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The Philadelphia Eagles love those dynamic athletes, and they found one late in the fourth round of the NFL draft on Saturday. With the 28th pick in the fourth round -- a pick they got from Green Bay as part of their second-round deal with the Packers -- the Eagles selected Georgia cornerback Brandon Boykin.

Boykin had been rated much higher than this early in the draft process but fell due to concerns over his size (5-9, 182) and his durability (history of concussions, broke a bone in his leg at the Senior Bowl). He's not a great zone corner, but scouts like his ball skills and his speed and recovery ability as a cover man.

The Eagles likely view Boykin as a potential slot cornerback -- perhaps someone who could take that job away from Joselio Hanson in training camp -- and a kick and/or punt returner, since that's a role he filled in college and he has the speed and instincts as a runner to pull it off.

PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Philadelphia Eagles GM Howie Roseman, in an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer on Tuesday, made it sound like the team could trade cornerback Asante Samuel if it wanted to. The Eagles are deep at cornerback with Samuel, Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, and there did seem to be some overcrowding issues last year.

But Eagles coach Andy Reid, when asked about the same issue Wednesday, was a little more non-committal.

"Asante is obviously on the team," Reid said. "We'll see how things go with the three of them. I said last year and I'll say it again: It's a pretty good situation to have, if you can sit there and say you have those three corners. Asante and Nnamdi are a little bit older, but both of them can still play at a high level. So we'll see how things work out. That's the best I can tell you."

Like a lot of things about last year's Eagles defense, the deployment of those three cornerbacks often seemed confused. Rodgers-Cromartie was asked to play inside in the nickel position, which was not something he'd done in the past. And it's fair to assume they'd be better off with two of the aforementioned three on the outside and Joselio Hanson in the nickel spot. But Reid isn't going to come out and admit he needs to trade a guy because it would help him construct his lineup better. That's not the kind of thing that helps your leverage in trade talks with other teams. So publicly, he insists all was and will be hunky dory.

"As [Rodgers-Cromartie] settled into the nickel position and he learned it, he understood the leverage, and that was really the primary thing that was the problem," Reid said. "Just learning the leverage along with the coverages and indicators of splits with the inside receivers and the kind of routes that came off. He went through and he learned all of that. And we keep all of that kind of in-house with our players, any talk we have with them."

So we'll see. If I were a betting man, I'd be broke, but if I were a betting man I'd bet the Eagles find a taker for Samuel before the draft and that Asomugha and Rodgers-Cromartie are the 2012 starters with Hanson, who has more experience in the nickel spot, playing there. They have four weeks to figure it all out.

The Philadelphia Eagles have officially announced that quarterback Michael Vick, wide receiver Jeremy Maclin and cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie will not play in Thursday night's game against the Seahawks in Seattle. It will be the third missed game in a row for all three players, who were injured in what has turned out to be an extremely costly Week 10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

Vick's broken ribs are healing, but the Eagles don't want to put him back into a game until they're fully healed, since they worry they'll affect his throwing motion and make him less effective. Vince Young will make his third start in a row at quarterback. Maclin is dealing with shoulder and hamstring injuries, and the timetable for his return remains unclear. Expect Riley Cooper to get another start in Maclin's place opposite DeSean Jackson. And Rodgers-Cromartie has an ankle injury. Joselio Hanson has filled in fine for Rodgers-Cromartie, but with Nnamdi Asomugha limited by a knee injury, the Eagles' once-impressive depth at cornerback has dwindled.

Asomugha and running back LeSean McCoy, who has a toe injury, are listed as questionable on the team's Wednesday injury report.

Click here for a complete list of the New York Giants' roster moves.

Biggest surprise: Four rookie linebackers made the team. And yes, I know some of you were telling me that would happen Friday, but I expected Adrian Tracy to make the team and I was wrong. He was one of three 2010 draft picks -- including fellow linebacker Phillip Dillard and punter Matt Dodge -- among Saturday's cuts. But in part because of the way they played on special teams, rookies Mark Herzlich, Greg Jones, Jacquian Williams and Spencer Paysinger all made the team. That's the corps of backup linebackers behind starters Jonathan Goff, Mathias Kiwanuka and Michael Boley.

Running backs D.J. Ware and Da'Rel Scott made the team while 2009 draft pick Andre Brown was cut. Devin Thomas made the team as a wide receiver over Michael Clayton based on a strong preseason showing. And the Giants basically keep three tight ends -- Travis Beckum, Jake Ballard and Bear Pascoe with rookie Henry Hynoski slated to be the starting fullback.

