The NFL draft is here. Time for the Eagles, and everyone else, to get everything wrong. | Mike Sielski

Faithful readers of The Inquirer might remember that my friend and former colleague Bob Ford, over his nearly two decades as a full-time columnist, maintained an annual tradition: his “Corrections” column. In it, Bob would review everything he had written over the previous year, revisit certain lines and excerpts that either were particularly astute or missed their mark, and poke fun at the teams in town and himself.

That last element was what made Bob’s “Corrections” column so much fun to read. If you’re going to laugh at others, you ought first to be able to laugh at yourself. Self-deprecation reveals character. It shows that someone understands himself and is honest with himself about his flaws and mistakes, and no event in sports demands more self-deprecation and humility from the people who follow it, cover it, and participate in it than the NFL Draft.

Now, in supporting that assertion, I could cite any number of examples over the years of general managers, coaches, analysts, gurus, and media members making definitive proclamations that ended up being completely wrong. I could point out that Peyton Manning or Ryan Leaf? was an actual debate ahead of the 1998 draft. Or that Tom Brady was a sixth-round pick and Richard Sherman was a fifth-round pick. Or that Andre Wadsworth was supposed to be the next Bruce Smith. Or that projecting Dwayne Haskins to be a star and getting angry at any suggestion otherwise … yeah, not so much.

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But it’s easier and more honorable to look inward. So, in honor of Bob and his tradition, let’s note our errors and correct the record.

After the 2014 draft, in which the Eagles selected defensive end Marcus Smith in the first round, we wrote:

We regret that the Eagles’ selection of Marcus Smith did not have a good result. We also regret that we did not copyright the phrase “Follow the science” back then, because we’d be rich as hell now.

After the 2015 draft, the second consecutive one in which the Eagles did not draft an offensive lineman, we wrote:

We regret that the Eagles’ five starters were not healthy and in sync all season, and that we didn’t immediately print out a copy of this column and scribble all over it with an eyeliner pencil.

After the 2016 draft, in which the Eagles selected Carson Wentz with the No. 2 overall pick, we wrote:

We regret that Lurie’s glee lasted less than five years, just as Fox’s did.

After the 2017 draft, in which the Eagles selected defensive end Derek Barnett in the first round, we wrote:

We regret that Barnett is still on the roster and might read this column. We also regret that the Eagles’ world is still not perfect.

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After the 2018 draft, in which the New York Giants passed on the chance to use the No. 2 overall pick on a quarterback to succeed Eli Manning, we wrote:

We regret that the Eagles’ reign as the NFC East’s presumptive favorites did not last as long as the average Eli Manning 40-yard dash.

After the 2019 draft, we wrote:

We regret that drafting Andre Dillard has so far not been an excellent decision, and that Lurie wouldn’t let Pederson sit next to Mike Groh or Carson Walch in the war room that night. In fact, Lurie regrets that Groh and Walch were in the room in the first place.

Finally, after the 2020 draft, we wrote:

We regret removing every subsequent reference to “Hurts” in that column and replacing each one with “Sudfeld.”

Well, that’s it. Looking forward to watching the draft this weekend with a clear mind, with a clear conscience, and, just like everyone else, with no idea which players will turn out to be good. As Bob would say, trust is our bond.