1.

WR

High

Med

*03/29/2006 - Eric Moulds signs with Houston.

*03/27/2006 - Quincy Morgan resigns with the Steelers.

*03/25/2006 - Keyshawn Johnson has signed with the Carolina Panthers.

*03/24/2006 - Rumor has been that the Eagles had offered a 3rd pick for Javon Walker.  Also, prior to the Owens signing, Dallas offered the Packers a 3rd pick and RB Marion Barber.  Sources in Green Bay and Dallas believe that the Packers do not really want to trade Walker. 

*03/21/2006 - Keyshawn Johnson is visiting the Giants. The Eagles and Seahawks are rumored to be interested.  Keyshawn signing with the Eagles, however, is a real long shot.

*03/16/2006 - The Eagles have signed former Texan WR Jabar Gaffney to a 1 Year contract. Last year Gaffney had 55 receptions which were more than those of either Eagle starting WR.

*03/15/2006 - Seattle has resigned Peter Warrick.

*03/14/2006 - The Titans have signed David Givens.

*03/13/2006 - The 49ers have signed Antonio Bryant.

*03/12/2006 - The Redskins have signed Randle El.

*03/11/2006 - Joe Jurevicious has signed with the Browns.

*03/11/2006 - The Vikings have retained Koren Robinson.  The Bears and Redskins are the frontrunners for Randle El.  I think that Randle El was a smokescreen for the Eagles. They were targeting Givens all along.

*03/10/2006 - Reports are that Buffalo will cut Eric Moulds and that the Eagles are one of the interested teams.

*03/04/2006 - Eagles fans are so desperate for WR help that everyone is salivating over the prospect of overpaying Randle El.  I understand that he is an exciting player to watch and that he had a good game in the Super Bowl, but the only reason that he was starting was because the Steelers lost Plaxico Burress.  The bottom line is that Randle El was a 35 catch WR after starting 15 games in 2005.  Considering his background as a QB in college, he does have a lot of room to grow and that is why the Eagles may roll the dice.

I would rather take my chances with Antonio Bryant or take a sure thing like David Givens. 

*02/23/2006 - Reggie Wayne has resigned with the Colts.  Antonio Bryant is the best Free Agent now available.

*02/22/2006 - Reported on Sports Radio WIP 610 this morning that undisclosed sources have said that the Eagles are ready to go after Free Agent Antwaan Randle El.  Antwaan can help but he may be no better than a number 3 Wide Receiver.

*02/05/2006 - Rumors have the Colts resigning Reggie Wayne.

*01/18/2006 - Mark Eckel of the Trenton Times, one of the top Football analysts in Philadelphia, has been leading the parade for Free Agent Joe Jurevicius. I think that Jurevicius would be an improvement playing on the other side of Reggie Brown but he is 31, slow, and perhaps not a sufficient upgrade.

*01/12/2006 - Reggie Brown was an excellent 2nd rd pick. What will make him a better WR and the Offense a more potent offense is the presence of a highly productive WR on the other side.  I would prefer to see this need handled in Free Agency.  Reggie Wayne would be ideal.  If not Wayne, the Eagles could try to improve with a player who may not be the long-term answer but who could help them in the short-term like Koren Robinson, Peter Warrick, or Quincy Morgan.  Last year, the Eagles Offense was like a one-armed boxer.

Free Agent Option: Reggie Wayne, Koren Robinson, Peter Warrick, Quincy Morgan, Joe Jurevicius, David Givens, Antonio Bryant, Antwaan Randle El, Eric Moulds, Javon Walker, Jabar Gaffney, Keyshawn Johnson.

2.

LB

High

Med

*03/21/2006 - One of the best Linebackers in Football, Julian Peterson, has signed with Seatte.  Meanwhile, back in Philadelphia, Eagle Cap money continues to collect interest.

*03/12/2006 - The Rams have signed Will Witherspoon.

