Grade FA so far.. Howard, Barber, Gaffney, Garcia, Schoebel

[MURP]

  

[MURP]

Im giving it a C+ so far.

I like that they are trying to fill some need areas, but I think some of the players they are going after have some serious question marks.   Howard was about as good a player they could get for DE help.  Garcia is just another stop gap QB along the way.  Probably the best they were gonna find so not bad there.  I dont get the Barber signing.  Just too many injury issues for my liking.  I just feel the odds are against this guy making it through the season.   I like that they went after Gaffney, but then they went and only give him a 1 year deal.  That shows no confidence in the guy.  What are we supposed to think about that.  Lose Owens and sign an average WR to a one year deal... hmmmmm.    Schoebel sounds like he can play the part, but he has to prove it in an offense that relies on the TE as opposed to an offense like Cincinatti where the TE is an after thought.

[MDS]

C

Howard was nice. Garcia, while gay, is fine for a backup (will not lose us games in a fill in role for donny, and were not winning crap if hes out long term so who cares at that point). Barber is expected since we dont value linebackers. If the coverage is good and the line can get some pressure, our weakling at LB isnt too big a deal. Gaffney is a good 3, but the one year deal is iffy and we need a moulds or walker there. schoebel depends on lj smith. if he can take it to the next level, all schob needs to do is be a safe outlet for donovan (like chad) and block. a confused lj like last year means more out of schoebel which may not be a good thing.

still time to bump it up with the draft, runyan situation, and possible walker/moulds trades.

[The BIGSTUD]

C-

Howard is the only thing from making it a total F. I'll give them a C- because they HAVE addressed positions of need, while not with the best of quality, but they have done it.

If they find a way to get a SAM, another starting WR, and a DT, and re-sign Runyan they will get a B+. If they get a RB and a FB on top of it, they get an A.

[Geowhizzer]

Interim grade:  D+

Whether warranted to not, the public humiliation stemming from the Bentley debacle is weighing down the team's grade at this point.

Heck, even the vet WR they were supposed to have signed ended up going back to his old team.

Like the Howard move, but there is still much to do.

[General_Failure]

Questionable DE and a backup TE. I gave it a D.

[SD_Eagle5]

If I were judging each player move individually I'd give Howard a B and the rest of the moves a C. Therefore, I chose C+.

[PhillyPhreak54]

A solid B.

1. We needed a backup QB. Got it.

2. We needed a LB who didn't suck and isn't named Adams or Simoneau. Got it.

3. Darren Howard was a great signing.

4. We needed a backup TE becaus Spach sucks. Got it.

5. We got another veteran WR who still is young enough to grow as a player. Gaffney signing lessens the amount of Greg Lewis we will see.

[General_Failure]

I completely forgot about Gaffney when I did my grade. I'll keep it at D.

[The BIGSTUD]

You forgot Mahe is probably coming back.

That should instantly boost it up to a B+ at the very least.

[bobbyinlondon]

We don't know if it was the Eagles who insisted on a 1 year deal, or if it was Rosenhaus. Just like the Barber deal, Barber had said the Eagles wanted to sign him for longer, but he only wanted a 1 year deal to prove he's back from injury. The first time around, it was the FO's call on that.

[Displaced]

I said C-.

While they have addressed positions of need, I don't see where they have yet to get that impact player that can pit the offense or defense on their back and take over.  Once again I see patch jobs instead of real impact.

I know it has not been their philosophy to go out ant break the bank on the top guy early on in FA.  It can be argued they did it twice (the year they signed Runyan and the Kerse TO signing of a couple of years ago) and the second time they of course they went to the Superbowl.

Of course it can also be argued that they have gotten a lot less, or more depending on how you look at it, than they bargained for, with Kerse underperforming his contract and TO's antics respectively. 

However, they apear to be a bit gunshy and gunshy won't put them in position to win a the superbowl.

Who knows maybe Howard makes Kerse better.  Maybe Gaffney makes Brown better and maybe Barber makes Jones and Trott better and the cumulative affect adds up to that impact player I am talking about but that's a lot of maybes.