No-brainers: Dodge had a very good preseason, has a lot of talent and probably will find work somewhere. But once the Giants brought in Steve Weatherford, who's been one of the best punters in the league the past two years, Dodge's days were numbered. Weatherford will be the punter, and the bad memories of Dodge and DeSean Jackson can begin to fade. Health issues cost Sage Rosenfels the backup quarterback job, which goes back to David Carr.

What's next: I think they need to sort through the Eagles' castoffs. In particular, tight end Donald Lee and nickel cornerback Joselio Hanson make a lot of sense for the Giants, as the former would fill a huge hole and the latter would allow them to keep Antrel Rolle at safety. And personally I always think they need linebacker help, but they disagree and they like their rookies, so I guess we'll see.

Click here for a complete list of the Philadelphia Eagles' roster moves.

Surprise move: It's not a huge surprise that nickel cornerback Joselio Hanson was released, considering how deep the Eagles were at cornerback after their frenzied first week of free agency. But I do think people are surprised that they couldn't get anything for him in a trade before releasing him. It seems no team wanted to compensate the Eagles and also assume Hanson's contract, which had $7.6 million left over the next three years. He was an extremely effective nickel corner last year and surely will end up on someone's roster (Cleveland? Arizona? St. Louis? The Giants?) before long.

It was a bit of a surprise to see the Eagles cut defensive tackles Anthony Hargrove and Derek Landri and keep Cedric Thornton, but ultimately I guess they believed Landri and Hargrove weren't big enough to play the position in Jim Washburn's scheme. Very small but very effective former CFL star Phillip Hunt made the team at defensive end, though. And cutting both Sinorice Moss and Johnnie Lee Higgins leaves the Eagles looking for help in the return game.

No-brainers: Keeping five safeties (Jarrad Page, Kurt Coleman, Nate Allen, Jaiquawn Jarrett and Colt Anderson) and six linebackers (Casey Matthews, Jamar Chaney, Moise Fokou, Akeem Jordan, Brian Rolle and Keenan Clayton) makes some sense because they have questions at those positions and will hold onto depth until they sort out roles. Tight end Donald Lee probably can help someone, but with all of the options the Eagles have at receiver, there isn't much room in the game plan for many two-tight end sets. Mike McGlynn started 14 games for the Eagles last year, but it was clear from the start of camp that there was no place for him on the new offensive line.

What's next: The Eagles are likely to poke around and look for help at linebacker and kick returner, but they're set at almost every position and extremely deep at most. If I'm their front office, I begin focusing my attention on whatever potential resolution there might be to the DeSean Jackson contract situation.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- What everyone wanted to know was how it would look when they were all finally allowed to practice together. When the league year finally got underway and the new signees could be on the field in pads with everybody else, who would be lining up as the Eagles' starting cornerbacks? Well, shortly after 8 a.m. Friday we got our answer. In the base 4-3, it was Nnamdi Asomugha on the right, Asante Samuel on the left, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie on the sideline. Which was fine with Rodgers-Cromartie.

"I can respect that," Rodgers-Cromartie told me after the morning practice. "Those are proven guys in the league. That just puts pressure on me to be ready. I've got to be that focused, so when I come in or whoever else comes in, it won't be a dropoff. Anytime those guys need a break, I'll just go out there. I think it's workable, because I know football is a long season, 16 games, so I know I'm going to get my shot."

This is a guy saying all the right things. He doesn't even care that Joselio Hanson was getting the snaps as the nickel cornerback, because he says that was Hanson's role here last season and he's good at it. Rodgers-Cromartie says he's loving the chance to learn from Asomugha and Samuel. He says they've both been great about offering advice. And if he's going to maintain this attitude, he's going to make things very easy on his coaches.

"I know people go, 'How're you going to play them all?' but we'll find a way," head coach Andy Reid told me. "You've got great players, you find a way to put them in. They're all going to play. Everybody knows they're all starters. They've all got their accolades that they've received. They'll all play and they know that."

There was the Asante Samuel news conference this week where it sounded as if things might get a little touchy on this front. The one where he said "If they're tired of my big-play making ability, maybe they'll want to ship me off." But Samuel was his usual, loud, trash-talking self during practice Friday and seemed happy. And while there's a chance they could trade him if they get offered a great pick or maybe a great linebacker, there's a greater chance all three of these guys open the season on the roster, with Asomugha and Samuel starting and an eager Rodgers-Cromartie waiting to go in when he's needed.

"That's how it was today," Asomugha told me. "So I don't see them changing things when we've got a game in like three days or something like that and we've got to get ready for the season to start. I don't see a lot being changed between now and then."

Asomugha has pushed his coaches on expanding his role in the defense beyond the strict cover-corner responsibilities he had in Oakland. He told me he played safety in college until moving to corner in his third year, and that he's never considered himself, "just a cover guy."

