Simply Indefensible

Try as I might, I simply cannot fathom the reasoning behind the Eagles early draft “Strategy” as I use that term very loosely. What’s all the more frustrating is that I woke up at 0100 to watch the frickin’ draft, waited for hours and hours, only to see the Birds blow the big one.

For those of you are unaware a small recap: The Eagles held the #26 pick overall. I believe that with the top 7 DBs all off the board by the time their pick arose, that they decided to trade down. They found a partner in, of all teams, the Dallas Cowboys.

The trade: Cowboys receive Pick #26 (Rd 1)

Eagles receive, (Browns/Cowboys Pick #36 (Rd 2), Cowboys Pick #87 (Rd 3), Cowboys Pick #15x (Rd 5). In essence receiving the 3 choices for their #1 slot at 26. Not bad. Not a stunner of a deal. About equal value for both teams, with “equal value” being a relative term entirely dependent on the selections made by the respective teams.

Dallas chose Purdue DE Anthony Spencer, delaying the wait for the Phaithful by hours after an already arduous 5-6 hour wait until the pick 26.

Finally the Eagles were on the clock, and nearly all the players we might have targeted at #26 were still on the board (exceptions, LB Posluszny, TE Greg Olsen, DT Alan Branch).

And with the 36^th selection the Eagles select (drum roll Clark): Kevin Kolb (pronounced Cobb) – QB, Houston.

WHAT THE FUCK!!???

We wait for hours and hours and hours, with plenty of depth needs in the secondary and LB corps, and the Eagles draft a goddamn fucking QUARTERBACK???? You’re shittin’ me right? This is the second inexplicable decision in-a-row for the Coaching Staff. The first ended the 2006 season with a lame-ass punt, the next could hamstring the Birds ability to find a valuable secondary help because we chose a guy nobody had ever heard of?

This is another case of the coaching staff outsmarting itself. YES, both the Lions and Dolphins chose a QB shortly after the Eagles. BUT THOSE TEAMS NEED QBs, we DON’T! Moreover, who gives a flying fuck if one of them might’ve chosen “Kernel Kolb”??? Not me that’s for sure.

I have yet to hear an adequate reason why a QB was chosen, and I ain't buying the "best player on the board" bullshit. Unless this guy can cover a WR across the middle, he ain't going to be helping the current group of players win a championship. Moreover, I have yet to hear a good reason why we chose a guy that we could quite easily have chosen in round 3 or even in a move up in round 4. I just have to shake my head about this one fellas. Its a real disappointment.

What about the rest of the draft?
Pick #57 DE – Victor Abiamiri – Notre Dame. Ok, Getting a young DE isn’t a problem for me. I guess the jury will have to decide, cause he’s going to get compared to Spencer from Day 1.

Pick #87 OLB – Steward Bradley – Nebraska. Well I was happy to see the Eagles try and find another LB to develop. Can this guy step right in and play? Maybe. The Eagles are wide open at LB. Again, the Birds passed on Poz and waited to grab this guy. Hope the gamble pays off.

Pick #90 RB – Tony Hunt – Penn State. FINALLY, a pick that I truly cheered. After we lost out on Brian Leonard (which I thought was dumb, btw), I was hoping and hoping we wouldn’t waste another Day 1 pick on some distant future team. I think we all wanted a contributor, and Hunt, Hunt has a chance to be one. This guy runs tough, if he makes the transition, we’re going to have a tough, tough, ground game.