[hunt]

i was generous & gave them a C.

DE is really the only position they upgraded significantly...some mediocre depth was added at TE, OLB, & QB...nothing more.  they also failed to address the o-line so that cancels out the howard signing, imo.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

I gave them a D.

Analysis:

Barber - Yes, he was quite good at WIL 3 years ago for us, and he should be an upgrade over Keith Adams if healthy.  But that's a big *if*.  Barber has done nothing the last two seasons.  I understand the Eagles were looking for a stop-gap before they can get McCoy on the field (since he's supposed to be so damn good), but the fact that they made this move before FA even started is what gets me.  All in all, I give this move a C-.

Howard - He's a very good player, and they got him to sign a severely backloaded contract with surprisingly little risk to the team.  He might have been the best DE on the FA market, but will he be able to get back to double-digit sack totals?  Dunno.  Solid B.

Schobel - They want him to be their new and younger Chad Lewis, and all indications are that he can be.  Reports that he's a sub-par blocker may turn out to be overblown, but we'll see.  Anyway, the signing fills a need very well, considering his age and length of contract.  I'm giving this one a B+.

Garcia - Like Schobel, this signing fills a glaring depth need.  2002/2003 Garcia was a good player.  2004/2005 Garcia?  Injuries galore.  Now the Eagles have the two QB's who had the best seasons of their careers throwing to Terrell Owens throwing to... well, not Terrell Owens.  But we'll get to that.  Anyway, the Garcia move filled a need adequately and thus deserves a C.

Gaffney - Since the Colts gave Reggie Wayne the massive contract, there were really no top-end WR's on the market (except for the one we put there).  I think the Eagles did well to upgrade the depth with a younger guy with upside.  Givens or Jurevicius were probably the only guys out there who would have been a better addition, but the FO obviously did not want to give millions in guarantees to a solid #2/#3 guy.  Fine.  My issue with this is that they are basically betting that Gaffney will be unimpressive if they want to sign him back.  If he has one decent year and/or becomes Donovan's go-to WR, then they have to go back to the contract drawing board with Drew farging Rosenhaus.  At least they could have gotten 2-3 years.  Anyway, assuming they address this position in the draft also, I'll give this move a C.

SAM LB - The Eagles have shown no desire to upgrade this position from the average to below average Dhani Jones, claiming that the LB's will look better with upgrades on the DL.  Unacceptable to keep Dhani as the status quo here.  F.

Defensive Tackle - Rumors are flying that the Eagles are shopping Hollis Thomas.  Last year, we heard that Darwin Walker was on thin ice.  We saw that the only tackle to get pressure at all was Patterson and that he hit the rookie wall.  So, despite a market relatively rife with possible upgrades, the Eagles make no moves.  It would appear that they are counting on Darren Howard in nickle situations and will once again bank on the draft... getting another ok DT, if they're lucky, that will hit a rookie wall before the playoffs, if there are any playoffs.  Big-time F.

Offensive Line - Not only have the Eagles not upgraded here, but they haven't even kept status quo as of now.  This group could not stop the push up the middle and had our QB's running scared.  They also were very spotty in opening holes for our undersized RB's.  So, the position is addressed by... hoping the old guys stay healthy, hoping the young guys step up to the next level, and hoping they can re-sign Runyan after showing very little interest in doing so until March.  So far?  Another big-time earned F.

Fullback/larger RB - There are excellent fullbacks on the market, but all the Eagles keep telling us is that they thought Parry did OK and they are really high on Tapeh.  Oh, and by the way... they don't use a fullback that much, anyway.  Um... ok.  I don't want to hear about a guy who was unimpressive as a rookie and hurt for over a year as their contigency plan for the super-sucky Parry.  I understand having a power running game at least available is not a priority for this coaching staff and FO, and maybe that's where the problem lies.  Either way, it's Fantastic.

[ice grillin you]

individually it looks ok

Howard  B
Barber  C-
Gaffney  C
Garcia  A
Schoebel   A

but as a whole free agency has been a D because of who they didnt get and what they still need