"A lot of people have, though, because they feel like, if I can do it at the level that I've been able to do it, then that's all that I should be doing," Asomugha said. "But when you tap into it and you start seeing other things that I can do, it gives you a little bit more flexibility. I can do more than just play corner."

Which means they could, conceivably, play him at safety on a play here or there, or bring him up to help against the run, or -- and this is a suggestion that drew a big smile -- blitz and sack a quarterback.

"Oh yeah," he said. "We've got some of that in there."

What they have is a ton of talent at cornerback in a league that sees more and more passing every year. And if the worst-case scenario is that all three of these guys are on the team come September and battling each other for playing time ... well, a lot of teams would like to have the Eagles' problems.

With the offseason in full swing, let's take a look at one major question facing each NFC East team as it begins preparations for the 2011 season:

DALLAS COWBOYS

Can Rob Ryan fix this defense?

I understand that folks are already predicting a bounce-back season under new coach Jason Garrett, but that would have to be fueled by the defense. The defense caused a lot more turnovers once Wade Phillips was fired at midseason, but teams still put up plenty of points.

The Cowboys gave up an embarrassing 27.2 points per game, which ranked 31st in the league. The passing defense was ranked 26th. And help might not be on the way when you consider the fact that a lockout could wipe out free agency this offseason. (Do we really think free agency could take place during a one-week period in, say, late August?) The Cowboys need to make changes at safety and cornerback. But at this point, their best hope is landing a starter in the draft.

The thought is that Ryan's fiery presence will spark some of the veteran players. Nose tackle Jay Ratliff's coming off a down season -- by his standards. Perhaps Ryan will turn him loose as a defensive end this season if the Cowboys can find a suitable replacement in the middle. And it will be interesting to see what Ryan does with second-year inside linebacker Sean Lee. Will this be the season when Lee supplants veteran Keith Brooking on the field?

NEW YORK GIANTS

What can GM Jerry Reese do about the back end of this defense?

It would be a mistake to make massive changes to this talented unit, but a major flaw was revealed down the stretch. With a chance to lock up the division, the Giants' defense out and out collapsed against the Eagles and Packers. It was a stunning turn of events for a team that had fed off its defense throughout the season. Reese has vowed to address the situation that allowed Michael Vick and Aaron Rodgers to put up monster numbers in consecutive weeks.

Defensive coordinator Perry Fewell was a head-coaching candidate after the 2010 season, but he'll be back with the Giants for at least one more season. I didn't like the fact that he was bemoaning the loss of the versatile Mathias Kiwanuka late in the season. Did anyone hear the Green Bay Packers complaining about losing all those starters to injured reserve?

As defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul continues to develop, it can only help this secondary. It took him a while to find the quarterback, but once he did, Pierre-Paul began causing havoc. I think this defense will be a lot more instinctive in its second year with Fewell. I like the three-safety look with Antrel Rolle, Kenny Phillips and Deon Grant, but Reese won't be complacent when it comes to acquiring talent. He needs more speed on the back end. Terrell Thomas has emerged as a solid cornerback, but he needs more help. Watch what the Giants do in this draft. Something tells me Reese will continue to focus on defense.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

How will Juan Castillo perform as defensive coordinator?

You have to hand it to coach Andy Reid. The man knows how to keep us on our toes during a coaching search. Who knew that he was disguising his future defensive coordinator as an offensive line coach all these years? I've discussed the O-line with Castillo over the years, and I believe him to be one of the most underrated offensive assistants in the league. How does that translate to defense? I have no clue.

I do think he'll bring a tremendous amount of energy to the job. Sean McDermott was undermined by injuries in his two years in that role. The Eagles didn't take enough quality cornerbacks into the 2010 season, and they paid dearly. You can't afford to send Asante Samuel and the Funky Bunch out there in 2011. Dimitri Patterson and Joselio Hanson are serviceable players, but they were eventually exposed. Howie Roseman and Reid have to address this position. And then Castillo has to figure out a way to put the teeth back in this pass-rush. At least the man knows what a quarterback sack looks like.

WASHINGTON REDSKINS

What will Mike Shanahan do about this quarterback situation?

Seems like we're asking this same question every year. It looked like the Redskins had the answer heading into 2010, but the Donovan McNabb experiment was an epic failure for all involved. Shanahan certainly bears a lot of the blame. Now we'll see what he can do with a young quarterback. Cam Newton's suddenly vaulted into the top five in some of the mock drafts, so the Redskins might be looking at Missouri's Blaine Gabbert.

Gabbert has less of a boom-or-bust factor, according to ESPN's Mel Kiper. He might be ready for prime time sooner than Newton. Shanahan and son Kyle will have to get Rex Grossman ready as the starter until a young quarterback is ready to take over. And that can't sound good to Redskins fans who are starving for a playoff appearance.

