Philadelphia Eagles Defense: Can the Perfect Storm Happen in Philly?

With a little help from free agency—assuming there is one—a good draft and Jeffrey Lurie opening the checkbook a bit, it’ll only take a few tweaks to the lineup to bring the defense back from the poor position it was in last year to the powerhouse it was a few years ago.   

Let’s start with the obvious. Nnamdi Asomugha will be a sought-after free agent this year, perhaps the most sought-after free agent. And, with all likelihood of there being a new salary cap in place, the Eagles will have less room to play with.

But the upside is tremendous. Anyone who understands anything about defense understands the quandary that quarterbacks will face when they can throw toward Asante Samuel or Nnamdi Asumugha. There are no good choices with that pair.

Now that they have a secondary in place, let’s discuss a few changes to the rest of the defense. Jamar Chaney showed enough last season to earn a spot in the linebacker corps. Putting him in with Stewart Bradley and Moise Fokuo forms my starting lineup.

Ernie Sims is a free agent. If the Eagles can get him to come back for a very low salary, fine. He has the skills they need.

He plays hard. But he plays like he’s never been coached. If they have a good linebackers coach and Sims can learn to stop overrunning the ball, he’d make a good backup with a shot at earning his way back in. If he demands a high price tag, they should let him walk.

This brings us to a pressing need: the front four. Cole and Parker come back. With the hope that Brandon Graham will be back in some sense next year, there will be some competition there.

The strange occurrence here is Daniel Teo-Nesheim. Drafted in the third round, Teo showed unrelenting drive in college, but has yet to make his mark as a pro. Will new D-line coach Jim Washburn be able to bring out the player in him?

Now for the big news: Bring in Albert Haynesworth. Yes, yes, I know. But here is where the Eagles need to get creative. Fat Albert desperately needs to have a contract restructure—light on guaranteed money and heavy on performance incentives is the way to go. 

Haynesworth may not go for it. But he is in need of career salvation and Jim Washburn is the guy to help him find it. Both he and Asomugha want one thing: a ring.

They have a better shot in Philly than anywhere.

Finally, let's bolster the rest of the defense in the draft. In the first round, the Eagles can consider J.J. Watt, DE from Wisconsin; or Brandon Harris, CB from Miami. In the second round, Stephen Paea, DT from Oregon State may be available; or Nate Irving, ILB from NC State. 

In any case, I have my much-upgraded starting lineup as Parker, Laws, Haynesworth, Cole, Bradley, Chaney, Fokuo, Samuel, Asomugha, Mikell, Allen.

Possible? I sure hope so.