A lot of eyebrows were raised when word got out around the league that the Philadelphia Eagles released veteran linebacker Jeremiah Trotter. 

Trotter faded down the stretch last season as his knees continued to deteriorate.  He wasn’t getting to as many plays against the run and has been a liability against the pass.  He dropped a lot of weight this past spring to take some pressure off his knees and was moving better during the off-season.  But Eagles’ coach Andy Reid was happy with the progress of his young linebackers and felt now was the right time to make the move.  The Eagles will miss the leadership Trotter provided.  He was a major component of the soul of this Eagles’ team.  But the Eagles still have the heart of this team – Brian Dawkins - and Takeo Spikes will be a solid veteran leader at linebacker. 

Omar Gaither will make a few mistakes with only five starts under his belt, but he’ll grow into the position as he gains more experience.  Gaither has good ball awareness and is often around the ball.  He’ll be active against the run if the Eagles protect him upfront.  And most importantly, Gaither provides good range against the pass. 

Vikings add depth at wide receiver: If healthy, former Packer Robert Ferguson can provide some help at wide receiver.  He’s very strong and has the speed to stretch the field, but he’s still a little unpolished in many aspects of the game since he’s lost a lot of development time with injuries throughout his career.  If Ferguson can contribute on a consistent basis, he’ll take pressure off rushing their intriguing rookie class of receivers into key roles this season.  Bobby Wade is their most accomplished veteran, but is just an adequate slot receiver with good skills after the catch, but inconsistent hands.  Troy Williamson has the speed to stretch the ball and has shown more consistency with his ball skills this summer.  Rookie Sidney Rice could be eased into the passing game – especially in red zone situations. 

Raiders try to bolster front four: A lot of people were surprised at the trade to acquire Denver’s Gerard Warren, but the Raiders view this as an opportunity to bolster their strong defense.  Rob Ryan loves to generate pressure with his front four and make plays behind the line of scrimmage.  That’s what Warren brings when he’s healthy.  Warren loves to shoot gaps and make plays in the opposing backfield.  Warren battled a lot of nagging injuries last season, but had a tremendous season in 2005 with Denver.  Terdell Sands and Tommy Kelly have battled to gain most of the snaps next to Warren Sapp, but neither is a disruptive player.  Sands is strong against the run and can clog the interior.  Kelly is versatile enough to play some tackle and end, but has never played up to his strength against the run inside.  Anttaj Hawthorne has flashed some natural instincts at times, but lacks ideal quickness, strength, and intensity to make a difference on the field.  The addition of Warren also gives the Raiders some options with Sapp.  Although Sapp is coming off a solid season and is in tremendous shape after dropping a lot of weight this past spring, he’s also 34 years old.  The Raiders are considering various exit strategies with Sapp.

Payne comes home: Seth Payne and the Jaguars are a strong match.  Payne loves Jacksonville and the Jaguars need insurance at defensive tackle.  Marcus Stroud and John Henderson are the strength of the Jaguars with their ability to shut down run lanes inside and protect their host of athletes at linebackers.  But Stroud is still working his way into form following ankle surgery and backup Tony McDaniel has moved outside due to injuries at defensive end.  Payne is a very strong interior player who can clog lanes inside against the run.  Payne can’t be counted on these days as a starter due to his injury of knee problems – including a torn ACL last October – but should be a solid backup.

Bengals lost pass rush depth: Losing linebacker Eric Henderson with a fractured wrist is a blow to the Bengals’ defense.  Henderson possessed a lot of natural pass rush ability and was expected to provide depth in their pass rush behind Robert Geathers and Justin Smith.  Henderson actually has more pass rush ability than Smith with his natural instincts and technique.  Jonathan Fanene could now have an opportunity to play off the edge in pass rush situations.  Fanene comes off the ball well and has upside as a pass rusher.  Unfortunately, Fanene is raw and hasn’t had enough snaps as a pass rusher to develop his techniques and moves. 

The Eagles have to be pleased by what they saw on Friday Night in Donovan McNabb’s debut following a tough rehab from a serious knee injury. 