Dan Snyder told me two weeks ago that he hopes McNabb will return as his starting quarterback. That's nonsense when you consider what happened last season. But no matter who lines up behind center, Shanahan has to surround him with more talent. The Redskins might be able to re-sign Santana Moss, but he's no longer a true No. 1 receiver. The Redskins desperately need an impact player at that position. At running back, it looks like Ryan Torain will get a shot as the starter. The only way Clinton Portis is coming back is if he restructures his contract. He may have a season or two left, but you can't count on him to make it through 16 games anymore.

It's all about the quarterback, though. As usual.

I'm planning to take a look at the biggest offseason questions for the four teams in the division for my Thursday column. But let's get a head start with the NFC East's only playoff team.

Bob Ford of the Inquirer wonders whether the Eagles' playoff failures over the years should be blamed on Reid or an overall lack of talent. I've hit on this theme before that Reid has an arrogance that suggests he can win with his players or your players. He often comes back from his offseason self-scouting camp and concludes that a few personnel tweaks might get the job done. Last offseason was more dramatic than most because of the Donovan McNabb trade, but you can't say all the turnover on defense really amounted to much.

"It is as if Reid believes he has the staff and the system capable of winning the Kentucky Derby with whatever plow horses wander into his stable," writes Ford. "You can get lucky with players sometimes, but it isn't how the NFL really works. Look at the team on the field Sunday against Green Bay. There were 10 starters among the 22 on offense and defense who entered the league either as undrafted free agents or seventh-round draft picks.

"There were seven starters among the 22 who entered the league as either first- or second-round picks, a number that includes both Ernie Sims and Winston Justice, one of whom is probably gone and one of whom wasn't a starter by the end of the game.

"The old basketball coaches always say, 'It's not the X's and the O's. It's the Jimmys and the Joes.' That's the case here. The Eagles aren't talented enough. Whether that is because the player personnel department hasn't done a good enough job of identifying and acquiring the talent, or whether the coaching staff hasn't done a good enough job of developing it is a fair question."

Ford concludes that a roster overhaul is needed for the Eagles to take the next step. I'm not sure the Eagles are in a position to make massive changes. They had 11 of their 13 rookies on the field at some point this season. And some of them -- Nate Allen, Brandon Graham, Kurt Coleman, Keenan Clayton -- showed a lot of promise. You expect that from Graham and Allen because of where they were taken in the draft (first and second rounds), but it seems like GM Howie Roseman has also done a nice job hitting on players in the later rounds. If you examined the New England Patriots' starters, I think you'd also find quite a few undrafted free agents and late-round picks. And you don't have to look further than quarterback for a good example.

The Eagles did not have enough quality depth at cornerback heading into the season, and that ultimately played a large role in their issues on that side of the ball. I still don't understand how and why they convinced themselves that Ellis Hobbs was a starter. He played poorly and then suffered a season-ending injury. And when Pro Bowler Asante Samuel was injured, the Eagles were left with Dimitri Patterson, Joselio Hanson and rookie Trevard Lindley receiving most of the reps.

I don't think the Eagles need to make the types of sweeping personnel changes that we saw last offseason, but they do need to zero in on some specific positions. And if that means spending some serious money on free agent cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, so be it.

I do think the Eagles' roster is in much better shape than it was at the end of '09. But that doesn't mean much when you keep losing in the wild-card round.

It looked like Eagles Pro Bowl cornerback Asante Samuel (knee) would be ready to go Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys, but he's apparently had a setback. Samuel practiced Wednesday on a limited basis, but he didn't take the field Thursday. If he's unable to play, Dimitri Patterson and Joselio Hanson will once again be the starters.

Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett has immense respect for Samuel, so I'm sure the game plan will look a little different if he's not on the field. We'll keep you posted on Samuel's progress. In Giants news, Tom Coughlin told reporters that Ahmad Bradshaw (wrist) should be good to go Sunday against the Vikings.

The Philadelphia Eagles will line up Sunday afternoon without their Pro Bowl cornerback Asante Samuel because of a knee injury. Samuel leads the league with seven interceptions, and he would've made life tough for Bears quarterback Jay Cutler.

Nickel corner Joselio Hanson will replace Samuel and rookie Trevard Lindley will also see plenty of playing time when the Bears use three wide receivers. It will now be more important than ever to generate pressure with the front four. I don't think Eagles defensive coordinator Sean McDermott can be as aggressive with the blitz without Samuel playing.

