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King: ‘Tomlinson may visit Eagles’

March 11th, 2010 · NFL, Philadelphia Eagles

SI’s Peter King tweeted moments ago that the Eagles may bring in LaDanian Tomlinson for a visit.

“Looks like Tomlinson may (and I underline may) visit Philadelphia and New Orleans after the Jets. Imagine LT, Pierre Thomas and Bush,” tweeted King.

The Eagles may be bringing in LT for a visit.

While we initially loved the idea of LT being brought in to compliment second year back LeSean McCoy and possibly serving as a goalline back, we’re surprised by the fact the Eagles are now even considering the idea.

The second they made Leonard Weaver the highest paid fullback in NFL history, we assumed he was the compliment and short yardage back. Weaver proved last year he could help carry the load if needed.

The Eagles surely could use another RB on the depth chart, but we just don’t see them paying the money LT will want to serve as a back-up. We’re not huge fans of Justin Fragas at this point, but he may be more in line with the Eagles payroll.


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Dominic Brown playing Werth out of town?

March 11th, 2010 · Uncategorized

ESPN.Com’s Jayson Stark has an excellent article detailing how the play of Dominic Brown will impact the future of Jayson Werth in red pinstripes.

While it’s no surprise that Werth is likely playing his last year in Philly due to economics, we question everybody — including Werth himself — calling Brown “The Future.” He is a great prospect and very well could play at an All-Star caliber level in The Show in a few years. However, nobody should think Brown will take the place of Werth’s production next year.

He's Werth breaking the bank to keep in red pinstripes for years to come.

As Stark points out, Brown has barely played above single-A ball after suffering a fractured finger last June. Plenty of players have fizzeled out between Double-A and the big leagues. Hell, Werth said last spring he called Jason Donald “The Future.” Donald fell out of favor and is no longer considered a can’t-miss prospect while he toils in Cleveland’s camp.

The Phillies obviously better be careful with this move. The fact is Raul Ibanez comes off the books after 2011. Brown would be better equipped to join the Phillies next year and platoon with Ibanez. Meanwhile, they should keep Werth and just overpay their outfield for a year. In 2012, Werth’s contract will not be as big of a deal since Brown will be making the minimum.


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Stefanski knows his job in jeopardy

March 11th, 2010 · Uncategorized

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist or a psychic to figure out that Sixers GM Ed Stefanski is a dead man walking when it comes to his reign as leader of the most pathetic basketball franchise this side of the NJ Turnpike.

And, Stefanski knows it.

They say silence speaks volumes, and who has heard from Fast Eddie recently? Rumors flew two days ago in The Inquirer that his hand-picked coach Eddie Jordan was on his way out. However, where was Stefanski in issuing the obligatory denial?

The next time you see these two clowns together better be in the unemployment line.

Comcast-Spectacor head Peter Lukko was left to address the rumors by telling everyone a decision had not been made on Jordan yet. Yeah, and Philly didn’t get much snow this winter.

Has anyone heard from the GM on this issue in the last week? The only reason why Stefanski would go into hiding is because he knows he F’ed up this once proud franchise. He took the pile of crap Billy King left behind and let it fester until only flies and maggots were left to chew on the remains.

This season will not end quick enough in front of the virtually empty Wachovia Center.


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Eagles interested in Fargas and Kendra’s hubby

March 11th, 2010 · Uncategorized

With the trade of Reggie Brown, nobody should be surprised to hear the Eagles have scheduled talks with Super Bowl goat Hank Baskett-Wilkinson. Baskett spent the better part of four years training in Arizona with Donovan McNabb in the offseason and walking the Eagles sidelines during the season.

Last year, the Eagles were forced to carry four QBs when McNabb was injured and Michael Vick was added to the active roster. The Birds couldn’t afford to cut Brown due to cap constraints and Baskett was shipped out of town.

Now, the Eagles find themselves short at wideout with just DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and Jason Avant as the only ones likely to be on the roster at this point. Kevin Curtis’ career is likely over due to knee concerns that sidelined him most of last year.

With a lack of credentialed receivers on the market, the Eagles could do worse than Baskett. He knows the offense and would be a better fourth wideout than Brown. While we’re not thrilled with the idea of Baskett’s return, we’re not wholeheartedly opposed to it either — as long as he brings Kendra back to town.

The Eagles also are rumored to have meetings scheduled with Justin Fargas. The former Raider has shown flashes of being a decent player, but his best days are behind him. We’d be surprised to see Fargas in Philly next year.


