It's Official: Eagles Land Jason Peters

The Eagles are a better team this morning. They've replaced aging Tra Thomas with one of the best, young left tackles in the game, Jason Peters. It cost them a handful of draft picks (including the 28th overall selection next week), but the club still has the 21st pick, and can use it to assuage Donovan McNabb's concerns by taking an impact offensive player. Possible candidates: running back Knowshon Moreno, tight end Brandon Pettigrew, or any of the remaining wideouts on the board.

Eagles head coach Andy Reid described Peters as "the best left tackle in football," which might be overstating it a bit, particularly after a rocky 2008 campaign. Still, Peters is in the top five, and he improves a team that, despite a tumultuous regular season, was a lousy quarter of football away from the Super Bowl.

Via the Philadelphia Inquirer's Bob Brookover, an NFL scout had a slightly different take on Peters: "He has the tools, and there are times that he looks like a Pro Bowl tackle ... I just don't see it all the time." Not exactly an indictment, more an admission that Peters could be more consistent in his play. There are worse scouting reports.

Like, say, the one we may be reading if the Bills can't find Peters' replacement. Now armed with two first-round selections, Buffalo should be able to land a left tackle with their 11th pick. Two problems: there's no guarantee a rookie will be able to start immediately, or even if he does, how he'll perform. It's one thing to struggle as a first-year wide receiver; it's something entirely different to get on-the-job experience while you protect the franchise quarterback's blind side.

Needing to find Peters' successor with their first first-round pick also means the Bills can't get the pass rusher they desperately need. Everette Brown or Robert Ayers would almost certainly be on the board 10 selections into the draft, and they're just as likely to be gone by the 28th pick.

While it's nice to stockpile draft picks, I'm not sure the Bills got better by dealing Peters. I understand why they had to do it -- Peters wanted a raise Ralph Wilson wasn't willing to give him -- but with the running back situation in flux, protecting Trent Edwards becomes an even bigger priority. Terrell Owens would want it that way.