The Bears haven't done a great job of protecting Cutler this season, so defensive ends Trent Cole and Brandon Graham need to pressure him early in this game. Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz will likely try to exploit matchups against Hanson and Lindley. And it's not like the other starter, Dimitri Patterson, is a career starter. He recently replaced Ellis Hobbs, who is out for the season following a collision during a kickoff return against the New York Giants.

The Eagles entered the season thin at cornerback, and that trend has continued. If the Bears can give Cutler enough time, he should be able to find Devin Hester and Johnny Knox on double moves. But I think the Eagles' pass-rush will be up to the test.

» NFC Big Question: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Did the Philadelphia Eagles wheel and deal themselves out of a quality cornerback?

If nothing else, new Eagles general manager Howie Roseman was entertaining while running his first draft alongside coach Andy Reid. Even the stoic Reid admitted to being impressed with the way Roseman moved up and down the draft board.

I've talked to some scouts who thought the Eagles "reached" a bit in moving up 11 spots to land Michigan defensive end Brandon Graham. But Roseman and Reid obviously decided that Graham was the best fit scheme-wise as a pass-rusher and they didn't want to take the chance of losing him. The fact they gave up two third-rounders to move from No. 24 to No. 13 was almost forgotten as Roseman basically tried to commandeer the fourth round. The Eagles once again extended a helping hand to a division foe in flipping picks with the Cowboys in the second round. The Cowboys took Penn State linebacker Sean Lee, who's expected to eventually take over for Keith Brooking at inside linebacker.

I think Graham and South Florida safety Nate Allen were both solid choices for the Eagles, but it concerns me they couldn't find a potential starter at cornerback. Veteran Marlin Jackson, signed in free agency, has experience at cornerback, but he's probably more comfortable at safety after tearing the ACL in each knee the past two years. Asante Samuel's a perennial Pro Bowler, but he's one of the least willing tacklers in the league.

The projected starter on the other side, Ellis Hobbs, is returning from a neck injury. I thought the Eagles needed more depth at cornerback in this draft, but they only came up with fourth-rounder Trevard Lindley out of Kentucky. Had Lindley come out after the '08 season, he probably would have gone in the second round. But the cornerback suffered a high ankle sprain last year and had a challenging senior season.

"He got banged-up this year,'' Reid said Saturday. "He had a high ankle sprain and that can kind of put a damper on a college season, and that's what happened. It happened early and he never really got over it, but he didn't want to stop playing, which showed me something."

Good to know, but it doesn't really address the issue that Miles Austin and Jason Witten ran roughshod over this secondary at the end of the '09 season. Even Roy Williams stumbled into daylight a couple times against this unit. Reid seems to think that players such as Macho Harris and Joselio Hanson can help patch together a decent group of cornerbacks. But that's a scary proposition when you know that the Giants and Cowboys both have big-time weapons on the outside. And the Redskins happened to acquire a quarterback who has been successful with inferior talent at wide receiver before. (I'd give Santana Moss the edge over Freddie Mitchell.)

I think the Eagles certainly improved their roster this past weekend, but cornerback is still a position of need. If you want to poke holes in Roseman's first draft, I'd start with that position.

» NFC Needs Revisited: 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: Biggest needs revisited.

Dallas Cowboys

Since the Cowboys haven't made a single move in free agency, nothing has changed. They certainly didn't feel a sense of urgency to outbid the Giants for safety Antrel Rolle or the Eagles for free safety Marlin Jackson. But it wouldn't surprise me if the Cowboys addressed their need at safety with a veteran such as the Rams' O.J. Atogwe. At the No. 27 spot in the draft, you might have a shot at either South Florida's Nate Allen or USC's Taylor Mays. But I don't think the Cowboys will go either direction.

In conversations with folks at Valley Ranch, the offensive line is what gets mentioned the most. If the Cowboys can identify a talented offensive tackle or guard late in the first round, that's the direction they'll go. There's also the possibility they'll try to trade down because this appears to be a relatively deep draft. Obviously, place-kicker continues to be a glaring need. But after that, it's still offensive line, safety, inside linebacker and then probably wide receiver. With the rise of Miles Austin and the intrigue of Kevin Ogletree, I could see the Cowboys waiting until later in the draft to grab a wide receiver. After all, both Austin and Ogletree were undrafted players.

New York Giants

The Giants addressed a major need with the signing of Rolle, although I'm not sure he's worth $15 million guaranteed. Now they can focus on shoring up their linebacker situation. Second-year player Clint Sintim is expected to start at strongside linebacker, but there's a gaping hole at middle linebacker with the release of Antonio Pierce. It doesn't look like Jonathan Goff is quite ready to fill the position from within, so the Giants will be hoping that Alabama's Rolando McClain slips to them at No. 15. Outside of the defensive tackles from Oklahoma and Nebraska, I think McClain may have been the best defensive player in the country. He's incredibly smart and has tremendous size and athleticism. This just seems like a Jerry Reese pick to me.

