Time For The Philadelphia Eagles To Tank
By Bret Stuter
With a 2016 NFL draft skewed towards later rounds, no hope for a franchise QB to last until the thirteenth pick, the Eagles’ shopping list appears to be filled with “out of stock” players. they should consider fixing the offensive line and defense this year, and focus on a franchise quarterback in 2017
The Philadelphia Eagles have traded the thirteenth pick of the 2016 NFL draft to the (insert team name here) for a first and second round pick of the 2017 NFL draft
And so it begins. Off-season starts earlier for non-playoff teams. But the routine is always the same. The search for a new coach who will fix all the things that the last coach screwed up. A cast-off of the former players who may or may not have played up to expectations of the fans. The thrill of overpaying for the cast-offs of other NFL teams. Then the NFL draft, followed by the scramble to sign undrafted college players who are coming to the NFL. Except this year, the Philadelphia Eagles franchise seems to be having trouble attracting their head coach candidates. Even after they identify one, they need to reach an agreement.
Was told Coughlin had concerns about Eagles job, including who the OC would be. Not surprised he pulled out.
— Dan Graziano (@DanGrazianoESPN) January 14, 2016
We haven’t agreed on our guy. Even after we do, we must then wait and hope the coaching staff can build a cohesive team that plays better and stays healthier than any other coaching staff. What a feat of good luck we are seemingly banking on.
The struggle is, the pace at which a team is expected to become good is getting faster. The honeymoon phase of a team’s new coaching staff with fans and media is getting shorter and shorter. The phenomenon of “win-now!” has outpaced itself each year, until we find ourselves setting expectations upon a coach to get this team to the playoffs before any introductions are made. When the Eagles make an attempt to accelerate faster than a normal learning curve to improve the team, they get burned badly. Making bold off seasons moves are not guaranteed, but they do raise expectations from realistic to beyond hopeful.
Expectations like that only disappoint. I’m fatigued with being disappointed in this immediate gratification world of ours. Perhaps we need to recalibrate the goal?
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