the trenches, and they've paid the price. With the No. 4 pick, Shanahan will be tempted to take a left tackle. Especially if Sam Bradford's already gone. And it's hard to go wrong with either Russell Okung or Bryan Bulaga.
» Draft Watch: Biggest needs (2/17) | Busts/gems (2/24) | Schemes, themes (3/3) | Recent history (3/10) | Needs revisited (3/17) | Under-the-radar needs (3/26) | History in that spot (3/31) | Draft approach (4/7) | Decision-makers (4/14) | Dream scenario/Plan B (4/21)
Each Wednesday leading up to the NFL draft (April 22-24), the ESPN.com blog network will take a division-by-division look at key aspects of the draft. Today’s topic: Recent history.
Dallas Cowboys
One of the reasons the Cowboys don't have any glaring needs (other than place-kicker) is that they hit on some picks in '07 and '08. And of course, you can't discount what Bill Parcells and Jeff Ireland accomplished in stocking this team with talent from 2003 to 2006. Owner Jerry Jones has spent a lot of his money on defense, and in the first round in '07 he turned to Purdue outside linebacker Anthony Spencer, who was brilliant down the stretch in '09. In 2008, the Cowboys found a running back and a cornerback in the first round. Felix Jones and Mike Jenkins could both be stars in the league for years. Because of the Roy Williams trade in '08, the '09 draft was pretty much a wash. The Cowboys tried to land special-teams standouts who could hopefully play their way into larger roles. Other than kickoff specialist David Buehler, the '09 draft is still a mystery. With the 27th pick in next month's draft, the Cowboys don't have to reach for any position. I know they're hoping to see a couple of cornerbacks slip in the first round and it would be nice to add a linebacker. But there are no glaring needs heading into the draft, and that puts Dallas in an enviable position. But if you study trends over the past seven years or so, you'd have to expect the Cowboys to go with a defensive player in the first round.
New York Giants
The Giants can't rest on their laurels of that outstanding class of '07. When you land a quality running back such as Ahmad Bradshaw in the seventh round, you're on a roll. And general manager Jerry Reese will always be remembered for a class that included Aaron Ross, Steve Smith and Kevin Boss. It was an immediate impact draft, and the Giants need another one in April. In '08, the Giants took a safety and cornerback with their first two picks. Safety Kenny Phillips out of Miami has the talent to become a Pro Bowler if he can recover from a serious knee injury, and cornerback Terrell Thomas was one of the few defenders who played well in '08. The Giants selected wide receiver Mario Manningham in the third round, but the '08 draft was about creating depth on defense. It's hard to nail down a trend with Reese and his scouting staff because they're pretty patient about waiting for the right players. They rarely get obsessed with a certain position, although linebacker is certainly a big need in April. I expect the Giants to stay right where they are at No. 15 and select a talented player. But I promise you that Reese hasn't committed to taking a linebacker.
Philadelphia Eagles
In the 2007 draft, the Eagles drafted their future (presumably) quarterback in Kevin Kolb. Then they landed starting middle linebacker Stewart Bradley in the third round and superb tight end Brent Celek in the fifth. Defensive end Victor Abiamiri has never really lived up to his second-round status and running back Tony Hunt was an outright bust from the start. The Eagles tried to bolster their defensive line in '08, but Trevor Laws has been a disappointment and Bryan Smith is nowhere to be found. The draft was saved by a wide receiver out of Cal named DeSean Jackson. He's become one of the most feared offensive players in the game. The Eagles continued to covet speed and quickness on offense in '09 by drafting wide receiver Jeremy Maclin and LeSean McCoy. They also hit on late-round pick Moise Fokou, who could emerge as an outstanding special-teams player -- if he'll stop getting penalties. The Eagles haven't done enough in the draft to bolster their secondary over the past three years. It's time to start drafting cornerbacks and safeties a little earlier. Macho Harris and Quintin Demps have been decent finds, but you can't just throw them out there as starters. It's time for the Eagles to use premium picks on the defensive side of the ball if they want to close the gap with the Cowboys. To be clear, it's time to find someone who can cover Jason Witten and Miles Austin.
