Should the Eagles try to trade for Cutler? Yes. Will they? Nope.

Jay Cutler has told the Broncos that he wants to be traded after the Bronocos management handled trade offers for him about as horribly as they could possibly have. Without getting into the soap opera that is going on in Denver, I asked you SOB Nation, should the Eagles try and trade for Cutler? I’m going to say I think they should.

• Cutler is Only 25. First off, Cutler is only 25 years old and is just entering the prime of his career.  McNabb is seven years older and is reaching the age where he could start declining fast.
• Cutler was better than McNabb in 2008. Cutler’s numbers in 2008 were better than McNabb’s in almost every category except interceptions.  The one major negative with Cutler’s game right now is his turnovers.  He threw 18 interceptions in ‘08 - McNabb’s never thrown nearly that many in any single season in his entire career.  On the other hand, McNabb has never come anywhere close to the 4,526 yards Cutler threw for in 2008 either.  Cutler’s 7.4 yards/completion average looks pretty nice as well considering McNabb has only had two seasons in his career with a higher y/c.
• McNabb doesn’t really want to be here. McNabb hasn’t come out and said it, but his actions this off-season are speaking louder than words.  Donovan is still pissed he was benched against Baltimore - even though he was playing some god-awful football during that stretch.  Even people in the media have hinted that the benching still has McNabb upset that there has to at least be a little fire for all of the smoke.  McNabb’s never truly embraced this city and to be fair, the city has never fully embraced him either.   His relationship with the fans is sort of like those parents who stay together for their kids sake and then get divorced as soon as the kids are all grown up.
• The Eagles window opens up quite a bit with a young QB. The mythical window gets talked about all of the time, but if the Eagles were to trade for Cutler, the entire starting offensive line, QB, TE, and one wide receiver would be under the age of 27.
• We have the cap space to make it happen. With all of the cap space that the Eagles have been busy not using this off-season, the Eagles have the cap room to be able to take on his 6 year, $48 mil deal and still have plenty of cap space left to not use on free agents.
• McNabb actually makes sense for Denver. Denver apparently feels they are a few players away from being a contender with all of their FA signings (I tend to disagree), and acquiring a QB like McNabb with some picks might be enticing for the Broncos.  Not many teams would be able to give the Broncos as established of a QB as the Eagles could.

There are also plenty of reasons not to pursue Cutler - his turnover problems, medical concerns (diabetes), his attitude, etc; but if McNabb isn’t happy and wants out of Philly, is there any better possibilities for the Eagles at QB beside Cutler?   Just for kicks.  If the Eagles could somehow manage to trade for both Cutler and Boldin by using both first rounders, would anyone really be upset?  It’s becoming more and more clear that there won’t be any elite left tackles left when we pick at #21 so why not?

I don’t expect to see the Eagles pursue Cutler or even think about it much.  If word were to leak that the Eagles were interested in Cutler and they ended up not getting him could you imagine the damage it would do to #5’s fragile pyche?

Someone get me out of Cleveland!

We are in need of a sign of life from the Eagles front office.  The Stacy Andrews signing has a lot of risk to it, and our heart was just torn from our collective chest when Dawkins held up that hideous blue and orange jersey.

We need to add a playmaker to the mix, and not because Donovan wants one.  We need one because we need a championship.  The Eagles are currently a ridiculous $43.8 million below the NFL Salary Cap per EaglesCap.com, the front office’s inaction is further evidence of their lack of commitment to success.

We are all still digesting the changes we’ve seen thus far, but the fastest way to win back the fan base is to give us the WR we have been chanting for.  Despite the obvious holes at safety, offensive line, running back, fullback, tight end, etc., adding a Wide Receiver will make the biggest splash.

And trading is the only way to make that happen.  The mediocre 2009 Free Agency class of WRs had it’s validictorian graduate to Seattle today, and veterans Joey Galloway, Laveranues Coles,  Devery Henderson, and Marvin Harrison are among the best who remain unsigned.  All can be playmakers, but none can compare to the options who have been rumored to be available via the trade market:

Boldin would welcome a trade to step out of Larry Fitzgerald's shadow

• Anquan Boldin - Anquan put on a clinic in ‘08, scoring 11 TDs in a season shorted to 12 games due to a broken face he sustained in Week Four.  Boldin at one point was requesting a trade from Arizona, but it appears as though the departure of Todd Haley have quieted the All-Pro WR.  Anquan would fit in perfectly with the Eagles; an explosive, sure-handed, tough receiver to go along with DeSean and White Lightning in the slot and outside.  If the Cardinals give Kurt Warner all of Anquan’s money, talks may flare up again.
• Braylon Edwards - Had a terrible year by his standards in 2008 (870 yards, 3 TDs) and he hasn’t been getting along with the Cleveland fans due to recurring dropped passes.  New head coach Eric Mangini is looking to overhaul the franchise, and from what Braylon’s been saying he isn’t a big fan of Cleveland:  “It is what it is…I’ve learned since being here that I’m very unappreciated.  Not by the organization, just in the eyes of the fans and the city.  Since Day One, I’ve been a marked man coming from Michigan. It’s just gone that way.”  Depending on what Mangini’s impulsive decision tells him to do, the Eagles may be able to get a potentially great #1 receiver at a relative bargain.
• Brandon Marshall - New Denver head coach Josh McDaniels is clearly in the process of overhauling the roster he inherited, and controversial WR Brandon Marshall may be available at the right price.  Although Marshall may be suspended for a portion of ‘08 due to an ongoing domestic violence case, he has the talent to be one of the best WRs in the NFL and I would sure love to steal something back from Denver.

The prospect of the Cardinals trading one of their All-Pro WRs to the Eagles seems unlikely, but if the Eagles were to put an aggressive offer out like a 1st and 3rd round draft pick, could Arizona refuse?  In the case of Edwards or Marshall, a 2nd and 5th round pick could potentially convince their teams new management to make a move.  At the end of the day both players are completely at the mercy of the teams that own their contracts, but I’m sure they all would like to get a new contract and play on a Super Bowl contenting team.

We want to be a Super Bowl contenting team, right?

Drafting a QB in April doesn’t make a lot of sense, but generally the Eagles follow George Costanza logic:  Take your first instinct and do the complete opposite.

A pretty impressive two minute drill there, although the clock stoppage after 1st downs in college football changes the dynamic completely.  The Eagles sure could use that (both a QB who can execute and extra time outs).

While all the attention is currently focused on Matt Stafford and Mark Sanchez, Kansas State’s Freeman could end up being the top QB of the ‘09 draft.  He looks like an NFL QB (6′6″, 248 pounds), can run the ball (4.97 40 yard dash, 14 rushing TDs last season) and not only has a strong arm but also throws efficiently (20 TDs, 8 INTs, 136.5 QB Rating in ‘08 season).

Freeman reminds me of a young Donovan McNabb; a playmaker both throwing and running the ball, but absolutely needs to refine his accuracy, touch and pocket passing game.  Definitely a boom or bust prospect, Freeman could become the next Aaron Brooks just as easily as the next McNabb.  I don’t see the Eagles drafting QB early, but if Freeman slips into the second round of the draft the Eagles may consider picking him up.

I’d rather have a young McNabb backing up the real McNabb than a young A.J. Feeley backing him up like we do now.

Will Housh help the Eagles "put it on the board" in '09?

Eagles fan’s favorite topic over the past few off-seasons has been complaining about the perceived lack of talent at Wide Receiver.  I would argue that last year’s WR core was the second best of the Andy Reid era, behind the ’04 squad that featured T.O(verdose).

Heading into the ’09 season, DeSean Jackson and Kevin Curtis are our starting WRs. Avant has shown promise recently in the slot, and beyond that Reggie Brown, Hank Baskett, and Greg Lewis rotate in.  Although I like “Touchdown” Reggie Brown, “Baskett” Catch, and “G-Lew” for their nicknames, they haven’t added much (or anything) to the mix.

This year is no different that others, except now not only are the fans complaining, but so is the Quarterback.

There are quite a few interesting options at Wide Receiver available in Free Agency this year so hit the jump and check out the complete list

McNabb, like the SOB Nation, is looking forward to getting some questions answered in the 2009 off-season.

The Eagles’ Quarterback position has been discussed in great detail during this off-season, mostly due to McNabb airing his grievances out through the media.  Some fans want to see McNabb leave town, others just want him to shut up.

Regardless of what the fans want, McNabb will the Eagles starting QB in ’09 unless he decided that he doesn’t want to show up.  A hold-out from McNabb is unlikely, but the Eagles may look to sure up the QB position by adding a veteran through Free Agency.  Jeff Garcia’s available…

Although equally unlikely, after the jump you will find a list of all notable NFL QBs becoming free agents in ’09.

Click here for the full list of 2009 NFL Free Agent QBs.

Donovan why didn't you just listen when I was explaining the why you were benched? You just looked at me with that blank stare of yours.

