I recall the pick being controversial not because he was 26, or a guard, but because of the 'value' of him at that spot. He theoretically could have been had in round 2 or maybe 3. As those things go I'm generally willing to forgive on that because you really just never know. If a guy you really like is there then pull the trigger. Do you think the Eagles regret passing on Russell Wilson in the 2nd because they thought he'd be there in the 3rd? And the age thing was thought to have a positive element to it at the time. "He's 26 - he's more mature than most kids coming out". And "he's a guard today but he can slide to OT at some point as he was in college".
All that said, I'm not sure how to feel after reading that article. On one hand I can respect that the dude just wants to be a firefighter. On the other, he took the millions of dollars from the Eagles and should have dedicated himself more towards making it work. But, the odds were stacked against him from the start - the delayed camp due to CBA, the week late signing, and then the injury in his second season. Couple that with the absolute mess the Eagles were after bringing in 'all stars' on the coaching staff and on the roster and then the mounting losses in a city with a fanbase that's going to let you know how they think, and, well....it was a disaster.
I'm not going to fault Reid for this. I don't imagine it's easy to get to the heart & soul of a player that you're about to invest millions in through pre-draft interviews, which is all they have to go on. This kid had the size, the strength and the smarts to excel as the NFL level. He didn't have the interest or passion, and per the article he was no longer in a place where he could be coddled and comforted towards an end.
There are no good answers.