The Eagles rallied to make the playoffs with Jeff Garcia at quarterback last season.  But they were getting by in the passing game with smoke and mirrors as Garcia’s limitations were exposed down the stretch.  Brian Westbrook carried the offense as Garcia faded.  Now with a healthy McNabb, the Eagles look to have a dangerous offense this season.

Some observers are skeptical about the big-play ability of the offense after allowing Donte’ Stallworth to sign elsewhere this spring, but McNabb has a solid group of receivers to spread the ball around.  This allows the Eagles to get back to the roots of Andy Reid’s philosophy to avoid relying on one primary option to build a passing game around.  Reggie Brown has emerged as a playmaker.  He lacks breaking speed and will drop a few balls, but has shown he knows how to get open and make big plays in clutch situations. 

Former Ram Kevin Curtis replaces Stallworth.  Curtis lacks the size and ability to create matchup problems downfield like Stallworth, but is more consistent and has enough speed to make plays in Reid’s ball-control passing game.  Hank Baskett and Jason Avant have emerged as solid targets in their second seasons.  Baskett has good size and toughness, but is also a deceptive playmaker downfield.  Avant has proven he can be a reliable option in traffic with his hands and toughness. 

L.J. Smith has good athletic skills from the tight end spot, but the Eagles are still waiting for him to display more consistency and avoid nagging injuries.  Meanwhile, rookie Brent Celek has displayed the ability to become a solid intermediate target during camp.  

Packers rely on youth: The Packers finally pulled the plug on Robert Ferguson.  Drafted by Green Bay in the second round in 2001 based on his tremendous blend of speed and physical skills, Ferguson never developed into the consistent playmaker the Packers envisioned.  His numerous injuries over the years curtailed his developmental time on the field early in his career.  This was the right move by the Packers.  Organizations often have the tough task to balance when its time to give up on a high round draft choice.  Generally, when you realize a young player can’t play and shows little chance for development, its best to cut ties sooner than later.  On the other end of the spectrum, organizations also need to show patience with good athletes.  In the Packers’ situation, they’ve given Ferguson a couple years longer than normal.  Now, the Packers have collected a group of younger receivers that have shown enough to for them to build behind Donald Driver.  Greg Jennings showed good maturity as a rookie last season and added some bulk over the spring.  Rookie James Jones has opened a lot of eyes this summer.  Jones displays a tremendous blend of physical skills and ball skills.  Ruvell Martin has developed into a steady option over the middle with his physical skills.  And Carlyle Holiday rounds out this unit with his excellent size and athletic ability.  Holiday displayed flashes at wide receiver last season.

Jaguars changing guard at wide receiver: It’s no secret that Jack Del Rio has grown frustrated with the inconsistency of his wide receivers over the past couple years.  It has reached a boiling point – especially with Reggie Williams.  Williams continues to struggle separating from defenders and make plays with the ball.  And for a receiver that struggles to make plays, he doesn’t catch the ball consistency enough.  Look for Williams to hit the waiver wire later this month.  Dennis Northcutt and rookie Mike Walker have been their best targets this summer.  Northcutt runs the best routes and has brought a level of professionalism to a young unit, but he’s a number three receiver at best for many teams because he lacks ideal size and speed.  Walker also lacks speed, but catches the ball well and displays a lot of natural skills for a rookie.  Unfortunately, many scouts around the league have concerns about the long-term durability of Walker, who suffered a serious knee injury in college.  Rookie Charles Sharon has shown good hands and the ability to make some plays with ball. 

In Blakely The Falcons Trust: With knee problems slowing Alge Crumpler again, Dwayne Blakely has capitalized on the opportunity to establish himself within the offense.  Blakely has always had good athletic ability, but is showing the ability to make plays down the seam with his toughness and ability to leap in traffic.  With Crumpler and Blakely, the Falcons have two tight ends who can line up in slot and create favorable matchups in the passing game.  Meanwhile, the Falcons must closely monitor Crumpler’s knee problems this season as he turns 30 in December.  Crumpler has had knee problems in the past and there is some concern about his long-term durability. 

