Welcome to Philadelphia: 5 Biggest Acquisitions for Philly Sports This Summer

With the NFL and NHL going through free agency at virtually the same time, followed closely by the MLB trade deadline, few cities are seeing as many fresh faces enter the sports scene as Philadelphia.  All three sports seemed to be positioning themselves to be serious championship contenders for years to come.

Here are five fresh faces that will fast become familiar to the fans of Philadelphia.

Ronnie Brown, Running Back, Eagles

The Eagles were able to acquire the former No. 2 pick because Brown desires to play for a team that can compete for a championship, and given the active offseason the Eagles have had, they appear to share Brown’s vision.

With LeSean McCoy taking the majority of handoffs, Brown won’t put up the types of numbers that made him No. 3 on Miami’s all-time rushing list, but his presence alone gives the Eagles the effective 1-2 punch in the backfield that the team has lacked in recent years. 

Perhaps an improved running game will take some pressure off of quarterback Michael Vick and give the Eagles offense a more organized, systematic approach coming out of training camp.

Signing Ronnie Brown alone doesn’t make the Eagles Super Bowl favorites, but it undoubtedly makes them a more dangerous team on the offensive side of the ball.

Brayden Schenn, Center, Flyers

When you trade away your captain, you had better be getting something good in return.  The Flyers apparently have that in Brayden Schenn, who was acquired, along with Wayne Simmonds, for Mike Richards in late June.

Schenn is considered the most highly rated prospect in the NHL and the Los Angeles Kings had no intention of trading him until the Flyers offered Richards.  The swift centerman has already won a plethora of awards in his career, including the Western Hockey League Rookie of the Year Award and the World Junior Most Valuable Player.

He scored 315 points in 224 games in the WHL and put up a hat trick during Flyers rookie camp, indicating that he will begin his NHL career in stride and put up points for an offense that may have trouble finding the net in the early going.

Brayden Schenn makes the Flyers a dangerous team for years to come and is the centerpiece of an offensive youth movement that will pay dividends down the line.

Nnamdi Asomugha, Cornerback, Eagles

When the Eagles signed the most desirable cornerback and arguably biggest player on the open market, they put themselves in position to be the team to beat in the NFC. 

Asomugha, along with the acquisition of Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in the Kevin Kolb trade, will improve a pass defense that struggled to prevent scoring in the 2010 season and was one of the few obvious weaknesses on an otherwise competitive Eagles team. 

Asomugha’s strength may not end up being his numbers, but the lack thereof.  He has been thrown to only 27 times in each of the last three seasons and allowed 10 receptions and zero touchdowns in 2010.  His presence alone will limit options for Eli Manning, Tony Romo and other opposing quarterbacks.

Asomugha may be the final piece of the puzzle that the Eagles needed in order to get their hands on the Lombardi Trophy this winter.

Hunter Pence, Center Field, Phillies

Nothing scared Major League Baseball more than watching the league’s best team become even better.  But when the Phillies exchanged four prospects for Hunter Pence before this year’s trade deadline, that is exactly what happened.

With five highly capable starting pitchers and a corps of strong left-handed hitters, it seemed that the only piece missing was a right-handed bat for the middle of the lineup and the only position available was in the outfield.  Enter Hunter Pence, a career .290 hitter with 103 home runs in only his fifth year of play in the majors. 

By acquiring Pence, the Phillies made it clear that anything less than a championship in 2011 will qualify as a failed season.  This team intends to win now.

Ilya Bryzgalov, Goaltender, Flyers

One could argue that the signing of Bryzgalov pales in comparison to the acquisitions of Pence and Asomugha.  Bryzgalov is not the final piece needed to win a championship like Pence, and he was not the most sought-after free agent like Asomugha.  Nonetheless, Bryzgalov makes more of an impact on Philadelphia sports than anyone else to come to the city this summer.

Ilya Bryzgalov is the answer to a question that has plagued the Flyers since the late ‘90s: who is the future in net?  As a reliable presence with playoff experience and a strong defense in front of him, the Flyers can finally stop asking questions about the crease.

As the Flyers goalie, he will face more pressure in net than Pence does at the plate or Asomugha does on the gridiron; Flyers fans know all too well how a goalie’s ability to handle that pressure can make or break a season.

By locking up Bryzgalov for nine years, the Flyers have made a statement that they intend to win, and after more than a decade, they recognize the importance of having a reliable star goaltender in net.