After I heard of the news that the Eagles made the move to cut Hank Baskett yesterday, I was trying to think of why the Eagles still do not truly have a bona fide number one receiver. The first thing I thought of was their wide receiver picks this decade. I did some quick research and was shocked by what I saw. I will take the time to list the receivers (I threw in tight ends for good measure) to show the lack of scouting/research done when it comes to evaluating these positions.
I know some of you will say that the past few years have been getting better in picking this important position, but I counter with the fact that there is no definite, dominant number one. I am a big believer in the theory that to be a dominating offensive team, you must have a dominating number one receiver. My main example is last year's Arizona Cardinals. Their team was suspect at best, with an aging quarterback in Warner and a defense that was there one week and gone the next. What the Cardinals did have was two number one caliber receivers. Fitzgerald is arguably the best in the league, and Boldin is easily top 5 or 6. A big time receiver like that can carry a team on offense. If the defense can't cover you, just go that guy all day. After the other defense overcompensates, you run the ball, seems pretty easy... I guess I could throw in the fact that when the Eagles got a number one receiver, they lost the Super Bowl by 3 points.
DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin(though still unproven) seem to be steps in the right direction, but neither of them have the size that I believe it takes to dominate a defense. I think Jason Avant is a great route runner and possession receiver, but lacks size and speed to be a number one.
I guess after all this venting, the Eagles did win their first game, and I am just some lowly Eagles fan that wants to win a championship for the first time EVER!!! It just confuses the hell out of me the way the Eagles treat the wide receiver/tight end position, when they know for a fact it can be the difference between winning and losing the goddamn NFC championship game.
2000
Todd Pinkston- 2nd round
Gari Scott- 4th round
2001
Freddie Mitchell- 1st round
Tony Stewart(TE)- 5th round
2002
Freddie Milons- 5th round
2003
LJ Smith(TE)- 2nd round
Billy McMullen- 3rd round
2004
none
2005
Reggie Brown- 2nd round
2006
Jason Avant- 4th round
Jeremy Bloom- 5th round
2007
Brent Celek(TE)- 5th round
2008
DeSean Jackson- 2nd round
2009
Jeremy Maclin- 1st round
Cornelius Ingram(TE)- 3rd round
Brandon Gibson- 6th round
2 comments:
The debut of C-Money!
Yeah, like we've all been waiting for Mr. Money's Friday picks with bated breath...Story on the street is that he wasn't able to participate earlier since his wife was away and couldn't spoon feed him the selections.
Regarding the Birds' piss-poor receiver drafts: you're 1,000% correct. This has been a perennial blind spot for Reid and his brain trust which has not only cost them at least one, and possibly two, additional trips to the Super Bowl, but has serously compromised McNabb's effectiveness. One has only to look at McNabb's stats in the TO season to appreciate what he could have accomplished with #1 receivers. Despite the occasional complaints about McNabb's consistency, the fact is that the single biggest obstacle to his overall performance has been the myopia and arrogance of his head coach, who simply refuses to acknowledge the need for a dynamic receiving corps. Jackson is good, and maybe Maclin will be as well, but neither is really the Gold Standard for that position. So, while Reid and loser lackeys like Eskin repeatedly deny this glaring need, and deride all of the fans who know better, the Birds will continually be handicapped in attaining their full potential.
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