Bills look to establish run: Being a Mike Martz-disciple, many people view Steve Fairchild as a passing guy.  But Fairchild’s objective since arriving in Buffalo has been to establish a productive run game.  Fairchild never had much confidence in Willis McGahee last season – especially with his lack of versatility.  Now with rookie Marshawn #### replacing McGahee, look for Fairchild to implement his vision for a multifaceted backfield.  #### has impressed the Bills with his excellent speed and quickness – especially in open space.  Expect #### to make a major impact in the passing game with his ability to create matchup problems for linebackers.  In addition to #### creating headlines, veteran Anthony Thomas is having a very solid camp.  Thomas has displayed an extra bounce in his step this summer and has looked his best in years to provide a solid complement to #### in the backfield. 

A healthy Donovan McNabb will give the Philadelphia Eagles a dangerous offense.  But the question now is whether McNabb can avoid major injuries.  It’s tough to continue contending for a title in the National Football League when your quarterback misses a large number of games.  Reggie Brown is emerging as an athletic playmaker.  They lost a playmaker in Donte Stallworth, but former Ram Kevin Curtis has a more consistent track record and enough speed to make plays within Andy Reid’s offense.  Brian Westbrook has always been a playmaker and now has proven he can handle a heavy workload on the ground.  The Eagles will have more size on defense and that should help against the run.  Takeo Spikes will be very active on the weakside.  I am not sure what Jeremiah Trotter has left in the tank, but he’s worked hard to shed pounds this spring.  Former Bear Ian Scott adds depth to the interior front.  Look for Brodrick Bunkley to step up in his second season.  There’s a lot of doubt surrounding Jevon Kearse.  He’s always relied mostly on his upfield speed, but has lost some zip and is coming off a major injury.  That means the pass rush could again be built around Trent Cole. 

The Dallas Cowboys will be a looser team under Wade Phillips, but does that mean they’ll also be a better team without Bill Parcells?  A lot falls on the shoulders of Tony Romo.  Romo brings energy to the offense, but must make better decisions with the football under pressure.  Opposing defensive coaches know how to scheme around getting Romo out of rhythm.  Expect a lot from the ground game.  Julius Jones has a chip on his shoulder and will make big plays.  Marion Barber is a steady hammer in tough situations.  The offensive line is a concern.  Flozell Adams is fading at left tackle.  The jury is out on whether Marc Colombo can replicate his success from last season.  Leonard Davis talks about a rejuvenation coming to Dallas, but must prove it on the field.  They have questions to answer in the secondary.  Anthony Henry has been nicked up and vulnerable to big plays.  Ken Hamlin is an upgrade at free safety, but can be exploited at times.  Phillips will be more aggressive in applying pressure on the quarterback.  DeMarcus Ware has an opportunity to post even bigger sack numbers.  Rookie Anthony Spencer could make an early impact. 

It’s boom or bust for the New York Giants under Tom Coughlin.  There’s enough talent to win a lot of games, but not much leadership among their collection of me-first players.  They’ll miss Tiki Barber’s big play ability, but Brandon Jacobs and Reuben Droughns have the ability to keep the chains moving if healthy.  There are a lot of questions if Jacobs has the mental toughness to handle a feature role.  The pressure is now on Eli Manning to take his game to the next level.  Manning has shown he can play at a high level, but his inconsistency is frustrating.  They lack a true left tackle.  David Diehl will give his best if plugged in there, but will have trouble against some of the top speed rushers.  Steve Spagnuolo brings an aggressive philosophy to the defense.  Osi Umenyiora could have a big year off the edge, but the secondary could struggle again.  Rookie Aaron Ross brings energy and physical skills, but Corey Webster and Gibril Wilson need to step up.  Webster is healthy and feels a comfort level in this new defense.  Wilson needs to recapture his aggressive nature from his rookie season. 

