Prisco gives the Eagles "Thumbs Up"

by JasonB on Mar 2, 2009 5:00 AM EST in News Comment 23 comments

We're just 3 or 4 days into free agency but members of the national media are already handing out grades & picking their winners and losers. Most recent was Pete Prisco of CBS Sports.

Thumbs up: To the Philadelphia Eagles. They added a power right tackle in Stacy Andrews, traded away disgruntled corner Lito Sheppard for a fifth-round pick next year and a conditional 2010 pick, then stood tall as Brian Dawkins, one of their aging leaders, signed with Denver. This is an organization that gets it.

Prisco did not have kind words for the team who did end up with Dawkins.

Head-scratcher: To the Denver Broncos for signing Dawkins to essentially a two-year, $9 million deal. The money is fine. It's just that Dawkins isn't the same player he was a few years ago. He wasn't the best safety on the Eagles roster last season. That was Quintin Mikell. Dawkins is a great guy in the locker room, but he lacks coverage skills. In a division with a San Diego team that features Philip Rivers throwing it and Kansas City with Todd Haley and now Cassel throwing it, the safeties need to have cover skills.

In fact, Prisco handed out three "head scratchers" for the Broncos offseason so far. This latest Jay Cutler controversy sure had me scratching my head.

He also gave Dallas a thumbs down for their signing of Keith Brooking... that's always fun.

0 recs | Comment 23 comments | Share

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

I like Quintin Mikell.
BGN fanshot -link
http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2009/3/1/776183/could-quintin-mikell-be-th

When I look at this team, I still don't feel as though we are very far away, we still have to work hard and do the things we are capable of, but we do have the chance to get back and come back strong." -Brian Westbrook-

by EAGLE_MAN71 on Mar 2, 2009 5:38 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

The more I look at the Dawkins deal, the more I think he asked the Broncos to add 3 more years which he knew he would never play to them to save face with the fans of Philly.

It’s a little transparent, but hey, at least he cared enough to do something like that.

by Clyde Simmons on Mar 2, 2009 8:38 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

+ 1

by andyreidswaistline on Mar 2, 2009 9:18 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The Best Solution

And how bad, how much more fan fury would the Eagles F.O. have endured if Dawkins was benched mid-2009 in favor of Demps or some other FS replacement?

I think in the end, the Dawkins in Denver deal will prove itself better for Dawkins and better for the Eagles fans who would have felt completely betrayed if Dawkins were relegated to mere cheerleader status.

by cybourgeoisie on Mar 2, 2009 10:35 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

A little scared...

…so the Redskins add Dockery and Haynesworth, the Giants add Bernard, Boley and Canty and we add a (presently-) hobbled RT. Why am I not feeling good? I know it’s early but everyone’s getting better and we’ve lost depth.

by ajay on Mar 2, 2009 8:48 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

We have alot of draft picks

so I think we were set up to be more active around the time of the draft than free agency. That said I think you’ll see us make a move or two at some point prior to the draft. Be patient.

by MRPH on Mar 2, 2009 8:57 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Draft = immediate impact?

I think all those draft picks are more usual for trades than drafting players. That’s not what Donovan wants – veterans are preferable.

by ajay on Mar 2, 2009 8:58 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

are more useful for trades

by ajay on Mar 2, 2009 8:59 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

are more useful for trades

by ajay on Mar 2, 2009 9:00 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It's not about what Donovan wants

The FO will do what it thinks is best for the team. I said it before and I’ll say it again. Donovan needs to worry about Donovan.

by MRPH on Mar 2, 2009 9:17 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

This isn’t The Philadelphia Donovan’s.

E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!!!

by Joe_D on Mar 2, 2009 11:36 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I've been thinking about what we should do this offseason and...

think about it, really think about it, who would you have the Eagles pick up at this point relative to what we need?

We needed O-Line help and we got someone to help us out with that. If you complain about his knee then I’ll refer you to john runyan who has the same trouble but is a wee bit older.

TJ would be nice but is he a great addition to our WR core? Boldin is NOT a free agent so I won’t say anything about that. Do we really want ward given his age (plus the fact that he is demanding #1 money)? So who else is there? What other FA is out their that we really want?

As boring as this all is to read about, I think we’re making the right moves. We cut the dead weight (not referring to Dawkins) and we have plenty of money to pick up contracts in trades and the picks to offer. We also have the money to sign a boatload of rookies and let them compete. I think our offensive #1 and #2 priorities after O-Line (which we’ll clean up in the draft) are TE and RB. Not necessarily in that order.

This is a good draft for TE’s and there are plenty of RB’s that could potentially help us.

The reason people are upset about this draft is because they want something to read about in the offseason. This FO has kept us competitive for the better part of a decade. The drive me nuts, they drive you nuts, but if any of you want to go back to the 90’s when we were getting our asses kicked on a daily basis by the rest of the league by all means, lets drive them out.

