July 05, 2023
The best way for a sports fan to cure boredom? Find one of those $15 lineup prompts, get angry at your friends for their choices and craft the ultimate team. A few weeks back in June, the Eagles themselves published a $15 chart for people to create the best Eagles offense possible. I gave my thoughts on that, selecting Nick Foles, Brian Westbrook, A.J. Brown, Terrell Owens and Keith Byars.
On Wednesday, the Eagles' social media accounts dropped a new one with this entry focusing on the team's defense, which includes loads of All-Pros and Pro Bowlers:
Another $15 just hit the account#FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/e2JOy2dEzh
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) July 5, 2023
There's no way in the world I wasn't going to write about this and make a new lineup, so I'm just going to get after it. Like my offensive edition, I'm taking players under the concept that I need to win a single game with this roster.
White is not just the best Eagles defensive player of all time, he's perhaps the best defensive player the sport has ever seen. White played eight years in Philadelphia, acclimating an astounding 124 sacks. His greatest feat? A 21-sack campaign in just 12 games during the strike-shortened 1987 season. That's the top pass-rushing season in NFL history.
For a value pick, give me Thomas to clog up the middle in the run game. Thomas was a full-time starter on two fantastic Eagles defenses in 2000 and 2001. The 2000 squad finished fourth in points allowed and the '01 team finished second.
Sneakily underrated for younger fans, Thomas was a two-time Pro Bowler who had a monster 1995 season that saw him make 74 tackles with seven interceptions and two sacks.
The best bang-for-your-buck player on the entire board!
Vincent was a five-time Pro Bowl selection in midnight green and was a First-Team All-Pro corner in 2002, which I maintain is the best Eagles defense of the 21st century. Vincent tied for the league lead in interceptions with seven in 1999 and led the NFL in passes defended with 27 in 2001.
What can I say about this man that everyone hasn't already? Dawkins is a Hall of Famer and is right alongside the likes of Allen Iverson and Jason Kelce for the title of the most beloved Philadelphia athlete ever.
If you want more on Dawkins' Weapon X persona, you can read my interview from 2022 about his collaboration with Marvel Comics.
If I had to give this another go and chose all new players, my B team would be:
DE: Brandon Graham ($1)
DT: Jerome Brown ($5)
LB: Byron Evans ($3)
CB: Eric Allen ($5)
S: Quintin Mikell ($1)
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