Philadelphia Eagles and Manufactured Needs

Nov 27, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy (25) celebrates scoring a touchdown with wide receiver Jeremy Maclin (18) in the third quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

The Philadelphia Eagles entered the 2015 off-season with a list of needs, beginning with a suspect secondary. Add to that list questions about quarterback Nick Foles, wide receiver Jeremy Maclin among others, and the Birds will look to address those areas. With the recent release of offensive lineman Todd Herremans and tight end James Casey, the team now must look to fill two more positions to guarantee depth.

The 2015 season will be a barometer of sorts for head coach Chip Kelly and his new regime. After winning a political power struggle against General Manager Howie Roseman, all eyes will be on Kelly as the shape of this team changes in the coming months. Not only must Kelly ensure depth across the board, he must fix the glaring holes, and hope everything comes together in time for the regular season.

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With the official start to free agency a few days away, the Eagles could look to make a big splash and sign some veteran players, or they could simply let the date come and go and focus on building from the draft. The free agency splash approach backfired on former Eagles head coach Andy Reid, and was the start of an event chain that led to his demise with the team. It was also the beginning of two dark years with struggling Iggles teams.

This brings us back to the draft. Right now, the Eagles have a competent quarterback in Foles, along with a solid set of offensive position players. It’s now time to focus on fixing the defense, adding some depth across the board, and making a run. Rumors continue to swirl about a potential trade of Maclin or even running back LeSean McCoy. Memo to Eagles – DON’T DO IT! Keep those key offensive pieces and stabilize the rest of the roster.

While a flashy acquisition always makes the headlines, it doesn’t automatically result in a Lombardi Trophy. Heading into his third year, Kelly must now adjust the ship’s sails, rather than trying to rebuild chunks of the ship. Trading or releasing any of these key players would essentially manufacture a need that does not currently exist. Build from the draft, fix the immediate issues, and let those pieces gel behind a stable crop of veterans.

Even though the Birds pulled off a 10-6 season in back-to-back years, this latest season wasn’t exactly ending a positive note. The team can ill afford to struggle with a dysfunctional roster, or even a roster with too much change at key position. The only exception to that rule is the aforementioned secondary, which can’t get much worse. The 2015 Philadelphia Eagles must be better than the previous two years. Throughout the 2000’s, they won consistently by building from the draft. It’s time to dust off that formula, avoid the manufactured needs, and a championship-caliber team grow from within.

Next: Eagles Heading For Groundhog Day at QB

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