Hugh Douglas anyone?

Hugh Douglas is an upgrade over the DEs currently on the roster here. But if you remain fixated on the phrase "Pro Bowl defensive end, Hugh Douglas" you are going to be disappointed.

His days of stardom are in the rear view mirror. The skins should try to get him - at a reasonable price - because their D-Line is still very very marginal. But if they get him, please keep this in perspective as the season goes along.

So far, none - not a single one - of the guys that Andy Reid and company in Philly have "let go" because their contract demands were excessive have turned out to be star material anywhere else. Douglas fits that description...

uhhh...shawn barber anyone? really good player...most of the guys that have left havent got to play yet since it was last season...who did u have in mind?

Aside from Douglas I'm guessing the first name that came to Curmudgeon's mind was Trotter

And really, what has Shawn Barber done since he left Washington? He was only in Philly for a season, then was signed to that 'defensive juggernaut' in Kansas City. Anyone associated with that defense has a lot of 'splaining to do.

Shawn Barber? Are you serious?

Starting LB for the team that had the 30th ranked defense in the league? Or was it 31st?

The same team that could not force a punt from the Colts in the playoffs and gave them 38 points?

I know that Barber used to be a Redskin, but that does not make him a star or even a top drawer player. He played well here; he played better in Philly than he did here; his time in KC has not been stellar by any definition!

Curmudgeon, putting past performance by previous philly players aside, how do you think Bobby Taylor and Carlos Emmons will do with the Seahawks and Giants, respectively, this year?

And also, out of curiosity, were you always a curmudgeon and if not when and why did you become one?

Barber is a very good LB, he had over 100 tackles and 5 sacks last year. You guys are smokin' something if you think he's a flop.

94 N. D. Kalu

DE
Height: 6-3
Weight: 265
Born: 08/03/1975
College: Rice
NFL Experience: 8



Career Stats Game Logs Situational Stats Other Defensive Ends Team Roster

DEFENSIVE STATS

Year Team G Total Tckl Ast Sacks Int Yds Avg Lg TD Pass Def
1997 Philadelphia Eagles 3 2 0.0 2 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0
1998 Washington Redskins 13 14 9.0 5 3 0 0 0.0 0 0 0
1999 Washington Redskins 12 14 11.0 3 3.5 0 0 0.0 0 0 1
2000 Washington Redskins 15 8 6.0 2 1 0 0 0.0 0 0 1
2001 Philadelphia Eagles 14 12 11.0 1 3 0 0 0.0 0 0 0
2002 Philadelphia Eagles 16 31 22.0 9 8 0 0 0.0 0 0 4
2003 Philadelphia Eagles 16 46 38.0 8 5.5 1 15 15.0 15 1 1
TOTAL 89 127 97.0 30 24.0 1 15 15.

smootsmack:

I have always been accused of looking at the world from a different vantage point. I became a curmudgeon - officially - about 10 years ago. Being a curmudgeon requires one to be aged to a certain degree...

I don't think Taylor will be a star by any means. He was the weaker link of the Vincent/Taylor tandem. He won't stink out the joint either.

Emmons is a good player who does best in a defense that lets him use his speed. If the Giants give him that opportunity with their playcalling, he'll do just fine - assuming his injury in training camp is minor and heals. What Emmons does not do particularly well istake on running plays head on and stop them; he tends to be the guy who strips the blocking so others can make the tackle - sometimes 5 - 10 yards downfield. If that is what the Giants set him up to do, he will not do nearly as well.


matty:

I did not say that Barber stunk; he's not a flop. But to say that he went on to KC and had a really good year is a bit of a stretch. If there are 48 starting LBs in the AFC (3 per team even though Pittsburgh uses a 3-4) Barber is not in the top 15 based on last year's performance. My point is that Andy Reid and company have a pretty good batting average to date on letting people go and not having them becomoe stars in their new venues. This year's crop of Vincent, Taylor, Emmons and Staley provides four more test cases. I think Staleyhas the best chance to shine.

You can't blame Barber for KC finishing in the basement of defensive rankings. All in all he's a quality OLB is all I'm saying.

As for him being top 15, maybe not. Top 20? Quite possibly.