As you may have heard, the Philadelphia Eagles spent a fortune on free agents heading into the 2011 season, only to see their team stumble out to a 1-4 start, lose five games despite holding onto a fourth quarter lead, and finish 8-8.
It was arguably the most disappointing season in the history of the Philadelphia Eagles, and it almost led to the firing of head coach Andy Reid after the end of the season.
Yet despite the brutal season, the Eagles do not, I repeat do not, need to do a complete turnaround of the team. In fact, they can, and should, enter next season with 21 of the 22 same starters, and I think everything will be completely fine.
Look at the players who struggled in 2011.
Michael Vick isn’t going anywhere and should bounce back with a full offseason to prepare for 2012. DeSean Jackson played angry for all of 2011 but he just received the franchise tag, so he will get his money this season.
Assuming that Asante Samuel is traded, and I think he will be, cornerbacks Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie will be used in roles that they’re comfortable with, assuming defensive coordinator Juan Castillo learns from last season’s mistakes. So Nnamdi will cover the other team’s best receiver and DRC won’t have to play out of the slot.
I’m hoping players like Jamar Chaney, Brian Rolle, Nate Allen, and Kurt Coleman turn in better seasons next year, but even if they don’t, they deserve an opportunity to start again.
The Eagles have just one position that really needs to be changed.
We need a linebacker. We desperately need an elite playmaking linebacker.
It can be an inside or an outside linebacker, because whoever we would get would be better than any of our current starting linebackers.
I wouldn’t be opposed to the Eagles going after Robert Griffin III, and in fact, I do think they’re the mystery team after Griffin.
So if they did trade a bunch of their draft picks to get Griffin, where would they get a linebacker?
Easy. Free agency.
Detroit’s Stephen Tulloch, Washington’s London Fletcher, and Atlanta’s Curtis Lofton are all free agents, and any one of them would be tremendous upgrade to the Eagles’ defense.
Tulloch has played in the wide-nine before, and he would be my first choice. I thought there was a good chance the Eagles were going to get him last offseason.
Lofton would be my second choice, but Fletcher led the NFL in tackles last season and would be a great fit in Philly, even though he is 37 years old. Getting him away from the Redskins would also help.
One star linebacker is really all the Eagles need.
Sure, they need to improve on a number of positions.
We need a solid backup quarterback and I’m not sure if Mike Kafka or Trent Edwards can provide that option. We need a powerful backup running back, and we could use a big red zone wide receiver. A veteran safety and another defensive lineman would also be nice.
But I think the Eagles can keep 21 of their 22 starters, and they’d still be a Super Bowl contender. Just get one linebacker and it would completely change the entire defense for the Eagles.
Buy Philadelphia Eagles Tickets | Buy Philadelphia Eagles Apparel
