Philly.com: History a guide to Birds' plans

[tr1]

This article truly captures the ego and stubborness of the Eagles' FO...I've taken the liberty to give my impression of JG's take on these items.

http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/14414620.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

...

Of course, the Eagles feel getting key starters healthy again will provide something of a quantum leap; they didn't approach free agency with the idea that their roster was in dire straits. As team president Joe Banner put it recently, "We don't feel we're at the point where we have to fix our team." :doh:

[Joe Gibbs would say: "We are always trying to improve our team. You're never really satisfied with staying pat. Our fans deserve that."

Banner and team chairman Jeffrey Lurie are undeniably correct in their contention that successful teams build through the draft, not through free agency; as Banner reiterated recently, "Teams that try to solve too many problems in free agency generally aren't successful."

[Joe Gibbs would say: "Heck, we try to improve our team any way we can...we try to get the best players, be it through the draft, free agency...or even walk ons... 10-6 and a playoff appearance proves our approach works, but we'd like to do better...and we will."

...

"You never get every single thing you want in free agency," Banner said. "And you never get every player you go after." :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

[Joe Gibbs would say: "Darn, we tried hard to land a heck-of-a-player, but it didn't work out. We wish him the best."]

Of course, there's little way of knowing the specific players they've targeted. But it is possible to make some guesses about positions, looking at needs and history. Andy Reid is doing this for the eighth time now, and the latest significant change in the brain trust, the switch from Tom Modrak to Tom Heckert, came back in 2001. We have a pretty good idea by now of who these people are and what they tend to do.

For example, we can say there's probably no way they're taking a running back in the first round, for several good reasons. Reid and Co. haven't drafted a running back in the first or the second round. The Eagles just signed Brian Westbrook to a long-term deal. And the more critics carp about how much the team needs a big, strong, inside-running complement to Westbrook, the more the Birds seem determined to prove they don't.

[whitskins]

The building through the draft vs. free agency argument is very tired. I wish people would stop simply assuming teams like the Skins will disappoint because they loaded up on free agents.

The draft and free agency are similar games, they're all about picking the right players. Teams who build through the draft, but pick the wrong players will suck. Teams who build through free agency, but also pick the wrong players will also suck. The Skins simply picked the wrong players for so many years in free agency, hence they sucked.

Thankfully, since Gibbs came back, we've done nothing but pick up gems in both the free agent game and the early rounds of the draft. If this recent class of free agents pans out, and I have every reason to believe that it will, then it could put the Redskins over the top.

Ultimately, who cares if a player is a free agent or a draftee if they fit your system well and play at a high level?

[Fred Jones]

The building through the draft vs. free agency argument is very tired. I wish people would stop simply assuming teams like the Skins will disappoint because they loaded up on free agents.

The draft and free agency are similar games, they're all about picking the right players. Teams who build through the draft, but pick the wrong players will suck. Teams who build through free agency, but also pick the wrong players will also suck. The Skins simply picked the wrong players for so many years in free agency, hence they sucked.

Thankfully, since Gibbs came back, we've done nothing but pick up gems in both the free agent game and the early rounds of the draft. If this recent class of free agents pans out, and I have every reason to believe that it will, then it could put the Redskins over the top.

Ultimately, who cares if a player is a free agent or a draftee if they fit your system well and play at a high level?

I agree 100% and will add that a SB winning QB is what puts teams over the top. The Eagles have done well drafting over the years, but unless McNugget plays at a pro bowl level this year the Eagles won't make the playoffs. Two recent examples are Pitt and NE. Pitts drafts well, but didn't win until Ben R. showed up. Pitts is the perfect example because their coaching staff was in place for a long time before they finally won it. NE would not have won without Brady.

Like you said, it is about picking players whether that is FA or the draft. In FA you also have to make sure you pay what the player is worth and not too much which is what the skins used to do in addition to picking the wrong player.