Eagles Off Season Questions

As the Cardinals and Steelers prepare for the Super Bowl, the Eagles are once again left at home looking for answers.

This season was one of twist and turns, and whether you think they are or not, the fact is the Eagles were 1 of the 4 final teams left playing. Does that make them a top 4 team going into next year? Its way to early to tell. But you could argue that with some tweaks, they could get right back to where they were, and maybe take that next step.

But before they go to Lehigh, there are some big questions the Eagles need to answer.

1) McNabb Situation: The minute Kevin Kolb stepped out of the field for the 2nd half in Baltimore, everyone knew this would be an interesting off season. Alot of that has gone away with the Eagles surprising playoff run, but the fact remains, McNabb was benched. Now, you could argue that the Eagles need to please McNabb in this off season to make them happy. McNabb has said repeatedly that he is going to want to sit down with the Eagles and talk about why he was benched, and I think he is going to want a new contract. If I'm Andy Reid, I give it to him. McNabb is the only chance the Eagles have next year. If you get rid of him, and go with Kolb or a rookie, you might as well get rid of Westbrook, Dawkins, Runyan and Thomas, because the Eagles will offically be a rebuilding project. With a happy McNabb next year, the Eagles will be a favorite to win the NFC.

2) John Runyan and Tra Thomas: This might be the biggest off season descion for the Eagles. Runyan and Thomas are both getting up there in years, with both of them playing over 11 years. Ideally, and chances are very high, that the Eagles draft a offensive tackle with their first round draft choice. But, I still think they should resign them both. Runyan never misses a game, and Thomas has played in 31 of the last 32 regular season games. I would love to see them resign them, and let them tutor the new rookies. You don't want to throw a rookie on the offensive line, protecting McNabb's blind spot.

3) Lito Sheppard: Over the years, maybe the only situation the Eagles handled worse was the T.O. fiasco. At last years draft, the Eagles were being offered 3rd round draft picks. Now? They are probaly going to have to end up cutting him, or getting an extremely low draft pick. The Eagles took an asset and turned him into a problem. I don't see anyway the Eagles bring back Sheppard.

4) 2 First Round Draft Picks: After trading for the Carolinas Panthers first round draft pick in this years draft, the Eagles hold the 21rst and 28th selection in this years draft. I'd be surprised if they took two players in the first round. I think they will try to package them to move up for a top notch offensive line player, or trade one for a 2nd round pick and something else. I don't see them moving up for a skill position player. I would love to see them draft a running back with this selection. I saw one mock draft that had Beanie Wells of Ohio State falling to them. Something tells me that woulnd't even take them if he did, but I would love to see him on this team.

5) Wide Receiver: Maybe its just me, but I don't think the Eagles HAVE to add a number 1 wide out to this team. Would it improve them? Absolutely. But I do think they need to address both the running back and full back position before they go for a receiver. There will be some top notch ones available to. From what I read, I think Anquan Boldin, either Chad "Ocho Cinco" Johnson or TJ Housmanzadeh could all be had. While it would be nice to add them, I think that the Eagles are ok at wide out. Kevin Curtis came on really strong at the end of the year, and DeSean Jackson is a flat out play maker. Throw in Jason Avant and Hank Baskett (if he is resigned), and I think you can get by with them. Then again, T.O. might be avaiable.....

6) Brian Westbrook: As I said before, Westbrook has been a dissapointment this season. With Buckhalter being a free agent, and after the Eagles treated his playing time I don't know why he would resign here, the Eagles need a bonafide back up for him. Whether that comes from adding a running back via trade of frer agency (Larry Johnson maybe) or from a top draft pick (maybe Wells or Moreeno), they need someone to help Westbrook. They have maybe 1 or 2 years left of good production from him, and as we saw in the playoffs, at the end of the season, Westbrook was a ghost. The Eagles need someone to take the load off of his shoulders and help out. Oh yeah, and maybe a full back would help.

Those are just some of the issues facing the Eagles. I didn't mention Brian Dawkins, because I find it hard to believe that he will be somewhere else. Also, I think the defense is good enough that they can not really adress them this off season and still be one of the best in the league. The Eagles are close, that was evident this season. But there is work to be done.