The Giants also need to figure out their situation at defensive tackle. You have to think Chris Canty will have an easier time after battling injuries in '09 and perhaps Rocky Bernard will finally show up. But you can't simply depend on those things. The Giants probably will take a defensive tackle in the draft and then they'll look at some offensive linemen. It's probably the end of the road for Kareem McKenzie at right tackle. The Giants need to continue drafting and developing young offensive linemen and I think that will be a priority for Reese. At running back, you have to wonder how Andre Brown will look returning from a ruptured Achilles tendon. It's hard to find a lot of running backs who've made successful comebacks from that particular injury.

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles have a potential solution at safety with Marlin Jackson, but it's still a position of need. You can't depend on Jackson being able to recover from his second ACL surgery in as many years. But I don't expect the Eagles to take a safety at No. 24 because Allen and Mays aren't blowing anyone away. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see the Eagles select a cornerback in the first round. It's a huge position of need with Sheldon Brown starting to break down a little bit and Joselio Hanson taking a step back after his suspension. This secondary had no chance against Tony Romo and the Cowboys late in the season, and that has to be fixed.

The Eagles also need more help in the pass rush. I know they traded for Darryl Tapp on Tuesday, but he put up pedestrian numbers for the Seahawks. If a pass-rushing defensive end starts slipping next month, the Eagles will be ready to pounce. The Eagles also need to think about a long-term solution at center with Jamaal Jackson coming back from a torn ACL. I know that Baylor center J.D. Walton is projected to go in the second round and he's the type of athletic player Andy Reid likes. I also know that the Eagles think a lot of versatile guard/center Nick Cole, who filled in nicely at right guard last season.

And don't be surprised if the Eagles go after a running back in the later rounds. Mike Bell is a young player, but the Eagles could still use more juice at the position.

Washington Redskins

After a slow start to free agency, the Redskins are now sifting through a list of former stars -- and signing some of them. Larry Johnson was one of the best running backs in the league -- four years ago. He's an odd "complement" to Clinton Portis because both players sort of bang around between the tackles. There's simply not much change of pace. That's why I feel like running back is still a position of need in the draft.

A lot of Redskins believe that quarterback is the biggest position of need, but I tend to think left tackle should be the bigger priority. Washington didn't really give Jason Campbell any chance last season, but he still put up decent numbers. With Chris Samuels retiring, it's time to find a long-term solution at left tackle. I think you take Russell Okung at No. 4 and never look back. But Mike Shanahan will be tempted by Jimmy Clausen. He knows he played in a pro-style offense and he won't get caught up in all this talk about Clausen coming off as cocky during the combine. Don't you want your quarterbacks to have a little swagger?

The signing of nose tackle Maake Kemoeatu might be one of the most underrated signings of the offseason. If he can return to his form of '08 (pre Achilles tendon injury), then new defensive coordinator Jim Haslett can be more creative with Albert Haynesworth. You also have needs at linebacker, safety and cornerback. London Fletcher is an excellent player, but he wasn't made for the 3-4. He'll be eventually be phased out of the defense -- and it might happen sooner than some of you think. General manager Bruce Allen and Shanahan will be looking for bigger players at inside linebacker. I think Rocky McIntosh will be fine, but Fletcher will have a tough time taking on some of the enormous centers and guards in the NFC East.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- So maybe the Eagles really don't match up very well with the Cowboys. Dallas put aside 13 years of playoff futility while drubbing the Eagles for the second consecutive weekend.

Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, who had lost his previous two playoff games, was masterful against the Eagles on Saturday night. He completed 22 of 35 passes for 244 yards and had two touchdowns. It was the third time the Cowboys had beaten the Eagles this season and now they'll travel to Minneapolis next Sunday to play the No. 2 seed Vikings in a divisional playoff game.

And if you thought Donovan McNabb struggled against the Cowboys' pass rush, just wait until you see what 40-year-old Brett Favre does. The Cowboys have the hottest quarterback in the NFC and they have the best defense. Playing in the Metrodome will be tough, but the Cowboys have already gone into New Orleans and won a game in front of a hostile crowd.

For the second consecutive game, the Eagles had no answer for the Cowboys' running game. Felix Jones had 16 carries for 148 yards and a touchdown. His 73-yard touchdown in the third quarter ended any hopes of an Eagles comeback. He raced around the right side and then used a wicked cut on cornerback Joselio Hanson to get to the end zone.

