Takeo Spikes to Eagles...

[Blue&Silver]

It's easier to criticize a 30 year old player when your run defense is getting trashed than it is to trash your future "star" DTs that have only recently been drafted.

That said, while they were getting gashed, Walker was still on the field. Unless Jim Johnson is a masochist, that doesn't bode well for what's behind Walker.

True. This trade has more ramifications than just Spikes, and Holcomb, for Walker. If Bunkley isn't what everyone expected, it could set that franchise back a few years.

They still haven't recovered from the bust known as McDougle

 

[carphalen5150]

They still haven't recovered from the bust known as McDougle

How exactly did they not recover? They made it to the Super Bowl and won the divison 3 out of 4 years since he was drafted.

 

[Phoenix-Talon]

How exactly did they not recover? They made it to the Super Bowl and won the divison 3 out of 4 years since he was drafted.

Ding, ding, ding, ding!

 

[superpunk]

How exactly did they not recover? They made it to the Super Bowl and won the divison 3 out of 4 years since he was drafted.

It was a faulty statement because we were talking about DTs and McDougle was a DE, but making the super bowl doesn't mean that a team has recovered from a first round bust. It just means the rest of the team was good enough.

 

[lspain1]

Ding, ding, ding, ding!

It is truly remarkable how some folks bash the Eagles as having "issues" when they have owned the division for years. I'll take the "issues" if I can have the wins. I'll predict the Eagles to be the favorites going into the regular season right now barring injury disaster. But.....some folks will continue to tell us how "bad off" the Eagles franchise remains.

I'm a Cowboys fan....but I like to consider myself a realist. Until we can beat the Eagles during the regular season, the division crown (and postseason advancement) are going to elude us. The road to the SB goes through Philadelphia for now. I don't like that fact....but it does not change reality.

 

[Blue&Silver]

How exactly did they not recover? They made it to the Super Bowl and won the divison 3 out of 4 years since he was drafted.

1 They are still paying McDougle.
2 They are still looking for his replacement.
3 They reached for Darren Howard last year for 30m
4 They might invest another first day pick on yet another D End.

All of that $$, and position attention could have went towards the linebackers, or another need position if McDougle panned out. They might have had better receivers, sooner. Possibly better running game, possibly better linebackers. It could have been a Superbowl victory. Heck, they could have made a return appearance.

It definitely set them back, and is still a sore spot. Wouldn't they have been a better team with McDougle being a star, and that money they gave Howard last year going to Julian Peterson?

 

[TobiasEagle77]

Blue&Silver, Smashmouth - I think your observations on Walker were dead on. He's a HELL of a pass-rusher at DT and always showed up against the Cowboys. He also played ok against the run, in streaks, his problem was that he sold out to get to the QB - he's actually stated that he considers sacks more important than stopping the run. I won't minimize the loss of Walker, I would've loved to keep him as a pass-rusher off the bench. Walker and Reager would've been a force on third downs.

I think this was a good trade for both teams. The Eagles have enough pass rush that losing Walker won't kill them, and they potentially get their first play-making LB in years. The Bills get younger as they want to do, and gain a pass-rushing tackle.

You can't get something for nothing, so yes the Eagles lost something but I think it was a good trade.

 

[Phoenix-Talon]

Blue&Silver, Smashmouth - I think your observations on Walker were dead on. He's a HELL of a pass-rusher at DT and always showed up against the Cowboys. He also played ok against the run, in streaks, his problem was that he sold out to get to the QB - he's actually stated that he considers sacks more important than stopping the run. I won't minimize the loss of Walker, I would've loved to keep him as a pass-rusher off the bench. Walker and Reager would've been a force on third downs.

I think this was a good trade for both teams. The Eagles have enough pass rush that losing Walker won't kill them, and they potentially get their first play-making LB in years. The Bills get younger as they want to do, and gain a pass-rushing tackle.

You can't get something for nothing, so yes the Eagles lost something but I think it was a good trade.

Excellent analysis TE77.

PE