It smells like planting season right now in the NFL, as head coaches and assistant coordinators are being mulched and recycled all over the league.

The latest moves:  an unusual swap of offensive coordinators--- the Atlanta Falcons hired Dirk Koetter from Jacksonville to replace Mike Mularkey only four days after the Jaguars introduced Mularkey as their new head coach.

Mularkey, whose Falcons offense was shut out in a 24-2 playoff loss to the New York Giants last week, was introduced as Jacksonville's coach on Wednesday. He hired former Falcons quarterbacks coach Bob Bratkowski to be his offensive coordinator.

The Falcons hired Koetter despite the Jaguars ranking last in the league in total offense and yards passing in 2011. Koetter's offense ranked 29th with its average of 15.2 points per game. Koetter was hired as Jacksonville's offensive coordinator in 2007. He worked with Falcons coach Mike Smith for one year. Smith was the Jaguars' defensive coordinator before he became Atlanta's head coach in 2008.

The Falcons are still looking to replace defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder, who moved back to the college ranks to head Auburn's defense.

What does all this mean to the Eagles? For one thing, I sure as heck appreciate Marty Mornhinweg a lot more as an offensive coordinator when I look at Dirk Koetter's body of work... I mean, other than a few good years at Boise State, what experience can Koetter possibly bring to the Falcons that would improve their offense beyond what he produced in Jacksonville? What new ideas can he implement? Run more no-huddle? Throw more to Julio Jones? I just don't understand the hire...

To the Eagles it also means there's going to be a lot of potential opportunities for movement among all of their assistant coaches, including guys like Jim Washburn (who may wish to rejoin Jeff Fisher in St. Louis), Marty, and even Juan Castillo (who is reported to be sought after by the Vikings---but not sure whether it's on the offensive or defensive side)... and it also makes the availability of Spags as a new defensive assistant even that much more of a sweepstakes.

As a footnote to all the movement of coaches around the league, here's a take on which impending Free Agent Players the Eagles need to decide upon keeping or letting go.


Derek Landri (DT) is a guy I would like to bring back for 2012... but the Eagles may have other plans.

The great hard-working Jason B of Bleeding Green Nation put out the perfunctory list of Eagles Free Agents who are on the line for 2012.  Since I can't improve upon or disagree with the factual nature of this list, here it is in a nutshell:

To start, here is the list of pending free agents:  DE Victor Abiamiri, RB Ronnie Brown, DT Antonio Dixon, OT King Dunlap, WR DeSean Jackson, DT Derek Landri, DT Trevor Laws, G Evan Mathis, DE Juqua Parker, FB Owen Schmitt, WR Steve Smith, QB Vince Young.

Jason then breaks the list down into the following categories:

Bring them back:

Evan Mathis - Might be the most important pending free agent. He had a fantastic year and made himself a vital part of the line's success going forward.

Derek Landri - Made the most out of absolutely every snap he got this season and was one of the most productive DTs in football on a per snap basis. He's certainly earned another contract.

DeSean Jackson - Money will be the big issue here. If Jackson and Rosenhaus want Larry Fitzgerald money, there's a decent chance he's gone. But we don't know how that will work out yet. At this point all I can say is that I think he does play an important role on this team, his production would not be easily replaced and I'd like to see him back.

Antonio Dixon - His loss was a very underrated part of the reason why the Eagles struggled against the run so often this season. Plus, his play last season had to be part of the impetus for trading Brodrick Bunkley prior to this year. Bunkley went on to have a good season in Denver, but Dixon flat outplayed him in 2010. I'm interested to see what he brings to the DL rotation when he's healthy next year.

Indifference:

King Dunlap - King has done a really good job when asked to fill in at time over these past two seasons. This is clearly a guy that has put in the work since his rookie season when he looked like he'd be completely useless. Line depth is important so King certainly has value, but a backup is a backup so I can't call him a "must bring back."

Owen Schmitt - He's done a perfectly acceptable job as the Eagles FB over these past couple seasons. If he's back, fine. If they want to try to upgrade, I'm fine with that too.

Let 'Em Walk:

Victor Abiamiri, Ronnie Brown, Vince Young - These all need no explanation...

Steve Smith - I would not be at all surprised to see Steve Smith have a resurgence next year. He came off a terrible knee injury suffered late in 2010 and clearly looked like a shell of himself in 2011. Maybe he'll never get back to his Pro Bowl level, but next year he'll be two years removed from microfracture knee injury and should be more productive than he was here. All that said... he can do it somewhere else.

Trevor Laws - He's really shown flashes of being a disruptive player in the middle, but in your fourth year you need to be showing more than flashes. I was really close to putting Laws in the "indifference" category, but looking at the DT position on the team, it's hard to see where he'd even fit.

Juqua Parker - He's given 7 years of solid service to the Eagles and I certainly appreciate that. However, he's going to be 34 this year. He had trouble staying healthy and assuming Brandon Graham comes into next year ready, it's really hard to see a place for him on the squad.

Looking at this list again, I might want to try to change Jason's mind about letting Trevor Laws go... That would be my biggest concern about losing a guy who may be ready to reach his peak performance as a defensive lineman. I've seen Laws make big plays in isolated moments over the past two years. He certainly would be snapped up by another franchise the moment his name hit the FA wires.

But cases like these are where you have to trust your Personnel and coaching professionals. The Eagles have inside data based on medical reports and game film evaluation which armchairs like me will never get to see. For all of our intuitive feel and understanding of the game, we are lacking in hard data. Admitting that fact, I just go with a feel for the guys I like...and I like the idea of going to war in 2012 with Landri...and Laws...together again at DT, if it is meant to be.

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I apologize for a brief lapse in Eagles coverage, as yesterday I helped bury one of their biggest fans... Pops finally succumbed to a long fight with heart disease and let go at the age of 84. I'm sad that he's gone, but I'm glad that he is free... I bet he's tossing the ball around with Pete Pihos as we speak...

If there's one guy in the NFL today whom dad most resembled physically and emotionally, I'm guessing it is Jeff Fisher. I always thought Fisher would be the guy in Philly if Andy ever decided to step down. A lot of that idea is sheer personal projection, obviously... But I find it ironic that on the day Dad passed, Fisher took the job in St. Louis. It was a rational and logical choice by Fisher, something my father would have approved. He loved Jeff Fisher almost as much as he loved the Eagles... I think he saw him as the little brother he never had...



Fisher resembles my dad in physique and emotion so much it is eerie... thus I took an other-worldy interest in Fisher's recent saga of job interviews with the Miami Dolphins and the St. Louis Rams.

The 53-year-old Fisher interviewed twice with the Rams, once in Denver with owner Stan Kroenke and again in St. Louis when he toured facilities and met with quarterback Sam Bradford. Fisher is widely considered the top prize in this winter's coaching-search sweepstakes. He coached the Titans for 17 years, including a Super Bowl matchup against the Rams in 2000 in which Tennessee fell 1 yard shy of forcing overtime in a 23-16 loss.

Fisher was the Rams defensive coordinator in 1991 when the franchise was in Los Angeles. St. Louis' offer may have trumped Miami's for several reasons. The Rams have former No. 1 overall pick Sam Bradford at quarterback, the No. 2 overall pick in this year's draft and a favorable salary-cap situation. In addition, chief operating officer is Kevin Demoff is the son of Fisher's agent, Marvin Demoff.

The Rams might offer more power, too. The franchise is replacing both coach Steve Spagnuolo and general manager Billy Devaney.

It was a decision my dad would have made...after long deliberation, he would have gone by the numbers...and the numbers are definitely with St. Louis.
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Will Horton of this network chipped in with a piece to remind us that the Eagles still belong among the best NFL teams in the business. Unfortunately, in 2011, we made news as one of the best teams in NFL history to be involved on the wrong end of the NFL's biggest regular-season and wild-card upsets:

"Here's a run-down of the biggest upsets of the 2011 season so far, starting with Buffalo's shocker over New England in Week 3, and running up to the Denver Broncos' thrilling overtime wildcard win in Pittsburgh. With three more weeks left in the season, is there room for at least one more? (I know Tim Tebow sure hopes so.)

These upsets break down into a few classes: teams that surprised us early but turned out to be better than we thought; total fluke victories; and teams that played the radically overhyped Philadelphia Eagles."

Chapter 1: The Surprise Teams 

Week 3: Buffalo 34, New England 31.
(NE favored by 8.5 on the road) 

 While the first two weeks of the season contained some great early drama, including teams like the Lions, Raiders and 49ers showing some surprising early strength, no early season victory was more thrilling than Buffalo's frenzied slugfest with New England. The Bills and Patriots offenses dueled like two middleweight boxers, eschewing caution to fly around and launch massive shots at each other. 

The game started out like most Patriots-Bills games: as a Pats blowout. Early mistakes by Fitzpatrick and his receivers helped the Pats to a 21-0 advantage, and no doubt several disgusted Buffalo fans thought about changing the channel. But Fitzpatrick rallied his team to two quick scores to end the first half 21-10.

Then, all hell broke loose in the second half. The Bills created four turnovers off of Tom Brady, and Fitzpatrick found Stevie Johnson, Fred Jackson, and little-used tight end Scott Chandler open all over the field. 

For a brief time, the Bills were in the AFC East lead, and looked like they were for real. But that time would run out when Jackson's season was lost. With it went Fitzpatrick's mojo, and Chan Gailey's coach of the year consideration.

~

Week 5: Seattle 36, NY Giants 25
(NYG favored by 9.5 at home)

 No, the Seahawks didn't make the playoffs. But they surprised just about everyone by staying in wildcard contention until the season's final week, considering that they had one of the weakest-looking quarterback rotations in football, and lost Sidney Rice for an extended period of time. 

Pete Carroll's team starting showing  life once Tarvaris Jackson came off the trainer's table, as the former Viking was able to thrive in new offensive coordinator Dick Bevell's scheme. However, Jackson was sidelined again midway through this matchup, and Charlie Whitehurst had to take the team to the finish line.

