A Pre-Draft Look Of The Philadelphia Eagles

Vince Quinn — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 20:23:51 -0400

Here we are, roughly a week away from the draft, and what do we know about the Philadelphia Eagles?

Well...nothing.

This seems to be standard procedure in Philadelphia, as Andy Reid, Tom Heckert and company love the idea of confusing the league (and their fan base) towards the point of madness.

This year, the Eagles have provided the most mystery in their slew of draft prospects which they have brought in for a work out; Some of the more notable names are Darrius Hayward-Bey and Jason Smith.

Smith, who's visiting with the Eagles today, is the biggest eyebrow raiser of the group considering he's projected to go within the top three of the draft.

The Eagles, who have picks at No.21 and No.28 thanks to a deal last year with Carolina, would have to move up substantially in order to even get a whiff of Smith.

With 12 picks at their disposal, and teams such as the Chiefs (third overall) and Seahawks (fourth overall) looking to move back, a move up isn't out of the realm of posibility.

In a recent press conference GM Tom Heckert said of moving up, "I would assume it wouldn't [take both first-round picks]."

If this is the case, then the Eagles are possibly in the greatest position to make a big impact on draft day.

Amidst the rumors of moving up, they are also currently involved in trade talks involving Pro-Bowl players Jason Peters of Buffalo, Anquan Boldin of Arizona, Chad Johnson of Cincy, Tony Gonzalez of KC and Braylon Edwards of Cleveland.

Each player, excluding Gonzalez, would likely involve an offer in the ballpark of a first and third rounder.

The Eagles, however, are not known for overpaying for players. In fact, they are more notorious for their "low-balling" of veterans.

So, with Edwards and Peters seeking lucrative deals, the Eagles may lean in another direction.

From the Eagles perspective, none of these players are essential for success.

LT has been referred to as a weak point with the departure of Tra "Then William and then Tra again because no one called me William" Thomas.

Todd Herremans, however, was a left tackle in college, and Reid has expressed confidence in either Todd or Shawn Andrews filling in for McNabb's blind-side.

WR is also not as much of a need as people believe, considering the style in which the Eagles play.

The typical arguement, which has constantly been thrown around, to say the Eagles NEED a WR is that T.O. was on the team when they reached the Super Bowl.

This belief isn't exactly right.

T.O. didn't play in all of the playoffs. The Eagles made it to the big game without him, and even though he was there for the Super Bowl, they lost the game.

Theory of elite WR debunked.

The recent struggles for the Eagles can be more closely linked to inefficiency from the offensive line and the running game.

With the addition of Leonard Weaver from Seattle, and the return of one of the best guards in the game in Shawn Andrews, the Eagles seem on their way to recovery.

Many mock drafts have Philadelphia taking a combination of Knowshon Moreno, Michael Oher, William Beatty, Donald Brown and Brandon Pettigrew.

All would aid the Eagles by providing a boost to run-blocking, or a much needed compliment for the oft-injured Brian Westbrook.

Overall, the Eagles are everywhere in pre-draft news. With the highest number of picks in the draft, they are capable of making a big impact on draft day by adding top-tier vets, moving up into the top five, or picking up two quality prospects late in the first.

While Philadelphia hasn't made their intentions clear, the mystery and possibilities in front of them make them the team to watch next weekend.

Bleacher Report - Articles by Vince Quinn

A Pre-Draft Look Of The Philadelphia Eagles