Prepare Yourself - Friday, April 25, 2008
500 Views :: 0 Comments ::  :: Michael Bradley The names are like items on a child's Christmas list, sparkling in the mind's eye and filled with the promise of good times and big fun: Devin Thomas. Limas Sweed. Malcolm Kelly. DeSean Jackson. Those are expected (in some order) to be the top receivers selected Saturday in the first round of the NFL Draft. Many Birds fans have been praying Andy Reid chooses one of them, puts him in the starting lineup and reaps a bountiful harvest. These are also the people waiting for Jerome McDougal to make a significant contribution to the Eagle cause. The best way to stay sane Saturday is to take the approach that Reid is going to take an offensive lineman with his first pick. Even if he trades up, the Big Man won't be grabbing a receiver. His track record indicates he's heading for the trenches, and as attractive as the aforementioned players may seem, none has the sure-fire talent necessary to guarantee success. Even if he did, it isn't likely Reid would let him start from Day One -- or Day 101, for that matter. If the Eagles are going to get a big-time receiver, they have to make a trade. The top pass-catchers in this draft all have big questions (Kelly: Speed; Thomas: One-hit wonder; Jackson: Work ethic; Sweed: Speed), so investing a first-round pick and its big contract isn't the best business sense. Moving up to get one of them isn't the best idea, either. For a team trying to make a last run at the title in '08 with its current personality, adding a rookie receiver won't help. Come to think of it, none of those guys will help all that much in '09 and beyond. They're just not that good. But with Lito Sheppard available and 11 draft picks with which to barter, the Eagles could make a trade for an established pass-catcher. Then, they could take an offensive tackle of the future in the first round. Or, they could take Aqib Talib, the Kansas cornerback who has enthralled them. We know what the team's yawning need is. We want it filled. Just don't look for it to come from the draft. Brace yourselves. If Roger Goodell says, "With the 19th pick in the draft, the Philadelphia Eagles select Chris Williams, offensive tackle, Vanderbilt," don't throw your beer at the TV set. Just crack open another cold one and pray for a trade. If that doesn't happen, then get angry. No one will blame you. |