Brandon Gibson is just one of seven receivers to make this team.


The Eagles have released their 53-man roster and, like most years, there's a couple surprises when you glance at the final roster.

Well, what's supposed to be the "final" roster, anyway.

Any astute Eagles fan knows simply by looking at the roster released today that the Eagles are far from finished in sculpting the team that will take the field against the Carolina Panthers for Week 1 of the 2009 season.

For instance, the Eagles kept seven wide receivers. That's right, seven.

On top of the four guys guaranteed to make the team, the Eagles also kept Hank Baskett, Reggie Brown, and rookie Brandon Gibson. Baskett/Brown are, most likely, still not safe and are only on the team right now because the Eagles want some sort of compensation if either is to wind up playing for a different team this year.

In order to pull this off, the Eagles were forced to keep only two tight ends -- Brent Celek and Tony Curtis. I was a believer in Rob Myers, but the Eagles may have felt it would be best to try and put him on the practice squad until everything is resolved with the receivers and A.J. Feeley.

Speaking of Feeley, things are moving rather slowly on that front as well. It appears as though the Eagles are not getting the kind of offers they want, but still feel like he can be dangled as trade bait. With Michael Vick ineligible to play until Week 3, and on the roster as an exemption, Feeley will stay on the roster until Week 3, or when a trade is made, whichever comes first.

I still believe that Feeley will be traded before the season begins. Good backup quarterbacks are tough to come by, and if one is available teams will pounce on the opportunity. However with the release of Jeff Garcia, the Eagles may have a more difficult time moving their quarterback.