Free agency is 6 days away which starts all the activity of a few teams who decide to build their entire team through it (See 2011 Eagles or 2013 Dolphins). It brings many familiar faces to new places (Gross cliche). The Eagles have already been busy in this area locking up lineman Jason Peters and Jason Kelce, as well as both receivers Riley Cooper and Jeremy Maclin. Then on the defensive side Howie Roseman signed defensive end Cedric Thorton who had a breakout sophomore year with the Eagles. With the core group locked in place for the season, it brings us to the question of what the Eagles plan to do in free agency. A glaring need for the team is the safety position which features 2 if not 3 big time players looking to sign with a new team in Jarius Byrd, T.J. Ward, and Donte Whitner who all will receive big money contracts. Do the Eagles want to give that much for a impact safety or are they still playing it cautious after the 2011 "Dream Team" disaster that was sprouted because of the dip in free agency the Eagles took. Roseman told the Philadelphia press that the Eagles are not afraid to make a move in free agency if it is the right one. However they will be cautious of signing a big contract to a secondary player after the Nnamdi Asomugha move. This is a different situation in my opinion, Jarius Byrd and Ward are both rocks at the safety position that won't let you down in production. Byrd is a veteran but at 27 years old is still in his prime, and is coming off yet another pro bowl season. T.J. Ward is coming off a breakout year in Cleveland, but may not fit what the Eagles are looking to do, but maybe he does? He resembles Kam Chancellor of the Seattle Seahawks with his size and ability to close gaps in the run game as a 5th linebacker. The question that the media has been asking of the Eagles is which one do the Eagles want more? Or could they possibly want both? My pick to sign with Philadelphia is Byrd. He clearly wants out of Buffalo after rejecting their substantial offer, and told ESPN that Philadelphia is headed in the right direction. So maybe Byrd would like to join us in that direction shall he? With his steady production and being a veteran and all, he could really help the development of second year safety Earl Wolff as well as being the safety the Eagles have been missing since Brian Dawkins. Wolff showed some good signs in his rookie year, and having Byrd next to him could help in numerous areas. Byrd has a ball hawk nature that allows him to cause so many turnovers year in and year out, and would make the Eagles that much closer to reaching a Super Bowl so I choose Byrd to be the Safety that the Eagles sign, but either he or Ward would be good.
No comments:
Post a Comment