Washington Redskins
With new coach Mike Shanahan and general manager Bruce Allen, this organization is headed in a different direction. We haven't seen any of the splashy moves in free agency that owner Dan Snyder loved. In the past, the Redskins rarely had a lot of picks in the draft. They took safety LaRon Landry in '07, but he's never really met expectations. He obviously has a lot of physical gifts but his habit of biting on double moves gets the Skins in big trouble. In '08, Snyder and Vinny Cerrato turned to the offensive side of the ball and spent their three second-round picks on two receivers and a tight end. The verdict's still out on the '08 draft, but tight end Fred Davis emerged as a consistent threat when Chris Cooley was injured last season. And Devin Thomas has rare speed and quickness as a wideout. Now, he needs to continue showing maturity. With the addition of pass-rusher Brian Orakpo in '09, the Redskins landed a Pro Bowl player. Now it's time to start drafting offensive and defensive linemen. That's the trend that stands out over the past decade. The Redskins didn't build in the trenches, and they've paid the price. With the No. 4 pick, Shanahan will be tempted to take a left tackle. Especially if Sam Bradford's already gone. And it's hard to go wrong with either Russell Okung or Bryan Bulaga.
» NFC Busts/Gems: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South
» Draft Watch: Biggest needs (2/17) | Busts/gems (2/24) | Schemes, themes (3/3) | Recent history (3/10) | Needs revisited (3/17) | Under-the-radar needs (3/26) | History in that spot (3/31) | Draft approach (4/7) | Decision-makers (4/14) | Dream scenario/Plan B (4/21)
Each Wednesday leading up to the NFL draft (April 22-24), the ESPN.com blog network will take a division-by-division look at key aspects of the draft. Today’s topic: Busts and late-round gems.
Dallas Cowboys
From a bust standpoint, let me offer up the '09 draft class. But that's not completely fair because the class was pretty much wiped out by injuries last season. The one unquestionable gem is USC kickoff specialist David Buehler. Some of us laughed when the Cowboys spent a sixth-round pick on a player who wasn't supposed to compete for the place-kicking job. But Buehler led the league in touchbacks and participated on the punt and kick return units. Another gem is 2008 fourth-round pick Tashard Choice. When offensive coordinator Jason Garrett has gotten him on the field, Choice has produced in a big way. In 2008, he appeared to be the most complete back on the roster at times. From a bust standpoint, go back to the '07 draft and look at third-round pick James Marten out of Boston College. You could tell pretty quickly that Marten wasn't a player. And in the fourth round of that same draft, the Cowboys got cute in taking former University of Washington quarterback Isaiah Stanback to play wide receiver. Stanback was a shoulder injury waiting to happen and he didn't take advantage of numerous opportunities.
