watched every snap, every second in game speed, slo-mo, super-slo-mo. Forward. Rewind. Watch it again.
See the problems.
In the wake of a 6-10 2005 season, Reid witnessed the evidence in the near-three-dimensional splendor of his NovaCare Complex office, and the tale was telling: The Eagles got their butts beaten at the line of scrimmage last year.
Something had to be done. So after eight draft picks in a two-day draft, on the heels of the prime free-agency period, so much has been done.
"We wanted to come out of this draft having strength in both lines," said Reid. "If you look at the games we had trouble with last year, we had some breakdowns on both sides of the ball. We needed to strengthen that.
"Now, it's a matter of going out, working hard, and doing the other things you need to do through the mini-camps and training camp. We have brought in, what I think, will be some good young players."
While time is needed to sift through the personnel and sort it out, the Eagles have revamped their corps at the line of scrimmage. They started the turnover by signing Darren Howard in free agency, adding depth with Ed Jasper and then diving straight in during the draft.
Of the team's eight draft choices, four of them are coming in to add depth and power to the line of scrimmage. No. 1 draft pick Brodrick Bunkley is going to challenge Darwin Walker and Mike Patterson for immediate playing time, for a starting job, as the defensive tackle group gets a makeover (especially with the trade of Hollis Thomas to New Orleans). Second pick Winston Justice will learn the offensive tackle trade behind Jon Runyan and Tra Thomas, but he's also coming to town with the intention of competing for time.
Fourth-round draft pick Max Jean-Gilles was a surprise second-day selection -- every draftnik had him going in the first or second round -- and the Eagles traded up early in the round to snag him, dealing veteran defensive tackle Hollis Thomas to move up. Jean-Gilles will compete at both guard spots, but his most likely chance to gain playing time will come if he beats out Todd Herremans -- the new starter with Artis Hicks sent to Minnesota in a trade -- and Adrien Clarke at left guard.
Late in the draft, the Eagles went for USC defensive tackle LaJuan Ramsey, a late bloomer who at the very least adds some oomph at a position crowded with numbers -- Patterson, Bunkley, Walker, Sam Rayburn, Jasper, Paul Grasmanis, Keyonta Marshall and Ramsey are expected to compete for four or five jobs.
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| OT Winston Justice is here to bolster depth and offer competition up front as part of the team's makeover |
And while nothing is set in stone, I'll throw out my starting lines at this moment.
Offensive line, from left to right: Tra Thomas, Herremans, Hank Fraley/Jamaal Jackson, Shawn Andrews, Jon Runyan. But Justice is going to push Thomas, Jean-Gilles and Clarke will push Herremans and youngsters like Scott Young, Trey Darilek, Calvin Armstrong and Dominic Furio understand how tenuous their positions are.
Welcome to the business side of things, fellas.
Defensive line, from left end to right: Jevon Kearse, Patterson, Walker/Bunkley, Howard. Trent Cole is the top end reserve, with Juqua Thomas and Jerome McDougle coming up on the outside. Third pick Chris Gocong is more likely a SAM linebacker, but he could be used in certain schemes as a stand-up end if he develops sufficiently.
The depth at tackle, potentially, should be more than sufficient.
Reid's theme of the off-season, his priority, clearly, was the line of scrimmage. At the same time, the Eagles think they address many other positions in free agency -- as previously documented, so no need to go over it again -- and he touched on some areas in the draft. Let's talk about those players, too.
Wide receiver Jason Avant had a remarkably productive career at Michigan -- he was sensational last year with 80-plus catches -- and he'll hopefully add depth at wide receiver (you just never know at this position). Jeremy Bloom is a legitimate speed guy who will compete right away as a return man, both in the punt game and in the kickoff game, and the way Reid talked about him after the draft, we could see the Eagles try to work Bloom into some packages where he gets the ball in space as a wide receiver.
Linebacker Omar Gaither and Gocong have a complex defense to comprehend, so they will likely make their first impressions on special teams. If they want to stick and gain playing time, they need to be prepared to stand out on special teams. What I like about both of these players is that the Eagles have a chance to get bigger on special teams, something that will benefit them in the return game as the blocking wall would be, theoretically, more stout, and in coverage, as the added size can help blow up the wedge.
Truthfully, nobody knows how the draft picks are going to work out. Every team out there loves its draft. Who knows how a young man will react to the pressure and pace of the NFL, of the riches of being in the league, of the intense mental requirements at this level?
At this moment, though, we know a lot more about what Reid and General Manager Tom Heckert wanted to accomplish in this off-season. The tale of the tape was the proof, as Reid and Heckert sat side by side watching the replay of a disappointing season.
It all starts up front. The Eagles lost that battle too often last year, leading to a 6-10 nightmare.
They've accomplished the mission, then, of re-building the foundation. The pilings for long-term success are in place after the massive restructuring of the line of scrimmage.
Draft News, Notes And Nonsense
. Even if the Eagles sign a rookie free agent quarterback, it would be a bit of a reach to think the youngster would win a roster spot. That's how I see it, anyway.
On Jean-Gilles, Heckert said, "Obviously, he's a guy that is a massive individual, but he's a really good athlete for a guy his size. You can compare him to Shawn (Andrews), where they're two very big players who have had some tackle experience. We do think Max is a guard for us. He's an oustanding run blocker and he has the athletic ability to be a good pass protector."
On Avant: "Jason is an outstanding player. He did not run real well at his workout; he had a broken hand. He's a super-productive player. You watch the tape and you don't see the lack of speed. We have no qualms about him being a good player for us. We're excited about him."
On Bloom: "We do think he has outstanding special teams ability with his returns. I think he can be a third, fourth, fifth receiver-type guy in the meantime until he picks that up. He hasn't played football in a while. But he should be able to have an immediate impact for us as a special teams guy. We spent a lot of time with him at the Combine and he's just an outstanding kid. I think he brings a lot more than just football to our team."
On Gaither: "This guy is big -- he's been to 245 pounds -- he can play all three positions, he's a great leader, he's smart, he's a super competitor and we just think he adds so much versatility where he can play a lot of different positions. We like him."
On Ramsey: "A late-rising guy. He didn't play much at USC and then he was nicked up. But we saw him play very well late last season and then he played great in the National Championship game. We think he has a lot of football in front of him. He has a chance to be a good player when he gains more experience."