The game was a coming-out party for two young receivers that would become forces in this season: the Giants' Victor Cruz and the Seahawks' undrafted rookie Doug Baldwin. Both caught eight passes for a combined 297 yards and two touchdowns in an aerial thrill-ride. The difference for the Seahawks, though, was in their bright young secondary. Brandon Browner, Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas each intercepted Manning, negating a massive passing day for the Giants quarterback, and sealing a massive road upset.

~ 

Week 9: NY Giants 24, New England 20  
(NE favored by 8.5 at home

The Brady-Manning rematch of Super Bowl XLII turned out to live up to its phenomenal billing. To this point, and for much of the season, the Giants had struggled to mount any kind of consistency, and the Patriots had reestablished their offensive dominance despite a still-leaky defense.

Normally, when the Giants pull off a big upset, it's when Eli Manning is playing on top of his game. That wasn't the case on this day, as he completed only 20 of 39 passes for a TD and a pick. But the New York defense created their own luck, intercepting Brady twice to keep them in the game. 

After struggling to put points on the board, both teams ended the fourth quarter with a flurry of points. Manning had the last laugh, though, throwing a game-winning touchdown with just nineteen seconds left on the clock. 

For those hoping for a true Super Bowl rematch between these two teams, it's still a possibility -- if the Giants can knock off the two best teams in the NFC. IF they do, oddmakers might think twice about handing the Patriots a two-score disadvantage. It hasn't worked out so well for them so far. 

~

Week 10: Seattle 22, Baltimore 17 
(BAL favored by 6.5 on the road)

There's a common theme running among these upset losers: bad days by quarterbacks who threw a LOT. Nowhere was this more apparent than in this game, which featured as bad of a gameplan as there was in the NFL this season: asking Joe Flacco to throw the ball 52 times, while handing the ball off to Ray Rice only 5 times. 

The talented Seahawks secondary will take that ratio any day. Especially when they can turn around and run a Ravens-style offense down the throat of their defense, using Marshawn Lynch as their battering ram.

Lynch carried the ball 32 times, with a long carry of just 8 yards, but he did amass 109 yards and a touchdown. More importantly, his tough running killed the clock and the chances for a Ravens rally once Flacco finally got in gear.  

~

Wildcard Week: Denver 29, Pittsburgh 23 
(PIT favored by 8.5 at home)

Covered earlier this week: Tim Tebow still believes in himself, and now a lot of his doubters do too.

---

Chapter 2: The Fluke Victories

Week 7: Jacksonville 12, Baltimore 7. 
(BAL favored by 9 on the road) 

Baltimore had already lost to one AFC South team on the road, back in Week 2. You'd think they would have been forewarned.

But no, Jack Del Rio's plucky defense held Flacco to a measly 137 yards passing (44 more than Blaine Gabbert managed) in one of the ugliest offensive games of the year. And in a preview of the events to come against Seattle, the Baltimore gameplan went pass-wacky for no good reason. Flacco's 38 passes were four times more than Ray Rice's 8 carries.

The Jaguars, on the other hand, made the most of their one offensive weapon, feeding Maurice Jones-Drew 30 times to set up a series of short scoring drives. A bit of football math for you: four field goals beats one touchdown. Every time.

Unfortunately for the Jags, little in the way of momentum came from this stirring win: they lost four of their next five games, beating only the lowly Colts, and got Jack Del Rio relieved of his duties. 

~

Week 8: St Louis 31, New Orleans 21
(NO favored by 13.5 on the road)

You have your fluke wins, and then you have your total jaw-dropping what-the-hell-did-I-just-see wins. This was one of the latter.

The St Louis Rams, winless on the season in seven tries and without their would-be star quarterback Sam Bradford, took on the powerhouse New Orleans Saints, who has just dropped more points on the Colts (62) than the Rams had scored all season (55). Mismatch much?

What we got, though, was Josh McDaniels' singlemost masterful gameplan of his abbreviated St Louis career. The Rams (with AJ Feeley at quarterback, mind you -- AJ Feeley!) took deep shots early to soften up the Saints defense, then displayed a masterful and unpredictable blend of quick passes out of running formations, and delayed runs on passing downs. Steven Jackson ran for 159 yards and two touchdowns, and Feeley tossed a beautiful 30-yard scoring strike to nail the coffin lid down. 

Said Rams fans after the game: "Where has that been all year?" 

Said those same Rams fans, nine weeks later: "Did that game really happen?"

~

Week 15: Kansas City 19, Green Bay 14. 
(GB favored by 13.5 on the road) 

To be honest, there's no rational explanation for this loss, other than that the Packers just had a lousy day. But if their perfect season was going to be ruined, better here than in the Super Bowl. 

Kansas City's defense had been playing well for weeks, even before Todd Haley and his job security beard was given the boot in favor of Romeo Crennel. And even if the Packers were scuffling, you still have to play extremely well to hold that offense scoreless for an entire half, which is what the Chiefs did.

Aaron Rodgers was a particularly un-Rodgers-like 6 of 17 in the first half for 59 yards and a passer rating of 46.0. (For perspective, he opened the season with 12 consecutive games of 110-plus QB rating days, and obliterated the NFL record mark with a 122.5 rating on the year.) 

Meanwhile, Kyle Orton finally got to play a full game as fill-in starter, and did enough to keep the ball out of Rodgers' hands, and to give the Chiefs enough points to win. This win by itself may have been enough to persuade KC to give Romeo Crennel the head coaching job full time.  

~

Week 15: Indianapolis 27, Tennessee 13
(TEN favored by 6.5 on the road) 

Call it redemption for Dan Orlovsky. The Colts last hope at quarterback was last seen piloting the doomed Detroit Lions team that finished the season 0-16, and was now called upon to do whatever it is he could do for a spiritless Colts team. But if every dog has its day, this was his.

Tennessee had not been playing particularly well down the stretch, even though Chris Johnson was running with more authority, but they were given a touchdown spread by Las Vegas as a customary token. This game was supposed to be a freebie, one you could sleepwalk through.

But even against the worst opponents, you still have to tackle. Somehow, the Titans forgot to do that with Donald Brown, who romped for 161 yards on only 16 carries -- 118 yards of which came after contact.

We can credit the Colts for showing a spark when all assumed they were laying over dead, but this was nothing less than a stunning letdown for Mike Munchak's physical Tennessee team.  

~

Week 16: Indianapolis 19, Houston 16
(HOU favored by 7 on the road)

Call this one the Hangover, Part II. The Houston Texans had just clinched their first ever division crown and first ever playoff spot with the previous week's last-second 20-19 win over Cincinnati. TJ Yates led a thrilling fourth quarter comeback in that game ... and then watched as Dan Orlovsky and the one-win Colts paid him back in the same coin one week later. 
The Colts had their one win done. They would escape the ignominy of joining the short list of winless NFL teams. This one was just for fun, just because the game was there for the taking as the clock ticked down. 

It wasn't the prettiest game for anyone but the few remaining Colts fans and Dan Orlovsky's mom. Both teams were trading field goals like a pair of schoolchildren trading punches. The score stood at 16-12 when Dan Orlovsky found forgotten man Reggie Wayne with a touchdown pass with 19 seconds left in the game, sealing the win.

However, this was to be the end of the Colts' shenanigans. With another win in Week 17, they might be in danger of missing out on Andrew Luck and the franchise reboot that was so badly needed. They promptly tanked their last game against Jacksonville, and order was briefly restored to the universe.  

---

Chapter 3: The Philadelphia Eagles' Chronicle of Suck 

It's still a wonder to me that Andy Reid has a job in Philadelphia, after building a super-team around a healthy Michael Vick and then completely blowing his home schedule. The Eagles finished the season 8-8, one game short of the division-winning Giants. Buried in those standings: a 3-5 record at home, including these four deeply disappointing losses. 

Week 3: NY Giants 19, Philadelphia 16. 
(PHI favored by 7.5 at home) 

Preparing to face the Giants in week 3, Michael Vick was already a beaten man, both physically and emotionally. He took a lot of hits while carrying the offensive load against the Rams in Week 1, and was unmanned by his homecoming in Atlanta in Week 2, arriving as the bad guy against the franchise he once helped save. He threw three interceptions in this game, spurring unrest among the locals, but he wasn't the culprit. Juan Castillo's defensive schemes left gaping holes up and down the field, which the Giants took advantage of to put the Eagles in a quick 14-0 hole that Vick could not dig his team out of. 

~

Week 4: San Francisco 24, Philadelphia 23. 
(PHI favored by 9 at home) 

A little revisionist history is in order here, as no one knew then how good San Francisco would be. 23 points (on 491 yards of total offense for Vick) against what would turn out to be the best defense in the NFL was a respectable offensive product... but unfortunately it fell one point short of what they needed. And while the defense wears the goat horns again for allowing the Niners to rally for 21 unanswered second-half points, the simple fact is that the Eagles offense stopped scoring. They had their chances, but placekicker Alex Henery missed two fourth quarter field goals from within 40 yards to ensure the loss.

~

Week 9: Chicago 30, Philadelphia 24. 
(PHI favored by 8 at home) 

Even at 1-4 after a brutal loss to the Bills in Week 5, there were those still willing to believe. "Best 1-4 team in history" and so forth. And Philadelphia showed a little backbone, climbing back to 3-4 with a pair of wins, making this a must-win game against the Bears. However, it was a must-win game for the Bears, too, as they were making their own case for wildcard consideration. And behind a monster day from Matt Forte and a 10-0 fourth quarter point swing for Chicago, they did just that.  

~

Week 10: Arizona 21, Philadelphia 17. 
(PHI favored by 14 at home) 

At this point, the vultures are circling. The "Fire Andy" chants were percolating in Philadelphia. Beating Arizona wasn't a must-win, it was a game in which there was simply no option of losing. No chance of losing. Even a 3-5 team should be able to take care of a 2-6 team with John Skelton as its starting quarterback. But it turned out to be a classic case of "nothing to gain, everything to lose" for the Eagles. And it followed a now familiar pattern: 

Score points early, then coast. Act shocked when the opponent -- a professional team of the NFL -- takes advantage of you letting them hang around, and scores buckets of second-half points (14-3 difference in the fourth quarter this time). Shuffle off to your press conference and say as little as possible. 