New York Giants
They'll be talking about the '07 draft for years. The Giants have four starters from that class and they found the ultimate gem in seventh-rounder Ahmad Bradshaw. The former Marshall running back had some off-the-field issues that caused him to plummet in the draft, but he was a valuable part of the Giants' march to the Super Bowl in '07. The Giants also landed cornerback Aaron Ross (first), wide receiver Steve Smith (second) and tight end Kevin Boss (fifth) in that draft. And don't forget about starting safety Michael Johnson (seventh). That's the draft that put new general manager Jerry Reese on the map. In '08, the Giants were able to land starting safety Kenny Phillips late in the first round and Terrell Thomas late in the second. Phillips appeared to be on his way to stardom but a season-ending knee injury in '09 has tempered those expectations. Thomas was forced into a starting position in '09 and performed admirably. We're still waiting to find out what mid-round picks Bryan Kehl and Jonathan Goff turn out to be. Those guys aren't really gems or busts. The verdict's still out on 2009 second-round pick Clint Sintim. Certainly not a bust, but he needs to show something this season. And for all the time we spent bragging on Cal Poly wide receiver Ramses Barden, the guy couldn't get on the field. If he can't get on the field in 2010, he'll be trending toward bust status. North Carolina State running back Andre Brown had gem potential, but he suffered a season-ending injury in training camp.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles found two gems in the '07 draft. Stewart Bradley is a quality starting middle linebacker who was selected in the third round and the Eagles took Pro Bowl-worthy tight end Brent Celek in the fifth round. The two players have become close friends and they're a huge part of the Eagles' future. In fact, Philly has already signed Celek to a contract extension. From a bust standpoint, the Eagles wasted a pick on Penn State running back Tony Hunt in '07. It's hard to believe that they took Hunt in the third round. And it's not as if Victor Abiamiri has been some type of standout second-round pick. Obviously, we're still waiting to see what becomes of the Eagles' top pick in '07, Kevin Kolb. In '08, the Eagles landed DeSean Jackson in the second round. But two picks before Jackson, they selected defensive tackle Trevor Laws. So there's your boom and bust scenario. The rest of that class is pretty forgettable. Fourth-round selection Quintin Demps has been serviceable, but I wouldn't refer to him as a hidden gem or anything. From the '09 class, wide receiver Jeremy Maclin and LeSean McCoy were excellent value picks. They should both be a huge part of the offense for several years. Moise Fokou was a gem in the seventh round. He has the potential to be a special-teams standout and he eventually cracked the starting lineup, although that was predicated by a string of injuries. Still, it's obvious the Eagles like Fokou. He's constantly around the ball.
Washington Redskins
The '07 draft was pretty much a waste of time. The Redskins barely had any picks, but they did manage to select safety LaRon Landry sixth overall. The tragic loss of Sean Taylor meant that Landry had to become the main man at safety. He wasn't ready for that type of responsibility and he's never really lived up to his immense potential. We'll see if Jim Haslett can help him reach the next level. In the second round of the '08 draft, the Skins took wide receivers Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly. Neither player has really distinguished himself, although Thomas took some important steps in '09. Kelly won the starting job coming out of training camp, but he didn't do anything with it. Sandwiched between those two picks was former USC tight end Fred Davis. He came on strong in '09 once Chris Cooley was lost to injury. It looks like Davis will be a player. Thomas and Kelly could go either way. Unless there's a dramatic change this offseason, third-round pick Chad Rinehart will be a bust at guard. Seventh-round pick Chris Horton was a great story early in 2008, but his star has faded a bit. Until he reclaims his starting safety spot, it's hard to call him a gem. The '09 draft was another one-hit wonder. It looks like first-round pick Brian Orakpo will be a perennial Pro Bowler. He's an excellent pass-rusher and I think he'll flourish in Haslett's 3-4 scheme. No one else in the class stood out.
» Draft Watch: Biggest needs (2/17) | Busts/gems (2/24) | Schemes, themes (3/3) | Recent history (3/10) | Needs revisited (3/17) | Under-the-radar needs (3/26) | History in that spot (3/31) | Draft approach (4/7) | Decision-makers (4/14) | Dream scenario/Plan B (4/21)
Each Wednesday leading up to the NFL draft (April 22-24), the ESPN.com blog network will take a division-by-division look at key aspects of the draft. Today’s topic: Busts and late-round gems.