Has Donovan McNabb been talking with Brett Favre about how to be a major distraction during the off-season lately?  While Donnie hasn’t quite reached heights of annoyance that Favre reaches on a yearly basis with his off-season soap operas, he is rapidly approaching them.

Today we found out via ESPN that McNabb and his agent Fletcher Smith met with the Eagles last week and discussed his November benching but didn’t address his contract situation at this time.  Rather, according to the report, McNabb wants to see what the Eagles do before he decides whether or not to pursue a contract extension or seek a trade if the Eagles don’t improve enough this off-season.

Ok.  First off.  McNabb needs to shut up about the benching against the Ravens.  He wants an explanation for why he was benched?  How about this one Donnie.  You flat out sucked more than any Eagles quarterback I can remember over a 7 quarter period that saw you throw 5 INTs.  That was after looking like a complete fool on every single football tv show, blog, and newspaper by admitting you didn’t know there were ties in the NFL.  Good enough of an explanation? Continue reading why I’m getting sick of hearing about McNabb this off-season

I honestly don’t care about the QBs throwing in the 2009 Combine.  I’m much more concerned about the standing of the Quarterbacks currently on the Eagles roster (McNabb & Kolb) than those available in the draft.  The top of the draft class isn’t that strong, but there are a few Quarterbacks who I think will eventually make a real impact in the NFL.

It seems unlikely that the Eagles will use a high draft pick on a QB, but potentially could look for a project player in the middle or later rounds.  Lets focus on those who looked good at the Combine:

I'm not sure if Matthew Stafford has what it takes to make it in the NFL, but that girl does

• Matthew Stafford - Participated in positional drills, the 40 yard dash (4.84), vertical jump (30.5″) and broad jump (8′11″).  Nothing special in those numbers, but that isn’t Stafford’s game.  We’ll see what he really is in the NFL, but I don’t think any Quarterback can succeed in Detroit right now.
• Mark Sanchez - I think Sanchez is an intriguing NFL prospect, and his performance at the Combine only helped his cause.  At 6′2″ 227 pounds, Sanchez is a gun-slinger with some of the longest arms and biggest hands of all this year’s QBs.   His 4.88 40 was among the best of the Quarterback class, as well as his 32.5″ vertical, 4.21 second shuttle, and 9′8″ broad jump.  Sanchez will bring fire power to whichever NFL team’s offense that drafts him, plus lots of interceptions.
• Pat White - His stock was falling pre-Combine, but I think Pat White’s workout will help him on draft day.  The big question has always been his ability to play the QB position in the NFL, and did what he could, throwing well on Sunday.  For those who considered White more of a project offensive player, he put up an impressive 4.50 second 40 and 35″ vertical jump, both best among QBs.  Troy Smith was drafted in the 5th round of the 2008 draft, and I expect Pat White to be drafted before that in 2009.
• Josh Freeman - May have push himself into the 1st round of the draft with his Combine workout.  Freeman could have been better in positional drills, but his size and athleticism shined through.  He’s 6′5″ 248 pounds, and put up a 4.97 40, 33.5″ vertical leap, and an athletic 9′11″ broad jump.  You can’t coach Freeman’s size and athleticism, and if he’s available at pick #21 I would have to consider drafting him.

Quarterbacks the Eagles have met with at the Senior Bowl (a bunch of little white guys):

Rhett Bomar, who was booted from Oklahoma for breaking NCAA rules, is one of the QBs the Eagles met with at the Senior Bowl.

• Graham Harrell - The Texas Tech QB only participated in the 40, and ran it poorly with a slow 5.07 second dash.  Harrell was a tough college player, but his small hands and average size don’t translate well into the NFL.  He’s a late round gamble at best.
• Rhett Bomar - Isn’t the biggest QB at 6′2″ 225 pounds, and his hands were among the smallest of Combine QBs at 9″ long.  That said, he ran a solid 4.82 40 and put up the 225 bench press 25 times, second most of QBs.  Bomar left Oklahoma University after breaking NCAA rules in 2006, and the stigma from that incident will hurt his draft stock but one man’s lose is another’s gain.
• Nathan Brown - A small guy at 6′1″ 219 pounds, Brown’s got a pretty live arm but some questions about his size and mobility.  He tried, but didn’t do much to answer these questions with a 4.91 40 and a 4.44 second shuttle, one of the slowest among QBs to complete the drill.  Brown seems too small to be a pro QB, but his arm strength and accuracy keep him in the discussion.

