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Their division will be especially strong.
By Bob Brookover
Inquirer Staff Writer
The big free agents - LeCharles Bentley, Steve Hutchinson, Antwaan Randle El, Terrell Owens, Julian Peterson - went elsewhere.
Coming off a 6-10 season that left them at the bottom of the NFC East, the Eagles decided to tinker rather than overhaul. They decided that Owens' insults and last season's long list of injuries had more to do with their monstrous free fall than an overwhelming lack of talent.
Brad Childress, the Eagles' former offensive coordinator, felt Owens' behavior was so much of a problem that he was willing to part with disgruntled star quarterback Daunte Culpepper rather than deal with a similar situation in his first season as the Minnesota Vikings' head coach.
"I don't think you can put a strong enough value on what it means to have everybody moving the same way," Childress said last week at the NFL owners meetings. "All it takes is one guy in the corner of the locker room pulling another guy down."
Childress isn't alone in thinking that the Eagles will bounce back. Asked twice about the NFC East at last week's meetings, Commanders coach Joe Gibbs mentioned the Eagles as the most dangerous team in the division each time.
"Philly will come forward," Gibbs said. "Watch those suckers... . Their quarterback is healthy. They play great defense... . You watch that Philly come back."
That's a nice endorsement from a Hall of Fame coach, but the truth is that the NFC East may be the best division in the league next season, and it won't be easy for the Eagles.
"I think it's stronger than it has ever been," coach Andy Reid said.
Gibbs said the NFC East reminds him a lot of the division he coached in during his first stint with the Commanders.
The Commanders, who made the playoffs last season for the first time since 1999, were among the most active teams in free agency. Their most noteworthy additions were receivers Randle El and Brandon Lloyd, safety Adam Archuleta, tight end Christian Fauria and linebacker Andre Carter. Randle El is versatile, but he's not an explosive receiver. Lloyd is far from a star, and Archuleta may not be an improvement over departed Ryan Clark at strong safety.
If you're wondering how the Commanders could make so many moves after being in cap trouble (before a new collective-bargaining agreement bailed them out), the answer is easy. The Commanders let 11 players walk, including linebacker LaVar Arrington. Carter probably is just as good as Arrington. The Commanders lost a starting cornerback in Walt Harris, but they're confident last year's first-round pick, Carlos Rogers, is ready to replace him.
Dallas probably has done the most in free agency in the division. Owens was the biggest - and riskiest - addition. He figures to be on his best behavior as long as quarterback Drew Bledsoe is playing well and getting him the ball.
The Cowboys' other huge addition was kicker Mike Vanderjagt, one of the best in the game. Vanderjagt, however, is known for alienating teammates and has missed some huge kicks in his career. He's below average at kickoffs and moves to a division with three cold-weather, outdoor stadiums.
Linebacker Akin Ayodele should provide outside pressure for the Cowboys, although his numbers were in decline his last two years with the Jaguars and weren't any better than the departed Scott Fujita provided last season. The Cowboys also revamped their offensive line, adding tackle Jason Fabini from the Jets and guard Kyle Kosier from the Lions. Neither was considered a star.
What's most scary about the Cowboys is that they have a lot of talented, young players, such as Roy Williams, DeMarcus Ware and Jason Witten. If they continue to improve, so will the Cowboys.
The New York Giants, the defending division champions, have probably done the least of any NFC East team in free agency, choosing to focus their attention on a porous secondary.
They signed cornerbacks Sam Madison and R.W. McQuarters and safeties Will Demps and Quentin Harris. Madison is an aging veteran, and Demps had ACL surgery in December. The Giants' secondary should be improved, but it would be difficult for it to get any worse, especially when you consider that they were one of the best pass-rushing teams in the NFL.
New York still has issues at linebacker, and losing defensive tackle Kendrick Clancy was significant.
Still, quarterback Eli Manning should continue to improve, which means the Giants should get better, too.
The Eagles, meanwhile, didn't suffer any significant losses in free agency and added two starters in defensive end Darren Howard and linebacker Shawn Barber - and a possible third in wide receiver Jabar Gaffney.
It hasn't been an overly exciting free-agent period for the Eagles, but when you compare it with the rest of the division, it hasn't been disastrous.
"There's not anybody in our division that didn't improve themselves," Gibbs said. "If you get out of it, you might do well in the playoffs."
There's also a chance to improve in the draft later this month. The Eagles will be the first team from the NFC East division to make a selection.
Contact staff writer Bob Brookover at 215-854-2577 or bbrookover@phillynews.com.