Dallas Cowboys
From a bust standpoint, let me offer up the '09 draft class. But that's not completely fair because the class was pretty much wiped out by injuries last season. The one unquestionable gem is USC kickoff specialist David Buehler. Some of us laughed when the Cowboys spent a sixth-round pick on a player who wasn't supposed to compete for the place-kicking job. But Buehler led the league in touchbacks and participated on the punt and kick return units. Another gem is 2008 fourth-round pick Tashard Choice. When offensive coordinator Jason Garrett has gotten him on the field, Choice has produced in a big way. In 2008, he appeared to be the most complete back on the roster at times. From a bust standpoint, go back to the '07 draft and look at third-round pick James Marten out of Boston College. You could tell pretty quickly that Marten wasn't a player. And in the fourth round of that same draft, the Cowboys got cute in taking former University of Washington quarterback Isaiah Stanback to play wide receiver. Stanback was a shoulder injury waiting to happen and he didn't take advantage of numerous opportunities.
New York Giants
They'll be talking about the '07 draft for years. The Giants have four starters from that class and they found the ultimate gem in seventh-rounder Ahmad Bradshaw. The former Marshall running back had some off-the-field issues that caused him to plummet in the draft, but he was a valuable part of the Giants' march to the Super Bowl in '07. The Giants also landed cornerback Aaron Ross (first), wide receiver Steve Smith (second) and tight end Kevin Boss (fifth) in that draft. And don't forget about starting safety Michael Johnson (seventh). That's the draft that put new general manager Jerry Reese on the map. In '08, the Giants were able to land starting safety Kenny Phillips late in the first round and Terrell Thomas late in the second. Phillips appeared to be on his way to stardom but a season-ending knee injury in '09 has tempered those expectations. Thomas was forced into a starting position in '09 and performed admirably. We're still waiting to find out what mid-round picks Bryan Kehl and Jonathan Goff turn out to be. Those guys aren't really gems or busts. The verdict's still out on 2009 second-round pick Clint Sintim. Certainly not a bust, but he needs to show something this season. And for all the time we spent bragging on Cal Poly wide receiver Ramses Barden, the guy couldn't get on the field. If he can't get on the field in 2010, he'll be trending toward bust status. North Carolina State running back Andre Brown had gem potential, but he suffered a season-ending injury in training camp.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles found two gems in the '07 draft. Stewart Bradley is a quality starting middle linebacker who was selected in the third round and the Eagles took Pro Bowl-worthy tight end Brent Celek in the fifth round. The two players have become close friends and they're a huge part of the Eagles' future. In fact, Philly has already signed Celek to a contract extension. From a bust standpoint, the Eagles wasted a pick on Penn State running back Tony Hunt in '07. It's hard to believe that they took Hunt in the third round. And it's not as if Victor Abiamiri has been some type of standout second-round pick. Obviously, we're still waiting to see what becomes of the Eagles' top pick in '07, Kevin Kolb. In '08, the Eagles landed DeSean Jackson in the second round. But two picks before Jackson, they selected defensive tackle Trevor Laws. So there's your boom and bust scenario. The rest of that class is pretty forgettable. Fourth-round selection Quintin Demps has been serviceable, but I wouldn't refer to him as a hidden gem or anything. From the '09 class, wide receiver Jeremy Maclin and LeSean McCoy were excellent value picks. They should both be a huge part of the offense for several years. Moise Fokou was a gem in the seventh round. He has the potential to be a special-teams standout and he eventually cracked the starting lineup, although that was predicated by a string of injuries. Still, it's obvious the Eagles like Fokou. He's constantly around the ball.
Washington Redskins
The '07 draft was pretty much a waste of time. The Redskins barely had any picks, but they did manage to select safety LaRon Landry sixth overall. The tragic loss of Sean Taylor meant that Landry had to become the main man at safety. He wasn't ready for that type of responsibility and he's never really lived up to his immense potential. We'll see if Jim Haslett can help him reach the next level. In the second round of the '08 draft, the Skins took wide receivers Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly. Neither player has really distinguished himself, although Thomas took some important steps in '09. Kelly won the starting job coming out of training camp, but he didn't do anything with it. Sandwiched between those two picks was former USC tight end Fred Davis. He came on strong in '09 once Chris Cooley was lost to injury. It looks like Davis will be a player. Thomas and Kelly could go either way. Unless there's a dramatic change this offseason, third-round pick Chad Rinehart will be a bust at guard. Seventh-round pick Chris Horton was a great story early in 2008, but his star has faded a bit. Until he reclaims his starting safety spot, it's hard to call him a gem. The '09 draft was another one-hit wonder. It looks like first-round pick Brian Orakpo will be a perennial Pro Bowler. He's an excellent pass-rusher and I think he'll flourish in Haslett's 3-4 scheme. No one else in the class stood out.
