Heard in the Cheap Seats

6:21: The Eagles select Jeremy Maclin after trading up to the 19th pick.  Maclin is a dynamic playmaker but a little undersized.  To be honest, I am puzzled with this pick.  WR was nowhere near the team”’’s biggest need and Maclin is not the physical presence the Eagles needed.  In addition, if the Eagles were chasing a WR, why not make the move for Boldin?  Maclin is too similar of a player to DeSean Jackson and ignores other more pressing needs at RB and TE.  The obvious answer is that Andy Reid stock to a best player on the board philsophy and Maclin fit the bill.

Poor pick in my opinion.  I don””t think that Maclin is a bad player, but not the right fit for this team.

5:34: There you have it Eagles fans, Knowshon Moreno is off the board as the first RB selected.  Now the question is what do the Eagles do?  Do they make a play for Brandon Pettigrew, trade out of the first round or stand pat and take the best player on the board?

4:55: Drew Rosenhaus told Suzy Kolber that he expects Boldin to be traded by the end of the first round today.  Of course, Rosenhaus has a vested interest in Boldin getting a new deal so he could possibly just be greasing the skids to get some draft-day chatter started.  But if Rosenhaus proves correct, we could get some answers to the Eagles plans in short order.

4:18: The Rams go with OT Jason Smith with its first pick.  Spags stays in the mold of his former boss Andy Reid and looks to build a team from the trenches.

4:11: As expected, Stafford goes with the first pick by the Lions.  He was greeted by a chorus of boos—sort of like another QB we know.

January 18, 2009. The day the Philadelphia Eagles fell to the Arizona Cardinals in a bid to earn the right to play for the Super Bowl crown. It’s also the day that the speculation, analysis and rumors began all with an eye toward this day—NFL draft day.

Today is the day the speculation ends. Today is the day the Eagles roster begins to take shape and questions begin to be answered. And there are no shortage of questions. Will the Eagles take a RB in the first round? Will the tight end position be addressed? Will the Eagles make a draft day trade? Will that trade bring in a top-flight wide receiver to provide Donovan McNabb with the weapons he desires?

These are the questions running through the minds of nearly every Philadelphia Eagles fan.

97 days. That’s how many days Eagles fans have been waiting for this day all with an eye toward making sure a repeat of January 18, 2009 does not occur.

Check back here throughout the day as we provide our live thoughts on how the draft is unfolding and the moves the Eagles make on Day 1 of the draft.

UPDATE: Mike Misineli reported today on ESPN radio that Sal Palantonio informed him the Eagles have offered the Cardinals a second round pick in next year’’s draft and a third round pick in this year’’s draft along with Winston Justice for Anquan Boldin.  This begs the question on why the Eagles would even play games with offering a second round pick next year.  Why not just flip flop the offer?  Perhaps if the Eagles are the only team in bidding right now they don”t want to outbid themselves and are playing it cautious.  And the fact that they have offered Justice is just comical.  That is akin to me offering the Cardinals a 1982 Chevy Nova.

Updates will be posted as we hear them.

UPDATE: Accoring to Howard Eskin minutes ago on WIP the Eagles are the only team that has made a formal offer to the Cardinals for Boldin.  He does not have details on what the offer is at this point.

The Arizona Cardinals have reportedly lowered their asking price for Anquan Boldin from a first and a third round pick to a second round pick and future considerations. The Philadelphia Eagles are rumored to be among the teams that have expressed interest in the wide receiver.

With Andy Reid’s propensity for holding on to draft picks, it was clear that the Eagles would not be willing to part with a first and a third round pick for Boldin. But now that the demands have softened, will they change their stance and get a deal done? The Eagles still have the ammunition needed to make a deal for Boldin and have plenty of cash in the vault to pay him once he arrives in Philly.

The Eagles brass was unwilling to part with a second round pick for Tony Gonzalez. Will they take the same stance on Boldin?

