Eagles needs for 2013: Secondary is a primary concern
The Philadelphia Eagles had their worst season in 15 years, so there are lots of holes to fill, including, of course, head coach. But the Eagles also need to upgrade their secondary and their offensive line, too.
By
Kevin Noonan
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2 min read
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| One player the Eagles must try to keep is CB Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie. (US Presswire) |
The Philadelphia Eagles had their worst season in 15 years, so there are lots of holes to fill, including, of course, head coach. That coach will have a lot of tough decisions, including the most important one of all -- is Nick Foles good enough to be a franchise QB?
But the Eagles also need to upgrade their secondary and their offensive line, and even though the secondary is in more need of repair, there’s a much better chance the Eagles will use their first-round draft pick, No. 4 overall, on an offensive linemen (like Texas A&M’s Luke Joeckel, for example), especially since there aren’t any QBs out there worthy of such a high selection.
No matter what happens, the new coach and his staff are going to have their work cut out for them, and here’s a look at who they need to keep and where they need to improve in 2013:
But the Eagles also need to upgrade their secondary and their offensive line, and even though the secondary is in more need of repair, there’s a much better chance the Eagles will use their first-round draft pick, No. 4 overall, on an offensive linemen (like Texas A&M’s Luke Joeckel, for example), especially since there aren’t any QBs out there worthy of such a high selection.
No matter what happens, the new coach and his staff are going to have their work cut out for them, and here’s a look at who they need to keep and where they need to improve in 2013:
Free agents who must be signed:
- CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie: He didn't play as well as expected this past season, but he was still the Eagles' best coverage CB and he did play better after the Eagles junked the wide-9 formation at the end of the year. Plus, the Eagles don't have anybody waiting in the wings, so they need to bring DRC back, but at a reasonable salary.
- S Colt Anderson: Special teams coverage was a problem for the Eagles, with one notable exception -- Anderson, their special teams MVP. He didn't play well when given a chance to start at SS, but his special teams contributions shouldn't be overlooked. Plus, he won't cost much.
Positions needing improvement:
- Safety: Nate Allen is a second-round pick who played like a seventh-round pick and Kurt Coleman is a seventh-round pick who played like a seventh-round pick. In today’s NFL. the safeties are supposed to be play-makers and game-changers, but the Eagles’ starters finished with just two interceptions, both by Coleman. The Eagles need an impact player at this position and right now they don’t have one.
- Cornerback: The Eagles were supposed to have the best CB tandem in the NFL with former Pro Bowl selections Nnamdi Asomugha and Rodgers-Cromartie, but they were big-time busts. Now the new coach has to decide if he wants to stick with them and hope that a new defensive coordinator or new system will revitalize them, but something has to be done to upgrade this critical position.
- Offensive tackle: The Eagles will get All-Pro OT Jason Peters back next season after he missed all of 2012 with a ruptured Achilles tendon. But if they use their No. 4 overall pick on an OT (like Texas A&M’s Luke Joeckel, for example) they could move RT Todd Herremans back to guard and strengthen two positions with one move.
