Reflection on the NFL Combine and the Eagles Draft Needs

There’s no doubt about it that the #1 priority for the Eagles this NFL offseason is the linebacker position. The way they fill this position is the real question here.  I think a lot of these questions will be answered as the start of free agency opens on March 13^th. The one big question that remains is, “What will the Eagles do with DeSean Jackson for this upcoming year?” They have the choice to either franchise tag him (entitling him approximately $9 million) or to release him and hope to sign another free agent.  The other thing would be to release him and draft a top end wide receiver like Michael Floyd.

Personally after watching this week’s combine for linebackers, I feel the Eagles need to just pull the trigger and draft LukeKuechly if he is available at #15.  The big knock on this guy is that he was not very athletic and the majority of his tackles were beyond the line of scrimmage. I think Kuechly’s 4.58 40 yard dash time, 38” vertical jump, and his 10’3” broad jump quieted all the critics out there. There are two things about this young man that are undeniable. His instincts and work ethic are definitely two qualities that NFL teams will be looking for during the 2012 NFL Draft.

As far as the DeSean Jackson debacle, I think the Eagles should go ahead and use the franchise tag to keep him.  I am hopeful that the Eagles can find a way to trade this cancer and pick up someone with a better red zone presence.  Personally I would love to see the Eagles go out and get Randy Moss, Vincent Jackson, or Marques Colston. Recent years have shown that red zone efficiency for Eagles have been a cause for concern and a player like DeSean Jackson has been non-existent in that area.