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Don’t let the door hit ya’ Reggie Brown

March 8th, 2010 · NFL, Philadelphia Eagles

Finally.

Reggie Brown is being jettisoned out of town. He’s on a plane to Tampa Bay, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

“Filed to ESPN: Philadelphia traded wide receiver Reggie Brown to Tampa Bay for the Buccaneers sixth-round pick in 2011,” tweets Schefter.

A sixth round pick. Man, did the Bucs get hosed?

Brown has been a big disappointment. He showed flashes of being a nice receiver during his first two years in the league. Then, he lost his work ethic and went down hill.

This opens the door for the return of Hank Baskett. While we were fans of Baskett, we don’t want him back. Forget the Super Bowl onside kick, the fact is even Payton manning couldn’t get Baskett involved in the passing game. It’s time for Hank to move on to his next career — Kendra’s boy toy.

However, Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb like Hank and his name has been linked to the Eagles recently. Don’t be surprised to see #84 return.


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Eagles pissing more money away into Andrews’ pocket

March 8th, 2010 · Philadelphia Eagles

OK, let me get the straight, the Eagles released their most consistent linebacker from a year ago because they didn’t want to pay him $5 million next year.

Three days later, the Eagles decide to pay Stacy Andrews a $4 million roster bonus despite not showing any indication that he has any brains or can actually play offensive guard.

Stacy Andrews displaying the incredible play that earned him a $4 million roster bonus.

A year ago, the Birds signed Andrews to a multi-year deal that paid him a lot of money. Sure, he was coming off of an ACL injury, but the Eagles were convinced he’d be ready.

All Andrews did was lose his starting spot in Week 2 and then not dress for half the year, even when Jamaal Jackson suffered his own knee injury and the team was down a guard.

On one hand, the Eagles tried to say Andrews just wasn’t ready to play physically last year as he hadn’t completely recovered from his surgery.

However, Andrews himself said he had trouble picking up the Eagles blocking scheme. Of course, as we pointed out last month, that really isn’t a surprise as he scored a 15 on the Wonderlic.

What is a surprise is that the Eagles would continue to piss away money on this guy while not giving cash to guys like Witherspoon or even Brian Westbrook, although we do agree with his release.

One can only wonder if this means Shawn Andrews will again be on the Birds roster as well.


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McNabb passing to T.O. again — on bball court

March 8th, 2010 · NBA, NFL, Philadelphia Eagles

McNabb to Owens was one of the most prolific QB-WR tandems in recent memory during the 2004 season.

The two will be back together again. No, Andy Reid hasn’t completely lost his marbles. Instead, Donovan McNabb, Terrell Owens and Antonio Gates will be teammates on Spike TV’s “Pros vs. Joes” show this upcoming season.

The three NFL stars who played college basketball will take on Hakeem Olajuwon, Kenny Smith and Rick Fox.

This raises a whole host of questions, including:

1.  Will Donovan McNabb throw nothing but chests passes even though he’s now supposed to use the bounce pass?

2.  How many passes will McNabb throw to Gates before T.O. starts bitching?

3.  When T.O. goes four offensive sets without scoring, will he accuse mcNabb and Gates of sitting up late at night in the hotel room drawing up plays designed to explode the crybaby?

Have some other questions? Lets us know. Comment below and we’ll do our best to address them.


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Vick’s going to get a chance to show if he ‘gets it’

March 7th, 2010 · NFL, Philadelphia Eagles

Since being released from a Federal Pen last spring, Michael Vick has gone out of his way to say the right things to make us believe that he now “gets it.”

“It” being the fact that he needs to live the right way and cherish the opportunity to play pro football. The fact that he must realizing strapping up the chinstrap on Sundays each fall is a privilege and not a right.

This image will likely be seen again this spring and summer.

While he did well enough in the Eagles locker room to win the team’s Ed Block Courage Award last year, I have major questions about his mindset and attitude right now.

By all accounts, the Eagles will pick up the $1 million-plus roster bonus due to Vick this week. That is far from a shock. Vick does have trade value, and there is no way the Eagles would let him walk after investing the time and the PR hit that they did to carry him on the roster last year.

Now, when Vick is clearly still the Eagles property, he’s shown me absolutely nothing about learning from his past in terms of being thankful for the opportunity Andy Reid and Jeff Lurie gave him.