To me there aren’t any sure things in the QB class of 2009.  I won’t be convinced of Stafford until he plays an NFL game and Sanchez is a situational boom or bust, so my favorite QB may be Josh Freeman.  It’s possible that all three will be taken within the first 20 picks of the draft.

Of the three QBs which the Eagles met with at the Senior Bowl, they all showed the common thread of being late round system quarterbacks.  Rhett Bomar is the most interesting to me as it seems like his stock is deflated due to him getting paid just like every other big time college athlete.  I need to read more about Nathan Brown too.

When it comes down to it, I hope the Eagles are following my lead and looking more deeply into positions like RB, OT, S, WR, DE, CB, etc. rather than  QB.

Donovan's been all smiles this offseason, and a new contract would keep the good times rolling.

McNabb & I haven’t been on the same page recently.  Throughout his campaign for a new contract, which began in Tampa two weeks after the NFC Championship game, I’ve been trying to figure out where he’s coming from.  Right when I think I’ve got it, he goes and says something like he expects a “financial apology” for being benched.  Hey Don, you were benched because you were playing terribly, you don’t get a raise for that.  That said, it makes sense a lot of sense to give McNabb what he wants and re-work/extend his current contract.  Donovan has always shown the type of ability to become a Hall of Fame QB, but hasn’t been able to reach his ultimate goal (some call that “choking in big games”) and continues to surround himself with controversy.

But what other QB has been attacked throughout his career like McNabb has?  Donny was booed on draft day, victimized by Rush Limbaugh’s ignorance, and survived the cancer that is TO.  Plus he puts up with the general day-to-day scrutiny of the Philadelphia media dissecting his every action and word looking for something to critique.  McNabb has stood tall for the most part, yet always seems to toss in a couple whiny words.

Now he’s asking to re-work his contract, what he and Fletcher Smith call a “financial apology” for being benched against the Ravens.  As insane as that request sounds, I know there isn’t another QB even remotely available who can give the Eagles a better chance to win the Super Bowl in ‘09 or beyond for that matter.  So without further ado, the case for resigning Donovan McNabb:

The Numbers -

• The Eagles have only been to 6 NFC Championship games, and Donovan McNabb was the team’s quarterback in 5 of those games.  He, much like the Philadelphia Eagles, has never been able reach the next level and win a Superbowl.  Although it doesn’t reflect well on McNabb that he was at the helm for most of those loses, but we’ve had a better shot to make it happen over the past 10 years than any other stretch in Eagles history.Mortenweig

• But let’s not judge the future by the past.  Who is this quarterback today?  McNabb turned 32 a few months ago on November 25th, and during the 2008 season was among the top 10 NFL QB’s in completions, yardage and TDs.
• Not everything about the numbers are pretty, and the main complaint about McNabb is his mediocre 60% completion rate.  In 2008, Donny attempted 571 passes, 4th most in the NFL.  The one-dimentional nature of the Reid/Mornhinweg offense contributes to McNabb’s completion percentage issues, which drives down his QB rating as well.
• Since 2002, only Manning, Brady, Brees and Farve have thrown more TDs than McNabb.  Donovan has has the fewest INTs of the five quarterbacks, but also has the lowest completion percentage.  When healthy, McNabb is right up there in the “best quarterback not named Peyton or Tom” conversation.

Uncapped 2010 -

• As it stands today, the NFL will not have a salary cap for the 2010 season.  Nobody manages the cap better than Joe Banner, and if there is no cap in ‘10, re-working McNabb’s deal in could present some interesting possibilities for this year.  In the new contract (extension), Banner could divert money currently due to McNabb in ‘09 into the uncapped 2010 season, thus allowing the Eagles to be even more aggressive in the 2009 free agent market.

Kevin Kolb -

• The grass isn’t always greener on the other side.  As detailed earlier, McNabb’s numbers paint the picture of a top-tier NFL quarterback, even though the perception of his performance has not always matched up.  Imagine what this city would do to a mediocre QB.
• To date, the Eagle’s heir apparent at QB has not shown anything to make me confident that the team is in competent hands if the Birds were to part ways with McNabb.  If Kolb isn’t the answer, then who is?  Another high draft pick?  Sign an aging veteran?  Both of those options are too risky for me and don’t bring us any closer to the Super Bowl.

He needs a Super Bowl just as much as we do.

Certainty -

• From the outside looking in, it seems like McNabb’s current push for a contract extension is tied to his lack of certainty and confidence in the Eagles front office.  Hard to blame for being skeptical, the Eagle’s front office have been notorious for abruptly cutting ties with aging players, regardless of past performance.  In McNabb’s eyes, resigning with the Eagles is the only way to end the questioning and scrutiny from the media once and for all.  Who knows, maybe that weight off his shoulders is all he needs to get over the hump.

