Five thoughts on Championship Sunday as it relates to the Eagles. Let's get right to it:
1. Importance of a Good Secondary
The two teams playing in the Super Bowl have a lot more in common than most people realize. They have great head coaches, consistent play at quarterback, a power run game, and, relevant to the Birds, great secondaries. Seattle’s Legion of Boom needs no introduction; they led the Seahawks to the Super Bowl last year and look every bit as formidable this year.
But the Patriots revamped their secondary last offseason with the additions of Darrelle Revis, Brandon Browner, and Patrick Chung. The investment paid immediate dividends as the defense has been much improved this year, mostly because of the secondary.
The Eagles should take notice. In a league that drastically favors the passing game, having talented playmakers in the secondary is becoming as important as having good play at quarterback and along the offensive and defensive lines. The Eagles had the chance to address the secondary last year but took a minimalist approach by signing only Malcom Jennings. If they are going to progress in 2015, they must bite the bullet and invest in the secondary.
2. Free Agent Targets for Secondary
We will provide a more detailed break down as we get further into the offseason, but here are some names the Eagles might target to improve their secondary, starting first with free agency. The aforementioned Darrelle Revis has one year left on his contract, but it is a $20 million option that the Patriots will almost certainly decline, making him an unrestricted free agent. The market for his services will be robust, and while Revis might be looking to cash in, he might also be looking to stick with the Patriots if it means consistently playing for a shot at the Super Bowl.
Byron Maxwell of the Seahawks will also be a free agent. While he is the least celebrated member of the LOB, he would still represent an upgrade over any corner currently on the Eagles roster. Plus, he is still only 27 years old, and has the size (6-1) that Chip Kelly covets for corners. If he hits the free agent market (and it seems likely given that Seattle has to give a sizeable contract extension to Russell Wilson), the Eagles would be foolish not to give him a long look.
The safety market starts and ends with Devin McCourty of New England. He was converted to safety after starting as a corner early in his career, and has played very well on the backend of the Patriots secondary. Other less expensive options will include Antonio Cromartie (Ari), Tramon Williams (GB), and Antrel Rolle (NYG). I expect the Eagles to bring in at least one free agent signing, possibly two, depending on whether they keep Carey Williams.
3. Draft Targets for Secondary
This year’s secondary class in the NFL draft lacks an elite playmaker, but makes up for it in its quality of depth. There are potentially 5 first rounders in this year's class, and all but one (Landon Collins, Alabama), should be around for the Eagles first pick.
Keep an eye on Trae Waynes of Michigan State and Kevin Johnson of Wake Forest. Both have size (6’1) and both can flat out play. One name I don’t see the Eagles touching is Washington’s Marcus Peters. He is arguably the best corner in this draft, but he was kicked off the team for disciplinary violations. We know the emphasis Chip Kelly places on culture, so I don’t see that happening.
My potential sleeper is P.J. Williams of Florida State. He is a 6’1 196 lb. athletic corner that excels in press man coverage and against the run. He is a borderline first round talent now, but don’t be surprised if he starts moving up draft boards after the Combine (he won’t be at the Senior Bowl because he is a junior). I’ll provide a more in-depth breakdown of the draft as we get closer to the combine, but these are some early names to focus on.
4. Missed opportunities in Draft
The NFC Championship game was like salt in the wounds for most Eagles fans, as we saw three players that the Eagles passed on drafting at center stage: Earl Thomas, Russell Wilson, and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. The Eagles infamously passed on Earl Thomas after trading up in the 2010 draft, opting instead to take undersized defensive end Brandon Graham. While Graham finally played near his potential this year, he has not been close to matching Thomas, who many consider to be the best safety in the league.
The Eagles reportedly built their entire 2012 draft around landing Russell Wilson. They (meaning Roseman) thought Wilson would be available in the third round, so they bypassed Wilson in favor of Vinny Curry with their second 2nd round pick. The Seahawks ended up drafting Wilson in the third round of the draft before the Eagles could get their hands on him, and the rest is history. You have to wonder whether Roseman got a little too greedy trying to maximize value there. If you have a shot at a guy that you are convinced is the answer, take him early lest you be left standing at the altar. It didn’t kill the Eagles since they were still able to land Nick Foles, but it is hard not to stop and wonder how dynamic Wilson would be in Kelly’s spread option attack.
This past year, Ha Ha Clinton Dix was one player I hoped the Eagles would draft. He was a dynamic playmaker for the Crimson Tide, and he fit a position of need for the Birds. However, the New Orleans Saints traded their first and third round picks to move up from 27 to 20th to draft Brandin Cooks, and the Packers took HHCD with the 21st pick overall, just one pick before the Birds. Some have suggested the Eagles should have traded up to make sure they landed HHCD. It likely would have cost a 3rd or 4th round pick. And while I would not have argued with the move, it likely would have prevented them from trading up in the second round to draft Jordan Matthews. Matthews arguably had a better year than HHCD, so pick your poison..
5. DeflateGate Brings Back Memories of SpyGate
Since the 2005 Super Bowl, a lot of Eagles fans seem to have a strong dislike for the New England Patriots. Not on the level of the Cowboys or Giants, but maybe on par with the Redskins. I have never been one of those fans; I respect what the Patriots have been able to accomplish in the same manner that I respect the San Antonio Spurs. There is something to be said about consistent excellence.
But the NFL's investigation into whether the Patriots deflated footballs in the AFC Championship game brought back painful memories for some Eagles fans. They were reminded that the last Super Bowl the Patriots ever won was against the Eagles, but before news broke about "Spygate." I cannot say one way or the other whether the Patriots cheated the Eagles out of a Super Bowl title, but I thought this tweet was funny regarding Deflate Gate:
With properly inflated footballs, the Colts might have only lost by 24
— Dan Schmidt (@DanS_SotS) January 19, 2015
Bonus Round: Can we Cancel the Pro Bowl already?
Not directly related to the championship games, but news came out this weekend that Cody Parkey would make his first Pro Bowl appearance in place of Adam Vinatieri. This followed news that Jeremy Maclin, who just made the Pro Bowl squad in place of the injured Demaryius Thomas, was skipping the Pro Bowl for personal reasons. And while Evan Mathis was added to the Pro Bowl in place of New Orleans Saints guard Jahri Evans, LeSean McCoy pulled out of the Pro Bowl due to injury.
Confused yet? It certainly seems like players want nothing to do with the Pro Bowl anymore, especially since it does not come with a free trip to Hawaii. Which begs the question: why play the game? Can’t we just give players the honor of being named a Pro Bowl player (much like making an All Pro team) without the obligation of playing in a what amounts to a glorified flag football game? Is the revenue generated by this one game really worth that much?
