Postulating Where Peppers Will Land: Eagles

Who would be available at 21 . . . or even 28. I voted for the 21st pick + Sheppard for Peppers. IF that goes down, we would need a starter at DE and a #3 DT for the rotation.

There are 2 DE’s I like in the draft that I think could fit and impact the D next year: Orakpo and Barwin. The other 1st/2nd round worthy guys at DE are either undersized, not impressive or athlete’s not football players (ie – Ga Tech’s Michael Johnson). Orakpo would be gone by either 21 or 28. Barwin maybe a good selection at that point. I would prefer a DE in the 1st round because we would need a starter there and the DT would be #3. Also our pass rush needs a big boost.

The DT could be the best/only 1st round choice based on player grade. Raji would be gone by then. That would leave Jerry. I would be very happy to have him in the rotation. The problem comes if we make the previously mentioned trade near the time of the draft. We would have no room under the cap to make a free agent pick up at DE that could be worthy of a starting position. The DT rotation would be quality, but the DE’s would be among the worst in the league (at least in pass rush).

Thoughts?

obviously Lito is being overrated… the Eagles wanted a 1st/2nd for him last year, and then when the couldn’t get it, he was moved to 3rd/4th string, and more or less disappeared. And they want the same compensation for him now… which I wouldn’t pay. He’s a back-up for a reason… Plus, I think he’s looking for a huge extension, which I’m not interested in giving him.

As for pick #21/28… Raji is obivously gone. Jerry will probably be gone too, though this will be impacted by whom Haynesworth signs with (if he goes to Tampa, as rumors indicate he could, then Jerry could fall to 21, but I don’t see him falling to 28 in any scenario). You could reach for Ziggy Hood (depending on the mock you look at, he could be a late 1st round guy, at best).

At DE… Tyson Jackson is the only 1st round DE, according to drafttek, and I’d pass on him. I’d rather hope someone like Robert Ayers or Connor Barwin (he’s probably shooting up boards right now) or Paul Kruger falls to our pick in the 2nd round.

I agree with Will on the DEs… I’m not sure if I’d take one in the 1st only because there aren’t many options (Orakpo is more of a 3-4 LB). I like the 2nd round guys more. That said, if Lewis is going to miss time, we’ll need a #2 DT, not a #3. I’d be positioning myself to trade Peppers for a pick that will land us either Raji or Jerry (a top 15 or 17 or so?). And if we get a late 1st rounder (like #28), I’d avoid taking Lito with it, and would draft Sean Smith instead.

If its a cover 2 type system then you have to think aobut which CB would be a better fit there. But I did vote for the trade but exchange the 28th for the 21st.