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Eagles Get D-Line Help...Sort Of
The Eagles need help in their defensive front seven to stop the run. This is a fact. I've harped on it. Late last night, they signed a defensive lineman, but didn't address this glaring need.
Montae Reagor, former defendant and Colt, is the newest member of the Eagles 10-man defensive tackle rotation. Reagor is a pass-rushing DT, not a run stuffer. If he reminds you of Mike Patterson, Darwin Walker, and pretty much every other defensive tackle, you wouldn't be mistaken. Reagor creates a glut at the position, so there are whispers of a pending deal involving a DT leaving Philly.
Reagor's 6'3", 285 lb. frame is about the right size to be manhandled by opposing guards, and he should, in Eagles' tradition, allow humongous holes to be opened for opposing running backs. I'm still very disappointed in the way the Eagles have approached this off season.
What ya thinking for trades? Word on the street is that the Birds might be making a run at either Vilma or Briggs. I've heard 1st rounder and Gilles. I'd rather it be 2nd rounder, Rayburn, and Gilles for one of those two. Of course this is just rumor central. I'd rather do a trade of Tra, 2nd rounder, Rayburn for one of those guys. Who would you perfer if we could get one of the two? Briggs or Vilma?
Warming up in VT
Mix Master
Out of the two, I like Vilma more. Briggs scares the crap out of me, I don't like guys who make ultimatums like that.
But to be honest with you, neither guy is what the Eagles need. They're both undersized (Briggs is 240, Vilma is 230) and while they'd be huge upgrades over the LBs the Eagles have, I think their biggest need is a strong-side linebacker, and a big one.
If they could do this without giving up a first or second-rounder I'd go ahead. It'd be an improvement, but not a solution.
How bout sending me some maple syrup?
Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! What's this talk about Vilma? And why wasn't I notified?
Vilma had a down year learning the new 3-4 last year (I think it actually hurts his game because he is undersized), but I hope the trade rumor is just that -- a nasty rumor!
Chris Gocong is your big linebacker. I'm very interested in how he is going to play for the birds. I'd take Vilma over Dhani any day of the week. Weight isn't always everything. You need someone with great instincts and speed to get the ball. This guy gets it done. I don't buy maple syrup i just take my pancakes outside and throw them on the trees and let them soak in for about 10 minutes then i go back inside and devour them. Actually living in VT if i had a choice of real maple syrup or like Aunt Jamimas, i'd take Aunt Jamimas. Plus she has a nice set of yammers on her.
I agree that the Eagles need an upgrade at strong side linebacker. But I didn't think there were that many good ones available in the draft this year. What is out there?
The draft looks extremely thin to me at OLB, and most of the guys coming out are on the small side.
Top two by ESPN.com's big board are Lawrence Timmons (6'3" 232 lbs) and Paul Posluszny (6'1" 237 lbs.) Maybe the Eagles look to an inside linebacker they can convert to play strong-side? Who knows.
This is why Adalius Thomas should've been priority number 1 in my opinion. But that ship has sailed.
It doesn't look good at this point. Maybe Gocong will develop.
Your analysis of what's out there brings up what my concern is... the guys with speed that are in the draft don't have size. Undersized LB in general have been a problem with us for a while... Reggie Wayne, Mark Simoneau, Keith Adams (who was more for special teams anyway) and Dhani Jones. Do you see any inside LB that we could pick up that could be converted?
Of the LB available, I think the Poz is the best of the lot, but I'm biased...