~

Looking back on all four games, and on the Eagles themselves, these losses aren't that surprising. Disappointing for a team expected to contend at the highest levels, yes. But in reality, it was Las Vegas' and the betting public's propensity for heaping money and adulation at the Eagles' feet that pushed these lines to stratospheric levels. Not one of these opponents finished the season with a losing record, and the 49ers supplanted Philadelphia as a postseason power.

But that said, I believe this Eagles loss to Arizona still stands as the biggest, most profound upset of the year. (With full apologies to the Chiefs and the Packers.) This game completely unmasked the Eagles from contenders to pretenders. From Dream Team to "Scream Team", it signaled the final reversal of one of the preseason's biggest storylines.

But as the football sages all say: "That's why you play the game."  

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Thanks, Will Horton... I needed that. We Philly fans can take it. We will come back from this... The Eagles will turn the page. That's what Dad would say.

 

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On the surface it's a dull story... Indianapolis Colts lure Eagles personnel management dude to a bigger office suite with a better view of downtown...

But it gets better.


Ryan Grigson, former player personnel manager of the Eagles, is now the General Manager of the Indianapolis Colts...

Grigson, 39, replaces Bill Polian, who was fired last week.

Grigson spent the past two seasons as the Eagles' director of player personnel after serving four seasons as the Eagles' director of college scouting. He first joined the team in 2003 as a regional scout.

"Although we will miss Ryan personally and professionally, we could not be happier for him," Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said Wednesday in a statement. "He has been a great advisor to me and somebody I have leaned on to bounce ideas off many times over my career. He leaves no stone left unturned in his efforts to find good players and we were lucky to have him here in Philadelphia."

Grigson's departure leaves director of pro personnel Louis Riddick as the highest-ranking Eagles personnel executive behind coach Andy Reid and Roseman.

In his playing career Grigson was a tight end and an offensive tackle.

Ryan Grigson’s time as an NFL player was short, but it made an impression.

“I’d be in meetings and (Cincinnati Bengals assistant coach Paul Alexander would) ask about a player, and he might be from a small school, and I always had an answer for him,” Grigson said.

“Even in college, I used to take the media guides from the coaches, even before I probably should have. … When I got this job, all my buddies were reaching out to me, ‘Maybe now you’re not so crazy for all that information you were into back then.’ Because they kind of thought it was quirky, but it’s what I love.”

“This job” is now General Manager of the Colts. Grigson, a Highland, Indiana native who played college football at Purdue, was named to replace the fired Bill Polian on Wednesday.

“I picked Ryan because I felt he had a vision, he had an intelligence, he had a depth of perception and awareness, that he was capable of taking it up to the next level,” Colts owner Jim Irsay said.

Irsay noted the success former offensive linemen have had in coaching and front office positions in the NFL, including the likes of Hall of Famers George Young and Gene Upshaw.

Grigson didn’t have a pro playing career close to Upshaw’s — a 1995 sixth-round draft pick by the Bengals, Grigson was cut after training camp but spent that season and the next with the Detroit Lions, although he never took a regular-season snap.

In 1997, he was with the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL when a back injury forced him to retire. It was the second major injury of Grigson’s college and pro career; as a freshman at Purdue, he took a blow to the abdomen in a game against Minnesota that resulted in pancreatitis, kidney failure and pneumonia.

Grigson was a pro scout for the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders in 1998 while also serving as an assistant coach at McPherson College in Kansas. He would serve as player personnel coordinator and assistant coach with the Buffalo Destroyers of the Arena Football League in 1999 before returning to the NFL as a scout for the St. Louis Rams.

He didn’t get back into the NFL to “make a few bucks,” he said. It was all about his love for football.

Grigson was a scout for the Rams from 1999 through 2002, before joining the Philadelphia Eagles as a regional scout. He was promoted to director of college scouting in 2006 and to director of player personnel in 2010.

Among the draft picks he helped bring to Philadelphia: Pro Bowl picks, running back LeSean McCoy and receiver DeSean Jackson.

He also helped put together the Eagles’ most recent roster of high-priced free agents that failed to reach the playoffs this season. He said it’s too soon to determine whether his philosophy as Colts’ GM will lean more toward flashy free agent signings or Indy’s traditional method of developing young talent.

Grigson hasn’t even had a chance yet to talk to Colts QB Peyton Manning, although the new GM did speak to head coach Jim Caldwell on Wednesday morning. A decision on Caldwell’s future won’t be made anytime soon, either, according to Grigson and Irsay.

“What I’m going to do, as soon as I go home and get some clothes and get a home-cooked meal and all those sorts of things — I’m used to being on the road, but you don’t carry suits when you’re on the road scouting — I need to lock myself in my office with a ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign on the door and knock it out and know exactly what I have before I can speak about players with Mr. Irsay,” Grigson said.

“I’ve been on teams before where guys were run out simply for the sake of running them out. … If there’s talent or there’s someone who’s productive or good at what they do, to me that makes no sense (to run them out). … I like to salvage things. If there’s ability, why get rid of it, if it’s going to help us get to where we want to go?”

For a Colts team that went 2-14 last season, there’s nowhere to go but up. And for Grigson, he said he feels blessed to not only have an opportunity to build the Colts back into an NFL power, but to do so in his home state.

“I was born in this state, raised in this state, went to college in this state and met my wife in this state,” he said. “I spent most of my life in this state and learned to play football in this state.

“That’s comforting knowing that I’m going to be embarking on this opportunity and challenge with (Indiana) as a backdrop.”

Here's the Philly rub, however--- If Grigson opts to fire Caldwell, he could reach out to Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg. ESPN, the NFL Network and Indianapolis Star have all mentioned Mornhinweg as a candidate to coach the Colts.

Mornhinweg, who just finished his ninth season as an Eagles' assistant, is widely respected throughout the NFL for his offensive philosophy and his background with developing young quarterbacks. Under his charge, the Eagles' offense set franchise scoring records three consecutive seasons from 2008-2010. This season, they ranked third in the NFL in total offense while setting team marks for yardage (6,386) and first downs (134).

Mornhinweg also previously served as an assistant in Green Bay and San Francisco prior to a two-year stint as Detroit's head coach in 2001-02. While with the Packers and 49ers, he worked with Brett Favre, Steve Young and Jeff Garcia. Upon joining the Eagles in 2003, he helped Donovan McNabb, Jeff Garcia, Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick.

The Colts are expected to use the No. 1 overall pick on Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, and decide whether to keep Peyton Manning for a few more years or trade him.

Grigson's departure leaves director of pro personnel Louis Riddick as the highest-ranking Eagles personnel executive behind coach Andy Reid and Roseman.

And....if Mornhinweg leaves to join Grigson, there is a possibility that Brad Childress could rejoin the Eagles as offensive coordinator.

I leave you with these words from Greg Gabriel of NFL Post.com----

"Grigson might not have a name that is known nationally in the media but in the scouting world he is known well. He has done it the right way and paid his dues so to speak. He has worked as a scout in the Canadian League and the Arena League before he joined the Rams first as a combine scout and then an area scout. He has been with the Eagles the last nine years as a scout then as Director of College Scouting and finally Director of Player Personnel."

"I scouted Grigson while he was in college and he was a solid NFL prospect as an offensive tackle at Purdue. He was drafted by the Bengals and played for both them and the Lions in 1995-1996. He then spent some time with Toronto in the CFL before retiring because of a back injury. I have known him as a scout since he came into the league with the Rams. I have always been impressed with how he handled himself on the road and at All-Star games. I have had numerous conversations about players with him and to say that he knows what he is talking about is an understatement."

"What impressed me even more is his passion for football and his job. He is very enthusiastic but at the same time comes across strong with his opinions. The Colts did an excellent job by hiring him. I can compare this hire to the Falcons hiring Thomas Dimitroff in 2008. He was another person who didn’t have a national name but was well respected in the scouting community. And we have all seen the job Dimitroff has done in Atlanta."

"I have said for a long time that the biggest names are not always the best names. There are many very capable personnel people working in the NFL who can do outstanding jobs if they are just given the chance. This was an excellent hire by the Colts and their future looks bright."

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Giving props to the Tim Tebow phenomenon, it is interesting to read these stats:

The TV ratings for last weekend's NFL games are in, and one thing is clear from looking at them: America loves Tim Tebow.

Sunday's Steelers-Broncos game drew an insane 25.9 rating, which was the highest for an NFL wild card playoff game since the Oilers and Seahawks playoff game in the 1987 season. It might have been because of more than just Tebow, because the game drew a 56.2 in Pittsburgh compared to just a 49.0 in Denver, both of which are insane numbers.  That means over half the homes in Pittsburgh were tuned into the game.  An average of 42.3 million people tuned into the game according to CBS, which is just shy of the last State of the Union Address.

As for the rest of the NFL playoffs, it was a mixed bag. Sunday's Giants-Falcons game, which turned into a blowout in the second half, drew just an 18.9, the lowest for a wild card game on Fox since 2008. The pair of NBC games, Lions-Saints and Bengals-Texans, were also down compared to last year's games, The Bengals-Texans game was down 16% from last year, and couldn't crack a 40 rating in either market. As for the Lions-Saints game, it was still down, albeit only 7% from last year and 2% from 2010. New Orleans and Detroit both supported their teams though, with New Orleans pulling in a 58.2 rating (which beats both the Pittsburgh and Denver numbers), and Detroit coming in at a solid 41.1.

Just one more note about Tebow and the ratings to add to the irony factor of everything. We all saw how Tebow threw for 316 yards, and how that just seemed appropriate, right?

The quarter hour overrun for the game that featured the game-winning touchdown from Tebow to Demaryius Thomas on the first play from scrimmage did a 31.6 rating. Now that's just a little too eerie.

[Thanks to Joe Lucia of "Awful Announcing.com" for that reference...]

Speaking of TV ratings, how about the BCS college games we suffered through this past week?  The ratings were terrible. Matt Yoder of "Awful Announcing.com" summed it up this way:
 
"Will Low BCS Ratings Spur a Change to this Awful System?"...

