The Eagles Offseason Thread(all aboard the Brian Finneran bandwagon)

[shorebird]

Like LJ.

Look at every other team in our division. Cooley, Whitten, and Shockey or Boss. All better if not twice as good as Andy Reid's tight end. Reid and his phone book thick playbook, that the TE is supposed to be a big part of, yet he can't do what every other team in the division has done and draft a pro-bowl calibur player.

Same as at the WR pos.

[Rome]

Twice as good?

That's a whopper of a stretch, bro.  L.J. has his faults but when he's healthy he's at least a borderline Pro Bowl type player.

[Diomedes]

And he's a bottom third NFL TE blocker at his best.

[Rome]

That I agree with.  But in this era of the game tight ends aren't used much as blockers anyway.  The good ones are primarily pass catchers first and blockers second.

The thing is, though, he's never going to be an 80 catch tight end like Witten because Reid likes the spread it around passing game.  He has the potential to do that but the only person on that team who will ever get close to 80-90 catches is Westbrook.

To me, the fault for not maximizing L.J.'s talents as a pass receiver falls with Reid and Morningwood, not L.J. or even Donovan.

[Diomedes]

I don't care how good a pass catcher a TE is, or how well those skills are utilized, I want him to be at least better than average at blocking.  Call me old fashioned.

[Rome]

You are old fashioned.  You're bitter and usually full of bourbon.

[Wingspan]

And he's a bottom third NFL TE blocker at his best.

With all of the errands and game casts...there is no way you can know that.

[PhillyPhreak54]

I agree with that too. TE's should be multi-faceted and be able to block. Because when an OL has trouble picking up the blitz the TE has to be the guy who stays in and blocks. When he cannot do it, then they not only have to use him and we watch futile efforts, but they have to use a back to chip or block and that ties him up too. SO you have effectively taken out or limited two weapons to help get something done.

LJ is a borderline PB pass catcher. But his blocking skills are that of a junior high player.

However, Shockey and Boss are not twice as good as him. Those two guys are adequate (Shockey) and below average (Boss). Shockey was horrible, but he got better at it.

The days of the TEs who catch and block well are over. Look no further than the last draft prospects. Most guys are just bigger WRs because teams all want athletic guys who can stretch the field.

[shorebird]

LJ is a borderline PB pass catcher. But his blocking skills are that of a junior high player.

However, Shockey and Boss are not twice as good as him. Those two guys are adequate (Shockey) and below average (Boss). Shockey was horrible, but he got better at it.

Well, yeeah, I was stretchin' a bit. They're better, but not twice as.  Witten though, is. He's what, 260? And blocks his ass off.........unless they're playing the Giants or Eagles at the end of last season.

My point was, Reid can't draft a TE any better than he can a WR. He's built a good team, but can't get what every other team in our division has. A playmaking reciever at any position.

You look at the Giants and how they got Burris and Shockey when the drafted Manning. Dallas has had better recievers than the Eagles for forever. The Skins have Moss and Cooley. I'd take both over any receiver the Eagles have on thier roster. Matter of fact, I'd love to see what Cooley would do with Dmac throwing to him in this offense. He has serious skills, and blocks very well.  

[Diomedes]

but can't get what every other team in our division has. A playmaking reciever at any position.

Well, except rb

[Don Ho]

I'd love to see what Cooley would do with Dmac throwing to him in this offense. He has serious skills, and blocks very well.  


those skills had better include fielding worm burners coming at him at 100 mph.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

Cheerleaders?

[ice grillin you]

coming in at #11 on pete priscos top 20 breakout players of the 2008 season is everyones favorite engineer...

11. Chris Gocong, OLB, Philadelphia Eagles: The Eagles were thrilled with the way he played as a first-time starter in 2007. He has the speed to match up with tight ends in coverage and he plays the run well. Having a player with Gocong's versatility in Jim Johnson's defense is a big plus.

[SunMo]

who cares if he can't tackle

[rjs246]

I usually keep my mouth shut about Gocong (other than to laugh at the fact that Andy Reid drafted a D-II electrical engineer in the second round), but I really didn't think he was awful last year. He wasn't exactly a star and he wasn't exactly the glue the held the defense together and saying that he's going to break out and become a star this year seems like a big stretch, but he did alright and the level of hate he gets here is pretty hilarious. In fact, I think he gets more hate for having been an athlete who actually studied something useful in school than he does for his play on the field. Which is pathetic.