ARLINGTON, Texas -- I'll be focused on the Cowboys for the rest of the postseason, but let's have a quick discussion about the Eagles. First of all, it's amazing they were blown off the field in consecutive games by the Cowboys. I really thought that Andy Reid and Marty Mornhinweg would have come up with a solid offensive game plan.
But with the two fumbles and a fierce Cowboys rush, the Eagles never had a chance. Defensive coordinator Sean McDermott will have to go back to the drawing board in the offseason. It will help to get Stewart Bradley back at middle linebacker next season, but the Eagles have a lot of work to do elsewhere.
This secondary was exposed in the final two games of the season. And the Eagles have to find a way to generate more pressure. Trent Cole is an excellent pass rusher but Juqua Parker and Victor Abiamiri don't scare anyone on the other side. The Eagles have become a finesse team on both sides of the ball. It's OK to give up big plays on defense as long as your offense is racing up and down the field. But the Cowboys took DeSean Jackson away from the Eagles.
The Eagles have to find a way to become a more physical team. This team is not built to succeed in the postseason -- and I think that became pretty obvious tonight. You also have to figure out what to do at quarterback. Is it time for Kevin Kolb to become the starter?
Those are the questions the Eagles are asking themselves as I watch McNabb get sacked again.
But with the two fumbles and a fierce Cowboys rush, the Eagles never had a chance. Defensive coordinator Sean McDermott will have to go back to the drawing board in the offseason. It will help to get Stewart Bradley back at middle linebacker next season, but the Eagles have a lot of work to do elsewhere.
This secondary was exposed in the final two games of the season. And the Eagles have to find a way to generate more pressure. Trent Cole is an excellent pass rusher but Juqua Parker and Victor Abiamiri don't scare anyone on the other side. The Eagles have become a finesse team on both sides of the ball. It's OK to give up big plays on defense as long as your offense is racing up and down the field. But the Cowboys took DeSean Jackson away from the Eagles.
The Eagles have to find a way to become a more physical team. This team is not built to succeed in the postseason -- and I think that became pretty obvious tonight. You also have to figure out what to do at quarterback. Is it time for Kevin Kolb to become the starter?
Those are the questions the Eagles are asking themselves as I watch McNabb get sacked again.
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Rest assured that Eagles defensive coordinator Sean McDermott is well aware that Marc Colombo is replacing Doug Free at right tackle in tonight's game. The Eagles see it as a potential weak spot for the Cowboys since Colombo's missed the past seven games with a broken leg.
The Eagles will start Juqua Parker at left defensive end and you'll see Victor Abiamiri rotate in at times. I think it's something you definitely want to keep your eye on. ESPN's Ed Werder reported before the game that members of the Cowboys organization were divided over whether Colombo should reenter the starting lineup.
I would also look for McDermott to blitz from Colombo's side with nickel cornerback Joselio Hanson. He didn't do it a lot against the Cowboys last week, but I watched him do it several times against the 49ers three weeks ago. Thanks for making us a part of your game-day experience.
The Eagles will start Juqua Parker at left defensive end and you'll see Victor Abiamiri rotate in at times. I think it's something you definitely want to keep your eye on. ESPN's Ed Werder reported before the game that members of the Cowboys organization were divided over whether Colombo should reenter the starting lineup.
