Philadelphia Eagles' Howard Mudd: The Most Important Offseason Acquisition

Success has two factors when you consider the most valuable asset to a team. First is using your asset to the fullest. Second is protecting your asset against injury.

When we are talking about the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2011-12 season, there is no asset more important than quarterback Michael Vick.

Using that asset is easy enough. Provide Vick the tools, and he’ll find a way to use them. But protecting him? That falls to one person who is perhaps the most important addition made this offseason. Howard Mudd.

Coming out of semi-retirement this year, Mudd hopes to revisit the success he enjoyed in Indianapolis. Having a quarterback such as future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning has conditioned Mudd to two things.

First, you can count on your QB to make plays. And second, while we know Manning is a great passer, he does not have the legs to run out a broken down play. Having a QB behind center that can will be a welcome change for Mudd.

But if he is able to protect Vick like he was able to protect Manning, look for great things to come.

Mudd will bring a different take on the line than previous offensive line coach and now defensive coordinator Juan Castillo. Instead of step back, create space and wait, Mudd believes in engaging the rushers right away.

He asks his guards to explode out and his tackles to keep their back to the pocket. This may be easy for Jason Peters, who has played in this scheme before and more difficult for guys like Winston Justice and King Dunlap who may not be quick enough to engage the defense as fast as Mudd may like.

Mudd has always liked players who are fast. He has been willing to trade off big and powerful for quick off the snap. This is a change for the Eagles who have long built their offensive line with big, strong linemen.

Given a few changes to the line in light of the new franchise lefty, Mudd will need to figure out how to protect Vick even more than one might think. Sure, Vick can make things happen with his feet if protection breaks down.

We all saw last year what he can do with one of the worst breakdowns in protection that we’ve seen from the Eagles in a decade. But Vick is Achilles from Greek myth and legend. His weak spot is his health.

Vick has only completed a full season in the NFL one time. Protecting the most important asset also means protecting Vick’s blind side from a season ending crushing. Doing that means teaching these old dogs new tricks or finding new dogs when free agency opens.

Moving Kolb out to wherever he ends up means that it’ll be Kafka backing up Vick this season. While we all have confidence is the second year man, keeping Vick healthy will be one of the most important jobs on the Eagles staff this year.