FanPost

D-Jackfan10's Eagles Offseason

The CBA isn't extended before the draft.

The Eagles trade picks #23 and #104 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the #20 overall pick.

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1st round – 20th overall (from Tampa Bay) – Jimmy Smith CB Colorado- Dream. Come. True.

I think he is going to be the best corner from this draft, better than Peterson even. He is the best press corner in this draft by far so his skill set compliments the skill set of Asante perfectly. He is capable of running down field with smaller, quicker receivers and he is capable of getting physical and out leaping the biggest of receivers. Greg Cossell, employee at NFL Films and director and executive producer of the NFL Match-Up show on NFL Network, has even likened him to Darelle Revis because of his physical and confident play. I'm convinced that Jimmy Smith is the next shut down corner and I would love for the Eagles to grab him. Could you imagine the showdowns between Dez Bryant & Jimmy Smith and Hakeem Nicks & Jimmy Smith? Those would be something to watch. I think Jimmy Smith could solve the Eagles CB problems in the first 2-3 years of his career in Philly and I think he could take care of the big receiver problem that the Eagles always have.

The Eagles trade picks #54, #85 and #149 to the Chicago Bears for pick #29

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1st round- 29th overall (from Chicago) – Akeem Ayers SLB UCLA – What? The Eagles trade back into the first round? This never happens. You might remember that last year the Eagles drafted 13 players so the roster doesn’t need filling out, it needs impact players. Akeem Ayers has the build of a classic SLB at 6’3" and 254 pounds but he has great fluidity and flexibility as well. In the new defensive scheme the linebackers are going to have to take on more blocks and that is something that Akeem Ayers can (but doesn’t always) do very well because of his size and strength. He can turn and run with tight ends too and he displays sideline to sideline range despite his 40 time. He could be the solution at SLB that the Eagles have been looking for since Carlos Emmons. Akeem can be a complete player if he decides to put the work into it, he displays the ability to be a great blitzer, pass defender and run defender. He can be as good as he wants to be but concerns about work ethic and a poor 40 yard dash time have his stock sliding.

Wes Bunting said this of Akeem Ayers:

An impressive physically gifted athlete. Is long, powerful, has a snap into contact, closes with great burst and can rush the passer and fluidly get out of his breaks. Finds the football better than I thought he would as well, but is raw with his feet in the pass game, doesn't have a great feel for using his hands at this stage and at times his motor will slow and he will look disinterested. However, he can start and play at a high level as a 43 SLB or a 3-4-rush guy and if he wants it bad enough he has the tools to be great.

Perhaps working with guys like Jamar Chaney, Stewart Bradley, Moise Fokou, Kurt Coleman, Nate Allen, Asante Samuel, Jim Washburn and Juan Castillo can instill some fire in Akeem Ayers. That is the one big question with Akeem, does he want it badly? The Eagles take a shot on him because getting bigger and better at the LB spot has to be a priority.

Oh and he is a playmaker too, not just a solid guy. He had 29.5 TFL, 10 passes defended, 7 forced fumbles, 14 sacks, 6 interceptions, 1 fumble recovery and 3 defensive touchdowns. Some of those plays came when UCLA needed them most.

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4th round - 120th overall- Jacquizz Rodgers RB Oregon St.- After a giant gap between picks the Eagles grab Jacquizz Rodgers. Rodgers is sliding because of his poor 40 yard dash time but like many small backs before him all he does is produce. He compares favorably to guys like Westbrook, Ahmad Bradshaw, Maurice Jones-Drew, Ray Rice and Darren Sproles. He has great vision, patience, lateral quickness, acceleration, is a good weapon in the passing game and has surprising power. He can also return punts and kicks. He should thrive in the Eagles scheme that gets their backs in space with his elusiveness. And Rodgers is tough as nails.

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5th Round – 153rd overall– Mark Legree FS Appalachian St.- With Kurt Coleman moving to SS to replace Quintin MIkell the Eagles need a new back-up at FS. Mark Legree is a guy who has great potential. He measures in at 6’ tall and 210 pounds while running a 4.49 40 yard dash. He is a monster when allowed to play centerfield. He has great range on the back half of the defense. He has great ball skills, instincts and hands (22 interceptions in the past two seasons). He displays aggressiveness against the run but he isn’t the most fundamentally sound tackler out there. His aggressiveness translates to pass defense too as he can really lay the lumber in the back half and make receivers afraid of him.

