After the Eagles traded for Takeo Spikes and filled a glaring need at linebacker, the buzzword regarding their 2007 draft strategy was “depth.” The implication was that the Eagles, in pre-draft form, were capable of winning the division and maybe making a run at the NFC championship. Much of the speculation was that the Eagles needed to address a few positions, primarily in the secondary, along the D-Line, and maybe even at receiver, running back, and tight end.
So naturally, they traded out of the first round (with Dallas, no less) and in the second round they selected…
…University of Houston QB Kevin Kolb.
Now, other than the fact that they traded with the Cowboys, I don’t have a problem with the Eagles moving out of round one. They most likely did so because the players they were targeting at #26 - safeties Michael Griffin, Reggie Nelson, and Brandon Meriweather - were all off the board. I also don’t necessarily have a problem with them drafting a quarterback. I do, however, disagree with this quarterback. Especially in this spot. I mean, he’s Kevin Kolb.
Kevin Kolb?!?
Look, there’s not a bigger Eagles fan on the planet than me, so I hope Kolb turns out to be sensational. At the same time, I’m a huge Donovan McNabb fan. Has there ever been a superstar athlete who has to endure more strife and criticism than McNabb? He has been a target for the national and local media. He has had his leadership qualities questioned by his teammates (well, by one unnamed prima-donna wide receiver, anyway). He has been repeatedly booed by the fans. And through it all, he has maintained his poise, composure, and positive demeanor.
So here’s yet another controversy he has to deal with. My belief is that “5” will do what he always does – smile, laugh, and just play ball. The bottom line is, this guy is still an elite quarterback in this league. After all he’s been through, the Eagles owe him the opportunity to rehabilitate his injured knee and help return the team to prominence.
I may be one of the select few who believe he can do just that. It seems to me that drafting Kolb is the warning shot fired across McNabb’s bough. Hopefully it also isn’t the straw that breaks the camel’s back.
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So what happened to “depth?” Well, the Eagles took a defensive lineman in the second round (DE Victor Abiamiri out of Notre Dame), a running back in the third (Penn State’s Tony Hunt), a safety in the fifth (Clemson’s C.J. Gaddis), and a corner in the sixth (Rashad Barksdale from Albany). Can any of the aforementioned contribute this year? I’m not sure. My guess is Hunt can be that big back the Eagles have needed for quite some time. And if Gaddis can tackle at all, he could supplant Sean Considine, who was last seen hugging the air where Reggie Bush once stood in the playoffs.
But when you’re talking about getting contributions from guys taken in the fifth and sixth rounds, you’re really reaching. The rare exceptions aside (Tom Brady, sixth round draft pick), the players selected on the second day of the draft are more concerned with making the roster than they are with cracking the starting line up.
The early-round guys, however, should in theory compete for playing time right away. That’s why the timing of the Kolb pick is so curious. Never mind the fact that McNabb is an all-pro. Didn’t the Eagles just sign A.J. Feeley to a three-year deal? Didn’t they add veteran Kelly Holcomb in the Spikes deal? So with three veterans under contract (and Koy Detmer waiting in the wings in case David Akers needs a holder), where does Kolb fit in? Does he at all?
One thought that was floated during the draft (I believe it originated with ESPN’s Michael Smith, who I’m a big fan of by the way) was that maybe Kolb will be the Eagles version of Matt Schaub. Schaub never really challenged Ron Mexico for the starting job in Atlanta but was coveted enough on the open market that the Falcons unloaded him for a package of draft picks, including a couple of second rounders. The problem is, Kolb has two leap frog at least two guys on the depth chart to even get where Schaub was. I don’t see this situation playing out very well.
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I’ve never been a big fan of grading a team’s draft class the day after the draft. After all, none of the draftees have played a down in the NFL. In truth, you can’t truly assess a group of draft picks until they’ve been in the league for a couple of years. However, I can say that there were a few teams that I thought had strong drafts this year:
Minnesota Vikings – The Vikings added stud RB Adrian Peterson in the first round, WR Sidney Rice in the second, and CB Marcus McCauley in the third. Peterson was head and shoulders above every other running back in the draft and has offensive rookie of the year potential. McCauley looked like a first rounder after his junior year at Fresno and had a little of a down year as a senior, which is why he fell. Rice may be the gem of the class for Minnesota. The first time I watched him play as a freshman at South Carolina, I thought he was going to be special. And while the Vikings didn’t draft a quarterback, they did take one in the second round in 2006, and they heartily believe in Tavaris Jackson. Minnesota has the look of a 2007 sleeper. You heard it here first.