"The ratings are in for the BCS National Championship Game and... well, they're about as ugly as the game was Monday night.  The rematch between LSU and Alabama drew a 13.8 overnight rating on ESPN, which was the worst in the history of the BCS title game.  It eclipses the dreadful Miami/Nebraska game from 2002, which was another game that had questionable circumstances surrounding the arbitrary selection of one of the participants.  Ratings were sure to be weakened with plenty of fans loathing the prospects of a rematch, and were sure to continue going down as LSU didn't even get across midfield till the 4th quarter."

The most alarming statistic may be the entire five game BCS package ratings being down 13% compared to last year, when the games were also on cable.  The Orange Bowl blowout between West Virginia and Clemson was the lowest rated BCS game of all-time.  Yeah, WVU scored about 735 points in that game, but did anyone outside those two campuses have any interest in watching beforehand?  I'm willing to bet that even a close game would have drawn an abysmal number.  In fact, only the Fiesta Bowl between Oklahoma State and Stanford went up in the ratings from last year.

The bottom line is fan frustration with the BS of the BCS is finally carrying over and hitting the BCS where it hurts.  Finally, the momentum for a 4 team playoff is fully taking shape.  (I despise the "Plus One" name as it still clings to the antiquated bowl system - it's a playoff plain and simple.)  We can only hope that the 4 team playoff leads to an 8 team playoff and then a 16 team playoff and the end of the BCS sooner rather than later.

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All of this BCS talk reminds me there are many young prospects in the small colleges of America who are not subject to the crazy criteria of national TV exposure. 



 On average, around 25-30 non-FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) players are selected in the NFL draft. Generally, the first goes off the board somewhere in the second round, and then more start coming off the board by the 4th and 5th round.

For their most recent Small School Big Board Update, Optimum Scouting.com has given 31 non-FBS prospects Draft Round Grades, with another 63 possible draft pick and likely Priority Free Agent grades.

The head of the class features the usual---- Janoris Jenkins, Brian Quick, and Trumaine Johnson. But get to know the likes of Gino Gradkowski of Delaware (pictured above)... or Thomas Mayo, Adrian Hamilton, Jonathan Grimes, Ryan Davis, Charles Deas, Nick Andrews and more....

(Rank - Name - Pos.  - College - Round Grade)

1 - Janoris Jenkins - CB - North Alabama - 1st
-The former Florida transfer hasn't been tested much this year, but his play at Florida and his physical skills haven't gone anywhere. He'll still need to test and play well in post-season events, but he would have been a 1st rounder in the 2011 draft, and he likely hasn't lost ability.

2 - Brian Quick - WR - Appalachian State - 2nd
-Long, lanky, big target for a receiver, Brian Quick has a higher ceiling, better deep speed, and more polish than another FCS receiver prospect: the Giants Ramses Barden, who went to Cal Poly. Barden got a 3rd round grade from us, and ended up there on draft day. Quick should go higher.
  
3- Gino Gradkowski - OG - Delaware - 4th
Former West Virginia transfer, Gradkowski has been a staple of the Delaware running game the past two years. He's built well to stay inside at guard, get keep balance, keep his hands inside, and drive in the run game, and sets up well as a pass blocker. A bit inconsistent, Gradkowski still has NFL starting ability.
  
4- Rishaw Johnson - OG - California PA - 4th'
-Former starter at Ole Miss (for his one and only game as a junior), Rishaw Johns came onto the CalPa Falcons with high expectations in the offense, and for NFL teams. While his run blocking ability wasn't as dominant as I expected, he dropped his hips, slide tight and balance, and showed the ability of a great pass blocker.
  
5- Thomas Mayo - WR - California PA - 4th
-One of the most productive receivers in Division II history, Mayo has the size and length (at 6'2), as well as the speed and understanding of how to attack defenses. He still doesn't have great depth in his route tree and does need to bulk up before he can start, he has outside receiver, deep threat, in air ability that teams do and will do on Mayo in the Top 5 rounds.

6 - Trumaine Johnson - CB - Montana - 4th
-Physical corner who has the length and ball skills to be a zone cornerback (ideally) or be a free safety at the NFL level. A good athlete, he should test well and, despite character concerns, should end up no later than the 5th round, possibly going as high as the 2nd.

7 - Adrian Hamilton - DE - Prarie View A&M - 5th
-The SWAC's single season sack record holder (2nd all time in a single season), Hamilton has dominated offensive tackles all year with his suddenness in his moves and aggression off the snap. He'll be playing in the HBCU this week, a week long (for many) debut onto the national season. 

8 - Renard Williams - DT - Eastern Washington - 6th
  
9- Asa Jackson - CB - Cal Poly - 5th
-A bit unheralded this year, Asa Jackson is the best cornerback this year outside of Janoris Jenkins. He has great length, attacks and flips his hips well to get vertical, and has been a reliable tackler. Not a fit for every system and may not go as high as Steed, Jackson has a great chance to be a mid rounder.
  
10- Ryan Steed - CB - Furman - 5th
-Recently invited to the Senior Bowl (as reported by OS's Damond Talbot), Steed will have a chance to showcase his combination of fluid hips and ball skills against some of the top receivers in the nation. A big chance for Steed to shine, and if he does, he'll be a Top 3 player in this small school class.

11 - Charles Deas - DT - Shaw - 6th -  -

12 - BJ Coleman - QB - Chattanooga - 5th
-Still our top rated quarterback prospect, Coleman battled through inconsistencies and injuries this year, and didn't have nearly the showing he had the potential to. Still, he's got great size, is impressive pre-snap in his reads, and is confident in those reads and his arm. Could be a developmental pocket passer, and maybe a Ryan Mallett type with less arm strength.
   
13 - Tom Compton - OT - South Dakota - 5th
14 - Jonathan Grimes - RB - William & Mary - 6th
15 - Ed Gainey - CB - Appalachian State - 6th

16 - Ryan Davis - DE - Bethune Cookman - 6th - -

17 - Chris Summers - WR - Liberty - 6th
18 - Tyler Holmes - OLB - Massachusetts - 7th
19 - DJ McNorton - RB - North Dakota State - 7th
20 - Josh Norman - CB - Coastal Carolina - 7th

21 - Amini Silatolu - OG - Midwestern State - 7th
22 - Trevor Kennedy - WR - Mercyhurst - 7th
23 - Julian Talley - WR - Massachusetts - 7th
24 - Dale Moss - WR - South Dakota St - 7th
25 - Mike Harris - RB - Murray State - 7th
26 - Ronnie Cameron - DT - Old Dominion - 7th
27 - Tyler Hendrickson - OT - Concordia St. Paul - 7th
28 - Jeff Adams - OT - Columbia - 7th
29 - Jake Trantin - ILB - William & Mary - 7th
30 - Shawn Loiseau - ILB - Merrimack - 7th

31 - Alex Gottlieb - TE - William & Mary - PFA
32 - Kyle Fiedorwicz - TE - North Carolina Central - PFA
33 - Justin Bethel - CB - Presbyterian - PFA
34 - Emil Igwenagu - TE - Massachusetts - PFA
35 - Dustin Waldron - OT - Portland State - PFA
36 - Aston Leggett - RB - Illinois State - PFA
37 - Jeron McMillion - S - Maine - PFA
38 - Rico Wallace - WR - Shenandoah - PFA
39 - Jeremy Jones - CB - Wayne State - PFA
40 - Steve Peyton - S - Brown - PFA

41 - Tyler Butzler - OG - Wisconsin-Stout - PFA
42 - Aaron Corp - QB - Richmond - PFA
43 - Alex Tanney - QB - Monmouth (IL) - PFA
44 - Aston Whiteside - DE - Abilene Christian - PFA
45 - Dominique Ellis - S - South Carolina St - PFA
46 - Michah Pellerin - CB - Hampton - PFA
47 - Chris Lum - QB - Lehigh  - PFA
48 - Cordell Bell - OG - Minnesota State - PFA
49 - Willie Carter - WR - Howard - PFA
50 - Nick Andrews - WR - Alabama A&M - PFA

51 - Pat Williams - OLB - James Madison - PFA
52 - Tyler Osbourne - OLB - Southern Utah - PFA
53 - LaQuinton Evans - WR - Southern - PFA
54 - DeShawn Shead - S - Portland State - PFA
55 - Patrick Witt - QB - Yale - PFA
56 - David Legree - QB - Hampton - PFA
57 - Delano Johnson - OLB - Bowie State - PFA
58 - Derrick Hector - WR - Morehouse - PFA
59 - Randy Colling - DT - Gannon - PFA
60 - Christian Thompson - S - South Carolina St - PFA

61 - Lanny Kelly - CB - Howard - PFA
62 - Shae Allard - OT - Delaware - PFA
63 - Dominique Davenport - CB - Delta State - PFA
64 - Reggie Sandilands - ILB - Bethune Cookman - PFA
65 - DJ Bryant - DE - James Madison - PFA
66 - Lamont Bryant - TE - Morgan State - PFA
67 - Kavario Middleton - TE - Montana - PFA
68 - Vittorio Ottenelli - OT - Colgate - PFA
69 - Josh Smith - WR - Kutztown - PFA
70 - Bobby Felder - CB - Nicholls State - PFA

71 - Jamar Howard - WR - Central Missouri - PFA
72 - Roosevelt Kirk - DT - Stony Brook - PFA
73 - Donovan Richard - OLB - South Carolina St - PFA
74 - Ryan Roberts - OLB - Indiana State - PFA
75 - Jared Green - WR - Southern - PFA
76 - Ryan Lewis - OLB - Bethune Cookman - PFA
77 - Sackie Kerklauh - DT - Howard - PFA
78 - Stanley Porter - DE - Shaw - FA
79 - Ameet Paul - DE - Wofford - FA
80 - Nate Eachus - RB - Colgate - FA

81 - James Pitts - CB - Villanova - FA
82 - Bo Levi Mitchell - QB - Eastern Washington - FA
83 - Mike Allen - CB - William & Mary - FA
84 - Keith Newall - OT - Delaware State - FA
85 - Demario Barber - WR - Fort Valley State - FA
86 - JC Oram - OG - Weber State - FA
87 - Dontrell Johnson - CB - Murray State - FA
88 - Greg Van Roten - OT - Penn - FA
89 - Justin Hilton - WR - Indiana State - FA
90 - Logan Allemand - OG - Wisconsin-Whitewater - FA

91 - Tre Graham - CB - Richmond - FA
92 - Chigbo Annonby - DT - Morehouse - FA
93 - Matt Theis - OT - St. Cloud - FA
94 - Jermaine Saffold - WR - Missouri State - FA
95 - William McGinnis - DT - Maine - FA
96 - Orry Frye - OG - Appalachian State - FA
97 - Daron Rose - OT - North Alabama - FA
98 - Asa Champman - DT - Liberty - FA
99 - John Jones - OLB - Tennessee State - FA
100 - Jarvis Canty - OT - Morehouse - FA

 

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2011 was yet another "Close but no cigar" season for the Eagles. We've had seasons in recent memory that got a lot closer to the cigar. But the end result is the same. We're on the outside looking in yet again.