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7th round - 228th overall (from Seattle)- Andrew Jackson OG Fresno St.- With Howard Mudd moving the Eagles towards a ZBS the Eagles need to get some players who fit the ZBS mold. He is a bit taller than most ZBS guards are but his skill set is perfect for the scheme and he is a former tackle just like Andy Reid likes. The ZBS scheme likes the interior players to be intelligent, fundamentally sound, quick laterally, able to get to the second level, tough and mean. Andrew Jackson fits all of that.

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7th round - 236th overall (compensatory selection)- D’Aundre Reed DE Arizona- The Eagles are looking for a pass rusher to help cushion the absence of Brandon Graham and they look towards Reed. Reed is a sleeper in the draft. Reed didn’t start over Brooks Reed or Ricky Elmore but Tyron Smith called Reed the best player he ever faced. Reed is a good athlete, he is 6’4" and 261 pounds with 33.5" arms and 10.25" hands. He runs a 4.75 40 yard dash with a 1.63 10 yard split while notching a 36" vertical jump, a 10’05" broad jump and 30 reps of 225 pounds. Those are impressive workout numbers. He is most certainly an intriguing athlete that could be a good (perhaps great?) after some coaching up by Jim Washburn.

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7th round - 239th overall (compensatory selection)- Alex Linnenkohl C Oregon St.- As mentioned before the ZBS scheme requires a certain skill set and Linnenkohl fits it very well. He is short and squatty which is what Howard Mudd seems to like and he is tough as nails. He is a guy who Howard Mudd could turn into a solid reserve lineman and spot starter.

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Yay! CBA!

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The Eagles trade Kevin Kolb to the Seattle Seahawks for a 2012 1st round pick, a 2012 4th round pick and Max Unger.

Free Agency:

The Eagles sign Matt Hasselbeck

-The Eagles need a reliable back-up who knows the west coast offense so they sign Matt Hasselbeck. Hasselbeck has a skill set similar to that of Mike Kafka so he can help Kafka as he develops into the primary back-up.

The Eagles sign Jason Snelling

-The Eagles unfortunately lost Leonard Weaver to a devastating ACL injury so they need a new power running back. Snelling is a guy who fits the Eagles scheme, he is a reliable receiver, he is a good power runner, he is a good blocker and he can play FB too. He wouldn’t be a featured part of the team but he would be solid depth at RB and FB.

The Eagles sign Marshal Yanda

-This guy can be a star at either RT or RG and he is mean. He would immediately help shore up the right side of the line whether he starts at RG or RT.

The Eagles sign H.B. Blades

-The Eagles sign Blades, he is a bit undersized but he has great instincts and he is very good in run support. He would be good depth at the MLB spot because he can easily start and he can be a good special teams player.

Depth Chart

QB: Vick / Hasselbeck / Kafka

RB: McCoy / Snelling / Rodgers

FB: O. Schmitt

WR: D. Jackson / J. Maclin / J. Avant / R. Cooper / C. Hall

TE: B. Celek / C. Harbor

LT: J. Peters / K. Dunlap

LG: T. Herramens / A. Jackson

C: M. McGlynn / J. Jackson

RG: M. Unger / M. Jean-Gilles

RT: M. Yanda / W. Justice

LE: D. Tapp / D. Te’o-Neshiem

UT: T. Laws / M. Patterson

NT: B. Bunkley / A. Dixon

RE: T. Cole / P. Hunt / R. Sapp

SLB: A. Ayers / M. Fokou

MLB: S. Bradley / H.B. Blades

WLB: J. Chaney / K. Clayton / A. Jordan

CB: A. Samuel / J. Smith / T. Lindley / J. Hanson / B. Hughes

SS: K. Coleman / C. Anderson

FS: N. Allen / M. Legree

K: D. Akers

P: S. Rocca

LS: J. Dorenbos

*Note the increase in size at linebacker, the average linebacker is 6’ tall and 241 pounds while the average starting linebacker would be 6’2.5" and 250 pounds. Also note the increase in size at corner, the average corner would be 5’11" and 191 pounds.