*03/08/2006 - The Eagles have signed Shawn Barber to a one year contract.  If he is healthy, he will be able to contribute some much-needed big plays from OLB.  Shawn will meet a need this coming year and free the Eagles to invest their cap money in other positions.  They are more than likely finished with the LB position in Free Agency this year. But with Shawn being injured the past two years and only being available to the Eagles for one year, LB is still at Medium Need. 

*03/03/2006 - The Chiefs have released ex-Eagle of fond memory Shawn Barber. Shawn has not had a good season since 2003.  In November of 2004, he suffered ACL damage. The Eagles would have to be interested but the the big question is his health.

*02/24/2006 - The 49ers elected not to franchise Julian Peterson.  Would the eagles pay the kind of money that it would take to get a LB of Peterson's prowess? 

*02/05/2006 - Eagles are rumored to be interested in Witherspoon who will probably be making a visit to Philadelphia in March..

*01/12/2006 -  I was the target of some criticism when, after Super Bowl XXXIX, I voiced concern regarding both OLB positions.  At the time, there was a strong defense of Dhani Jones.  My take is that Dhani is playing out of position.  He would be best suited to play Weakside OLB.   The critical point is that good Linebackers can not necessarily play all 3 LB positions.  When Dhani Jones was first signed as a Free Agent, it was said that he can play all three LB positions.  Sorry, he can’t.  A Strongside LB with TE responsibility requires different skills than required by the Middle or the Weakside.  An example was Carlos Emmons who was excellent at the Strongside but I would not assign him to the Weakside.  The Eagles need a Strongside LB that can cover some of the NFC East Division TE who are among the best in the NFL.

Free Agent Option: Will Witherspoon, Julian Peterson, Shawn Barber.

3.

OL

High

Med

*03/24/2006 - The Eagles have resigned Jon Runyan to a 3 year contract. At minimum, the Eagles still need to shore-up the interior of their OL and to plan on replacing their aging OT with Herremans and either Andrews or another prospect.

*03/14/2006 - Kevin Mawae has signed with the Titans.

*03/11/2006 - The Vikings have signed Steve Hutchinson to an offer that is believed to be too large for Seattle to match.

*03/11/2006 - Bentley has signed with the Browns.

*03/11/2006 - The Eagles have stated that Bentley has not been signed.  Based upon what has been reported recently, Bentley could have been trying to holdup the Eagles for more money.  The Eagles will not comment.

*03/11/2006 - Mark Eckel has reported that the Eagles have signed LeCharles Bentley. He is more than likely receiving his physical exam this morning. Due to the situation at OT and last year at Left OG, I will keep OL as a High Team Need.

*03/08/2006 - Eagles have expressed an interest in former Jets Center Kevin Mawae.

*03/03/2006 - It has been rumored that the Eagles are close to a deal with all-pro Center LeCharles Bentley of the Saints. 

*02/24/2006 - The Seahawks are attempting to save a little money with the transition tag in the hopes that other teams will be discouraged from pursuing Hutchinson.  The Eagles may be interested anyway. 

*02/23/2006 - Seahawks tag Hutchinson as a Transition player.

*02/05/2006 - The Eagles are purportedly not seriously considering resigning Runyan.  I am becoming more and more convinced that the Eagles will pick an OT on the first day unless Shawn Andrews can make the move to RT.  If Runyan can not be resigned, the Eagles can not count on Tra Thomas being healthy or Artis Hicks to keep McNabb out of the hospital.  Even if healthy, Thomas' contract is over in 2008 and he will be 32 this year.  The Eagles will need an OT for the future. If Andrews is moved to RT - and this is questionable due to his weight issues - the Eagles may be looking for an OG in the 2nd or 3rd Rd.

*01/21/2006 - Sources at Cleveland are not high on LJ Shelton and he will be 30 in March.  Hutchinson is the best OL Free Agent.  But he will likely be resigned and is a Guard.  Although he could upgrade OL for any Team, the Eagles will need help at OT if Runyan goes.