At the end of the day, Donovan McNabb is an elite quarterback, even if he is a step behind greats like Brady and Peyton Manning.  It’s not like those guys would be available if the Eagles were to cut ties with McNabb.  All we would be left with is the task of finding a new franchise QB, which is an extremely hard thing to do and the fastest way to get your team into “rebuilding mode”.

It’s easy to pin the blame on McNabb for the team’s inability to win a Super Bowl, but I argue that we wouldn’t have been in a position to consistently compete for Super Bowl’s without McNabb.

What do you say?

This is the first in what I hope will be 9 part series of posts detailing each position and the Eagles needs at the position leading up to the official beginning of the off-season - free agency.

If the Eagles make another Super Bowl run in 2009, it'll be on #5's shoulders

2008 Review

For the first time since the 2004 season, Donovan McNabb actually made it through an entire season without missing a game due to injury, but his season was still a story of peaks and valleys.  No other quarterback seems to have such extremes between his highest highs and lowest lows as our very own #5.  McNabb started off the season with a 3 touchdown game against the Rams, but then threw just 3 more touchdowns over his next 3 games.

This was the story of McNabb’s season, and in a way, his entire career with the Eagles.  When he was on in 2008, he was one of the best in game.  When he was off though, he made Kevin Kolb look like a good idea.  The seven quarters of football he turned in against Cincinnati and Baltimore were by far, the worst consecutive quarters of football McNabb has ever played wearing an Eagles jersey.  He rebounded nicely though, albeit against some weak defenses outside of the Giants and finished the season with pretty good numbers.  His 3,916 yards were a career high, his 23 TDs were the most he’s thrown since 2004, and he completed over 60% of his passes for just the third time in his career.

Position Needs

There’s rampant speculation that McNabb wants out of Philly and that his current tour of talk radio appearances is being done in an effort to make that happen.  The bottom line though is that McNabb is under contract for two more years with the Eagles and doesn’t have a whole lot of power here.  There aren’t going to be too many teams beating down the Eagles doors for a 32 year old quarterback with a history of accuracy and on field regurgitation problems.  Joe Banner has already said McNabb will be back in 2009 and no matter how much McNabb wants one, a new contract is probably not all that likely.

Read the rest of this entry »

Help! I Can't Shut Up in Interviews!

Eagles QB Donovan McNabb is good at many things, including letting his mother speak for him, bounce-passes, underachieving and vomiting.  Add pissing off his defense (both past and present) to the list.

During last week’s media blitz, Donovan said:

We were up, 25-24. [The Cardinals] drove down 72 yards by running the ball — probably, what, eight times? And it reminded me so much of [the NFC championship game in] St. Louis where, coming back in that second half, they ran the ball nine times with Marshall Faulk to keep our offense off the field. Because they were terrified of us going back out and scoring more points.

Not a direct attack on the defense, but his statements lead one to believe that it was the defense that was responsible for the loss.  Almost like the Eagles didn’t get the ball back with 2:53 left and a chance to drive down the field and win.

Former Eagles Jeremiah Trotter and Hugh Douglas seem to be all too used to this sort of thing from McNabb, and are in the position to say something about it now that their playing days are over.  “When you break that team code, it hits home. When you call someone your teammate, you’re calling them your brother. Be loyal to your teammates. It’s easy to point fingers.  Brian Dawkins a team player. He would never do that,” said Douglas.

Trotter, however, took things a step further:

I really believe it’s time for Donovan to just go to another team. Donovan is a great quarterback. He is in the top five. He has been for a long time, but I believe he’ll play even better if he’s happy. I don’t think Donovan wants to be here. Donovan is not going to come out and say it, which I think people would respect him more if he came out and just told the truth. But I think he tells everybody else one thing when he does his press conference and post-game interviews and he throws little comments out there. Donovan really doesn’t want to be an Eagle. I don’t think he’s ever been happy there.

Damn Trot, nice to hear from you.

In my eyes, Donovan really say anthing that aggregious here, but as always he is a lightning rod for controversy and loves to throw that little something extra in he knows can easily be misconstrued.  In all honesty, the only thing he should be saying is “The lose was my fault, I’ve got to complete those passes in cruntch time.”  Thats its, no more, no less.  Instead he’s left with another mess to clean up and more fuel for the growing media fire.