Well, after a three game December losing streak, the Philadelphia Eagles season is officially over. Many fans are angry, some are shell shocked, and others are just plain depressed. While I love the passion and emotion that this city’s fan base brings, it’s often misplaced and over the top. People are crying for Chip Kelly to be fired, Billy Davis to be fired, trade LeSean McCoy, etc. If you want someone to blame, it’s as easy as looking at the front office/personnel decisions that have been made, and are still being made. Let’s take a look at some of the “questionable” moves the Eagles have made over the past 10 years.
#1 Terrell Owens Release
Now listen, it’s hard to to ally put this one on the front office because T.O. was acting like a child and clearly had issues and didn’t handle things very well at all, but you knew what you were getting when you brought him here. Essentially the Eagles made a deal and said, we’re going to deal with the headache of T.O., in order to get us a Super Bowl. T.O. did his part as far as performing on the field, but the Eagles couldn’t figure out how to handle the situation. McNabb was upset with T.O., T.O. was upset with McNabb, this was the ultimate disaster. This team was knocking on the door of a Super Bowl, but they couldn’t hold it together for a few years and bring the trophy to Philly.
#2 Brian Dawkins not Resigned
Well, I’d like to say we’ve forgotten all about this one, but we have Nate Allen reminding us every game that we still miss Dawkins. What else is there to say? The Eagles basically told the most beloved Eagle of all time to, “take a hike.” They offered him a bogus contract and he went on to play a few more very productive seasons for the Denver Broncos. Meanwhile, the Eagles haven’t made it back to an NFC Championship game and have never found the successor to Brian Dawkins.
#3 Not Drafting Earl Thomas
Dawkins is the perfect segway to this topic. You had a perennial Pro Bowler and Brian Dawkins’ successor staring you right in the face in the 2010 draft and you shocked the world and took Brandon Graham. I repeat, Earl Thomas was on the board, and you drafted Brandon Graham. There was a clear position of need, the best player on the draft board fit that need, and you passed on him. To this day, this decision haunts Eagles fans. It seemed so obvious and clear that the Eagles were going to draft Earl Thomas that even Sal Paolantonio came on ESPN and proclaimed the Eagles had traded up to get Earl Thomas. When the announcement came down that Brandon Graham was the selection, and not Earl Thomas, hearts broke all throughout the Delaware Valley.
#4 Marcus Smith/Danny Watkins Selections
I understand these two picks weren’t really related, or even made by the same regime, but they’re equally puzzling.
First of all, Marcus Smith was graded as a late 2nd, or early 3rd rounder all over the league. Yes, I understand that grades aren’t always accurate and players can exceed their draft grades, but you don’t reach two rounds early on a guy like this. Heck, they could have even draft Jordan Mathews in round 1 and Smith in round 2 and I think it would have been alright. However, they drafted Smith as an edge rushing OLB, and he’s already been converted to a MLB, but still hasn’t sniffed the field. In a league where first rounders are often plugged in right away, this pick has “BUST” written all over it. Let’s call it what it is, the Eagles had Clinton Dix and Cooks targeted on draft night, and when those two were selected in front of the Eagles, they had no plan B and panicked.
Danny Watkins, oh Danny Watkins. He was a 26 year old rookie who played organized football for only a few years at Baylor before they were even really a good football program. He didn’t have great measurables and didn’t grade out as a first round pick. You can’t continuously squander first round picks, and the Eagles have developed a knack for doing this.
#5 Releasing DeSean Jackson
I know, he was a pain in the ass, I get it. But c’mon, what happened? Was he such a pain in the ass that he played a huge role in taking the Eagles from 4-12 to a 10-6 Division winner? Was he too big of a pain in the ass when he had a career year with over 80 catches, over 1,300 yards, and 9 touchdowns? 27 year old Pro Bowl wide receivers don’t grow on trees guys, we should know this, we could never find one in all of the years Donovan McNabb was here.
If you’re angry and want to blow off some steam and blame someone, point your fingers toward the top. Whether it’s Lurie being cheap, Howie keeping the cap in order, or the coaches having too much say on the roster, something has to change. The Eagles brought Tom Gamble in from San Francisco a couple of years ago and it’s time to turn full control of the roster over to him. Let Howie manage the money, let Chip coach the team, and let Gamble craft the roster. Everyone in Philadelphia take a breath, with Chip coming here taking over a 4-12 team, I think most of us accepted this being a 3-4 year rebuild, we’re just now closing out year 2.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
