Time to look forward to the draft again...

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

I don't think Sheldon needs to be replaced... but he certainly needs better help from the safeties.

[Eaglez]

Pull that gerbil out your sphincter, IGY. You'll probably feel better.

[ice grillin you]

I don't think Sheldon needs to be replaced... but he certainly needs better help from the safeties.

he needs more than safety help if you think he should be challenged for his job in camp next year

out of the 22 starters on the team...i would rank sheldon in the top five best going into camp next year....so when you start questioning people like that then you basically are questioning every single player on the team....and to me that ridiculous and just looking for things to rip

they arent that horrible

[SD_Eagle5]

The only players on the defense that deserve a basically-unchallenged starting spot in 2007 are Lito, Dawkins, Patterson, Cole, and Trotter.  And Trotter and Dawkins are declining, Patterson's unspectacular, Lito averages about 9-10 games a year, and Cole is more productive in an off-the-bench pass rushing role.

So, it's kind of silly to split hairs by saying, "No, it's the secondary!" or "No, it's the front seven!"  The defense is seriously flawed across the board.  That said, I have no doubt Andy will use at least two draft picks on offensive linemen.

Sheldon's having a bad year but he's under contract and still a decent starter, meaning 3/4 of our secondary is set, I doubt aside from maybe adding a SS and some other DBs for depth we'll see many changes.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

I think he should be challenged though, for two reasons:

1.  The team needs a solid nickel corner next year regardless.
2.  Sheldon does need to step back up and be a little bit more reliable, which I think he can do.

[ice grillin you]

sheldon grades out to a B nfl cornerback...cant ask for much more than that as your #2 corner...most teams would kill to have him in that spot

the key with the corners is keep lito healthy cause when he is hes a A- guy and you have a great cb tandem

this shouldnt even be a discussion...the corners are more than fine...fix everything in front of and around them

[Eaglez]

I don't think Sheldon needs to be replaced... but he certainly needs better help from the safeties.

he needs more than safety help if you think he should be challenged for his job in camp next year

out of the 22 starters on the team...i would rank sheldon in the top five best going into camp next year....so when you start questioning people like that then you basically are questioning every single player on the team....and to me that ridiculous and just looking for things to rip

they arent that horrible

Your logic is mind-boggling, IGY.

I don't think anyone suggested replacing Sheldon. How you construe someone suggesting that Sheldon needs to pick up his game as meaning that he needs to be replaced is out-right is ridiculous.

Sheldon needs to play better. Period. A lot of players on this team need to play better. Maybe people are mentioning Sheldon because people hold him in high regard and he's shown he can play better than what he is currently demonstrating.

And Rod Hood hasn't been great since returning from his injury. He's a good third corner, but he is wholly replaceable, probably through the draft. And, with the Eagles track record in drafting CBs, I'd put considerable faith in them to make a good decision in the draft regarding a CB. Lito, Sheldon and picking up Hood via undrafted rookie FA have all been good moves. Extrapolating from that, they will probably make a decent pick-up in the draft to fill the void in the secondary for a 3rd corner. But who knows, maybe they'll resign William James after this season and then conclude that they'll go into next season with Lito, Sheldon, and James. I guess we'll just wait and see.

[rjs246]

There is something reassuring about that article, no doubt. However, it's upsetting to know that a professional thinks that two starters and a former first round pick need to be shown the door immediately. Sure we all knew that, but to have that opinion validated is upsetting.

[ice grillin you]

I don't think anyone suggested replacing Sheldon. How you construe someone suggesting that Sheldon needs to pick up his game as meaning that he needs to be replaced out-right is ridiculous.

you havent read the thread it seems....ff put him on the list of players that should have his job challenged...but forget that...questioning him in anyway is so far off base its not funny...hes fine

Maybe people are mentioning Sheldon because people hold him in high regard and he's shown he can play better than what he is currently demonstrating.

people are questioning him for one reason and one reason only because an article was posted today where an unamed 'scout' said he wasnt any good...so now some people think hes not any good.....funny stuff

[Eaglez]

challenged does not equal replaced. But this discussion is going nowhere.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

challenged does not equal replaced.

That's what I'm trying to say.

[Rome]

Shouldn't every starter be challenged?[/capt.obvious]

[SunMo]

bottom line...on a defense as bad as this one... picking apart one of the top 5 players is a retarded thing to do.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

List your top 5 defensive players on the team in terms of value to the team in 2007.
(Mine:  Brian Dawkins, Lito Sheppard, Trent Cole, Jeremiah Trotter, Jevon Kearse)

List your top 5 defensive players on the team in terms of value to the team long-term.
(Mine:  Lito Sheppard, Mike Patterson, Sheldon Brown, Trent Cole, Brodrick Bunkley?)

List the top 5 defensive players that least need to be challenged for 2007 specifically, because their performance and progress is basically as-expected and there is no need to "light a fire under their asses":
(Mine:  Lito Sheppard, Mike Patterson, Jeremiah Trotter, Brian Dawkins, Trent Cole - the list I mentioned earlier)


I'm sure that clears it up perfectly.

[ice grillin you]

Shouldn't every starter be challenged

in theory sure....in reality when you have 22 starters its not possible for that to be the case...its hard enough to have quality depth at more than a couple positions and you want every position on the field challenged for?...in fact its the opposite of what you say...if that happened it would mean you have the worst team in the history of sports...you want as few positions as possible being challenged for...


every team no matter how bad has X amount of starters that are good nfl players and you dont even think of replacing...sheldon right now is one of those kinds of players