Gregg Williams’ defense is the key for the Washington Redskins.   There are a lot of veterans here with chips on their shoulder from last season.  Fred Smoot should rebound in his return to Washington.  Carlos Rogers must regain his confidence.  He has too much ability not to recover.  They should be strong at linebacker if Marcus Washington stays healthy.  London Fletcher brings leadership from the middle and I like the upside of Rocky McIntosh.  Lemar Marshall remains a steady presence.  But the front four remains a concern again.  There’s very little pressure coming off the edge and they could have problems against the run again.  On the other side of the ball, I like the poise of Jason Campbell for a young quarterback.  But they need more consistency from their receivers.  Santana Moss is their big-play threat, but durability is always a concern.  Al Saunders must also find more ways to get Chris Cooley involved in the passing game. 

Dallas Cowboys: Many observers don’t look at Anthony Spencer as a flashy pick, but the Cowboys got themselves one of the more underrated players in this draft.  Spencer is a very strong fit in Wade Phillips’ defense, which is built around linebackers who can get after the quarterback.  The Cowboys definitely need to take their pass rush to the next level and have depth beyond DeMarcus Ware.  Greg Ellis is coming off an Achilles injury and won’t be at full strength this season.  A lot is riding on Spencer to boost the pass rush. 

James Marten and Doug Free bring more depth at offensive tackle for the long-term.  And Courtney Taylor is someone to watch at cornerback in a couple years.  Unfortunately, the Cowboys couldn’t find more immediate help if Anthony Henry doesn’t bounce back after a subpar season. 

New York Giants: The Giants entered the draft with two major concerns – cornerback and left tackle.  They hope either Guy Whimper develops or David Diehl can slide over and play left tackle.  This isn’t a good situation for Eli Manning.  On the defensive side of the ball, Aaron Ross brings good physical tools and the potential to create turnovers from the cornerback position.  Ross may need some time to develop into a solid NFL starter, but this is a team with significant concerns for the long-term at cornerback.  Corey Webster faces a critical season. 

Steve Smith should be a nice addition towards strengthening depth in the passing game.  Smith wouldn’t be a playmaker, but should develop into a steady target for the Giants.  Amani Toomer is coming off a season-ending injury and is getting up in years and questions remain about the durability of Sinorice Moss, so Smith will have an opportunity for a lot of playing time as a rookie. 

Philadelphia Eagles:  The Eagles didn’t come away with any playmakers who can make an immediate impact this season.  Ultimately, we can’t grade the impact of this draft for at least a few years.  I understand where the Eagles are coming from with Kevin Kolb.  They graded Kolb very high based on potential and his competitive approach.  After another season-ending injury with Donovan McNabb, the Eagles can’t be faulted for taking the opportunity to take a quarterback whom they believe has tremendous upside.  They have to protect themselves at the quarterback position.  I am usually skeptical of shotgun quarterbacks at the college level, but Kolb has been breed to be a leader from the quarterback position. 

They also did well in adding depth at running back with Tony Hunt and Nate Ilaoa.  Both bring toughness to the backfield.  And I like the additions of Victor Abiamiri and Stewart Bradley.  Neither is expected to become an impact player, but both could develop into steady contributors on defense in the next couple years.  Abiamiri could play on early downs at left end this season.  The Eagles missed reliability from the strong side at linebacker since Carlos Emmons departed a few years ago.  Bradley should have an opportunity to start early at this spot. 

Washington Redskins:  LeRon Landry should be a strong impact player who can create turnovers from the deep middle of the secondary, but the Redskins won’t get much else from this draft since they didn’t have many picks.  The Redskins continue to rely heavily on the free agent market, where they are a lot of expensive hit or miss players, while missing out on the opportunity to build long-term depth among their core.  They enter the summer without any additions along the front four on defense after struggling to stop the run and get after the quarterback.  They also need to begin developing younger talent along the offensive line. 

Takeo Spikes will be a tremendous addition to the Eagles’ defense.  He’s expected to return to form next season after a torn Achilles ruined his 2005 season and was slowed by a hamstring injury last season.  When the 2007 season starts, he’ll be nearly two years removed from his Achilles injury and finished last season on a strong note. 

Spikes is very smart and instinctive on the field.  He’s not a strong player at the point of attack, but plays the run aggressively in pursuit.  When at his best, there are not many better pursuit players in the National Football League than Takeo Spikes. 

