An Early Preview of the Philadelphia Eagles Offseason

Most Eagles fans are sick of the 2012 season and can’t wait for the offseason to get underway. You can’t blame them. The 2012 version of the Philadelphia Eagles is sloppy, disappointing and riddled with injuries.The offseason generates optimism with every move from any coaching change, free agency and the draft. 2012 may be lost, but a 2013 Super Bowl run is not out of the question in Philadelphia. The road starts right after the 2012 season ends. Coaching Change Andy Reid will be fired sometime between right now and a couple days after the final regular season game. The fans are unhappy, the team is sloppy and coaching staff isn’t getting through to the players like they once could. 14 years is a long time for a coach to stay in one city without a Super Bowl ring. No one knows who the Eagles will bring in to replace Reid just yet. The rumors will start to really heat up once the regular season ends. Until then all we can really do is speculate. Stanford’s David Shaw was my favorite candidate, but he signed a long-term deal to stay at the college level. I would rank Oregon’s Chip Kelly, the Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy and the Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer. Kelly is the home run swing hire. He coud be great or he could be a failure in the pros. Because of his lack of experience in the NFL, we can’t be sure until he gets his shot. Some college coaches have failed in the NFL, some have had great success. Mike McCoy has quietly become a quarterback guru over the years as he has helped get the most out of Jake Delhomme, Kyle Orton and Tim Tebow along with calling plays for Peyton Manning this season. He could do wonders for Nick Foles. Mike Zimmer has been a terrific defensive coordinator for a long time. His plays play hard for him and they are all fundamentally sound. You don’t see many missed tackles or blown assignments on a Mike Zimmer defense. Free Agency/Re-Signings The Eagles aren’t going to go crazy in free agency this offseason, For starters, they have been burned trying to buy a championship. They overpaid on Nnamdi Asomugha, Jason Babin and Cullen Jenkins. This offseason should be more focused on re-signed the players they have, and clearing cap space for the players they don’t need. Demetress Bell, Michael Vick, Mike Patterson, Cullen Jenkins and Nnamdi Asomugha could all be cut to save money. Bell can be cut with no money owed, while the rest will cost the Eagles some dead money. Nnamdi clearly wants to stay in Philadelphia and could workout a restructure.  Nnamdi is set to make around $15 million next year, but could work out a new deal worth about half that if he really wants to stay, otherwise the Eagles could release him and eat $4 million of dead money.  Vick is almost assured of being released and the Eagles eating his $7 plus million dead money figure. Those 3 moves would save the Eagles around $27 million against the cap and get them around $10-$15 million under the cap. The could add to that number by another $5 million if they released either Mike Patterson or Cullen Jenkins. That money will probably be used to re-sign corner Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, a couple of veteran offensive linemen for depth and a veteran safety to compete for a starting spot. They will probably add a veteran or two who can help install whatever new scheme changes a new coach might bring. Maybe a nose tackle if he wants to run a 3-4 defense or a tight end if he likes to run two and three tight end sets. 2013 NFL Draft Right now the Eagles are in need of a starting right guard or tackle (depending on whether or not they move Todd Herremans back to guard), a starting safety, a run stuffing defensive tackle and a strong side linebacker. What they are unable to acquire in free agency becomes a major need in the draft. Depending on how the Eagles finish out the season, they will pick somewhere between third and tenth in the first round. Defensive tackle Star Lotulelei, offensive tackles Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews, offensive guard Chance Warmack and cornerback Dee Milliner are the most likely Eagles first round picks. Safety and linebacker will be taken not long after that if not taken care of in free agency.   The Eagles 2012 season may be a lost cause, but the 2013 version doesn’t have to be. There is potential for plenty of cap space, early draft picks and talent to attract a quality head coach that can turn this thing around very quickly.