Take a deep breath Eagles fans...

Losing Brian Dawkins, the X-man himself, hurts. I am of the opinion, however, that the pain is not from the effect of his departure on the 2009 Philadelphia Eagles. The pain stems from the fact that he was the face of the defense and a team leader for the past 12 years. I have images burned into my head of "Dawk" flying through the air like a pro wrestler, and annihilating both Michael Vick and Alge Crumpler in the 2004 NFL Championship game. On game day, every single player said that Dawk went from a first-class human being to someone who looked like he escaped from the insane asylum. Don’t we only wish Donovan played with that kind of intensity and fervor?

Let us be honest, though--Brian Dawkins is not the same player he used to be. He has lost a step, maybe two. With the speed the Eagles have brought to the linebacker position, along with Quentin Mikell’s emergence as a potential Pro Bowl safety, Dawk’s main contribution was his locker room presence, not his on-the-field impact. Letting him go was a business decision, and in a vacuum, I do not fault the Eagles for this move.

It also looks like the Birds will have two new offensive tackles going into next season. Runyan and Tra Thomas, two pillars on this offensive line, will be either moving onto new teams or giving their aching backs and knees a rest. Given the importance of this position, it is a scary thought to have two new tackles protecting Donovan from the likes of DeMarcus Ware, Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck, Chris Canty and Andre Carter twice a season each. However, unlike the skilled positions, I believe Andy Reid and staff are solid evaluators of linemen, especially offensive linemen. I trust that they know whether the Andrews brothers can handle playing tackle in the NFC East, whether Herreman's can move outside, or whether they need to use a first-round pick for either position. Getting younger at the tackle was a business decision, and in a vacuum, I do not fault the eagles on this move.

The bigger picture, however, is that the window for a championship with McNabb and Westbrook is coming to a close. What the Birds do with their remaining $100 billion under the cap (okay, it’s only $44 million) will determine whether my tone gets more and more hostile as the season approaches. I suggest we see what happens with the rest of free agency, the draft, and potential trades before jumping off the Ben Franklin Bridge.