Today we are continuing our Q&A with Scott over at Inside the Iggles on some interesting questions as draft day draws near.  Be sure to hop over to ITI to check out Scott’s answer to our question yesterday on what player has not been mentioned in any pre-draft speculation that may wind up on the Eagles roster.  His answer may surprise you.

To close out our portion of this discussion, Scott posed this question: Most of the draft buzz in Eagles Nation has surrounded the running back position. Give me the name of a sleeper running back you think would fit the Eagles’ offensive scheme?

Another good question Scott.  Probably the only two areas of significant need for the Philadelphia Eagles are at running back and tight end.  In what order those needs are addressed remains to be seen but there is little doubt both positions will be checked off before the draft is concluded. 

It’s unlikely that the Eagles will take the risk of relying on a sleeper to fill in as Brian Westbrook’s primary backup.  If they do take a so-called sleeper it would probably be as a third RB—possibly as a scout team player.  Scott already identified one potential surprise RB in Rashad Jennings out of Liberty that is emerging as a trendy pick in this year’s RB class.  For my sleeper pick, I am going deeper into the running back pool with Arian Foster out of Tennessee.

At 6 feet tall and 226 pounds, Foster possesses ideal size for an NFL back.  He does not have elite speed but he plays faster than his 4.69 40 time would indicate.  Of course, any back in Andy Reid’s system needs to be a willing pass blocker and a solid pass catcher.  Foster is both of those.  As a productive runner and an above average pass catcher, Foster would fit into the Eagles system well.

Foster is so much of a sleeper that he might not even be drafted and if he is, it will surely be on the second day.  His stock is being hurt by an arrest for disorderly conduct and underage drinking.  To me, that sounds more like college indiscretion than a major character flaw.  In addition, Foster had a poor senior year that caused his draft stock to plummet.  Had he come out after his junior year, he might have been drafted in the late second round or early third round. 

Despite his poor 40 time and lack of production in his final season, Foster has a real chance to be a productive player in the NFL and would be a high-value pick in the late rounds. 

Over to Scott for the final question.  We’ll go the conventional route on this one to satisfy our loyal readers: “Most NFL experts feel that the Eagles two biggest areas of need are tight end and RB.  Which direction will they go with the first pick and why?

The Philadelphia Eagles rumor mill continues to swirl at break neck pace. Just as soon as it looked the Eagles might pull of a trade for future Hall-of-Famer Tony Gonzalez it appears the disgruntled TE has been traded to the Atlanta Falcons for a 2010 second-round pick (according to Jay Glazer).

It has been thought all along that the Eagles would not be willing to pony up a second round pick for the 33-year old TE. Apparently, the Falcons finally bent to the will of the Chiefs and provided the pick Scott Pioli desired.

Gonzo would have looked great in midnight green but the asking price was too steep for the Eagles front office.

Our Q&A with Inside the Iggles is off to the races. Check out Scott’s first two answers to our questions over at Inside the Iggles and scroll down the page for our answer to his initial question.

In this latest round, Scott poses the following questions to “Heard in the Cheap Seats”: Who is the one player that has been consistently linked to the Eagles that you believe they have very little interest in drafting?

Another good question Scott. This year’s draft has been a bit different than past years when it seemed the Eagles were tied to most every player in the draft in some way shape or form. In some senses, most of the players that have been tied to the Eagles could be legitimate possibilities. This is probably a product of the fact that the Eagles have no gaping holes on their roster—putting them in a position to take the best player available regardless of team need.

That being said, there is one player that has been linked to the Birds in a fair amount of rumors that I just can’t envision happening even if he is available. That player is Chris “Beanie” Wells. It is no wonder that Wells has been tied to the Eagles in various mock drafts by so called draft experts. Much has been made about the Eagles supposed need for a big back as a change of pace to Brian Westbrook. With the addition of Leonard Weaver this offseason that need no longer exists. Instead, the Eagles require a second RB—big, small, tall, short—it doesn’t really matter. They simply need a player that can take the pressure off Westbrook on occasion. The problem with Wells is he doesn’t fit the mold of an Andy Reid type RB. Wells is a very talented downhill runner but has not displayed an ability to catch the football out of the backfield. This might simply be a product of the offensive system at Ohio State but does not negate the fact that Andy Reid will not take a chance finding out if he is a capable receiver. Even if Beanie Wells is available at 21, the Eagles will pass.

