Expecting Big Things

Saturday, April 26, 2008, is a date that matters for two reasons:  1) It's my fifth wedding anniversary and, almost as importantly, 2) It could be the day the Eagles set the course for the next 10 years of the franchise.

It hasn't been hard for me to remember Draft Day this year.

Continuing in the theme of the Most Important Offseason Ever, I truly believe the Eagles are going to have a momentous draft day.  In fact, if all the Eagles do is draft their board for a few rounds, package a few picks to move around for value and trade a couple of this year's N's for next year's N-1's, I am going to be majorly disappointed. 

Because the potential is there for this to be a franchise-changing event.  Consider:

• This draft is weak in top signal-callers (of course they figured it would be when they drafted Kolb last year) and it may not have some of the big time names like CALVIN JOHNSON or REGGIE BUSH or ELI MANNING (grrrrr) but it's a draft that's said to have tremendous depth at important positions like cornerback, offensive line and running back.
• The Eagles have 11 draft picks to play with.  As an astute reader pointed out, some of those are untradeable compensatory picks, but that's still a lot of picks.
• There are other teams looking for picks.  Check out this story in the San Diego paper.  The Chargers traded away half their draft last year to patch holes in the roster.  Now they're a team looking to turn their number one pick (the 27th) into a couple or more later-round selections.  According to the now mostly-ignored "trade value chart" that pick would be just about worth the Eagles' current second, third and (first) fourth round draft choices.  Sure, that's a steep price to pay, but would you rather have Mike Patterson or Matt McCoy, Ryan Moats and Sean Considine? 
• Me too.
• Lito Sheppard is worth a first-round pick.  I hope they don't trade him and they may not get first-round value all in one package (could be multiple picks equaling that value), but he's sitting there waiting for a team to make the right offer.

I'm not saying it's the most likely outcome, but we could be looking at a situation where the Eagles end up with three first-round draft picks.  All of a sudden the question wouldn't then be, "Do we take an offensive playmaker or a safety or an offensive lineman?"  No, it would be "Which playmaker do we want?  Which safety do we want?  Where's the most likely future hole on the line?"

Save your money now.  We might be stocking up on jerseys in a couple weeks.

Comments

[Steve from DC]

Happy 5th Anniversary!

April 26th is my 32nd birthday, and I can't think of a better gift than three 1st round picks to play with.

Keeping my fingers crossed for our draft to look something like this:

#19 - OG Brandon Albert
#23(from Pittsburgh for CB Lito Sheppard) - WR Devin Thomas
#27(from San Diego for #49, #80, and #191) - RB Felix Jones

Alternatively, swap in any of the following players for any of the above and I'd also be happy: OT Jeff Otah, S Kenny Phillips, WR DeSean Jackson, Limas Sweed, James Hardy, or Malcolm Kelly.

[Anonymous Lito Sheppard Fan]

Why isn't anyone suggesting we keep Lito, make him the nickel back, and let him go buck wild on our kickoff and punt return teams. Didn't he light the field up at florida?

Then...and here's the kicker...you go Devin Hester with him and put him in as a third-down speed receiver on Offense.

That gives you the best nickelback in the league (by far), one of the best return games, and - paired with Curtis and Brown - one of the fastest receiving corps known to man.

[Me]

I a few people have.

The only problem with that scenario is Lito is a lot better than Sheldon. But you could still rotate the three guys so that Lito is available for STs. That's not a long term answer at returner, though.

[johnnyshaka]

Wasn't Lito reportedly looking for a new deal? If that is true you would have to think signing Samuel all but sealed his fate. I can't see the Eagles giving him a big, fat raise to be the nickel back/return man and nor should they. But, at the same time, if the value to move him isn't there then I wouldn't make a deal just to make a deal.

[OCHOCINCO]

The Eagles would be better off settling for any team that will give them a series of picks that equal a 1st round pick for Lito. (Maybe for the Cards, Lions, Jets, Bucs, or Pats.)
Afterwards they would be able to deal Reggie Brown and a few picks(maybe a second round pick and a conditional 3rd in the 09 draft) and for the disgruntle Chad Johnson. (The Bengals have spent their last two first round picks on cornerbacks so its not likely they would trade for Lito.)
As a result they would be able to draft a guy like Kenny Phillips, the best safety in this draft who could be the successor to Dawkins.
They then have a superstar wideout, and a young talented safety to complete a sick secondary.