HapHaszard
April-9th-2007, 04:33 AM
http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=195410
With starting TE L.J. Smith entering the final year of his contract and the two sides nowhere close to a new deal, look for the team to draft a tight end on the first day of the draft. The rookie would back up Smith for a season and then take over as the starter in 2008 when Smith leaves as a free agent. Miami's Greg Olsen, if still available at No. 26, could be a possibility. More likely scenarios, however, would be Arizona State's Zach Miller -- if he's there in the second round -- or Delaware's Ben Patrick in the third round. . . .
One position the team will likely ignore, at least in the early rounds of the draft, is the offensive line. The Eagles had four rookies and two second-year offensive linemen on the roster last year, so there is plenty of youth and depth at the position. Even though starting tackles William Thomas and Jon Runyan are getting up in age, the team feels it has replacements ready in 2006 second-round draft choice Winston Justice and undrafted free agent Pat McCoy. There is also a school of thought that left guard Todd Herremans, a converted tackle, would move back outside to replace either Thomas or Runyan when that time comes.
Click on the link above for the rest of the article
With starting TE L.J. Smith entering the final year of his contract and the two sides nowhere close to a new deal, look for the team to draft a tight end on the first day of the draft. The rookie would back up Smith for a season and then take over as the starter in 2008 when Smith leaves as a free agent. Miami's Greg Olsen, if still available at No. 26, could be a possibility. More likely scenarios, however, would be Arizona State's Zach Miller -- if he's there in the second round -- or Delaware's Ben Patrick in the third round. . . .
One position the team will likely ignore, at least in the early rounds of the draft, is the offensive line. The Eagles had four rookies and two second-year offensive linemen on the roster last year, so there is plenty of youth and depth at the position. Even though starting tackles William Thomas and Jon Runyan are getting up in age, the team feels it has replacements ready in 2006 second-round draft choice Winston Justice and undrafted free agent Pat McCoy. There is also a school of thought that left guard Todd Herremans, a converted tackle, would move back outside to replace either Thomas or Runyan when that time comes.
Click on the link above for the rest of the article