We’re not rebuilding, the trade deadline is not even close and we still have a decent draft coming. We’re fine.

by thwalls on Mar 2, 2009 9:37 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

while all that is true and we have made all the right moves to date, we have yet to actually improve the team from last year. it would be a mistake for the eagles to take the approach of “were happy with what we have…we just need to execute better on the field”. I have confidence in the front office to do the right thing, but not adding another impact player would be a mistake.

by njh3293 on Mar 2, 2009 9:41 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

let me start by saying that i agree with walls up there… i understand where you’re coming from njh, but in respect to who is actually available… i’m not sure there’s anyone worth us adding…

"I tried to run him over but Eli had his big boy pads on and he kind of stopped me from getting in the end zone. The next time I’ll try to jump over his head.’’ - Asante Samuel

by foos05 on Mar 2, 2009 9:53 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Agree with walls and foos – there’s no combination of free agents out there worthy of money we’re capable of spending. I’m hopeful they sure up the left tackle spot. Assuming that happens I think we’ll be heading into camp with the same expectations we have every year.

by andyreidswaistline on Mar 2, 2009 11:07 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

This would be my checklist...

Resign Tra Thomas to a 2 year deal that is incentive laden in the second year. This puts your line at simply replacing Runyan with Andrews, so still very solid.

Sign Leonard Weaver: Everyone wants to sign Weaver, but the Eagles have need and money.

Work on a trade for Boldin, I really don’t know what it would take, Reggie Brown and one of our 1st rounders? That is a stab in the dark, let me know if it is stupid.

Maybe get lucky and get Brandon Pettigrew (OK ST) in the draft at 21. If not, then Jared Cook from SC.

I absolutely do not want to see Ward. He’s a restricted free agent (we’d have to give up a pick for him) and he will demand a ton more money than he is worth.

Get a RB in the 2nd Round like Donald Brown (UCONN) or LeSean McCoy (PITT).

by TwoTonsOfIrony on Mar 2, 2009 11:22 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I agree with most of what you’re sayin..

I absolutely do not want to see Ward. He’s a restricted free agent (we’d have to give up a pick for him) and he will demand a ton more money than he is worth.

he’s an unrestricted FA actually… and after a week without bidding, his price will come down… i’m big on him if we get him at a good price… we can still draft a rb as well

"I tried to run him over but Eli had his big boy pads on and he kind of stopped me from getting in the end zone. The next time I’ll try to jump over his head.’’ - Asante Samuel

by foos05 on Mar 2, 2009 12:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Fair enough

I was under the impression that he would be a restricted FA because of only recently getting playing time. That makes him much more accessible. If his price is somewhere under $5M, I am ok with it, he had the ability to run over guys who had been dealing with Jacobs for the first 20 carries of the game. He can receive decently well out of the backfield and is a good strong runner. I like him, just not at the price he is most likely going to get. I would assume that the Bucs would give him a good chunk of cash.

foos I don’t know how much you follow the draftnics, but do you think Pettigrew could drop to us? It would be nice.

by TwoTonsOfIrony on Mar 2, 2009 4:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Um, I really don’t see any problem with him falling to 21. The problem I see is someone else who needs a TE badly squeeking a spot or two ahead of us for him. He’s a great blocking TE with okay hands, but no burst and no deep threat. The sexy thing to do at TE now is to grab someone who operates out of the slot alot and can stretch the field. Honestly it wouldn’t surprise me if some teams have Pettigrew as their #2 TE on theiir draft board just because he doesn’t fit when they’re looking for.

"I tried to run him over but Eli had his big boy pads on and he kind of stopped me from getting in the end zone. The next time I’ll try to jump over his head.’’ - Asante Samuel

by foos05 on Mar 3, 2009 9:52 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Anyone else concerned that Pettigrew had ZERO TDs last year? it’s not like they didn’t score that much OSU was in the top 10 at 40.8 pts per game.

Shawn Nelson gets my vote for TE dude can block like a lineman, and has decent hands too and I think we can grab him in the Second.

"I need to do a better job of putting players in the right position to perennially come up short of expectations"

by Whodie126 on Mar 3, 2009 11:34 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

yeah that’s a little concerning… i’m not big on college football, besides draft time, but something tells me OU scored alot on extremely long receptions… could be part of the reason… they were never actually in the redzone to use him lol

"I tried to run him over but Eli had his big boy pads on and he kind of stopped me from getting in the end zone. The next time I’ll try to jump over his head.’’ - Asante Samuel

by foos05 on Mar 3, 2009 11:38 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

well they did have a receiver with 19 TDs and running back with 16 TDs both of which were around the 1500 yard mark, I think so that takes some chances away haha.

"I need to do a better job of putting players in the right position to perennially come up short of expectations"

by Whodie126 on Mar 3, 2009 12:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

agreed

I think it’s a stroke of luck that he ran a bad 40, so that some teams, like you said, will put him lower on their priority list. I think he fits what the Eagles want. Someone to block that can come in and make a catch on 3rd down. We don’t need the slot receiver because we have Curtis, Jackson, and Baskett to stretch the field, so I would be uber disappointed if he was there and the Eagles did not take him.

by TwoTonsOfIrony on Mar 3, 2009 11:33 AM EST reply actions 0 recs