I would also look for McDermott to blitz from Colombo's side with nickel cornerback Joselio Hanson. He didn't do it a lot against the Cowboys last week, but I watched him do it several times against the 49ers three weeks ago. Thanks for making us a part of your game-day experience.
Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley
PHILADELPHIA -- Eagles running back Brian Westbrook (concussion) is officially inactive for tonight's game against the Cowboys. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Westbrook would not play earlier today.
Here are the rest of the Eagles inactives: CB Dimitri Patterson, RB P.J. Hill, RB Brian Westbrook, LB Chris Gocong, G Max Jean-Gilles, G Mike McGlynn, WR Kevin Curtis, DE Victor Abiamiri.
Cowboys inactives: Stephen McGee -- emergency QB, CB Allen Rossum, S Michael Hamlin, LB Steve Octavien, LB Jason Williams, G Montrae Holland, C Duke Preston, T Pat McQuistan
One thing to note is that the Eagles are keeping all three quarterbacks active for tonight's game. For the past couple weeks, Kevin Kolb had been serving as the emergency quarterback. Might be a sign that the Eagles intend on using the Wildcat formation with Michael Vick more than usual. I'll keep you posted.
Update: Here’s a statement from Eagles athletic trainer Rick Burkholder regarding Westbrook’s injury: “On Friday afternoon, Brian began experiencing symptoms of a mild headache. From that point forward, we had Brian reevaluated by [team internist] Dr. Gary Dorshimer and we put him through extensive testing. Even though those tests were determined to be negative, we all thought it would be in the best interests of Brian and the team that he should be deactivated for tonight’s game. We will continue to evaluate Brian this week.”
On Friday, coach Andy Reid indicated that he simply wanted to get running back LeSean McCoy some extra reps. It’s not often we receive a statement from an athletic trainer only minutes before a game.
PHILADELPHIA -- Eagles running back Brian Westbrook (concussion) is officially inactive for tonight's game against the Cowboys. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Westbrook would not play earlier today.
Here are the rest of the Eagles inactives: CB Dimitri Patterson, RB P.J. Hill, RB Brian Westbrook, LB Chris Gocong, G Max Jean-Gilles, G Mike McGlynn, WR Kevin Curtis, DE Victor Abiamiri.
Cowboys inactives: Stephen McGee -- emergency QB, CB Allen Rossum, S Michael Hamlin, LB Steve Octavien, LB Jason Williams, G Montrae Holland, C Duke Preston, T Pat McQuistan
One thing to note is that the Eagles are keeping all three quarterbacks active for tonight's game. For the past couple weeks, Kevin Kolb had been serving as the emergency quarterback. Might be a sign that the Eagles intend on using the Wildcat formation with Michael Vick more than usual. I'll keep you posted.
Update: Here’s a statement from Eagles athletic trainer Rick Burkholder regarding Westbrook’s injury: “On Friday afternoon, Brian began experiencing symptoms of a mild headache. From that point forward, we had Brian reevaluated by [team internist] Dr. Gary Dorshimer and we put him through extensive testing. Even though those tests were determined to be negative, we all thought it would be in the best interests of Brian and the team that he should be deactivated for tonight’s game. We will continue to evaluate Brian this week.”
On Friday, coach Andy Reid indicated that he simply wanted to get running back LeSean McCoy some extra reps. It’s not often we receive a statement from an athletic trainer only minutes before a game.
Live from FedEx Field, it's the Beast
October, 26, 2009
10/26/09
7:43
PM ET
By Matt Mosley | ESPN.com
Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley
LANDOVER, Md. -- Greetings from the biggest NFC East game of the evening. I've just been handed tonight's incactives, so let me pass them along:
Redskins: Kevin Barnes, Quinton Ganther, Robert Henson, Chris Samuels, Chad Rinehart, Marko Mitchell, Anthony Montgomery, Renaldo Wynn
Eagles: Kevin Kolb (third quarterback), Dimitri Patterson, Joe Mays, Mike McGlynn, Max Jean-Gilles, Kevin Curtis, Victor Abiamiri, Omar Gaither
Eagles coach Andy Reid obviously has a lot of faith that left guard Todd Herremans is fully recovered. I'll be interested to see if Stacy Andrews gets any reps at right guard. Something tells me that we won't see tonight.
