Nfl Offseason: What the Eagles Need to Address

And yet, another disappionting season for the Eagles.

How can the season be disappointing? They beat the Giants twice and won the division.

That is not enough for Philadelphia fans. It is Super Bowl victory or bust for Eagles fans, and once again, there was no super bowl victory. The Eagles still have yet to win a Super Bowl.

Even with the reemergence of Michael Vick, the Eagles once again could not get the job done in the postseason. Major changes need to be made in the offseason in order for a super bowl run next year.

Here are some things the Eagles front office should consider this offseason:

1) Lock Desean Jackson up long term

Despite Desean's late season struggles, he is the second most important player on this Eagles team, behind Mike Vick.

There's no question Desean is an essential part of this team.

He is debatably the most electrifying player in the league along with Vick, Desean Jackson has to be re-signed. Jackson caught 47 passes this season for 1,056 yards and a league leading 22.5 yards per catch ratio.


He's a game changer. Even when Desean's not effective in the passing game, he will change the game. Not to mention his 65 yard punt return touchdown to cap of the Miracle at the New Meadowlands.

2) Trade Kevin Kolb

The Eagles might have a hard time moving Kevin Kolb, as he is an unproven quarterback who has little experience.

He has the tools and potential to be a decent starter in this league, but the Eagles have found their franchise quarterback in Michael Vick. He has decent mobility and an above average arm.

The management has demanded two first round picks for him—that is absurd. To give two top picks for an unproven player will never happen.

Take just one first rounder, maybe even just a second round and third round pick, and let Kolb walk. The Eagles defense has a lot of work to do and extra picks will help.

3) Draft or sign a shut down cornerback

The Eagles secondary was mediocre at best. Asante Samuel was second in the league in interceptions with seven, but he is no shut down corner. For all of his career, he has been a gambler.

Asante tries to jump routes constantly for interceptions and getting beat often on deep routes is not uncommon to see from Samuel.


Above is the man who has led the worst red zone defense since 2009.
Dimitri Patterson, a young corner, was terrible down the stretch. He was torn up by a wide receiver playing quarterback in Joe Webb.

Nnamdi Asomugha, a top corner will be a free-agent this offseason. Hopefully, unlike we've seen in the past, the Eagles management will make a push and sign a big name like Asomugha. Also, Champ
Bailey and Antonio Cromartie are free agents this year, and the Eagles should make a push for one of those players if not Asomugha.

4) Draft or sign a big name linebacker

The worst red zone defense since 2009 has belonged to the Eagles. A big part of that is a lack of a linebacker core.

The Eagles seemed to improve this year until a big injury of Stewart Bradley; Ernie Sims was supposed to be a big addition, but it was not enough. The Eagles cannot rely on injury-prone Bradley as the core of the defense.

I would say they need a linebacker in the middle to lead the defense like Ray Lewis, but every team needs a leader like that. A more reasonable player to sign would be a flex player like Jason Taylor, who can come off the edge and rush, and stop the run.

5) Sign or draft a right tackle

Sure, there's Jason Peters, an all-pro LEFT tackle. That would be great to protect Kevin Kolb's blindside, but Mike Vick is the Eagles franchise quarterback, not Kevin Kolb.

A quality right tackle would be a great asset to protect Vick's blindside. Winston Justice is just not a quality right tackle. That showed in back end of the season.