I just received this article from Reuben Frank of the Bucks County Courier Times hot off the presses. He interviewed Eagles' GM Tom Heckert today and apparently Heckert thinks the Birds' lineup is just fine and needs little adjusting.
Here are some portions of the Heckert interview:
Heckert also foresees the Eagles' franchising LJ Smith, potentially keeping Jevon Kearse (who apparently put his Moorestown mansion up for sale), not adding anyone at safety or DE, but would look at game changing WR if one became available. About the only place he thought the Eagles could upgrade is at corner.
Do not despair though. Apparently, Heckert is a candidate to take the GM job with the Falcons. Please, Arthur Blank...please take this clearly misguided front office executive out of Philly and take him to Atlanta so someone who watched this team with a discerning eye can remake the Birds into a winner for 2008.
Here are some portions of the Heckert interview:
“We can definitely upgrade our team. We need guys to push our starters. But I think we're very close to the top teams in the league. We beat one of them (Dallas) and had a pretty good shot at beating another one of them (New England) without our starting quarterback. There's definitely room for improvement, but I think we're talented enough to get into the playoffs. What starters do you want us to get rid of? Name them.””(My response would have been: First of all Mr. Heckert, I'm so glad to hear that your goal is to only be a playoff team. However, to answer your question, replacing Sean Considine, Juqua Thomas Todd Heremanns, and Reggie Brown would be a good start.)
Heckert also foresees the Eagles' franchising LJ Smith, potentially keeping Jevon Kearse (who apparently put his Moorestown mansion up for sale), not adding anyone at safety or DE, but would look at game changing WR if one became available. About the only place he thought the Eagles could upgrade is at corner.
Do not despair though. Apparently, Heckert is a candidate to take the GM job with the Falcons. Please, Arthur Blank...please take this clearly misguided front office executive out of Philly and take him to Atlanta so someone who watched this team with a discerning eye can remake the Birds into a winner for 2008.
Although, if you're Arthur Blank, wouldn't your first interview question to Heckert be, "a team you put together finished 8-8, if it is your goal to win a title, why do you think no major changes are necessary?
I hope Heckert has a good answer for him because I want this idiot out of here before we go through another lackluster offseason.
6 comments:
Spin. Its called spin counselor. This organization (or any for that matter) does not call out their own. Actions speak louder than words. Lets see what they do versus what they say. For that matter, the QB may not be safe?
I could see adding a ton of secondary players this offseason. Looking around the NFL you better do 2 things on defense. Pressure the QB and defend the pass. Christ the Pats, Colts, Boys. None of them run the ball more than 40% of the time.
Franchising LJ is not the worst move in the world for either party. He did not help himself b/c of injury this year and i'm not convinced his "big money" will be out there this offseason. Maybe 1 more year here helps both parties?
We definietly need another WR. I don't know if you need a "franchise" WR b/c I personally believe there's only 5 of them (at most) in the whole World. Moss, Owens, Wayne, maybe Chad Johnson. Who else is a franchise WR. Please add a good one that will contribute, hopefully pushing Reggie to a 3 WR and starting across from Curtis.
The biggest disappointment with this 8-8 debacle of a season is we didn't learn anything about our 1st 2 draft picks. Can either play? I would feel better if we learned anything about the DE from Notre Dame. IF he would have gotten on the field its possible DE is not a priority with Trent, Juqua, Victor, Gocong, Howard etc.
It looks like we have 5 LB's that can contribute if you're bringing back Takeo. Bradley needs to be on the field, he's big fast and a hitter. I'd stick him at MLB and move Omar to WLB on 1st and 2nd down. Passing situations you pull him and put Gocong as a rush DE w/ Omar playing in coverage.
Mikkell looks like a starting SS. Considine is a backup at best. Dawkins can return, but his replacement is desperately needed. I love JR, but he can't be a starting FS. Same w/ Hanson, nice backup CB but too small to be a starter. I believe Dawkins replacement may be on the roster already. Sheldon Brown is a good corner, but feel he could be a very good FS. I wish Rod Hood was still around.....
The O Line is an interesting situation. I felt the starting tackles did another great job, that's 10 years of superb tackle play for this franchise. It seemed the center and Herremann's struggled, but how do you really know? Giles looked good and i have to believe he gets a chance to compete w/ Herremann's. Its possible Herremnann's moves to OT replacing or backing up JR or TT.
This team was 8-8 is sitting home this weekend but does not have the gaping holes that most teams that failed to make the playoffs have.
Here's an exercise, of the 4 NFC teams playing this weekend, would you trade our squad for theirs? I can't make an argument against the Boys or Pack, but of the 4 other NFC playoff teams, I would not want to trade this Eagles team for them.
The Giants are a mess. 6-2 then 4-4 (barely). The QB would not make it 8 weeks in this town. They have 1 WR, no RB's, no coach, etc. They get smoked in TB this weekend.
The Bucs, god bless John Gruden, but they have a 38 year old QB who will win another playoff game but won't sniff the Boys or Pack next weekend. Their #1 WR is 34 years old.
Seahawks, they fly under the radar in the worst division in the NFC. If they played in the NFC East they're an 8-8 team as well. Decent QB, RB older than Mr PSP. And they're softer than Charmin. They win a game this weekend, and possibly upset the Pack?
Skins, they have a QB rehabbing a knee, a really good RB, and a good WR. They have a terrilbe owner and the Coach has his head in the pitts.
I would guess of this bunch, only the Seahawks make the playofs next year. The Bucs are too old, the Skins too stupid, and the Giants too risky to hitch your wagon to in 2008. Seattle gets another bye next year b/c the NFC West is still awful.
I think Capt needs to think about starting his own blog. I have to think about how much time I have to devote before I start reading one of his comments!
All good stuff though.
I get on a roll. lotta anger in these fingers. I'm a soldier though, not a general. By my count, there's only 5 of us that read this column, if i start my own, it would cripple our fan base...
I keep asking the Capt to be a cowriter for the site, but he never takes me up on it.
The thing that holds me back is the yahoo email address. i don't want nothing from nothing from yahoo....
Pretty good article by hoffman in the Daily news today talking about the look of the '08 birds. Predicts 4 starting position up for grabs. Check it out.
By the way Flyers fans, this franchise cannot beat the Devils, not now, not 1999. Is a friggin disgrace that one organization dominates the other year after year.
I caught that article today...it was pretty good. Hoffman is right...probably not more than 4 starters will be changed. Yeah, it is a disgrace that the Flyers can't beat those guys...I just added a post on that topic.
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