Hard to dislike this move

April 19, 11:06 PMPhiladelphia Eagles ExaminerGordie Jones

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Jason Peters

Andy Reid loves him some big ol’ linemen. We’ve known that was true of the Eagles coach (once an offensive lineman himself, at BYU) for a long, long time.

So now he’s got a new left tackle in Jason Peters, over in a trade from Buffalo and armed with a new contract. Now he’s got an O-line that is potentially dominant – and one that was rebuilt on the fly. (Tra who? Jon who?)

Unless Peters lays an egg (or Stacy Andrews, the new right tackle, isn’t ready after knee surgery), the Eagles need to be credited for moving boldly and decisively. For not waiting until next weekend’s draft to shore up the line with a rookie who may or may not be ready, but for going out and dealing for a proven commodity.

For reloading, as opposed to rebuilding.

No, it’s not a sexy move. It’s not akin to bringing in Anquan Boldin. But it was the right play, and will likely be a winning play.

There is still work to be done, to be sure. The Birds still need to find another running back, capable of backing up Brian Westbrook and one day succeeding him. Sports Illustrated’s Don Banks continues to believe that Georgia’s Knowshon Moreno will be their choice at No. 21 overall. Paul Needell of the Newark Star-Ledger believes the same. And CBSSportsline has the Eagles taking Ohio State’s Chris “Beanie” Wells.

In later rounds, they figure to look for a tight end, another lineman or two (see above) and some defensive depth. And when the minicamps roll around, they can begin the process of finding out who plays where along the offensive front – during Peters’ introductory news conference Sunday, Reid raised the possibility of Stacy Andrews playing guard – not to mention who mans Brian Dawkins’ old spot at free safety. Quintin Demps will apparently get first crack, though newcomers Rashad Baker and Sean Jones also figure to get a look.

Reid told reporters Sunday that after studying Peters on film, he concluded that he was “the best left tackle in football.” He will be compensated as such; according to a report in Calkins Newspapers, the new deal Peters signed with the Birds will pay him $60 million over the next six years, making him either the second- or third-highest paid offensive lineman in the league.

Peters, who held out of Buffalo’s minicamps and training camp last year because he was unhappy with his contract, claimed to be unaware of the oft-quoted stat showing that he allowed 11.5 sacks in 2008, most of any left tackle in the league. He did admit to reporters that his contract situation affected him “a little bit," especially early in the year. And even though he wound up being chosen to his second straight Pro Bowl, he said his play was merely “OK.”

“I could have had a better year,” he told reporters.

The Eagles are banking on it. (And please, let’s keep Peters’ deal in mind, the next time we might be tempted to say the Birds are cheap.) They are operating on the assumption that he can give them the same sort of production Tra Thomas gave them all those years.

“You’re talking about the best left tackle in this team’s history,” Reid said of Thomas.

“But,” he added, “age does take place in the game, and Tra played a lot of years here.”

Time marches on. And in making this move, it appears the Eagles have stayed in step.