The Cowboys rushed for 199 yards -- and they didn't even need Marion Barber to get it done. After three carries early, Barber sat out the rest of the game with a sore knee. The only excitement for the Eagles was a 76-yard completion from Michael Vick to Jeremy Maclin that briefly tied the score in the first half.

Wade Phillips now has his first playoff win and he'll likely have a contract extension to follow.

There have been times that Week 17 hasn't had much to offer in terms of competitive games, but this should be a superb matchup. The Cowboys haven't forgotten about being embarrassed by the Eagles, 44-6, in Week 17 last season. This time around, both teams have already qualified for the playoffs but they are each playing for the right to host at least one playoff game. I've spent hours in the Beast film room this week and I'm prepared to offer five key matchups that will prepare your hearts and minds for Sunday's big game:

Cowboys NT Jay Ratliff vs. Eagles C Nick Cole and RG Max Jean-Gilles: For the Eagles to sustain drives, they'll have to account for Ratliff on almost every snap. He has the rare combination of speed and power that makes it difficult to control him for prolonged periods of time. As you've probably heard by now, Cole's making his first start at center for the Eagles. Of course, he's started at left and right guard this season, but that's different than having to call out assignments to teammates. Fortunately for the Eagles, the Lawton, Okla., native is an intelligent player who does a nice job of adjusting on the fly. As long as Cole and quarterback Donovan McNabb have ironed out their snap-exchange issues from last Sunday, I don't think Cole will be much of a downgrade from Jamaal Jackson. Andy Reid would never say this publicly, but I believe there was a time this past offseason when he thought Cole might challenge Jackson for the starting center job. Now that Jackson's hurt, it seems like everyone in Philly is making him out to be some type of elite offensive lineman. He's certainly been effective and durable, but it's wrong to say he's irreplaceable. My bigger concern would be with Jean-Gilles. He and Cole have to be on the same page at all times. The Cowboys like to run a lot of slants with Ratliff, who's capable of jumping the snap and being in the backfield before a guard can get out of his stance. Jean-Gilles is somewhat of a mauler, but on Sunday he'll need to play under control. Ratliff's a highly intelligent player with a nonstop motor. If the Eagles can somehow neutralize him, they'll have a much better chance of moving the ball.

Cowboys LT Flozell Adams vs. Eagles RDE Trent Cole: These two players have had some pretty good battles over the years. Cole's relentless motor and his ability to get underneath Adams' pads gives him the advantage at this point in their careers. Adams is a false start waiting to happen, but he certainly does a better job at staying focused when the Cowboys are playing at home. When he wants to, Adams can still dominate an opposing player. But from game to game, you never know which player's going to show up. I look for Cole to go right at him with the bull-rush early in Sunday's game in order to set him up for some outside moves. I'm glad to see that players and coaches recognized Cole's ability and put him in the Pro Bowl. It's not like he needs to have two or three sacks to be effective. He simply needs to get as many knockdowns or hurries on quarterback Tony Romo as possible. If Romo starts thinking about the rush too much, the Eagles will have succeeded. I think this will be a matchup that folks are talking about Monday morning.

Tony Romo vs. Sean McDermott's blitz package: Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett had no clue how to protect Romo against Jim Johnson's blitzes in last season's 44-6 loss. It was another masterful performance by Johnson and it was a game that haunted Romo throughout the offseason. He and Garrett have done a much better job this season of taking advantage of pressure. In the first matchup between the Eagles and Cowboys, Romo was sacked four times. But he also beat the Eagles on a 49-yard touchdown pass to Miles Austin that changed the game. If you don't get to Romo right away, he'll find Austin streaking across the middle. And with the way the Eagles' secondary tackles, that's a dangerous proposition. McDermott loves to line up nickel cornerback Joselio Hanson in the slot and send him on blitzes. He had some success against the 49ers and Broncos with that approach. McDermott doesn't blitz as much as Johnson, but he does seem to choose his spots well. And don't forget that former Cowboys defensive coordinator Brian Stewart is coaching the Eagles' secondary this season. Stewart has a great feel for the Cowboys' offensive personnel, so that could be a factor on Sunday.

Cowboys TE Jason Witten vs. Eagles defense: Witten absolutely loves facing the Eagles. For whatever reason, Jim Johnson never really found an answer for the Pro Bowl tight end. He has 70 catches for 835 yards and three touchdowns in 12 games against the Eagles. He's the master at setting up routes and he always did a nice job of exposing middle linebacker Jeremiah Trotter, who now rotates with Akeem Jordan at middle linebacker. The Eagles will try a variety of things against Witten. They may try to figure out how to get Hanson on Witten or they may even chip him with a linebacker before passing him off to safety Quintin Mikell. McDermott has a ton of respect for Witten and that's where a lot of his preparation will be leading up to the game.