He’s out there talking about deserving to be a starter and talking openly about the teams he would like to play for. Hell, he wants to join Carolina because he likes their uniforms. That fact makes us wonder how friendly he became with Bubba while on lockdown.

Seriously, he has made statements along the lines of, “It’d be hard for me to return to Philly as a back-up.”

The choice isn’t his. The Eagles are going to bring him back unless some team ponies up a second or third round pick. The Vick Experiment wasn’t a total failure in that he started to do a few — very few — good things later in the year before his injury. The Eagles could still find ways to use him, although they’d much rather trade him.

There was a problem in Vick’s play last year for Vick himself. He did absolutely nothing to show he is a starter in this league. He lost the speed that made him the weapon he was in Atlanta. He had one big-time run against the Bears. Otherwise, it was a bunch of four yard pickups that would have been 15 yards in the past.

He completed most of his passes, but that was because teams expected him to run. Line him up as a starter, and his completion percentage will suck as it did during his prime.

The bottom line is with his statements and actions, we’re not sure how Vick will react upon returning to the Eagles locker room during the first minicamp after the draft. He says he’s changed.

Vick’s now going to get a chance to show us that.


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Weaver addresses Eagles’ need for second back

March 6th, 2010 · Uncategorized

Andy Reid and Howie Roseman made a statement yesterday: the need for a second back to compliment LeSean “Shady” McCoy was already on the roster.

His name: Leonard Weaver

Leonard Weaver is more than just a fullback for the Eagles.

The second the Eagles brass made Weaver the highest paid fullback in NFL history with his three-year, $11 million contract that guarantees him $6.5 million, it became apparant that the role the pro Bowler played last year will only grow. They wouldn’t have paid a fullback that kind of money if that wasn’t the case.

Brought in as a fullback, Weaver was pressed into running and catching the ball more when Brian Westbrook went down with injuries and concussions last year. He set career highs in rushing attempts with 70 and yards with 323. In doing so, he displayed the ability to be the change of pace back the Eagles need to pair with the young McCoy.

With Weaver and McCoy, the Eagles don’t lose a beat from last year. Even though BWest36 was released, the fact is he contributed next to nothing last year. McCoy and Weaver carried the load.

Weaver is as good an option as Chester Taylor, and comes at a better price than a Thomas Jones. Darren Sproles may have been the only guy the Eagles would have considered, but that option went away the second the Chargers tendered him at the highest level.

With what was out there, the Eagles made the right statement yesterday by bringing back Weaver.


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Why Eagles haven’t made splash in free agency

March 6th, 2010 · NFL, Philadelphia Eagles

With the Bears signing Julius Peppers and Chester Taylor, the Seahawks bringing in Brandon Marshall for a visit, the Giants landing Antrel Rolle, and the Ravens acquiring Anquan Boldin during the first day of free agency, many Eagles fans have to be wondering, “when is it our turn to make a major headline?”

The bottom line is you can forget that unless the Birds engineer a trade. Resigning Leonard Weaver to a three-year deal that makes him the highest paid “fullback” in league history may likely be all you get this year.

And, that’s perfectly acceptable.

Look at the free agent landscape and there just wasn’t anyone out there that makes the Eagles immensely better. There just isn’t.

The Eagles were right to pass on giving Chester Taylor, Julius Peppers and others big time money.

Sure Peppers would have added another big-time defensive end with the potential to sack the QB every play. But, Peppers is 31 and has a reputation for taking plays, or games, off. Do we really need another Jevon Kearse? Is Peppers really worth more than $90 million over six years? Even in an uncapped year, the Bears overpaid.

Aaron Kampman? Forget him. He’s coming off ACL surgery and visions of Stacey Andrews in street clothes last year come to mind with anyone coming back from that injury. Pass.

Antrel Rolle would have been a nice pick-up. However, again, the Giants overpaid for him. Could you imagine paying him seven million a year when the Eagles wouldn’t poney up that cash for All-Pro Brian Dawkins?

Chester Taylor, LT, Thomas Jones or any other running backs to compliment LeSean McCoy? Jones will command too much money for a 31-year-old back, and LT will likely get more money than an overhyped goal-line back is worth. Taylor? Well, honestly, Weaver is as good a fit as Taylor.

The bottom line is that with the uncapped rules that basically allowed teams to lock up players with less than six years of service has severely limited free agents. The Eagles aren’t wrong to pass on free agency this year.


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