Eagles Should Have No Excuses in '09

Who moved to the head of the NFL class during the draft? Find out with FanHouse's team-by-team 2009 Draft Grades.

Earlier this offseason Donovan McNabb said he wanted to see how the Eagles upgraded the roster before he would talk about a contract extension. After last fall, when things got so bad that Andy Reid benched McNabb for Kevin Kolb, it looked as if neither head coach nor starting quarterback would be in Philly another year, much less long term.

Instead, the team rallied, made the playoffs, and as has become routine, lost in the NFC Championship game. In the four months since losing to the Cardinals, the Eagles front office has jettisoned the aging and injured, swapped one of their two first-round picks for a franchise left tackle, and sat, jaw agape, as the best wide receiver in the draft fell to them in the bottom half of the first round.

McNabb would probably like to get to work on that extension now.

The Eagles have a long and distinguished track record when it comes to evaluating players and assembling a roster. It's as much about unearthing talent other teams overlook as it is about cutting ties with popular veterans on the downside of solid careers. Brent Celek qualifies for the former and Brian Dawkins is an example of the latter.

Philly also opted to let tackles Jon Runyan and Tra Thomas test free agency. Both are on the wrong side of 30 and the club wanted to upgrade the offensive line. And that's exactly what happened: they signed Stacy Andrews and traded for Jason Peters.

With the o-line overhauled, the Eagles turned their attention to the skill positions. DeSean Jackson, taken in the second round last year, emerged as a playmaker at wideout and punt returner. Last weekend, the club found another duel threat in Jeremy Maclin. After watching the Raiders select Darrius Heyward-Bey seventh overall, and the 49ers draft Michael Crabtree with the 10th pick, the Eagles traded from 21st to 19th to grab Maclin.

A round later, the front office gave McNabb another weapon: running back LeSean McCoy. Brian Westbrook is the team's most valuable player, but he's at his best when he complements the offense, not as its centerpiece. McCoy and Maclin accomplish that, and suddenly the Eagles go from a team full of offensive questions to the NFC East favorites.

Philly added big-upside tight end Cornelius Ingram on Day 2. He'll fill the roster spot vacated by former big-upside tight end L.J. Smith. And with cornerback Sheldon Brown wanting a new deal, the club sent two fifth-rounders to the Patriots for Ellis Hobbs, and used another fifth-round pick on Victor Harris.

Draft picks

1 (19) Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri
2 (53) LeSean McCoy, RB, Pittsburgh
5 (153) Cornelius Ingram, TE, Florida
5 (157) Victor Harris, CB, Virginia Tech
5 (159) Fenuki Tupou OT, Oregon
6 (194) Brandon Gibson, WR, Washington St.
7 (213) Paul Fanaika, OG, Arizona St.
7 (230) Moise Fokou, OLB, Maryland

Grade: A. The usual we'll-have-to-wait-three-years-to-really-grade-this-class caveats apply, but from the perspective of a week after the draft, the Eagles made out.