Samuel Signs; Other News

    After almost 24 hours of rumors, The Philadelphia Eagles have finally announced the signing of Pro-Bowl cornerback Asante Samuel.  It is believed to be around a 6-year, $54 million deal.  Although Samuel doesn’t have much experience in Jim Johnson’s style of defense, Samuel is the kind of playmaker that is hard to pass up.   Since 2006, Samuel has led the NFL with 16 interceptions total, and has 22 in his career.  This is sorely needed in a defense that struggled to generate turnovers last season.  Although it’s no guarantee Samuel will be the same player he was in New England’s system, but he will definitely be a player to watch.

Tomorrow, former Raiders DE/LB Chris Clemons will visit Philly.  Clemons had 8 sacks as a backup last season and is likely to get signed.  Clemons brings a pass rushing ability coming off the bench and could be a nice role player.

Finally, Fullback Thomas Tapeh signed with the Minnesota Vikings today.  Tapeh was a decent blocker, but lacked versatility.  They will likely look to the draft for his replacement.

Samuel To Visit Today

On the first night of free agency, FOXsports.com is reporting the top free agent will be in Philly. Star New England Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel will visit, presumably to sign a contract. Several news outlets report that the two sides already have a deal in place. At 27, Samuel is just hitting the prime of his career. Samuel is a playmaker, something the defense sorely needs. He picked off 22 passes since being drafted out of the 4th round before the ‘03 season. Samuel rarely misses time with injury. If signed, he would make a good addition to the defense.

Kearse Cut; 2 Re-signed

    As expected, the Eagles announced the release of former star Jevon Kearse today.  This was a case of the salary outweighing the  production.  By the end of last season, Kearse was a backup behind Juqua Thomas and Victor Abiamiri.  He never showed the explosiveness he displayed with Tennesee, where he recorded 36 sacks in his first three years in the league.  The rumor floating around is that he could return to the Titans.

Also,  the team announce that they have re-signed safety J.R. Reed to a one-year contract and tendered restricted-free-agent cornerback Joselio Hanson with a 2nd-round tender.  This means that the Eagles have the right to match any contract offer given to Hanson.  If the team chooses not to match the offer, than the team that signs Hanson must give the Eagles a 2nd-round draft pick as compensation.  Both of these moves adds depth to positions of need, but neither player is guaranteed a spot on the final roster.

Final Position Analysis

As much as I would like to continue position analysis in the way I’ve been doing it, I want to wrap it up so that I can focus on the upcoming free agency period and draft.

Linebackers

The Eagles finally have a solid young group that should continue to develop. Chris Gocong improved as the season went on, and by the end of the year became a solid pass rusher. Also, look for Gocong to continue to play defensive end some plays. Omar Gaither was solid at middle linebacker and as a defensive leader, but he will never become a playmaker. After the season, defensive coordinator Jim Johnson made it clear that Gaither will start training camp next season as the backup to 2007 third-round draft pick Stewart Bradley. Bradley did not see much playing time until late last season, but when he finally came in he looked very good. Bradley showed the playmaking ability at middle linebacker a defense needs to be special. He stopped the runningback at crucial moments and forced turnovers. Takeo Spikes manned the weakside, and while solid, he has lost the playmaking ability he once had. Undrafted rookie Akeem Jordan filled in for Spikes and looked good racking up tackles.

The verdict: The Eagles have some young linebackers who could turn out to be very special. This off season will be a crucial one for these players

Cornerback

Sheldon Brown

Brown was the Eagles best corner in ‘07. He covers well and hits like a truck. However, Brown cannot create turnovers. Lito Sheppard is a star when healthy. The problem is, he is never healthy. Last season was a waste for Sheppard because nagging injuries held him back. There have been rumors swirling that the Eagles want to trade Sheppard this offseason. Don’t read into those rumors too much. If Sheppard can stay healthy, he is a valuable key to this defense. There is not much behind these two players, and that is a concern that the Eagles will address. Nickle-back Will James started most of the season due to Sheppard’s injuries and played poorly. He is a free agent this year and likely will not be back with the team. Joselio Hanson is a young corner that the team is high on. Hanson is a solid fourth or fifth corner, but should not play any higher than that on the depth chart. Hanson is a restricted free agent, but will likely be back with the team.

The verdict: Right now, cornerback is a shakey position.

Safety

As expected, safety was a position of concern. Brian Dawkins was injured early in the season, and probably getting a little too old. Next season might be his last. Quentin Mikell had a surprisingly solid year, and will likely have an expanded role next season, no matter what the team does to the position in the offseason. Sean Considine played poorly before getting hurt for the season, and will almost definitely only play a supporting role next season. J.R. Reed was a surprise in his second stint with the Eagles. Reed put some big hits on ball carriers and wasn’t bad in run support. Reed is a restricted free agent and could be worth a low tender.

The verdict: Safety will be addressed this offseason. The search for Brian Dawkin’s replacement continues.

