As much as this season will be about turning the page from Donovan McNabb to Kevin Kolb at quarterback, the Eagles' success could rest primarily on an improved defense.
While the Eagles were among the league leaders last season with 25 interceptions, they allowed 27 passing touchdowns. The Birds had not allowed that many since yielding 29 in 1987.
Despite the Eagles having issues to resolve at linebacker and in the secondary, a better pass rush with some help for Cole could cut that number substantially.
Coming out of the University of Cincinnati as an "undersized" defensive end, Cole was on a mission to prove that the Eagles had found something unique with the 146th pick.
Five seasons and 47 career sacks later, Cole has more than made his point.
Since 2006, Cole's first as a starter, only two players in the NFC - DeMarcus Ware, of the Cowboys, and Jared Allen, of the Vikings - have recorded more than his 42 sacks. And many of Allen's sacks came in the AFC with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Allen is the only defensive end with more tackles for losses than Cole over the last 4 years.
Cole was a Pro Bowl selection in 2007 and 2009, and his emergence as an elite quarterback stalker has been noticed around the league. Last season, Cole was often double- and sometimes triple-teamed to keep him out of a quarterback's face.
Being chipped by running backs and tight ends has become an expected occurrence for Cole. He still managed to get 12 1/2 sacks in 2009, but the physical beatings appeared to wear him down some toward the end of the season.
Cole is just 27, and a quality defensive end can make an impact for close to a decade if his body holds up. Minimizing the pressure Cole faces would be both a short- and long-term investment for the Eagles.
