Well it will soon be a new season. Free Agency has come and gone, as has the draft. Training Camp is right around the corner. And here is what I think is in store for the Eagles on Offense.
QB: Donovan McNabb, Kevin Kolb, AJ Feeley
McNabb is still the number one QB on this team. He bounced back from his ACL injury in 2006 to have a decent year last year. The last three games of the season he showed why defenses used to fear him. Not only could he throw, but run. I see more of the same this year from McNabb.
Kolb moves up to the number two QB spot. He is being groomed as the heir to McNabb. He has al the physical tools and the mental ones too. All he needs is time to digest the playbook and time to develop a rapport with the WR's.
Feeley moves from number two to number three. He played well in the two games he subbed for McNabb. The only problem was he was throwing more passes that the opposing team caught than his own team. If he isn't cut or traded, he stays at number three.
RB: Westbrook, Booker, Hunt, Buckhalter
I know it doesn't seem reasonable to keep four RB's but for this team it is due to what each one brings.
Westbrook is one of the top all around backs in the league. He can run, catch, block, probably even pass. He is the most important part of our offense.
Booker is the one we wanted last year before the Dolphins drafted him. He is almost a Westbrook clone. He too can do all the things Westbrook can do. Which is the reason the Eagles wanted him so bad.
Buckhalter is one power back. He can get the tough yards, yet break out for the screen. He came back from some serious knee injuries to play well the last two years.
Hunt is the mystery. He's the power back we need to get the tough yards. He can do that. What he couldn't do was pick up the blocking schemes and blitzes. Should he get a handle on that this year he will again make the team easily, and possibly push Buckhalter out the door.
WR: Curtis, Brown, Avant, Baskett, Jackson
This looks like the weak link of the team. But it far from it. It is a solid set of WR's that can get the job done.
Curtis came to the Eagles last year and posted a 1,000 yard season. He can easily duplicate that this year. It would benefit him more to play in the slot, but his speed on the outside makes him dangerous also.
Brown had an off year last year. He started off slowly but came on strong mid season. He could emerge this year as a legitimate number two WR.
Avant is the one I'd like to see more of. He starred at Michigan, known for good WR's. He was injured his rookie year and played sparingly last year. He did post some good numbers for the limited time he played. Once again, like with Baskett, the more time he spends with McNabb developing a bond, the more passes will come his way.
Baskett is the big target we need for the red zone. He's 6'4. He has solid hands. But for whatever reason, he hasn't established himself yet. That should change this year.
Jackson is the speed demon. The second round pick from Cal will be our punt returner. He has excellent hands and speed. He can make defenders miss. Jackson will get a shot at playing this year. Maybe not right away. But by midseason he will find himself on the field.
TE: Smith, Celek, Wilson
A healthy LJ Smith is the key to the red zone offense. He is McNabb's safety blanket. His injury last year couldn't have come at a worse time. He was looking for a big contract, but bring hurt didn't help him. Smith might not be one of the elite TE's in the league, but he is a solid one. Mark him down for 60 catches and a bunch of TD's .
Celek received more playing time than people thought he would. The injury to Smith and Matt Schobel gave Celek an opportunity to play. And he didn't disappoint. He was pretty solid and made some good plays. He will need to work on his blocking a little, but not too much.
Wilson learned the position from playing behind one of the greatest TE's ever in Tony Gonzalez. But he never really got an opportunity to play. He will with the Eagles. They liked what they saw in the kid. He's big and fast with soft hands. He will make an impact here.
OL: Runyan, Herremans, Jackson, Andrews, Thomas, Jean-Gilles, Justice, ??????????
The starters are set IMO for the third year in a row. The problem is who backs them up? Jean-Gilles will push for playing time at OG. Justice will benefit from another season after having a few bad games last year. But they need to move him inside or to RT. The guys we drafted could push out some vets like Stefan Rodgers, Nick Cole and Scott Young. But right now it is any body's guess as to how it will pan out.
This offense will be very explosive. There are so many things Andy Reid and Marty Mornhinwig can do with it. The Eagles have speed and power. They have guys that can punch the ball up the middle or go outside the tackles. There are few holes. Only questions. The main one being can they stay healthy? We shall see.