Carolina Panthers – On the heels of a disappointing 2006, the Panthers did well to grab LB John Beason in round one, WR Dwayne Jarrett and C Ryan Kalil from USC in round two. Kalil can and likely will start immediately. Beason will get a look at middle linebacker in place of Dan Morgan, who can’t seem to stay healthy. And Jarrett reminds some of a young Keyshawn Johnson. In fact, he already took Johnson’s spot. This is a team that really wasn’t that far away a year ago. They could absolutely contend in the NFC South behind new starting quarterback David Carr (again, remember where you heard that).
Oakland Raiders – Not only did they land a potential franchise QB in JaMarcus Russell first overall, but then they got an above-average tight end in Arizona State’s Zach Miller and might have gotten the steal of the draft with RB Michael Bush from Louisville. Bush broke his leg in the Cardinals’ season-opener a year ago, but before his injury he was getting some Heisman run. He’s a big, strong kid who, when healthy, can be a productive if not dominant back in this league. Oakland may not be good right away, but they have certainly put the pieces in place for a Raider resurgence in the near future. That future will not include Randy Moss, as he was dealt to the Patriots on draft Sunday. More on Moss in a minute.
Cleveland Browns – After locking up a bookend left tackle Joe Thomas, the Browns traded back into the first round to take hometown boy Brady Quinn. They also took a flier on Eric Wright, a CB out of UNLV who began his college career at Southern Cal but ran afoul of the law. His character is a question mark, especially in Roger Goddell’s suspend first, ask questions later NFL. Wright, like Marcus McCauley, is a guy that has first-round talent and could prove to be a steal in the third round.
There were also some teams (besides the Eagles) whose drafts were sub-par. The Texans didn’t do anything to address their biggest area of need, the offensive line. Tennessee reached for a RB, Chris Henry from Arizona, who had 900 or so rushing yards in his entire college career. And the Giants could have done something about their O-line, but didn’t.
Of course, time will tell if these drafts look as good (or bad) on the field as they do on paper.
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Here’s something that flew under the radar a little bit. During an interview with ESPN guys on Sunday at the draft, Eagles coach Andy Reid made a comment to guest draft commentator Keyshawn Johnson about coming to “play and score some touchdowns for him.” Johnson immediately responded playfully, “That’s tampering!” Reid quickly backed off, but now that Johnson is a free agent, you’ve got to wonder if Reid may take a look at him. Maybe Big Red knew something the rest of us didn’t.
I’m not sure I’d like that move from the Eagles perspective. I’m fine with the receiving corps as it is. I like Reggie Brown and Kevin Curtis, and I really think Hank Baskett will make major contributions this year. I’m not sure where Johnson would fit in. He’s also been a problem child in Tampa and Dallas. This isn’t like when the Eagles got TOFU and that vaulted them from NFC playoff team to Super Bowl contender. Johnson is on the downside of his career, and he’s probably not worth the headache he would likely be.
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The biggest NFL story that occurred during the draft really had nothing to do with the draft itself. The New England Patriots shipped a fourth round pick to Oakland in exchange for Randy Moss. The move opened a lot of eyes in Patriots nation...
Moss immediately restructured his contract (as did golden boy Tom Brady to make it all fit under the salary cap) and preached to be on his best behavior. If that actually happens, this trade can only be classified as highway robbery. Think about the Patriots now as opposed to last year. They have upgraded to Moss and Donte Stallworth at WR in place of Reche Caldwell and Jabar Gaffney. Defensive menace Adalius Thomas is in the mix at LB. And though Corey Dillon retired, that just means more touches for Laurence Maroney. This is a team that was in the AFC Championship game a year ago. Right now, you’ve got to say it’s the Patriots, then everybody else.
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