2014 NFL Draft Grades: NFC East

In 2013, Chip Kelly took his up tempo, high octane offense to the top of the standings in the NFC East, but in a tightly bunched division, a good draft can make a big difference as to who goes to the playoffs and who stays home. Dallas Cowboys: B Best Pick: Zack Martin Late Round Sleeper: Anthony Hitchens and Ahmad Dixon Dallas resisted the temptation of drafting Johnny Manziel and took the highly regarded and versatile offensive lineman in Zack Martin. Martin can slip into the left guard position between their last two top picks in Tyron Smith and Travis Frederick to form a solid offensive line to protect Tony Romo and open holes for DeMarco Murray. The Cowboys traded up to pick Demarcus Lawrence, who is expected to fill the hole left my Demarcus Ware as their top pass rusher. Hitchens and Dixon both have the opportunity to play for a defense that was one of the worst statistically in the NFL last year. New York Giants: B Best Pick: Weston Richburg Late Round Sleeper: Andre Williams The Giants could not overcome an 0-6 start and are looking to regain their footing at the top of the NFC East. 1st Round Pick Odell Beckham gives Eli Manning a new target and Beckham is an explosive kick returner. Richburg looks to anchor the offensive line for years to come. Third Rounder Jay Bromley looks to plug the middle on defense. Late Round Sleeper Williams looks to move into the backfield rotation and add depth to the running game. Philadelphia: C+ Best Pick: Jordan Matthews Late Round Sleepers: Ed Reynolds and jaylen Watkins The Eagles perhaps reached a bit in the first round for Marcus Smith, but Chip Kelly knows that you have to get to the quarterback in the NFL, and Smith can do just that. But they may have been able to get him later in the draft. Matthews, along with third round pick Josh Huff, look to fill the hole left by the departure of Desean Jackson. A late round sleeper looks to be Ed Reynolds at the safety position along with Jaylen Watkins at cornerback. The Eagles defense spends a lot of time on the field because the offense scores so quickly and both players could move into the rotation in the secondary. Washington: B Best Pick: Morgan Moses Late Round Sleeper: Lache Seastrunk The Redskins did not have a first round pick because of the trade for Robert Griffin III two years ago, and after trading down Washington was able to get a first round talent in DE/LB Trent Murphy. Murphy plays along the lines of Ryan Kerrigan and Brain Orakpo, and he is as tough minded pass rusher off the edge. Moses fall to their laps in Round 3 and he could move into the starting lineup on the right side of the offensive line. Seastrunk could be a late round sleeper pick as a change of pace back paired up with Alfred Morris, who can take a lot of pressure off Griffin and keep the franchise quarterback healthy.

TMG DraftZone 2013 NFL Draft Grades: NFC East

The 2013 NFL Draft has come and gone, my vacation is over and it's time to hand out grades to the teams. I posted in a blog earlier this draft season that without the big names at the top, with loads of depth and with players at 15-35-55 that would wind up having similar talent and value, that it would be tough for any team to really screw up their draft. I was right on that point. I was wrong on my very early prediction that 5 quarterbacks would go in the first round. For this year, Panic In The Draft Room did not take over. But it did hit in Round 4. The quarterbacks in this draft may end up being quality players, but teams went for what they saw as the moer sure thing and waited to take the signal callers. When Round 4 came around, the quarterbacks went off the board. But 2013 was all about The Big Uglies. 6 offensive lineman taken in the first 11 picks. 3 defensive lineman in the first 6 picks. Even Travis Frederick, seen by many as a third round pick, went in Round 1 to Dallas. No running backs selected in the first round, and only one quarterback. What in the name of Russell Erxlaben is going on here? My team draft grades will be followed by key selections and sleeper picks. So here is the TMG DraftZone team grades for the 2013 NFL Draft, starting with the NFC East: NFC East Dallas: C Gavin Escobar (TE) Joseph Randle (RB) Frederick will move into the center position and plug up the revolving door there, but he could have been gotten in late Round 2 or even Round 3. Escobar will give Tony Romo an excellent target, and Randle could get his chance to carry the ball if the Dallas backs keep getting injured. NY Giants: B+ Johnathon Hankins (DT) Damontre Moore (DE) New York looked to shore up their offensive line with the pick of Justin Pugh. His running mate from Syracuse, quarterback Ryan Nassib, may not get much of a chance to play but he gives the Giants a solid backup to Eli Manning. Hankins is a load who can tie up the middle of the defensive line and free up the Giants pass rush from the ends. And if Moore plays like the one who racked up 12 sacks last year at Texas A&M instead of the player who looked like he took his future for granted at the combine, he could have a big impact down the road. Philadelphia: A- Matt Barkley (QB) Jordan Poyer (CB) The Chip Kelly Era starts with the building block of the most athletic tackle in the draft with Lane Johnson. Zack Ertz will give the Eagles quarterback a big target down the middle, and I believe that the quarterback who will be throwing the ball to Ertz, DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and others will be Barkley. I don't believe he will begni the year as the starter, but I can see Barkley finishing the year taking snaps. Jordan Poyer was seen as an early round pick, and he fell all the way to the seventh round. With the Eagles porous pass defense, Poyer could get a chance early. Washington: B David Amerson (CB) Phillip Thomas (S) Washington surrendered their first round pick last year to move up and take Robert Griffin III, and that move worked out very well as the Redskins won the NFC East. Washington beefed up their pass defense early and often with the picks of David Amerson in Round 2 and later on with Phillip Thomas in Round 4. Jordan Reed gives Griffin another target to throw to when he finally learns that he will last a lot longer in the NFL by not running as much as he did last year.

