Philadelphia's signing of left tackle Demetress -- yes, that's right -- Bell is smart.

First of all, it solves a hole left by a season-ending torn Achilles to Jason Peters. Second, it delivers a talented player, someone held in such high regard in Buffalo that the Bills made him the starter after trading Peters to Philadelphia three years ago.

In fact, I remember a coach then telling me that he thought Bell could be better than his predecessor. People raved about the guy, saying that all that was missing was experience. Well, he got that experience, and the Bills didn't re-sign him.

I know, he had a history of injuries and took bad penalties. Nevertheless, Buffalo's willingness to let him walk tells you something.

My guess is that he resurrects a once promising career in Philadelphia as Peters did. The Eagles were desperate for a left tackle, and acquiring Bell lessens the need for help.

Of course, it doesn't mean they shouldn't stop looking for help there. Remember, Buffalo was willing to let him go, and the guy hasn't played more than half the season in two of the past three years -- or since Peters departed. He also sat on the free-agent market shelves until Philadelphia decided it had to have him.

So injuries are a concern. So is his overall play. But that's where Eagles' offensive line coach Howard Mudd comes in.

Philadelphia didn't have many options here, with King Dunlap and a possible move of Todd Herremans the most plausible ... so the Eagles had to do something, either in free agency or the draft. And they just did.

I like this move because I don't see a downside to it. The guy might be raw, but the Eagles have Mudd to school him. There will be plenty of time between now and September to learn his system and to gain rapport with his teammates.

There will be plenty of time for us to get used to his name, too. According to the Eagles, Bell's first name was misspelled for years. Now it's been corrected, and don't ask me why. For the Eagles' sake, I just hope it's not the only thing that gets straightened out with this guy. Finding a suitable replacement for Peters is as urgent as it is necessary for a club trying to return to the playoffs.