But it's okay. The anticipation of a national championship (our first since 1960) will make the realization that much sweeter...



We fans often make it harder than it has to be. We become obsessed with the autopsy reports performed upon last year. I'm as much to blame for that "looking back" habit as anyone. But in the spirit of "It's always sunny...", I want to change that mindset.

The future looks bright to me. And that's no pie in the sky, Moonbeam.  The pieces are falling into place. The stars are aligned.

Dan Graziano of ESPN.com agrees.  This week's question for Hot Button was "Which team that did not make the playoffs is in the best position for 2012?" John Clayton picks the Carolina Panthers , while Ashley Fox takes the side of 2011's biggest flop -- the Philadelphia Eagles, who she says "should have no trouble being a playoff team in 2012":

"The Eagles still have issues. No. 1 is what to do with [Juan] Castillo, the longtime offensive line coach who was overmatched earlier in the season. Will they franchise [DeSean] Jackson and then trade him or negotiate a contract extension? With Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie on the roster, will they re-sign Asante Samuel? And will they go against past performance and use their first-round draft pick on a linebacker or safety?

Surely this team will benefit from offseason workouts and minicamps, and from this rally that was too little, too late."

Yeah, there's a lot to like about the Eagles as you look ahead to 2012--- and the memory of how brutally inept they were in so many first-half 2011 games fades a bit. Ashley's points about the way the team has jelled around Andy Reid in December and played better on defense are good, and this surely isn't the last time these points will be made between now and next September. The 2011 Eagles looked great on paper too, though, and they buried themselves under a mountain of turnovers and fourth-quarter meltdowns.

Fact is, we won't know a thing about the 2012 Eagles until we see them play. And we won't be sure they're for real this time until we see them play a lot differently than they did when they were still actually playing for something in 2011.

“It’s tough, because you don’t want to start looking at next year because it’s so far away, but we’ve played some good football as of late,” cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha said. “It’s encouraging for what we can do in the future. Just the way we grew throughout of the year, coaches and players. Toward the end of the year we started playing the way everyone expected us to play, but I guess it was just a little late.”

If you happen to follow Michael Vick on Twitter, you probably saw the following tweet on Sunday, Jan. 1:

“Next season will be totally different. I promise!!!!”

It’s no secret that the Eagles were not a good team for the biggest part of the 2011 year. They started with a 1-4 record, then managed to make it 3-4, only to fall to 4-8 five weeks later. Going undefeated in the last quarter of the season allowed them to avoid a losing season and finish at 8-8.

Is that a real consolation for the Eagles? Even though it soothed the suffering, I don’t really think it was enough. The Birds went all-in back during the free agency harvest, signing Cullen Jenkins, Nnamdi Asomugha, Jason Babin and Vince Young among others, but failed to reach the playoffs.

And so, here we are... alone again, naturally. In other words, the Eagles showed no W-L improvement; in fact, they made a backward step.

Vick also mentioned that this past year (2011) should be a motivation for everyone in the team to work harder in 2012. You could see the disappointment in his eyes in a recent TV interview, and despite that disappointment, he chose to speak of the future—like an inspiring leader does. Vick also talked about staying healthy next year and his plans to play in all 16 games of the regular schedule:

“I've got to get away from trying to do too much, and understanding that waking up Monday morning (not) sore doesn't mean that you didn't go out and give it your all. I think it means you played smart, and I went into the game (Sunday) with that mind-set. That's how I want to play this coming season - protecting the ball, playing smart, not taking unnecessary hits, and being there for my team.”

The road of failure is not only paved with good intentions; it’s also surrounded by excuses. I won’t be the one to offer excuses for Philadelphia’s 2011 slump. But Vick didn't seem to do that either. He simply said: “It is what it is.”

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Jason Kelce was on my All-NFL Rookie team for 2011 at center despite the drums pounding for Miami's Mike Pouncey... but you could write off my pick as a mere "homer" selection until this nationally respected list came out from "Football Outsiders.com"...



Mike Tanier of Football Outsiders agrees with me... and the 6th round pick from Cincinnati may just be the best value-draft selection Andy Reid has ever made...

Here's the entire Football Outsiders All-Rookie team by national concensus:

"This year’s All-Rookie Team would kick the holy living snot out of about two-thirds of the teams in the NFL.

The pass rush alone could propel this team to first place in the AFC West or NFC East, and second place in the NFC West. Throw in the big-play passing game and two running backs who can also catch, and you have a team that can take a two-touchdown lead and dare the opponent to pass without getting the quarterback killed. The kicker is money, the return men can make an impact, and if the offensive line is a little mistake-prone, it’s no big deal because the quarterback can scramble out of danger. The secondary is pretty bad except for one cornerback, but that won’t matter much when opponents only have about four-tenths of a second to get rid of the ball.

As usual, this All-Rookie Team is based mostly on my opinions, with the help of Football Outsiders statistics and some crowd sourcing on Twitter. I do my best to pick a team that could actually take the field, so I don’t move tackles inside to guard or outside linebackers inside unless I have good reason to do it. There is still a good chance that I accidently omitted some worthy player, so if I did, feel free to let me know in the comment thread."

QUARTERBACK: Cam Newton, Panthers. Why Newton and not Honorable Mention Andy Dalton? Dalton has a better record. He also had a slight edge in passing DVOA and DYAR entering the final week. However, Newton has a major edge in rushing DVOA and DYAR, ranking first in the league among quarterbacks. Newton does have a better supporting cast, but he also had a harder schedule; peel off the Steelers, Ravens, and some teams Dalton really struggled against (the 49ers), and things get pretty soft for the Bengals.

The difference between Dalton and Newton is the difference between a quarterback good enough to win and a quarterback you have to gameplan to stop. Newton’s running ability is a real weapon: he is not some desperate scrambler, but a situational rusher who adds an important dimension to the Panthers red zone offense. Between the 20s, they may be about equal, but Dalton and the Bengals have struggled in the red zone, while fielding Newton is like having a quarterback and a short-yardage running back in the backfield.

Though I leaned toward Newton for most of the season, I did not make my final decision until Week 15, when Newton had a great game against the Texans while Dalton tiptoed along in don’t-lose mode against the Rams. Those performances typified the season for both quarterbacks, making this decision easier for me. I think Dalton has real potential. But Newton is already fulfilling his.

RUNNING BACK: DeMarco Murray, Cowboys. Murray is the league leader in Success Rate, which is surprising because he started the season with a lot of 6-for-21 and 4-for-12 stat lines and ended it by getting fed to the line for a few weeks before getting hurt. Murray is a dynamic all-purpose runner who can be deadly in the open field. As a Cowboys running back, though, he will spend the next few seasons in an ill-defined platoon arrangement, with another hotshot rookie capturing our (and more importantly, Jerry Jones’) attention just at the moment Murray appears to have the featured role all to himself.

RUNNING BACK: Roy Helu, Redskins. The hardest working person in Washington D.C., Helu is a poor man’s Matt Forte: not quite as explosive, but very capable as a rusher and receiver.

FULLBACK: Bruce Miller, 49ers. Miller is a versatile blocker and short-yardage receiver in an offense that has numerous roles for versatile blockers and short-yardage receivers.

WIDE RECEIVER: A.J. Green, Bengals. Here are Green’s numbers on passes that traveled more than 20 yards downfield, through Week 15: 27 passes, 14 completions, 545 yards, four touchdowns, three pass interference penalties by his defenders for 95 yards, seven incomplete passes, and three interceptions. For leaping his way to a 63 percent success rate on bombs (if you consider drawing DPI on a bomb a "success"), Green is the runner-up for Offensive Rookie of the Year.

WIDE RECEIVER: Doug Baldwin, Seahawks. Baldwin is likely to finish second to Green in first-down receptions (38 to Green’s 41 through Week 16) and receptions of 20 or more yards (18 to 19). This year’s rookie receiver class is one of the better groups in recent memory, and Torrey Smith, Julio Jones, Denarius Moore, and Titus Young all deserve honorable mentions. Smith, Jones, and Young all got to be No. 2 receivers, however, and Moore has been hurt, so Baldwin gets the starting nod.

TIGHT END: Kyle Rudolph, Vikings. Rudolph made a few acrobatic receptions and has shown promise as a blocker. He has gotten lost in the offensive shuffle in Minnesota, a team whose offensive identity essentially vanished as the year wore on.

TACKLE: Tyron Smith, Cowboys. Smith had rough games against the Redskins and Eagles but has been solid for most of the year, despite playing through finger and shoulder injuries. He is a classic drive blocker.

GUARD: Stefan Wisniewski, Raiders. Wisniewski is such a dead ringer for his uncle, former Raiders guard Steve Wisniewski, that the FOX graphics department accidently used a headshot of Big Wiz when announcing the starting lineups of the Raiders-Bears game. Lil’ Wiz does not have a receding hairline, but he has fared well in a scheme that requires a lot of pulling by the guards.

CENTER:Jason Kelce, Eagles. Kelce struggled at the start of the year, but has really progressed. It is hard to evaluate him when opponents blitz right up the middle so often and blow up fellow rookie Danny Watkins, and the Eagles’ disinterest in a traditional interior running game makes it hard to get a handle on Kelce as a drive blocker. As the season progressed, the up-the-gut jailbreaks became less frequent, and I think Kelce has a solid future.