Now back to you Scott: “In reverse of your question, what player has not been linked to the Eagles in mock drafts that you think might be on the Eagles radar? Don””””t forget to head over to Inside the Iggles for Scott”””’’s response.

I hesitate to even write this because it strikes me as being way off base.  With that caveat, there is a rumor floating around that the Eagles are shopping RG Shawn Andrews.  I am not buying it at this stage of the game. 

The thinking earlier on was that some of the moves made on the offensive line this offseason were in an effort to add a cocoon around the fragile Shawn Andrews.  His brother Stacey was brought in to play RT and his former teammate at Arkansas was brought in to play LT.  That is quite a cocoon.

Apparently, Shawn Andrews is now unhappy with his contract and the Birds have been quietly shopping him to potential suitors.  Like I said, I don’t buy this rumor but wanted to put it up and let you all be the judge.

There are plenty of NFL mock drafts, speculation on who the Eagles will take and enough of Mel Kiper’s hair to evoke nausea for NFL fans around the country.  With one of the most anticipated drafts in recent memory, Eagles Nation will be anxiously awaiting each Reid move with rumors swirling right up until and even through draft day.

Instead of adding to the slew of routine draft-day previews, Scott over at the excellent Philadelphia Eagles blog Inside the Iggles cooked up the idea to do a little blogger Q&A.  Here’s how it will work, we’ll pose a question to Scott and he will post his response in his site with a question back to us.  Rather than sticking to the typical questions like who will the Eagles take with the 21^st pick, we will mix it up a bit to provide a different take on the draft.   

The first installment can be found at Inside the Iggles now where we asked Scott: Conventional wisdom when it comes to Andy Reid drafts says that the Eagles will trade out of the first round in an effort to stockpile picks. Should (or will) this be the year the Eagles throw conventional wisdom out the window?  Head on over to Inside the Iggles for his response. 

Scott’s question back to us here at Heard in the Cheap Seats was: Who is the one player you do not want to see drafted by an NFC East rival, and why do you think said player would pose such a threat?

Great question Scott.  The easy answer to this question would be a skill player that can take over a game in much the same way that Larry Fitzgerald can change the dynamic of a game.  But in looking through the skill position players, there is not an abundance of top-ten talent that would strike fear in the hearts of Eagles Nation.  The one player that might fit that description would be Michael Crabtree.  He has the size and strength that can give the undersized Eagles corners fits.  And with Philadelphia being the WR-crazed city that it is, I have a hunch Eagles fans would loathe seeing Crabtree donning the uniform of an NFC East rival.

But to answer this question I am going to go in a different direction and depart from the skill positions all together.  The player I would least like to see on the roster of an NFC East rival is Eugene Monroe, the offensive tackle out of Virginia.

I know what you are thinking, an OT is never going to alter a game in the way a WR, QB or RB can.  I beg to differ.  Look no further than the last season’s NFC championship game against the Arizona Cardinals.  Some Eagles loyalists want to point the finger at Donovan McNabb as the cause for that loss.  In reality, the cause of the loss was a lack of pressure on the QB, particularly from the front four.  The Eagles defense keys off getting pressure on the quarterback—often through exotic blitz packages.  If the Eagles can get more consistent and reliable pressure on the QB from their front four their defense will become even more frightening.  The lack of pressure in the NFC Championship game provided Kurt Warner with far too much time to pick apart the Eagles secondary. 

Eugene Monroe may not be the best OT in the draft, but is he unquestionably the best pass blocker available.  If any NFC East roster adds him to their arsenal it will make the job of the Eagles front four that much tougher.

