Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Takeo Spikes is an Eagle!

i haven't seen him play in a couple of years so i can't say for sure what kind of player we're getting -- especially considering he tore his achilles a couple of years ago -- but if takeo spikes is anywhere close to player he was for the bengals, then he can be the best LB to play for the birds since seth joyner. this guy is a playmaker and can be a force on defense.

LB was probably their biggest need on defense and spikes is probably better than anyone who was a free agent this year. nice move by the eagles brain trust.

btw - i recently acquired a copy of the "house of pain" game on DVD. wow. that defense is better than i remember and joyner was a flat out stud.

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9 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

They also got a backup QB, which seemed like a good deal for what they gave up.

I haven't seen any other mock drafts, but PFT has the Eagles going WR/RB in rounds 1 and 2. I truly hope that's not what ends up happening. They need more secondary help. Think they'll take any linemen in the draft? They seem pretty loaded there, but Reid always seems to draft 4 or 5 every year.

10:02 AM EDT  
Blogger Big Dog said...

Spikes is a good player....he hurt his achilles 2 years ago...did play most of last year....he is a high motor, character guy who makes plays and I am thinking 2 years later he should be a monster again...he is 30, but I am sure he can still play....and an underrated pick up was Holcomb...he was a starter in this league and just provides more insurance....plus it lets the Eagles really focus on Defense in the draft and maybe a RB...who's kidding who, Walker or Trucker were going to be let go and we got an animal and leader in return who already is their best LB. I am happy so far, added some components and still retained good players....they will be fine as long as #5 and #36 are okay. And their big off-season is the draft. No complaints so far.

10:11 AM EDT  
Blogger The Mean Guy said...

i'm thinking about this deal as essentially walker for spikes, and while it certainly does fill needs for both team, i think the eagles got the far, far better player. to me, holcomb is a non-factor. if holcomb has to play (as backup or 3rd QB or whatever) then it means that mcnabb got hurt *again* and the season is at risk.

big dog is right. as long as mcnabb and westbrook are healthy and the o-line is playing well, the offense will be fine.

the defense is rounding into shape though. d-line should benefit from freak coming back and bunkley hopefully proving he's not a bust. the secondary should be fine if considine added some meat to his bones. the LB corps just got a huge upgrade.

there are lots of options at LB now, i'll be curious to see where spikes lines up -- i'm guessing strong side.

SLB - spikes, gocong
MLB - trotter, gaither
WLB - gaither, mccoy

11:32 AM EDT  
Blogger BGN said...

My dream scenario?

SAM - Gocong
MIKE - Trotter, Gaither
WILL - Spikes

SPikes is a natural WILL. That takes us from a severely undersized starting LB corps to a monstrously big one.

11:40 AM EDT  
Blogger The Mean Guy said...

that would work too if gocong can play. i'm still holding out hope that he'll turn into the "next tedy bruschi" like he was billed.

11:50 AM EDT  
Blogger Big Dog said...

How about this one....rather than pigeon-hole players, use the LBs generously....I would have Trot, Spikes and Gaither and then you can always move Gaither inside on pass downs and have Gocong and McCoy on nickle situations...plus you can always hybrid Gocong to get reps at end on passing downs and part of a rotation....I think you bank on Bunkley getting better, bank on LaJuan Ramsey getting better, welcome the Freak back which will help Darren Howard, who can also go inside and you draft athletes....we need a SS and I would love to add a CB....and if Brian Leonard or the TE from Miami is around....Leonard for the local thing (plus a character-guy, FB and can run and catch) and the TE cause he can play...at this point you go with the best player at an assortment of positions in round #1....what Holcomb does, is let you not waste a pick on QB this year, TMG. Spikes is no Lance Briggs but he is a nice addition both as a leader and a player...and if fills holes offers options...I really hope Gocong can be a player...and McCoy is good at flying around, probably a better nickle LB than a weakside backer...they aren't going to quit on him yet....the guy that I would quit on, though...is Moats. By the way, there is also a TE from Delaware who is a projected top 5 TE....mmmmmh, that is an intriguing situation for my Birds.