GUARD: Jason Pinkston, Browns. Pinkston switched from tackle, his college position, to left guard when Eric Steinbach was injured late in training camp. Pinkston has held his own on an offensive line where it can be hard to stand out. "He hasn’t made any more mistakes than the rest of us," Joe Thomas said in November. That’s high praise for any Browns player.

TACKLE: Orlando Franklin, Broncos. The right tackle who protects Tim Tebow’s blind side is the best rookie offensive lineman from Canada this year, well ahead of Danny Watkins. Franklin had real problems with Chris Kelsay last week, but let’s face it: blocking for the Broncos is tricky business. When Tebow is in read-option mode, Franklin can be a real pile-driver on the edge. When Tebow drops to pass, well, anything can happen, but Franklin keeps working through the all-day scrambles. Honorable Mention: Nate Solder, Patriots.

DEFENSIVE END: J.J. Watt, Texans. Watt led all rookie defensive linemen with 47 solo tackles through Week 16. He is growing into a classic 3-4 end, with the ability to hold the point of attack, get down the line on running plays to the opposite side, and win enough one-on-one battles to ensure that not all of the sacks are funneled to the linebackers.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE: Phil Taylor, Browns. The runner-up Defensive Rookie of the Year. Taylor is an absolute moose in the middle of the field. With his ability to turn the interior line into a giant rolling snowball pointed straight at the quarterback, Taylor could be the centerpiece of an outstanding defense if the Browns ever cure themselves of their addiction to old Eagles defenders. Honorable Mention: Jurrell Casey, Tennessee, who must name his son Kallell or Clark, or else.

DEFENSIVE END: Marcell Dareus, Bills. Like the rest of the Bills, Dareus started out strong but went into a long, slow, fade starting around Week 5. Sacks against the Dolphins and Chargers put him back in this lineup. Honorable Mention: Jabaal Sheard, Browns.

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER: Von Miller, Broncos. The Defensive Rookie of the Year, thanks to 11.5 sacks, 23 quarterback hits, 19 tackles for a loss, and two forced fumbles, among other contributions. Miller has gotten his due this year thanks in part to the extreme passive-aggression of Tebowmania. Those of us who need to remind everyone that Tebow does not play 1-versus-11 football found ourselves shouting "look at the season Von Miller is having!" so often that we may have swung the pendulum the other way on him a bit, making him also sound like a one-man wrecking ball. On the other hand, he is very, very good.

INSIDE LINEBACKER: Mason Foster, Buccaneers. Teammates call him "Young Hype" because he is always hyped up when he is on the field. Foster leads all rookies in tackles and has done a fine job as the signal caller for a defense that needs more help than a perfect pre-snap adjustment can provide. "Mason’s playing quarterback for the defense," Raheem Morris said in November. Does that mean he will soon head to the firing range with a Desert Eagle and an already injured finger? Sorry, sorry.

INSIDE LINEBACKER: Jacquian Williams, Giants. Williams played his way into the all-rookie lineup in the last few weeks. When you look at what the Giants have gone through on defense, it is amazing that they are still in the playoff picture. Williams is one of the reasons they have not totally collapsed.

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER: Ryan Kerrigan, Redskins. He has a high motor. And 7.5 sacks. And four forced fumbles.

JOKER/PASS RUSHER OFF THE BENCH: Aldon Smith, 49ers. Screw honorable mention; Smith will play more than half the snaps for this team, so even though he is not technically a starter for the Niners, he’s a starter here. On passing downs, he will replace Williams on the inside and blitz from all angles. Miller and Smith on the same side of the formation, blitzing behind Watt, with Taylor drawing a double team, Kerrigan coming from the other side, and Foster staying at home? Ooh yeah, no quarterback is surviving that, baby. Honorable Mention linebackers include Colin McCarthy of the Titans, Justin Houston of the Chiefs, and K.J. Wright of the Seahawks. We may need one of them to play safety.

CORNERBACK: Patrick Peterson, Cardinals. The Special Teams Rookie of the Year, and also a starter by default, because this has not been a great season for rookie cornerbacks. Don’t worry, with this offense and pass rush, the cornerbacks will have life easy.

CORNERBACK: Richard Sherman, Seahawks. Sherman is a star on the rise according to our game charting numbers, which place him fourth in the league in Success Rate. Sherman also leads all rookies with 19 passes defensed, according to the official count.

SAFETY: Chris Conte, Bears. The weakest choice on the team. Conte made a lot of mistakes and missed his share of tackles this season before injuring his foot and missing the Packers game (probably a wise move on his part). Safety is a tough position for the Cover-2 Bears, and partner Major Wright did not play much better, so Conte gets some benefit of the doubt.

SAFETY: Chris Harris, Broncos. This is a bit of a cheat, because Harris is really a nickel cornerback, and his future is on the edge. But there are not many eligible safeties, and Harris left college as a safety (albeit a 5-foot-9 one), so we can put him here. Harris plays the run very well for a little guy.

PUNTER/KICKOFFS: Brett Hartmann, Texans. Twenty-three touchbacks in 50 kickoffs, plus fine gross and net punting averages.

KICKER: Danny Bailey, Cowboys. Bailey was 12-of-15 from 40-yards out through Week 16 when his own coach was not actively sabotaging him. He is also fine on kickoffs.

KICKOFF RETURNS: Randall Cobb, Packers. Patrick Peterson handles punts, of course.

GUNNER: Tyler Sash, Giants, and Akeem Dent, Falcons. These two combined for 22 solo tackles on special teams, and I love the name "Akeem Dent." Williams and Baldwin help round out some seriously awesome special teams.

Pretty cool stuff. And it is so nice to know someone outside of Philadelphia actually gets what Jason Kelce brought to the league this year. JB told us so...and now it is written....

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With the firing of Johnnie Lynn as Eagles cornerbacks coach, we have officialy entered the season of managerial intrique and coaching personnel mystery in Philadelphia.

I don't see how Johnnie Lynn could be blamed for problems of scheme. There must have been other factors involved in his being let go. And maybe it's just the first in a series of house-cleaning moves to come involving the secondary and linebackers coaching front... or the DC position itself.

Tim McManus (whom I like) broke this story over the weekend for the Philadelphia Sports Daily:
"Todd Bowles Interested in Joining Eagles..."





Bowles is currently the interim head coach for the Miami Dolphins. He is also a former safety in the NFL. He wants to be a defensive coordinator in this league. According to McManus, he wants to become DC of the Eagles.

If it weren't for the Johnnie Lynn firing, I would have dismissed the Bowles story by McManus. But now, the pieces of a bigger story seem to be coming together...  possibly.

McManus writes:

"As speculation mounts about a change at defensive coordinator, one name to keep in mind is Dolphins interim head coach Todd Bowles."

"The 48-year-old Bowles is said to be in consideration for the head coaching jobs both in Miami and St. Louis. Those are the top priorities. But if he is in a position where he is available and Andy Reid is looking,  Bowles would be interested in working for the Eagles, according to a source with knowledge of the situation."

"Philly Sports Daily has learned that the Eagles sought permission to interview Bowles for the defensive coordinator post last season but were denied by Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland."

Jeffrey Lurie on Tuesday alluded to the fact that Juan Castillo wasn’t exactly Andy Reid’s top choice to replace Sean McDermott. “What Andy did is he made – and I can’t speak for him, but I know in our discussions that he made a list of all of the top people that he was looking at to replace Sean McDermott as defensive coordinator. And things happen, circumstances happen, and if changes don’t happen on other teams then certain coaches aren’t available,” said Lurie.

Bowles hails from Elizabeth, New Jersey and graduated from Temple, where he was a four-year letterman. He played eight seasons in the pros and got his first coaching job with the Jets in 2000. He has also had stints in Cleveland and Dallas before joining the Dolphins in 2008. He has coached the secondary in each of those stops, and has experience both in the 4-3 and 3-4.

The Eagles have yet to reach out to Bowles about the coordinator position this time around, according to a source.

Reid still hasn’t held his end-of-season press conference with reporters, leading many to believe that the evaluation process regarding his coaching staff in still ongoing.

Former Eagles assistant and Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo has been mentioned quite a bit as a potential replacement should Reid move on from Castillo.

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Happy New Year greetings to all here from our Alumnus Emeritus Eagle Nut, who by the way was a stand-out wide receiver and high school co-captain back in his playing days. "Nutty Buddy" submitted this pre-Mach 10 Draft entry which he bravely wishes to stand as his final ballot:

"I figure I'll participate in this year's Mach 10... it's tough, as I think the positions that need filling are really linebacker and safety... 

1. Luke Kuechly, ILB, (BC)... I saw him play in a few games this season and he flies to the ball and makes the tackle...I mean he actually tackles guys and doesn't go for the hit...He's a big guy at 6-3 and 230... With some wheaties, protein bars and weight-training, he could be a beast...
2a. Ronnel Lewis, OLB (Oklahoma)... Same as Kuechly, he's a baller... more prone to the big hit...a playmaker.
2b. Nate Potter, OT (Boise State)... he may not be the biggest lineman, but he's quick and very athletic, what Philly seems to be going after...
3. Jeff Fuller, WR (Texas AM)... Another good tall receiver wouldn't hurt, would it?
4a. Russell Wilson, QB (Wisconsin)... I have Wilson going in the 4th instead of the 3rd, because he will need time to develop...Reid loves his QB projects, and I expect VY to be gone soon...Wilson is a mobile QB who has some of Randall Cunningham's traits...
4b. Sammy Brown, OLB (Houston)... He looked good against PSU, although PSU's offense with Rob Bolden at QB can make any linebacker look good. But looking at Brown's resume gives me a good feeling about him...
5. Cam Johnson, DE (Virginia)... Nothing wrong with another good D-linemman, he looks like a real good potential sleeper...
6a.  Jarius Wright, WR (Arkansas)... Another Chad Hall experiment, anyone? He looks like a good ST player...
6b.  Jack Crawford, DE (Penn State)... Even though Devon Still drew the double-teams, Crawford did a nice job of pressuring the QB... I enjoyed watching him play...
6c.. TramainThomas, S (Arkansas)... Somebody has to step up big at safety...Thomas will give 'em some competition...There is no huge gamble here with taking Thomas...and he could be our guy. "

"I couldn't care less if I win the Mach 10, I just want the Eagles to make the best picks that get us the Ring..."


