Wide receiver:  Since the good-at-first-then-completely-horrible T.O. experience, the Eagles have lacked a true threat at wide receiver.  They made a strong push for Randy Moss in free agency, and there were strong rumors that the Eagles were trying to trade for Cardinal’s receiver Larry Fitzgerald.  Although Kevin Curtis was a pleasant surprise as a free agent from St. Louis and the team remains high on 2005 second-round pick Reggie Brown, both seem to be better suited as non-primary targets.  The Eagles have, when healthy, one of the top five quarterbacks in the NFL, and possibly the most underrated back in Brian Westbrook.  They would be able to take advantage of their talent more effectively if their passing game could put more pressure on opposing defenses.  Also, when Kevin Kolb finally takes the reins, he’ll need as much talent at the position as possible to transition smoothly to an effective starter.

The Eagles have brought several wideouts in for visits, and have shown interest in as many as five of them.  It should all depend on whether or not they view the nineteenth pick in the draft as worthy of the second-best receiver in the draft (as Devin Thomas will likely have been selected by then).  Limas Sweed of Texas or DeSean Jackson of California would be good picks there.  But if the Eagles would like to wait until later to address this need, they are believed to like Adarius Bowman (Oklahoma St.) and Dexter Jackson (Appalachian St.).

Offensive tackle:  The Eagles drafted Winston Justice, thinking that he was their future left tackle.  Osi Umenyiora proved them very, very wrong.  Justice should, however, be acceptable on the right side where Jon Runyan (34) is getting up there in age.  On the left, Tra Thomas (33) is no spring chicken either.  The Eagles should draft a left tackle who can learn the system in the short term, and then eventually be Kevin Kolb’s greatest ally over the long haul.  This would be a likely pick for them as well, as the Eagles have a penchant for selecting linemen early in the draft. As it gets later in the first round, it gets a little harder to know who will be on the board due to of trades, surprise picks, etc.  They are probably hoping that a guy like Chris Williams (Vandy) or Brendan Albert (Virginia) will fall to them, but it’s not likely.  They are interested in Pitt’s Jeff Otah, but No. 19 seems to be a little high for him.  Then again, the Eagles have a tendency to pick the player they want regardless of his perceived position on the experts’ draft boards.

Cornerback:  Since the 2002 draft, when they selected three defensive backs with their first three picks (Lito Sheppard, Michael Lewis, and Sheldon Brown), the Eagles have had a little bit of trouble in scouting in the secondary.  Accordingly, in the opening days of free agency, they signed Patriots CB Asante Samuel to a blockbuster deal.  Now rumors are swirling about the possibility of Lito Sheppard being traded before the draft.  That would seem to be a silly move for the Eagles because it would leave them without a reliable nickel back, which is becoming more important as the spread offense slowly settles into the NFL.  However, an extra first-round or second-round pick would give the Eagles a lot of versatility in the draft. The problem with Sheppard is that he has had trouble staying healthy; he has missed 14 games over the past three seasons.  When he does start, however, he is a Pro-Bowl caliber talent.  If he is traded, look for the Eagles to draft his replacement as early as with their first pick (or possibly with the newly-acquired pick).  They have shown a lot of interest in Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (Tennessee St.), who has been flying up draft boards since the Senior Bowl. He has tremendous upside, and would be a valuable addition.

Safety:  It’s no secret that free safety Brian Dawkins, the heart of the defense, will be 35 this season.  The Eagles have a history of parting ways with older players that they feel are on the downside of their careers, even if they are extremely popular.  The Eagles do have a couple of options here.  J.R. Reed does have some talent, but he is unlikely to be a full-time starter anytime soon.  Another more intriguing option is moving Sheldon Brown, who has the range and hitting abilities of a safety, back to take Dawkin’s spot.  The problem there, of course, would be that it would increase the need at corner.  The best option would be to supplement this position in the draft.

Quintin Mikell, who took Sean Considine’s place as the starting strong safety when Considine went on IR, played well last season and is penciled in as the starter heading into training camp. The clear need at the back of the defense is at free safety.  The Eagles like Thomas DeCoud (California) who plays well close to the line of scrimmage, but has some trouble in pass defense.  He could benefit from learning the game from Johnson and Dawkins for a year before stepping into the starting lineup.

Defensive end:  The Eagles stockpile defensive ends unlike any other team in football.  Unfortunately, they seem to have little success in doing so.  From draft busts like 2003 first-round pick Jerome McDougle to free agency busts like Jevon Kearse, the Eagles are constantly acquiring pass rushers.  Although Trent Cole is a standout right defensive end, they have struggled to find a quality player on the left say.  They may have finally struck gold with Chris Clemons. Clemons, a fifth-year player formerly of the Redskins and Raiders, had eight sacks last season in Oakland. It seems unlikely that the Eagles would use a first-round pick on this position, but they likely will be targeting a defensive end in the draft.  They could look for another developmental player early in the mid-to-late rounds (Cole, actually, was selected in the fifth round in 2005).  One possibility is Jeremy Thompson of Wake Forest, who is a smart player with a good motor.