LANDOVER, Md. -- Greetings from the biggest NFC East game of the evening. I've just been handed tonight's incactives, so let me pass them along:
Redskins: Kevin Barnes, Quinton Ganther, Robert Henson, Chris Samuels, Chad Rinehart, Marko Mitchell, Anthony Montgomery, Renaldo Wynn
Eagles: Kevin Kolb (third quarterback), Dimitri Patterson, Joe Mays, Mike McGlynn, Max Jean-Gilles, Kevin Curtis, Victor Abiamiri, Omar Gaither
Eagles coach Andy Reid obviously has a lot of faith that left guard Todd Herremans is fully recovered. I'll be interested to see if Stacy Andrews gets any reps at right guard. Something tells me that we won't see tonight.
Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley
PHILADELPHIA -- Turns out the Eagles didn't need the Wildcat formation to beat the winless Buccaneers. They stuck with Donovan McNabb for most of the game, and he responded in a big way. In fact, he looked better running the ball than Michael Vick -- right from the opening possession.
McNabb was flushed out of the pocket on the Eagles' first play from scrimmage and he raced 13 yards. He followed it up by lofting a perfect pass to rookie Jeremy Maclin for a 51-yard touchdown. McNabb and Maclin hooked up for a 40-yard touchdown later in the half and the Eagles took a 21-7 halftime lead.
Coach Andy Reid virtually ignored the running game in the first half because he didn't need it. In the second half, Brian Westbrook finally got a piece of the action when he caught a pass for 20 yards to help set up his own 7-yard touchdown run. But this was McNabb's and Maclin's day. Wearing a protective vest to protect his injured rib, McNabb was 16-of-21 for 264 yards and three touchdowns.
Bucs quarterback Josh Johnson tried to keep his team in the game in the first half, but his interception in the end zone with no time left on the clock virtually ended Tampa Bay's hopes. The Eagles' defense did everything it could to confuse Johnson. Defensive end Victor Abiamiri lined up at linebacker at times, and Jeremiah Trotter blew up a couple of plays from his old middle linebacker spot.
The Eagles took control of the game in the first quarter and you never got the sense the Bucs were going to rally. With this win, Reid is now 11-0 after byes. I'm headed down to the locker room. I'll have a full report in a couple of hours.
Posted by ESPN's Sal Paolantonio
Eagles starting right guard Todd Herremans joined a long list of Philadelphia Eagles out with an injury. Coach Andy Reid announced Wednesday that Herremans will not play Thursday in the Eagles preseason opener against the Patriots due to "a stress reaction" in his ankle, which has kept Herremans out of practice the last two days.
Also not playing Thursday night against the Patriots are offensive linemen Stacy Andrews (knee) and Shawn Andrews (back). The five projected opening day starters on the Eagles re-built offensive line have yet to take a single snap together in training camp.
Brian Westbrook, Kevin Kolb, Victor Abiamiri, Trevor Laws and Matt Schobel are also out. Wide receivers DeSean Jackson and Hank Baskett, who both missed some practice time recently with knee injuries, will play, Reid said.
Sal Paolantonio is an ESPN bureau reporter based in Philadelphia.
Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley
GLENDALE, Ariz -- Did you guys see the block by wideout Hank Baskett on Brent Celek's touchdown? As Celek sprinted toward the goal line, Baskett took out Cardinals linebacker Gerald Hayes and cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. One of those pancake blocks that receivers dream about.
In the third quarter, the Eagles outgained the Cardinals, 165 yards to 4. And Arizona came into this game as the most prolific third-quarter offense in the league. Who knows what Andy Reid said at halftime, but the Eagles are back in this game. On the Cardinals' third-down play, Victor Abiamiri lined up inside and completely destroyed Cardinals center Lyle Sendlein.