Eagles TE Brent Celek vs. Cowboys defense: Celek arrives in Arlington, Texas, with a chip on his shoulder after not making the Pro Bowl team even though he has seven more touchdowns than Witten this season. It's not like he begrudges Witten, though, because he's studied and learned from the Cowboys tight end ever since he entered the league three years ago. Celek is an extremely intelligent and physical player. He caught a touchdown pass against the Cowboys in the last game but he only had three catches for 39 yards. Last week, he had three catches of 30 yards or more and he's averaged 19.1 yards per catch over the past three games. If the Cowboys focus too much on DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, Celek will make them pay. And since I brought up Jackson's name, I think the Cowboys will play him straight up and not have Mike Jenkins follow him around the way Champ Bailey did last week. Jackson didn't have a big game against the Cowboys earlier this season, but he's obviously capable of going off at any moment.

Happy New Year! And enjoy the game.

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Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 10:

The Eagles are going to be vulnerable at linebacker and cornerback against the Chargers. The Eagles have been dealing with injuries all season, but the losses of Ellis Hobbs for the season and Joselio Hanson to a four-game suspension have put them in a real bind. Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers is a tough guy who will stand in the pocket and take punishment. And with Vincent Jackson and Antonio Gates running routes, he has plenty of options. Eagles defensive coordinator Sean McDermott would prefer to generate pressure from his front four, thus not exposing players such as cornerback Dimitri Patterson. Cornerback Asante Samuel loves to take chances on defense, but he needs to play under control against this offense. Just when you think Chargers coach Norv Turner is on the ropes, he gets his team going. That was a huge win over the Giants in the Meadowlands. We'll see if they can ride that momentum to a win over the Eagles. And by the way, keep your eye on Chris Gocong moving to middle linebacker. That's a completely different situation for him, and I think he could find himself covering Gates every now and then. That's not a good thing for the Eagles.

I think the Eagles will ride Brian Westbrook in this game. Yes, I know this is a different team with DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, but the Chargers did a nice job taking away the deep ball against the Giants. Westbrook appears to be healthy heading into this game, and I think he could give the Chargers' linebackers trouble in space. I think Andy Reid needs to get Westbrook involved early so he can take a hit or two. He hasn't played since that violent collision with London Fletcher's knee. Once Westbrook feels some contact, I think he'll be ready to go. I see a breakout game coming for him. And if you know my track record on predictions, make sure you bench Westbrook on your fantasy team immediately.

The Redskins are catching the Broncos at a bad time. After a brilliant start to the season, the Broncos have dropped two straight to the Ravens and Steelers. They can't afford a three-game losing streak. I think Josh McDaniels will take advantage of the Skins' issues in the secondary. With Levi Jones taking over at left tackle and Chad Rinehart possibly getting some valuable time at guard, Washington's offensive line will have a different look. I don't think it can be any worse. Mike Williams was struggling mightily before he was injured. Here's hoping that Jim Zorn and Sherm Lewis discussed ways in which Jason Campbell can get the ball away quicker. Don't waste time sending Santana Moss on double moves 40 yards downfield when there's no hope of getting the protection. And on defense, this is the game where you need Albert Haynesworth to earn his money. I know his legion of apologists has spoken, but it's time for him to take over a game. This would be a good place to start. The Redskins can't afford the turnovers that have plagued them all season. If they get a quick start and a heroic performance from the defense, the Redskins can hang around in this game. Am I predicting a win? C'mon!

The Cowboys must dominate the line of scrimmage on defense. Outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware could have three or four sacks. The Packers' offensive line has been awful this season, but those 37 sacks are also a product of Aaron Rodgers holding onto the ball too long. He won't be able to get away with that Sunday. Packers left tackle Chad Clifton is back from an ankle injury, but it's not like he's completely healthy. He really struggles when pass-rushers try to make an inside charge. At this point, Clifton's just a guy. Someone named T.J. Lang is going to get the start at right tackle. This is a big, big problem for the Packers. And keep your eye on Keith Brooking and Ware in this game. This offensive line has allowed linebackers to come racing through the line of scrimmage in the running game.

I love this Charles Woodson vs. Jason Witten matchup. It looks like the Packers will try to keep Woodson close to the line of scrimmage and let him press Witten. I think Witten's athletic enough to get releases on the long-armed Woodson, but we'll see if quarterback Tony Romo has enough time to get the ball to him downfield. I think it will be one of the best matchups on the field. Romo will be looking for Packers cornerback Jarrett Bush. The Cowboys think he's susceptible to double moves. That's why they hope he jumps on Miles Austin or even Patrick Crayton at times. If Bush gets burned a lot Sunday, remember that you read about it on Final Word, one of America's fastest growing features on the Internet.