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We've already been speculating here for a week or so about the fallout casulaties from the Eagles' less-than-dreamy run for the Lombardi in 2011... I honestly don't see a need for major changes in personnel as I believe the learning curve for all the new faces from last season (coaches included) has evened out into a kind of "understanding"among all parties.

But the sudden reality is--- CB Asante Samuel turns 31 years old today and is due to make $9.5 million from the Eagles next season and $11.5 million the season after that.

Evan Mathis, who became a surprise starter at left guard after being signed as a free agent last summer, has an expiring contract and has already gone on record as saying he wants to return.

Like Mathis, wide receiver and punt returner DeSean Jackson is due to become an unrestricted free agent after playing out the final year of a rookie contract he signed in 2008. He and agent Drew Rosenhaus have been unsuccessful in their attempt to garner an extension.

Defensive tackle Antonio Dixon, a starter for part of the 2010 season and a valuable part of the playing rotation this past year until tearing a triceps in Week 5 and landing on the Injured Reserve List, is a restricted free agent.

These are just four of more than a dozen players who might have played their last down for the Eagles, who have some extremely difficult decisions coming up when it comes to shaping their roster for 2012. And several of these determinations could play a significant role in how the team plays on the field next fall.


Losing DJax to free agency would suck big time... I'm not just talking about his stats and his big-play potential but about how he stretches a defense to allow other Eagles to shine... I guess he could be replaced, but it would take someone like Victor Cruz (who is not available) or Vincent Jackson (who is)...

Most decisions are strictly contract issues, whether the agreements are due to expire or pay more than the Eagles might be willing to give.

Defensive end Juqua Parker (age 31), for example, took a pay cut to remain in 2011. Now he has an expiring contract and is not sure if the Eagles will even offer him another.

Likewise, tackle Sir Winston Justice took a pay cut to stay on after losing his starting job this summer. He's signed through 2013, but could be let go now without the Eagles taking a significant cap hit.

Here's a breakdown of players whose contracts are either expiring or might be deemed too burdensome by management.

• QB Vince Young: Backup with expiring contract who did little to impress. Doubtful to return....

• WR Chad Hall: Contract up. Fits in well with this team. Should be re-signed....Probable to return.

• WR DeSean Jackson: Contract up. Eagles could designate him as their franchise player and keep him for a season or trade him.

Owner Jeff Lurie on Tuesday expressed interest in bringing DJax back.

"I think his attitude and his overall approach in the final month of the season was terrific," Lurie said. "High energy. ... I would welcome him back. I think if the right terms develop, he would be welcomed back.

"We have the leverage in obviously being able to do what we choose to do and control his situation, but terrific player. And I really don't agree with those who think he's tapped his potential. I think he hasn't. He has a chance to get even better."

Jackson said he would gladly accept a franchise tender, which would pay him approximately $10 million for the 2012 season and delay his free agency until 2013. Still, this is a toss-up because the Eagles might not want to pay him that much even for one season.

• WR: Ron Johnson: Contract up. Added for depth this season. Could be in training camp, but not likely to survive final cuts. Doubtful to return...

• FB Owen Schmitt: Contract up. He wants to be back but doesn't believe he will be. Not a good sign...Questionable to return.

• G Evan Mathis: Contract up. Performed better than expected this season and expects to be back, but "I really don't have a sense of that right now," he said Monday....Probable to return.

• T Winston Justice: Signed through 2013. Lost his starting job and is reluctant to talk about his future as an Eagle. "I can't say how I really feel," Justice said when approached last month...Doubtful to return.

• OL King Dunlap: Contract up. Has proved to be a competent backup who can contribute on special teams as well. Questionable to return....

• C Jamaal Jackson: Signed through 2013. Eagles likely will wait to see what happens in free agency and the draft before making a decision. They could easily afford his $1.75 million salary, though, and would be best served by not messing around with this position too much. If something happens to center Jason Kelce and they don't have a good backup who knows their playbook inside and out, they could pay a much higher price...
Probable to return.

• RB Ronnie Brown: Contract up. They already tried to trade him before the deadline. That didn't work out. He won't be here next year...Doubtful to return.

• CB Asante Samuel: Signed through 2013. His salary and the emergence of Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie likely spells the end of his four-year run in Philly...Doubtful to return.

• DE Juqua Parker: Contract up. Elder statesman of team is likely gone, even though he's expressed a preference to finish his career here...Doubtful to return.

• DT Trevor Laws:  Contract up. One of the toughest decisions to be made...Has played well enough to stay in rotation, but it might come down to a negotiation process. Questionable to return...

• DT Derek Landri: Contract up. Another tough call similar to that of Laws. If they can get him for the right price, they'll bring him back...Questionable to return.

• LB Greg Lloyd: Contract up. Should be at training camp. No guarantees after that...Doubtful to return.

This is the crazy side of the business of NFL football. For all the glamor and bragging rights of being able to say you are a professional football player in the NFL, your actual job security is quite thin. And even if you last in the league for more than the 4-year average length of career, you may end up spending it with three or more different teams.

But like JB once told Broz and Broz told me, "get it while you can..." Or as Satchell Paige is reported to have once said: "Don't look back, someone may be gaining on you..."

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For those who may not know, Brizer is the Simon Cowell of Philadelphia Eagles football... the Lord of Metric Assessment of all things Eagles... and the ultimate judge of all fan posts.  Brizer decides whether you're going to Hollywood (and/or the Super Bowl) or not.

His latest publication of ratings has to do with a rather cryptic "W-7" rating for several Eagles who are on the current active roster.


Brizer is an always tough judge but also fair in his player and fan poster ratings...


Brizer includes the "Swamp Stud", 3rd-year WR and ST'er Riley Cooper, in his mysterious W-7 ratings group... 

I'm still not sure exactly what "W-7" means...  I'm thinking it could be related to the IRS designation for a W-7 payroll category which means, essentially, you are an unauthorized immigrant receiving payment or loan money from an American bank.

Maybe it means W for "which way do we go from here?"...

Anyway, here are Brizer's W-7 nominees for the 2012 Eagles:

"As promised,...my W7 list,..but,..of course, Vick is the straw that stirs the brew,..and is a given (8):

1) Cracker [ DE Brandon Graham]

2) Casey [LB Casey Matthews]

3) Cooper [WR Riley Cooper]

4) Clayton [OLB Keenan Clayton]

5) Clay [TE Clay Harbor]

6) Nate the Skates [S Nate Allen]

7) Laws [DT Trevor Laws]

Carry on,..knuckleheads"

What does it all mean? And Mike Vick is #8 on the W-7 parabola? Vick in the same discussion?---that kind of rules out anyone's immediate job security on the line, doesn't it?

Brizer is not prone to prattling on nonsensically, so I take this W-7 list seriously.

Until he threw Vick on the W-7 continuum, I was convinced Brizer was telling us about good players who needed to step up in 2012 to take leadership roles at their respective positions. But now I get the feeling he's warning us about guys who are actively being offered around the league as trade bait for upcoming draft pick negotiations.

Leave it to Brizer. He never gives you the answers... only the focused and disciplined questions.

I'm at a loss to decipher Brizer's W-7 grouping and its unified implication.

Meanwhile, I got somewhat of a "scoop" from Optimum Scouting at this very network which employs me.

Here's a confidential look at the college athletes that have already received invitations to the NFL Scouting Combine.  Don't tell anyone you saw it here, or they will have to kill me.

While the NFL Combine itself won't publish the official list of the 2012 NFL Combine Invites until late January, check back here for all the latest invites, announcements, acceptance and declines throughout the NFL Combine rumor stages.

Juniors who have declared for the draft will find out their invite status on January 25th. 

So far it's at 74 Total Prospects (14 Non-FBS Prospects) invited and committed to attending:

 
ATTENDING:

Quarterbacks
Chandler Harnish, QB, North Illinois (via Twitter)
BJ Coleman, QB, Chattanooga (via @mocsbeatctfp on Twitter) 
Patick Witt, QB, Yale (via @JoshHarveyScout on Twitter) 
Aaron Corp, QB, Richmond (via Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State (via the Idaho Statesman)
  

Running Backs
Marc Tyler, RB, USC (via Twitter)
Tauren Poole, RB, Tennessee (via @TonyPauline on Twitter)
Alfred Morris, RB, Florida Atlantic (via FAUSports.com)
Brandon Bolden, RB, Ole Miss (via @TonyPauline on Twitter) 
Terrence Gannaway, RB, Baylor (via Twitter)
Isaiah Pead, RB, Cincinnati (via Cincinnati.247Sports.com) 
  

Wide Receivers
LaVon Brazill, WR, Ohio (via Facebook)
Rishard Matthews, WR, Nevada (via Twitter)
Kashif Moore, WR, UConn (via Twitter)
Brian Quick, WR, Appalachian State (via @JoshBDraft on Twitter)
Marvin McNutt, WR, Iowa (Via Twitter) 
Gerrell Robinson, WR, Arizona State (via Twitter) 
Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame (via @BGI_WesMorgan on Twitter) 
BJ Cunningham, WR, Michigan State (via Twitter) 

Tight Ends
Emil Igwenagu, TE, UMass (via @TonyPauline on Twitter)
Evan Rodriguez, TE, Temple (via @FDuffyEagles on Twitter)
James Hanna, TE, Oklahoma (via Greg Powers of FoxSports.com/Scout.com)
Michael Egnew, TE, Missouri (via @Dave_Matter on Twitter)