*01/12/2006 - The Eagles have enjoyed 2 stalwarts at OT with Runyan and Thomas. Jon Runyan is becoming a Free Agent and is looking for a big pay day. Tra Thomas has suffered through various injuries. Hopefully, Thomas will be healthy this season. With Runyan becoming a Free Agent, the Eagles will be thin at OL but will have 2 solid starters in Herremans and Thomas at OT. At OG, Clarke and Andrews are strong. Although there is excellent talent at OT available in this years’ draft class and an OT in the 1st Rd is tempting, the Eagles do a great job at drafting OL talent and may elect to look for bargains on the 2nd day.  But, even if Thomas is healthy this season, he will not be around forever.

Free Agent Option: LJ Shelton, Steve Hutchinson, Jon Runyan, LeCharles Bentley, Kevin Mawae.

4.

DT

Med

*04/07/2006 - Eagles have signed former Eagle Ed Jasper from Oakland to what the NFL is describing as a 6 year contract.

*03/15/2006 - Rocky Bernard has resigned with the Seahawks.  The Packers have signed Ryan Pickett.

*01/12/2006 - I think that we have a good 4 man rotation at DT, but I would like to see a NT-type DT that can clog the middle against the run and push in the pocket against the pass.   With Trotter playing behind such a DT, the Eagles would be formidable to run against.

Free Agent Option: Rocky Bernard, Ryan Pickett.

Med

Low

*03/13/2006 - The Eagles have done a good job to sign Darren Howard.  He knows he will lose some snaps to Cole and McDougle in Philadephia.  I was very impressed with his press conference on Sunday.

*03/12/2006 - Darren Howard is in to visit the Eagles. Howard has not been able to play a full season for the past three years but when he is healthy, he is a premier pass rusher.

*02/19/2006 - The Jets have informed John Abraham that they will be placing the Franchise tag on him.

*02/17/2006 - Kyle Vanden Bosch is resigning with the Titans

*01/12/2006 - Despite his production numbers, I can never forget that Abraham sat out a Jets playoff game to ensure that he would stay healthy for Free Agency.

*01/12/2006 - Much has been said about the lack of sacks from the DE position. A portion of this lack of productivity stems from opposing Offenses not needing to worry about the pass rush of the Eagle OLB. I am not depending on McDougle’s return to remedy this situation. The Eagles could use another fastball at DE like Trent Cole and a pass rushing specialist at OLB. 

Free Agent Option: John Abraham, Kyle Vanden Bosch, Darren Howard.

*03/15/2006 - The Eagles have signed Jeff Garcia.

*03/03/2006 - The Eagles have an interest in Jeff Garcia who is experienced with the West Coast Offense and who would make an excellent backup QB.

*02/24/2006 - Jay Fiedler was released by the Jets in their effort at cap repair.

*01/12/2006 - The Eagles need a QB that they can groom as a backup and that can be competitive in games if necessary.

Free Agent Option: Jay Fiedler, Jeff Garcia.

7.

RB

Med

*03/14/2006 - Ravens have signed Mike Anderson.

*03/08/2006 - Eagles have expressed an interest in big back Mike Anderson who rushed for over 1,000 yards last year with the Broncos. 

*01/12/2006 - Need a big back that can get the short yardage and provide a change of pace in the running attack.  Even if Buckhalter returns, I don't think that he is that type of back.

Free Agent Option: Mike Anderson.

8.

TE

Low

*03/12/2006 - The Eagles have reportedly agreed to terms with Matt Schobel.

*01/12/2006 - There was a noticeable decline in LJ Smith’s performance this year. Defenses, which once needed to be concerned with 3 threatening weapons out of the Eagle backfield, now had to be concerned with only 2 and sometimes only LJ.
The Eagles could utilize double TE formations more often and more effectively if they had another TE that could block and that was a threat to the secondary.

Free Agent Option: Matt Schobel.

S

Low