12:42 PM EDT  
Blogger The Mean Guy said...

Spikes is no Lance Briggs but he is a nice addition both as a leader and a player

since it's possible/probably that spikes is no longer the player he was with the bengals, i can see where you're coming from, but imo briggs is not a special player. he's quick and a good blitzer but he's terrible at taking on blocks and you can push him around.

lance briggs is not half the player that takeo spikes once was (and hopefully can be again).

1:05 PM EDT  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Briggs is the beneficiary of a system that has Urlacher, a player that must be accounted for on every play. If he had to be "the man" somewhere, he would suck.

I am excited about Spikes-even 2 years would be an upgrade. I am surprised they never even purused Kawika Mitchell, he is a fast guy, seems like their type of LB-TMG, any insight on that one? regardless, Spikes is better than anyone they have.

McCoy cannot play. Stop with the McCoy talk. They need more LB depth and he needs to be cut.

I'd love to see Greg Olsen in the draft, but he will be long long gone before they go. He is a playmaker. LJ is good, but sound slike he intends to over price himself on the market next year so let's get the next gret TE now.

They desperately need safeties this draft. I go there in round one and probably look for more secondary help throughout. I'd love Leonard too, but ain't gonna happen.

Not a terrible off season. I still like Stallworth over Curtis on raw speed, but that guy must've done something to tick them off as they never even pursued him. His gimpy wheels and drug problems probably contributed.

On another note, the Phils have 3 weeks to take over the city before the draft arrives and the Eagles step in again. If they want to be relevant, they need to get out of the blocks well. A 10-6 ish start would sure get folks talking. A 6-10 start would make folks say "another shitty Phils team".

Bumble

11:28 PM EDT  
Blogger The Mean Guy said...

I am excited about Spikes-even 2 years would be an upgrade.

i'm getting more excited about spikes as time passes (btw - he may have the biggest neck of any eagles player ever and probably has the second biggest neck of any player in the league behind lavar arrington). i think achilles are pretty tough to come back from -- a lot of guys who blow out their achilles limp for the rest of their lives -- but if he is anything close to the player he once was, we're going to love him.

I am surprised they never even purused Kawika Mitchell, he is a fast guy, seems like their type of LB-TMG, any insight on that one? regardless, Spikes is better than anyone they have.

mitchell has never made an impression on me. while i've only watched probably 3 chiefs games in the last two seasons, mitchell never stood out as a playmaking kind of LB. he's just a guy as far as i can tell.

McCoy cannot play. Stop with the McCoy talk. They need more LB depth and he needs to be cut.

i fear you may be right, but i'm holding out hope. he was pretty good i thought during the first half of the season, but he got dinged/wore down -- kinda like simoneau. maybe a part-time role is better suited for him. he's so fast, i think they could probably find a role for him as a nickel LB.

I'd love to see Greg Olsen in the draft, but he will be long long gone before they go. He is a playmaker. LJ is good, but sound slike he intends to over price himself on the market next year so let's get the next gret TE now.

i wouldn't draft him, even if he were there. not because i don't think he'll be good, but because they need playmakers on defense. i think a first round TE is a luxury, not a need. you can win with no TE. you cannot win with no D.

They desperately need safeties this draft. I go there in round one and probably look for more secondary help throughout. I'd love Leonard too, but ain't gonna happen.

agree. considine is better suited to taking over at FS eventually. get a tackling machine in to play close to the line and let dawk go back to roaming... though he is slowing down.

Not a terrible off season. I still like Stallworth over Curtis on raw speed, but that guy must've done something to tick them off as they never even pursued him. His gimpy wheels and drug problems probably contributed.

stallworth is not a number 1 wideout. he's fast, but he doesn't run good routes and his hands are only average.

On another note, the Phils have 3 weeks to take over the city before the draft arrives and the Eagles step in again. If they want to be relevant, they need to get out of the blocks well. A 10-6 ish start would sure get folks talking. A 6-10 start would make folks say "another shitty Phils team".

i'm in for the whole ride this season with the phils. good start or bad, i'm going to enjoy the ride. this is a likeable team.

10:31 AM EDT  

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