________________________________________________________________________

Over to you Scott: Throw out team need and priorities for the moment.  If you were building this Eagles roster from scratch, who would be your first pick in this year’s draft?  Why?

The Philadelphia Eagles rumor mill is kicking into overdrive as draft day nears.  First was the Jason Peters trade, than increased speculation around Anquan Boldin, the Sheldon Brown debacle and now the rumor that the Eagles have expressed interest in acquiring the services of Chiefs TE Tony Gonzalez. 

Gonzalez, even at age 33, would be an instant upgrade for the Eagles aerial attack and would significantly bolster the red zone offense.  But more importantly, a move to acquire the future hall-of-fame tight end would be a clear signal by the team’s front office that is officially entering the “win now at all costs” mode.   Gonzalez is still a very productive player but he is also a departure from the Eagles traditional philosophy of building through the draft or bringing in younger free agents. 

The Eagles are said to be willing to give up a third round pick for Gonzalez while the Chiefs have asked for a second-rounder.  If the Eagles are able to land him for the price of a third rounder it has to be considered a solid move and one that would immediately improve this roster.  Things should stay interesting as the draft approached. 

UPDATE: Jay Glazer reports that the deal is done pending a physical and the Eagles gave up the 28th pick, a second day pick in the year’’s draft and a late-round pick in 2010.  If that is the case, it is a reasonable price to pay for a two-time Pro Bowler. 

Quick post, sources at ESPN are reporting that the Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills are close to working out a deal for two-time pro bowl left tackle Jason Peters.

Peters has been unhappy with his contract for nearly two years and the situation has snowballed to the point where the team may feel it cannot be resolved.  Peters is a young LT that is still developing at the position but has already been to two pro bowls.

The addition of Peters would give the Eagles a formidable duo at the tackle position with Stacey Andrews manning the other bookend.

The price tag has not been confirmed but early reports had the Bills asking for a first round pick in exchange for Peters.  More details as they come.

UPDATE: Sal Paolantonio is reporting that the Cardinals are seeking a first and a third round pick for Boldin and that the Eagles have shown interest.

In the seemingly never-ending saga that is Anquan Boldin—the Cardinals have finally made a public statement that they will listen to offers for the disgruntled WR. Up until this point, everything else was just conjecture.

Of course, the Cardinals maintain that their ultimate goal is to sign Boldin to a long-term deal if at all possible. But with the draft approaching, it seems that the Cardinals are coming to the realization that this situation has spiraled out of control. With a deep WR corps and a high-powered offense, Arizona would be foolish not to listen to offers for Boldin.

You can bet that the Philadelphia Eagles will, or already have, made a call. What ransom Boldin is able to fetch remains to be seen. The benchmark many are using as a judge is the Roy Williams to the Cowboys trade. But the Cowboys so steeply overpaid for the services of Williams that the trade should be considered an outlier and not the barometer. Williams was not worth nearly what he fetched on the trade market or what he was handed in his new contract and the Cardinals should not expect to get that in return.

The league knows Jerry Jones has a propensity to overpay for a player he covets and the rest of the NFL won’t be pulled into that charade. The only way Boldin commands that type of price tag is if his availability sparks a bidding war between two division rivals—say the Giants and Eagles. Both teams seem to covet a top-flight WR and would disdain the idea of their bitter rivals landing the prize first. This seems unlikely as Andy Reid and the rest of his cohorts loathe the idea of a bidding war. The Eagles almost never overpay for a player and hoard draft picks like water in the middle of Death Valley. They simply will not mortgage the future for a shot at landing Anquan Boldin. Not to appease the fans, Donovan McNabb or anyone else. They stick to their stance and rarely budge.

That doesn’t mean the Eagles won’t entertain the idea of landing Boldin—quite the contrary. I think it is highly likely that the Eagles make a play for the WR. Instead, I think the Eagles have already determined a price they are willing to pay and will not alter that stance—not even if the Giants swoop in with a better offer.

The Eagles have the chips to make a deal. The questions is: do they want Boldin and at what price?