Position Analysis Day Six: Defensive Tackles

    Defensive tackle was a solid position last season.  With two young starters, the Eagles have solid foundation in the middle for years to come.  The question for DT this offseason is depth.  The Eagles need to find one or two players, most likely via the draft, as relief for Patterson and Bunkley to truly be set.

Mike Patterson

Patterson took his play to the next level last season.  Patterson was second among DTs with 66 tackles, and recorded a career-high 4 sacks.  Patterson shows the ability to be a solid pass rusher, and breaks through the offensive line to get to the runningback.

The verdict: Patterson is only getting better, and will be just 25 years old at the start of next season.

Brodrick Bunkley

Bunkley played last season like he was supposed to when the Eagles made him their first draft pick in 2006.  He uses his impressive strength to collapse the pocket.  Most importantly, he often requires more than one blocker, which frees up the rest of the line to make a play and get pressure.

The verdict: Bunkley is an important key to the success of the defense, and will need to keep playing at a high level for the defense to be successful next season.

Montae Reagor

Once an important pass rusher on the Indianapolis Colt’s defense, Reagor was a disappointment last season.  Reagor was expected to provide a good 3rd-down pass rush, but was ineffective at everything he tried.

The verdict:  Reagor will be tested in training camp, and may not be back next season.

Kimo Von Oelhoffen

At 36 years old, this was Von Oelhoffen’s first year playing in a 4-3 defense.  Although I do recall him making one nice play on the goaline, he is on the decline.

The verdict:  Von Oelhoffen is a free agent, and last season might have been his last.

LaJuan Ramsey

Once a promising young player, Ramsey has for the most part disappeared.

The verdict: Ramsey will probably be replaced this offseason, most likely by a late-round or undrafted rookie.

Eagles Place Franchise Tag on L.J. Smith

    The Eagles wasted no time to get their offseason underway by solidifying the Tight End position.  On the first day teams were able to do so, the Eagles announced on their website that they have placed the franchise tag on the tight end.  This means that Smith is given a one-year contract worth the average salary of the top 5 highest paid players at his position.  Look for the team to try and work out a long term contract.

This is what McNabb wanted.  He feels comfortable throwing to Smith, and should indicate that the team plans to keep McNabb around next season.  Having a healthy Smith return for next season will add a dimension that his absence last season made disappear.

Position Analysis Day Five: Defensive Ends

The Super Bowl showed the importance of a great pass rush, something the Eagles know. The problem is that their investments in free agency haven’t paid off in the way that they should. If Chiefs defensive end Jason Allen makes his way to free agency, the Eagles better make him a top priority. Let’s look at what the Eagles have now:

Juqua Thomas

Jevon Kearse’s backup in both Tennessee and Philadelphia finally took over his starting job this year…with bad results. Thomas only had 5 sacks, and displayed a knack for giving the opposing quarterback plenty of time to throw.

The verdict: Thomas is a nice backup to have around, but he should never be anywhere near a starting role. The Eagles need to upgrade the left defensive end position.

Trent Cole

Trent Cole finally proved he can play through a whole season. A dominant pass rusher, Cole used his small size to his benefit, working his way underneath offensive linemen and getting to the quarterback. Cole also showed an equally dominant ability to stop the run, and was one of the biggest reasons the run defense improved so much this year. He also benefited from the tackles Mike Patterson and Broderick Bunkley pushing their way up the middle. Cole’s hard work paid off by earning a trip to Hawaii this weekend to play in the Pro Bowl.

The verdict: After proving that he can last a whole season, Cole should be a solid player on a young d-line that is shaping up to be dominant for years to come.

Jevon Kearse

The Eagles finally benched Kearse this season. Kearse wasn’t even activated many games towards the end of the season. He never became what they wanted when the Eagles signed him before the 2004 season. Once Kearse began to age, he slowed down and could no longer rely on his speed alone to get to the quarterback. Kearse never showed the ability to adjust to this, trying to get past linemen with the same move every play.

The verdict: Kearse will be cut in the offseason, he’ll play elsewhere next season at a much lower salary.

Victor Abiamiri

Victor struggled in his rookie season, but showed ability when he got a chance. The only game he got an expanded role in was the Bills game, where he showed an ability to put pressure the quarterback. Victor was a productive DE in college, and he should only get better with time.

The verdict: Abiamiri should play a more important role as a backup next year, and could be a starter in the future.

Darren Howard

Howard was another player the Eagles signed that didn’t pan out. After being productive in New Orleans, he came to Philly and did nothing but quickly lose his job to Trent Cole.

The verdict: Howard might also be cut, but he the Eagles could keep him around for another season. It all depends on what they do in free agency and the draft.

Jerome McDougle

McDougle’s struggle to stay healthy continued this season, as he missed the whole year with an injury.

The verdict: McDougle will struggle to make the team next season.

That’s all for defensive ends, come back later for defensive tackles!