Offensive Linemen
Ronald Leary, OG, Memphis (via @TonyPauline on Twitter)
Matt McCants, OT, UAB (via Damond Talbot @drocksthaparty)
Rishaw Johson, OG, California (PA) (via Damond Talbot @drocksthaparty)
Tom Compton, OT, South Dakota (via @KELOHolsen on Twitter)
Amini Silatolu, OG, Midwestern State (via @JoshBDraft on Twitter) 
John Cullen, OT, Utah (via Twitter)
David Molk, OC, Michigan (via @KyleBogie)
Jeff Allen, OT, Illinois (via Twitter) 
Andrew Tiller, OG, Syracuse (via Twitter)
Desmond Wynn, OG, Rutgers (via Twitter)
Grant Garner, OC, Oklahoma State (via Twitter)
Taylor Dever, OT, Notre Dame (via @BGI_WesMorgan on Twitter) 
Johnny Troutman, OG, Penn State (via Twitter) 
Nate Potter, OG/OT, Boise State (via the Idaho Statesman)

Defensive Linemen
Vaughn Meatoga, DT, Hawaii (via Twitter)
Vinny Curry, DE, Marshall (via @ShawnZobel_DHQ on Twitter)
Andre Branch, DE, Clemson (via Twitter)
Justin Francis, DE, Rutgers (via Twitter) 
Dominique Hamilton, DT, Missouri (via @Dave_Matter on Twitter)
Jacquies Smith, DE, Missouri  (via @Dave_Matter on Twitter)
John Hughes, DT, Cincinnati (via Cincinnati.247Sports.com) 
Derek Wolfe, DT, Cincinnati (via Cincinnati.247Sports.com) 

Linebackers
Brandon Marshall, LB, Nevada (via Twitter)
James Michael-Johnson, ILB, Nevada (via Twitter)
Darius Fleming, OLB, Notre Dame (via Twitter)
Sean Spence, ILB, Miami (FL) (via Another Prospect) 
Josh Kaddu, OLB, Oregon (via Twitter) 
Shawn Loiseau, ILB, Merrimack (via @TonyPauline on Twitter)
 

Defensive Backs                        
Trumaine Johnson, CB, Montana (via Twitter)
Omar Bolden, CB, Arizona State (via Twitter)
Corey White, S, Samford (via Twitter)
Christian Thompson, S, South Carolina State (via Damond Talbot @Drocksthaparty)
Robert Blanton, CB, Notre Dame (via Twitter)
Ryan Steed, CB, Furman (via Damond Talbot @Drocksthaparty)
Charles Brown, CB, North Carolina (via @ShawnZobel_DHQ on Twitter)
Josh Norman, CB, Costal Carolina (via JoshBDraft on Twitter)
Coty Sensabaugh, S, Clemson (via Twitter)
Robert Blanton, CB, Notre Dame (via Twitter)
Terrance Frederick, CB, Texas A&M (via Twitter)
Chase Minnifield, CB, Virginia (via Twitter) 
Duke Ihenacho, S, San Jose State (via Twitter)
George Iioka, S, Boise State (via @TonyPauline on Twitter) 
Aaron Henry, S, Wisconsin (via Twitter)
Harrison Smith, S, Notre Dame (via @BGI_WesMorgan on Twitter)
Markelle Martin, S, Oklahoma State (via Twitter)
Jeremy Jones, CB, Wayne State (via Twitter)
Antonio Fenelus, CB, Wisconsin (via Twitter)
   
Specialists
Brian Stahovich, P, San Diego State (via Twitter)   
Shawn Powell, P, Florida State (via @cdowler on Twitter)  
David Teggart, K, Connecticut (via his teammate @timwillman51 on Twitter)
Derek Dimke, K, Illinois (via Twitter)

And on that note, I think it's only fair to attach GENETIC FREAK's pre-Mach 10 Draft Wish List for the Eagles. The Freak (not to be confused with Vince McMahon's "Genetic Jack-Hammer") has made a case for the selection of that controversial linebacker Vontaze Burfict in the 1st Round...

1. LB Vontaze Burfict, Arizona State, Ht 6'3 Wt 250 - People might not like Burfict's attitude but i think he has more upside than the other MLBs. Brings leadership, play-making ability, intimidating hard hits and he will be the identity this D has been searching for.

2a. DT Jared Crick, Nebraska, Ht 6'6 Wt 285 - Meant to get into the backfield. Good against the run and kill the QB. Will excel in Washburns Wide 9.

2b. LB Travis Lewis, Oklahoma, Ht 6'2 Wt 232 - Another playmaking LB to play along side Burfict. Good leadership, good pass coverage 'n sure tackler against the run.

3. WR/KR T.Y Hilton, Florida International, Ht 5'10 Wt 183 - This guy reminds of Percy Harvin. Play him in the slot 'n good luck trying to cover him. Also brings that KR we all been dying for. Great value pick right here.

4a. CB Casey Hayward, Vanderbelt, Ht. 5-11 Wt. 188 - Not sure if he will fall this far but he would be a steal if he did. Be an upgrade playing in the nickel. Not only is he a ballhawk, but what sets him apart from the rest of the CBs is hes an aggresive tackler against the run.

4b. DE Julian Miller, West Virginia, Ht 6'4 Wt 268 - Underrated sack master. Will fight Tapp n Hunt for backup spot 'n could be future starter with Graham. Another toy for Wasburn.

5. RB/WR/KR/PR Chris Rainey, Florida, Ht 5'9 Wt 178 - I originally had a big type back here, but Eagles had their fair share of big backs only for them to get the cut or try n play a run/pass option at the goal line. So i went with the Dexter McCluster clone. Big boost for special teams too.

6a. OT Mitchell Swartz, California, Ht 6'5 Wt 325 - Can play both tackles and possibly guard too.

6b. C Scott Wedige, Nothern Illinois, Ht 6'4 Wt 314 - Athletic enough for Mudds system 'n can push Keice for spot or backup. Jamaal Jackson might not be here next year.

7. OT Jermarcus Hardrick, Nebraska, Ht 6'7 Wt 320 - King Dunlap might not be back so need a replacement. Good size 'n feet. See what Mudd can do with him.

We encourage and develop new talent here at Eagles Eye. Thus GENETIC FREAK gets a shot. But I only wish he could have added some insight into the Brizer "W-7" theorem.  What does it all mean? Are the "W-7" guys the heroes, the villains or the victims?  Maybe a little of each?  Brizer is deep like that...

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It's never too early to plan for the NFL Draft... a great Sage once told me that... so it's time to acknowledge the opening shots of the Eagles' Mach 10 preseason.

Today it's the legendary Blasphemizer with massive PE.com credentials going up against the free agent prognosticator and draft guru JB... a guy who played fullback at Nebraska during the Cornhuskers' recent championship years and is still young enough to play if you go by Ray Lewis years... All kidding aside, JB is becoming known throughout the internet scouting.com's as a shrewd judge of college talent. Today we're lucky to have both Blasphemizer's and JB's initial blasts:


NFL draft guru JB in his latest incarnation: a facial tribute to the post-modern surrealist Salvador Dali...

Since Blasphemizer put out his pre-Mach 10 draft list before anyone else this year, we'll present his picks first:

"I switched maybe half of my previous Mach and reorganized some of it...I'm gonna go for a very different one each time and then settle on a final that takes the best element, so as to stifle them thieves that are everywhere!...

Here you go:

1st: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame-I still like him to replace DJax, we might trade down a bit to get this one, but he could go early.

2nd: Sean Spence, OLB, Miami-Human. Missile. Would be great as a WILL.

2nd: Lamichael James, RB, Oregon-Move over Shady, this is for your own good.

3rd: Russell Wilson, QB, Wisconsin-The right type to serve under Vick, Marty, and Sex Panther's tutelage.

4th: Bruce Irvin, DE/OLB, West Virginia-This guy was made to beat offensive tackles on the pass rush and we could use a project at DE.

4th: Mike Martin, DT, Michigan-Laws-type player, very strong and athletic. I feel like he is a bit more slippery, though, and could be a nice match with Wash.

5th: Jaymes Brooks, OG, Virginia Tech-Underrated! *c-c...c-c-c* Undersized but athletic linemen, good choice for future LG.

6th: Donnie Fletcher, CB, Boston College-It seems that we're going for press coverage guys more, this is one.

6th: Joe Adams, WR, Arkansas-Worth a shot as a punt or kick returner. Could get in the offense eventually.

6th: James-Michael Johnson, MLB, Nevada-Solid fundamentals and good speed, we like LBs like that this late."

Those are Blas' pre-alpha picks... nice work this early in the game when you have to pretty much guess where these guys will be available since there will often be at least 14 teams picking ahead of the Eagles in 2012.

Now JB steps up to the plate:

"And now.... what you all have been waiting for!

The First Offficial Great Svelte JB99 2012 Mock!

Try to fix this D with some more talent!

1) Lots of players were available here... Dennard, Jan Jenkins, Mercilus... but I am going with BC LB Luke Keuchly. Instant upgrade in one of our highest need positions.

2) I don't think this guy will be here when we pick at 45... but to my surprise... in this mock... he was. USC DE Nick Perry. Explosive edge rusher that many have been waiting on for a couple of years. Wepl... he finally made the jump and is just hitting his stride.

2) Another LB.... and a guy that seems like a type Reid pick. Nebraska WLB Lavonte David. I don't see him fitting this scheme... but thats never stopped Reid before. To me... it's almost certain Reid is in love with David. Gives Rolle a serious challenge. Dynamite ST'er at the very least.

3) Cincy DT Derek Wolfe. Strong, quick 300 pounder. Watch for him at the senior bowl to really show his stuff.

4) Baylor RB/FB Terry Ganaway. Big tough runner with explosive speed. A Weaver like player... that gives us the BIG BACK that half the Earf has wanted for a decade.

4) My boy... and big play WR... and THE Ohio State tattoo-liker... Devier Posey. I really like this guy... and with him only playing in two games... he should drop a bit. Deep ball specialist that I like as much as Mike Floyd and Kendall Wright.

5) , 6) , 7) ... take a bunch of low round OL that Mudd will turn into super stars.

There you have it. Super Bowl!"

Thank you, gentlemen. Congrats to Blasphemizer for actually finishing out his pre-Mach 10 in toto...  Although JB sort of lost interest after Round 4, we have to cut him some slack, as the numerous helmet-to-helmet hits he took over his college career have obviously affected his attention span.


Here's JB working on his living sculpture design for the "Ten Points of Mach" with the lovely model "Japaniard"...

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