(Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)
Kevin Curtis is healthy again. With 1,000+ yards in his inaugural Eagles season, Curtis battles injury last year and wasn't what we expected. Missing games here and there and practice time in the preseason allow DeSean Jackson to get some time.
And get some time he did...
All DeSean Jackson did as a rookie was catch 62 balls for 912 yards. Rookies aren't supposed to do that.
Word from OTA's is that Jackson was un-coverable. Really, Asante Samuel and Sheldon Brown could keep up with him? I'm going to stop there because I'm getting lightheaded thinking about it.
The Eagles also drafted Jeremy Maclin, who should push Jason Avant for playing time out of the slot. Maclin has superstar speed and top ten talent, how this translates, only time will tell.
Brent Celek emerged last year as a top pass catching tight end last year with a post season Tony Gonzalez would wish for. Another year as the starter will only make him better.
The Eagles are, while not exactly proven, stacked at the skill positions. But the roster here is nothing compared to what we could see along the offensive line...
4. The Offensive Line.
Tra Thomas and John Runyan are gone and will be missed, but the mourning will not last long.
Jason Peters, while not performing as well as he could have last year, is still considered to be one of, if not the, best LTs in the game. Tra Thomas was good, but was never considered one of the best.
Shawn Andrews moves out to the RT spot creating what should be the best tackle tandem in the NFL.
Shawn Andrews, remember, had a season in '08 with lots to be desired. He suffered from depression issues as well as back problems. Bringing in his old college roommate, Peters, as well as his brother Stacie Andrews, Shawn is looking to have a bounce back season that declares him one of the best RTs in the game.
Stacie Andrews will be moved to his more natural position, alongside brother Shawn, at the RG position. While Todd Herremans mans the LG position. Herremans is on the verge of a Pro Bowl and should only continue to improve as he has since coming into the league in five years ago.
Center may be the one position that sees the most competition. Jamaal Jackson is the incumbent here but Nick Cole is right behind him. Nick Cole got to see extended time after Max Jean-Gilles was lost to injury replacing Shawn Andrews at the RG position.
While Jean-Gilles looked very good and proved to be able to provide great depth at the position, Cole proved great.
Cole, a natural C, should push for a starting spot at the position which will result in one of two outcomes.
1. Jamaal Jackson feels the pressure and responds by playing at the Pro Bowl level that is expected of him, or
2. Nick Cole runs away with the starting spot riding the high that he developed last year.
With the offensive line looking as good as it does, that means we should see some improved play from the QB position...
5. No. 5
Donovan McNabb finally put together 16 consecutive games in a single regular season last year and had the best one of his career. He passed for 3916 yards and 23 TDs.
While McNabb had thrown for more TDs in other seasons, he was never quite this effective.
McNabb is still in the prime of his career and will be protected by an improved offensive line.
He's finally got the plethora of weapons he's dreamed of and should be able to spread the ball around with ease.
There is no doubt in this Eagles fans mind that McNabb is the best QB in the division and a top five in the NFL.
Obviously time is the only thing that will tell us how this 2009 Eagles squad will perform. But before that clock starts to tick, its fun to think of the possibilities.
One last thing for all you readers out there, my division prediction...
Eagles 13-3
Giants 10-6
Redskins 9-7
Cowboys 8-8
GO BIRDS!!!!!!
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