LET'S MAINTAIN SOME PERSPECTIVE

by Tracer Bullet, Staff Writer

The individual to the right with the slightly creepy smile is Jerome McDougle. The Philadelphia Eagles traded up to draft the defensive end from Miami at 15th overall in 2003, and he has been, without question, the worst pick of the Andy Reid era. Yes, including Freddie Mitchell.

McDougle has endured five years of wacky mishaps that have kept him off the field including injuries to his knee and ankle, broken ribs, an irregular heartbeat and got shot in the stomach in 2005. He obviously violated the tomb of some vindictive pharoh at some point, but he didn't do much on the rare occasions he did play.

McDougle got cut Saturday and signed with the New York Giants. And even though Eagles fans have been calling for his head for at least three seasons, there are some who have reacted as though the Eagles have handed a division rival a fire-breathing dragon who devours offensive tackles whole and picks his teeth with the bones of quarterbacks.

Let's talk about Jerome McDougle. He was terrific in the preseason this year -- against second teamers and guys who, like him, were looking for work Saturday night.

He has appeared in only 33 of 80 possible regular games and started ZERO. None. Zilch. Zip. Nada. Everybody reading this has started as many or more NFL games as Jerome McDougle. He has a total of three, three, sacks. By comparison, I once had three sacks in the first half against the Lehigh Valley Steelers (You're my bitch, #77).

He was going to get cut last year until he sustained a season-ending triceps injury in training camp. And why was he going to get cut? Because he's been invisible and/or injured for the past five years.

Now, after getting 2.5 sacks this preseason, mostly against players you've never heard of and will never hear from again, the Giants have given him $1 million for one year. Frankly, I'm glad he's stealing money from somebody else for a change.

The Giants have gotten what appears to be a solid backup defensive end. McDougle, at age 30, is unlikely to make anyone forget about Michael Strahan or Osi Umenyiora. He's unlikely to make anyone forget about any Eagles draft bust except maybe Mike Mamula. Mamula, for the record, became a starter, appeared in 77 games and rang up 31.5 sacks. That's right, Jerome McDougle is a bigger bust than Mike Mamula. There. I said it and I'm glad.

Now, I agree that McDougle should have gotten a roster spot over Darren Howard and even Chris Clemons, who's been hobbling around all summer having injured his calf carrying around a $4 million signing bonus. But if the Eagles don't go the Super Bowl, and I think they can, and if they lose to the Giants, and they will unless somebody figures out how to cover Plaxico Goddamn Burress, I guarantee Jerome McDougle won't have anything to do with it unless he clubs Donovan McNabb with a big-ass bag marked "Money I Made Sitting On IR." And he'll shatter his arm in the process.