NFC East Draft Grades: Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles won the NFC East at 10-6 during the 2010 NFL Season, and the sensational play of Michael Vick led the way. Two areas of concern for the Eagles was the offensive line and defensive secondary, and Philadelphia hit on picks at both slots.

Danny Watkins have may been the most popular player at Radio City Music Hall on Draft Day, as the former firefighter got a standing ovation from a group of New York firefighters. But Watkins can play. He can play tackle and guard, and he should be able to shore up the line right away.

The secondary was addressed in Rounds 2 and 3, with the selection of Jaiquawn Jarrett, a safety out of Temple in the second round, and Curtis Marsh, a cornerback out of Utah State in the third round. Both players have have been drafted higher than many experts had them pegged, but they both fit the Eagles system, and should play an important role in shoring up the defensive backfield.

Two late round sleeper picks for the Eagles look to be Casey Matthews, a middle linebacker out of Oregon, and Alex Henery, a kicker out of Nebraska, both selected in the fourth round of the draft. Matthews is the brother of Clay Matthews of the Packers, and he has the football IQ that Coach Andy Reid loves. Henery was the highest rated kicker in the draft, and he could be the eventual replacement for David Akers.

Draft Grade: B-

Draft Grades: Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles went into the 2010 NFL Draft for the first time since 1999 without Donovan McNabb as their quarterback. The face of the franchise was dealt to the Washington Redskins, and the reins have been turned over to Kevin Kolb, who has a total of 2 starts in his three year career.

Much like the New England Patriots, Philadelphia makes a lot of trades before and during the draft, and they moved up from #24 to #13 to select Brandon Graham, a defensive end from Michigan. Graham should provide the Eagles with a solid pass rush, and he plays with a high motor from start to finish. Philadelphia then went looking to fill the void left by the departure of Brian Dawkins the previous season and picked Nate Allen, a safety from South Florida. The offense was not a target of the draft until Round 4, when the Eagles picked Mike Kafka, a quarterback from Northwestern. They then selected Clay Harbor, a tight end from Missouri State, and Riley Cooper, a wide receiver from Florida, who should assist Kolb in transitioning to the starting quarterback position and the new face of the Eagles franchise.

A sleeper pick from the later rounds looks to be Ricky Sapp, a linebacker with exceptional speed who can be used in blitz packages, which has been a staple of the Eagles defense.

Draft Grade: B+

Trade winds-starting out as a breeze

Every year the NFL Draft has it's share of trades. Either before or during, but teams swap players and picks like they are trading properties in a game of Monopoly. If you are lucky you can find a trading partner like the Jets did with Cleveland last year and they can move way up the board to take the player they really want. This year the big chip in play looks like it is going to who wants to trade for Donovan McNabb, and what are they prepared to give up to add him to their roster. Two teams that have expressed interest are Buffalo and Oakland.

Now I'm not an Eagles fan. I've watched McNabb from a distance and I would say that he can make many teams better immediately. But under the right circumstances. McNabb has taken a beating over the years, and if you put him behind a porous offensive line he's not going to be as effective as his suitors would like. Buffalo and Oakland are teams that need help up front, and picking up McNabb may not be the right fit.

Now I can't see any team giving up a first round pick for McNabb, so both the Bills and Raiders could shore up the line with their first rounder. Russell Okung looks to be gone by picks #8 and #9, and Bryan Bulaga might be gone as well. Which leaves Trent Williams, Bruce Campbell, and Anthony Davis as likely selections. All three players look to go in those slots as of now, so the teams taking any one of those tackles would not be a reach.

To me, the trade that makes the most sense would be the Rams trading the 33rd overall pick to Philadelphia for McNabb, then taking Ndamukong Suh first overall. They get the best player in the draft and add a veteran quarterback who can help them win now. But as it is with many things in the NFL, it comes down to money. Would McNabb want to sign a contract extension with St. Louis? If not then that trade, or any trade where McNabb doesn't want to sign an extension, doesn't make a lot of sense. Also, keep this in mind. Jake Plummer was traded to Tampa Bay, and decided that retirement was a better option. What if McNabb gets traded to a team he doesn't want to play for, or a team he feels doesn't give him a good shot to get back to the Super Bowl. Would McNabb see retirement as a better option as well? Then again, Philadelphia might see McNabb as their best option to get back to the Super Bowl, and tell all the potential suitors thanks, but he's our man. In my opinion that is the best option, and the best fit, for Donovan McNabb.