What the Eagles are counting on is Spikes returning to form as a playmaker.  Before tearing his Achilles in 2005, Spikes made a lot of plays in pass coverage and has the ability to force fumbles.  Spikes also can blitz.  None of that was evident last season as he was feeling his way back to form. 

Overall, this is a safe risk for the Eagles.  He only has one year left on his contract with an option for 2008.  I believe Spikes will give the Eagles a couple solid years.  Spikes is also a very hard worker who will fit within the leadership core in Philadelphia. 

The Eagles hope to have better production from their linebacker core next season.  Jeremiah Trotter looked slow last season and could be pushed by Omar Gaither in the middle.  Gaither showed promise with his aggressiveness on the weakside last season, but needs more experience.  Trotter needs to shed a few pounds and hopefully take some pressure off his creaky knees. 

As for Darwin Walker, the Eagles aren’t losing much.  Walker has good quickness and lateral range, which will fit well in Buffalo.  But he never made many plays the past few years and was too inconsistent.  Some sources questioned his focus and desire at times.  After flashing some production as a pass rusher early in his tenure with the Eagles, he became a non-factor the past few years.  At times he looks like a solid starter, but is best suited as a rotation player.

In Buffalo, he’ll work as part of a four-man rotation with Larry Tripplett, Kyle Williams, and John McCargo at defensive tackle. 

More Notes:

Adams could thrive in Chicago: Former 49ers’ defensive tackle Anthony Adams found the right fit by signing with the Bears.  Adams has been a misfit in Mike Nolan’s 3-4 system in San Francisco the past couple years. 

Adams has underrated strength and relies on good gap quickness to make some plays against the run.  Adams is also smart enough to read plays quickly and is active in pursuit within his range.  Since Adams has a small frame and lacks ideal top end quickness, he won’t contribute much as a pass rusher. 

This is a good move by the Bears as they adjust their depth to better fit Lovie Smith’s defensive philosophy.    

Cowboys Bolster Secondary: Ken Hamlin draws a lot of mixed reviews from scouts, but I believe he’ll be a solid fit in Wade Phillips’ defense with his range over the top.  Hamlin has the ability to step in front of plays and create turnovers, but is also very erratic.  He gave up a lot of plays last season with his tendency to gamble too often.  He also can hit in run support, but is very inconsistent in breaking down as a tackler.  Despite this inconsistency, Hamlin does stabilize the secondary at free safety and allows Roy Williams to concentrate at playing in the box. 

Wiggins Lands in Jacksonville: A lot of people talk about how the addition of Jermaine Wiggins replaces Kyle Brady at tight end.  Perhaps in terms of a roster spot, but not in skill set.  Brady was one of the league’s top in-line blockers in the run game and will be tough to replace in that aspect.  Wiggins is a non-factor in the run game.  His value will lie in the passing game, where Dirk Koetter will run a lot of multi tight end sets.  Wiggins will not create favorable matchups against opposing defenses, but knows how to set up over the middle and make tough grabs in traffic with his excellent hands.   His reliable presence as a check down option adds a degree of certainty in a passing game that is anything but certain with erratic play from their receivers.

Cardinals add leadership: Veteran fullback Terrelle Smith is an excellent fit for Ken Whisenhunt’s offense.  Smith is a tremendous lead blocker who knows how to finish plays and displays a lot of toughness.  He’s also very sound in pass protection, which will be a major asset behind a shaky line. 

Changing of the guard in Detroit: The Lions hope to reverse their fortunes at the guard spots with veterans Zach Piller and Edwin Mulitalo.  This probably means Damien Woody’s days are numbered in Detroit, where his lax mentality doesn’t fit Rod Marinelli’s aggressive direction.  With Piller and Mulitalo, the Lions now have two experienced guards who play with a lot of toughness and fit Marinelli’s desire to have strong run blockers upfront.  Unfortunately, both are aging and grade as backups.  Piller is tough and relies a lot on smarts to get the proper angles, but is stiff and can be exposed in space.  Mulitalo is a similar player with more size and massive strength, but wears down often and becomes vulnerable in pass protection.  Durability is often a concern since both ended last season on injured reserved.  The Lions must hope they could squeeze a season of these guys.