Some idiot just ran onto the field.
Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley
GLENDALE, Ariz -- The Eagles were one play away from being completely out of this game. But quarterback Donovan McNabb threw a perfect deep ball to Kevin Curtis to put the Eagles in scoring position. I think it's safe to say that we've seen the last of L.J. Smith in Philly.
McNabb has a lot of confidence in tight end Brent Celek right now -- evidenced by his eight catches for 47 yards and a touchdown. Don't look now, but the momentum has shifted in this game. On back to back plays, defensive ends Trent Cole and Victor Abiamiri put heavy pressure on Kurt Warner. No one came near Warner for most of the first half, but on that last possession, he had someone in his face the whole time.
The Cardinals have abandoned the run for no apparent reason. On offense, the Eagles have found a soft spot in the middle of the Cardinals' defense. Kevin Curtis has been wide open across the middle several times, and the Cardinals' linebackers can't catch him once he has the ball.
Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley
Eagles Pro Bowl safety Asante Samuel missed practice Friday with a hip strain, but head coach Andy Reid is hopeful that he'll be ready for Sunday's wild-card playoff game in Minnesota. According to Reid, the injury occurred during Thursday's practice.
Asked whether Samuel could play if the game were scheduled for today, Reid said, "Yeah, he possibly could."
If Samuel can't go, Joselio Hanson would take his place and Lito Sheppard (remember him?) would take over as the nickel corner. Samuel's the only player on the questionable list that truly seems questionable at this point. Defensive end Victor Abiamiri has been ruled out for Sunday's game, and that's not something defensive coordinator Jim Johnson's happy about. Abiamiri emerged down the stretch as a strong defender against the run, and he would've helped out quite a bit against Adrian Peterson.
Another topic that Reid was asked about was the crowd noise at the Metrodome. Even though the Vikings are having a difficult time selling out the game, it should be as loud as always. Until you sit in that building and hear the motorcycle sounds and bull horns before kickoff, it's hard to have an appreciation for the noise. Reid has piped in crowd noise to help prepare his team this week.
"If you're good at it and you practice [with the noise], then you should be able to function in a normal way. Now, to do that takes a lot of time and that's why we practice it. You won't go to a louder place, other than maybe Kansas City, than we are going to be at this weekend, so it's important that our guys focus in on it and do a good job."
By the way, if you're still on holiday, turn it over to the Cotton Bowl. Texas Tech and Ole Miss have squared off in a barnburner. Texas Tech wide receiver Michael Crabtree could be a top five pick and Ole Miss left tackle Michael Oher is also projected as a first-rounder.
Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley
For those of you into this sort of thing, the Eagles just sent over Friday's injury report. Defensive end Victor Abiamiri (foot) and guard Shawn Andrews (back) are the only players listed as "out" for Sunday's wild-card game against the Vikings.
Abiamiri is a big, physical defensive end who really could've helped against Adrian Peterson. The Eagles hope they'll have him in the divisional round -- if it comes to that.
Right tackle Jon Runyan (knee), cornerback Asante Samuel (hip), tight end L.J. Smith (shoulder) and running back Brian Westbrook (knee, ankle) are all listed as questionable.
Of those guys, Smith's the only one I'd worry about missing the game. Linebacker Stewart Bradley played against the Cowboys with a broken rib and sore groin, but he's still listed as probable. He's quietly emerging as a pretty steady player for this team.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Dan Graziano
Graziano joined ESPN.com in 2011 after two years as a Senior NFL Writer for AOL FanHouse. He covered Major League Baseball, the Olympics and various other sports during his time at the Star-Ledger and the Palm Beach Post. A New Jersey native and author of two published novels, he now lives in Ridgewood, N.J., with his wife and two sons.