LINK
By Bob Brookover
Inquirer Staff Writer
The big free agents - LeCharles Bentley, Steve Hutchinson, Antwaan Randle El, Terrell Owens, Julian Peterson - went elsewhere.
Coming off a 6-10 season that left them at the bottom of the NFC East, the Eagles decided to tinker rather than overhaul. They decided that Owens' insults and last season's long list of injuries had more to do with their monstrous free fall than an overwhelming lack of talent.
Brad Childress, the Eagles' former offensive coordinator, felt Owens' behavior was so much of a problem that he was willing to part with disgruntled star quarterback Daunte Culpepper rather than deal with a similar situation in his first season as the Minnesota Vikings' head coach.
"I don't think you can put a strong enough value on what it means to have everybody moving the same way," Childress said last week at the NFL owners meetings. "All it takes is one guy in the corner of the locker room pulling another guy down."
Childress isn't alone in thinking that the Eagles will bounce back. Asked twice about the NFC East at last week's meetings, Commanders coach Joe Gibbs mentioned the Eagles as the most dangerous team in the division each time.
"Philly will come forward," Gibbs said. "Watch those suckers... . Their quarterback is healthy. They play great defense... . You watch that Philly come back."
That's a nice endorsement from a Hall of Fame coach, but the truth is that the NFC East may be the best division in the league next season, and it won't be easy for the Eagles.
"I think it's stronger than it has ever been," coach Andy Reid said.
Gibbs said the NFC East reminds him a lot of the division he coached in during his first stint with the Commanders.
The Commanders, who made the playoffs last season for the first time since 1999, were among the most active teams in free agency. Their most noteworthy additions were receivers Randle El and Brandon Lloyd, safety Adam Archuleta, tight end Christian Fauria and linebacker Andre Carter. Randle El is versatile, but he's not an explosive receiver. Lloyd is far from a star, and Archuleta may not be an improvement over departed Ryan Clark at strong safety.
If you're wondering how the Commanders could make so many moves after being in cap trouble (before a new collective-bargaining agreement bailed them out), the answer is easy. The Commanders let 11 players walk, including linebacker LaVar Arrington. Carter probably is just as good as Arrington. The Commanders lost a starting cornerback in Walt Harris, but they're confident last year's first-round pick, Carlos Rogers, is ready to replace him.
Dallas probably has done the most in free agency in the division. Owens was the biggest - and riskiest - addition. He figures to be on his best behavior as long as quarterback Drew Bledsoe is playing well and getting him the ball.
The Cowboys' other huge addition was kicker Mike Vanderjagt, one of the best in the game. Vanderjagt, however, is known for alienating teammates and has missed some huge kicks in his career. He's below average at kickoffs and moves to a division with three cold-weather, outdoor stadiums.
Linebacker Akin Ayodele should provide outside pressure for the Cowboys, although his numbers were in decline his last two years with the Jaguars and weren't any better than the departed Scott Fujita provided last season. The Cowboys also revamped their offensive line, adding tackle Jason Fabini from the Jets and guard Kyle Kosier from the Lions. Neither was considered a star.
What's most scary about the Cowboys is that they have a lot of talented, young players, such as Roy Williams, DeMarcus Ware and Jason Witten. If they continue to improve, so will the Cowboys.
The New York Giants, the defending division champions, have probably done the least of any NFC East team in free agency, choosing to focus their attention on a porous secondary.
They signed cornerbacks Sam Madison and R.W. McQuarters and safeties Will Demps and Quentin Harris. Madison is an aging veteran, and Demps had ACL surgery in December. The Giants' secondary should be improved, but it would be difficult for it to get any worse, especially when you consider that they were one of the best pass-rushing teams in the NFL.
New York still has issues at linebacker, and losing defensive tackle Kendrick Clancy was significant.
Still, quarterback Eli Manning should continue to improve, which means the Giants should get better, too.
The Eagles, meanwhile, didn't suffer any significant losses in free agency and added two starters in defensive end Darren Howard and linebacker Shawn Barber - and a possible third in wide receiver Jabar Gaffney.
It hasn't been an overly exciting free-agent period for the Eagles, but when you compare it with the rest of the division, it hasn't been disastrous.
"There's not anybody in our division that didn't improve themselves," Gibbs said. "If you get out of it, you might do well in the playoffs."
There's also a chance to improve in the draft later this month. The Eagles will be the first team from the NFC East division to make a selection.
Contact staff writer Bob Brookover at 215-854-2577 or bbrookover@phillynews.com.
LINK
