Eagles safety Quintin Mikell explains the Philadelphia Eagles purge of veterans after the 2009-2010 football season.

Mikell, the Pro Bowl safety and now the team’s senior position player, said the dramatic roster changes the Eagles have made this offseason were necessary to rid the team of a negative element that had infiltrated the locker room.

“There were some things I had never seen before since I’d been here,” Mikell said after a recent workout at the NovaCare Complex. “There were guys who were more concerned with their own individual accomplishments than going out and playing as a unit.

“When we lost, instead of looking at themselves and asking what they could have done better, there were some guys who were questioning the coaches and the game plan. But you can’t bring that negativity to the team, especially when you have a young locker room like we have. Because then the young guys hear it and it spreads, and you can’t have that and be successful.”

via PhillyBurbs.com: Mikell: Eagles’ moves have been for the better

Sounds like the Eagles veterans suffered from a deficit of leadership. Those veterans would include Mikell.