Jackson's absence from OTAs has yet to be explained.


DeSean Jackson, along with cornerback Asante Samuel, missed OTAs today and, according to sources close to the team, no one is expecting them to participate at all this week.

The news isn't all that surprising for Samuel given the fact that he skipped an entire week of voluntary workouts last season as well. He's cited as having "personal issues" to deal with, but who knows whether or not that's true.

Samuel has shown that he doesn't look at these workouts as vital to part of his offseason, so it's likely he fed the Eagles some nonsense excuse knowing there's not a whole lot they can do.

Jackson's absence, on the other hand, is a bit more peculiar. He has been a gym-rat for his first two seasons and hasn't missed practices, but now, in the midst of contract uncertainty, he's missing not just a couple days, but an entire week's worth of practices.

So, of course, the first conclusion is it's his way of sending a message. He wants the Eagles to see that he doesn't have a problem missing workouts if he doesn't get the money he feels he deserves, even though he's already said he wasn't going to cause a problem over it.

But according to Adam Schefter, the absence is not contract-related.

"DeSean Jackson's absence from Eagles OTAs today is not contract related," Schefter Tweets. Not sure why he is missing, but am told it is not contract."

Schefter catches a bit of a hard time amongst bloggers and fans alike, but nine times out of ten the guy is right and his sources rarely let him down.

The word around Philly is that Jackson's absence is related to several different miscellaneous things he has to deal with, and is choosing to to skip the voluntary workouts in order to address whatever those things might be.

But even if he does have other things to deal with, the fact that he would choose right now to address them does speak to how he's feeling at the moment. If he wasn't seeking a new deal, would he have skipped practice in order to deal with these things?

He does have an agent who could deal with any PR-related events, and absent a death in the family there probably isn't anything all that pressing to deal with in that area.

So while there two sets of rumors floating around to explain Jackson's absence, the most likely scenario is that it's a combination of both. And if he's already missing workouts because he's unhappy about his current deal, it could mean a long offseason of headaches for the Birds.
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How will the team react to Kolb's in-your-face style?


For some reason, Donovan McNabb's laid-back style just didn't sit right with most people here in Philadelphia. Many perceived it as indifference and quickly labeled him as a guy who didn't care about winning and was more interested in using the NFL as his own backyard.

So for those people, the word coming out of mini-camp that Kevin Kolb is taking a completely different approach must be welcome news.

According to those with the luxury of attending all of the practices, Kolb doesn't try to hide his emotions -- at all. He will apparently beat himself up for a bad pass, and isn't afraid to holler at his receiver if they run the wrong route, drop a pass, or anything else that he might not be pleased with.

The reaction has been largely expected. The Kolb love affair only grows stronger as now most believe he's the leader Philly has needed and he cares much more than McNabb did and whatever else, but there's also a downside to this way of handling things.

With McNabb, everyone could tell he thoroughly enjoyed what he was doing and, while he is a very competitive man, he made sure not to take anything too seriously. That doesn't mean he didn't show a clear frustration or disdain any time he messed up, but he took the "I'll get 'em next time" approach and moved on to the next play.

This mentality probably helped him survive in Philadelphia as long as he did because he refused to let anything get to him. Kolb, on the other hand, might be a little too hard on himself and could wind up doing himself a disservice.

I'm an old school type of guy when it comes to how football should be played and how players should handle themselves, but it's important not to dwell on your mistakes or they will eat you alive and kill any and all confidence.

With Kolb, it seems like he's unable to forgive himself, if you will, for a bad play and simply move on to the next. He seems to treat every play like the +/- in hockey: every bad play is a minus, so he must come back with a positive in order to make up for it.

It's certainly a good thing to want to improve, but every football player -- and especially the quarterback -- must be able to forget about a bad play, not let it kill their confidence, and go out and give it another shot. If he starts forcing the issue in order to make up for previous bad plays, he could get himself in a lot of trouble.

And now that we know this about Kolb, it makes a lot of sense that he was seemingly rushing everything in the second half of the New Orleans game and was hellbent on making something out of nothing rather than playing smart football and going at it again on the next play.

Then there's also the problem of dealing with his teammates. The young guys, especially a much-too-soon superstar like DeSean Jackson might not respond well to Kolb getting in his face and telling him what he needs to do. Say what you will about McNabb, but he understood how to handle the guys around him sans Terrell Owens.

Kolb has the right idea in that perhaps McNabb was a bit too laid back at times, but he can't counteract that by being the other extreme. He's got to find a way to be that leader while also being accessible to the guys around him and cutting loose every once in a while.

He seems to have all the physical tools and seems to have a grasp of the offense, but if he can't pick up the nuances and being a leader and this team's quarterback, he's going to have a very, very rough time in Philly.
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Rocca's competition recently got a little bit thinner.


For all the change that has taken place for the Eagles over the offseason, one of the most surprising parts of it might be where they haven't changed as punter Sav Rocca appears set to maintain his starting spot in 2010.

The Eagles signed Durant Brooks, a former Ray Guy award winner and sixth-round draft pick of the Washington Redskins to potentially compete with Rocca, but released him on Tuesday as they clearly were not happy with what they were seeing.

The writing seemed to be on the wall for Brooks ever since the Birds resigned kicker/punter Ken Parrish for the second offseason in a row.

Parrish was brought in last offseason to compete with Rocca, but wound up getting cut near the end of training camp in what appeared to be a numbers game more than anything. The guy can't kick field goals to save his life, but he's got a good leg on kickoffs and was a much more consistent punter than was Rocca.

However, whereas Rocca will have that 60-65 yard boot once or twice per game, Parrish could go his entire career and never hit over 50 yards. But at least with Parrish there would be very few of the 15-yard shanks.

The thought is that Parrish has a legitimate shot at pushing Rocca because then David Akers could be used purely as a field goal specialist, but that doesn't seem realistic. Parrish is a drop-off in talent as far as kickoffs go and will have to pick up his leg strength if he wants to push Rocca.

It's going to be an uphill battle for Parrish, however, as Rocca's development is probably a big reason why Bobby April was brought in. Andy Reid must believe that April's presence will finally turn Rocca into a consistent big-leg punter rather than one of the most frustrating players on this entire roster.

Parrish could stick with another team looking for a punter and a kickoff specialist, but it's probably not going to be with Philadelphia.
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Kolb and Vick should compete for McNabb's old spot.


Once Donovan McNabb was shipped off to the Washington Redskins, Kevin Kolb was immediately named the starting quarterback. There was no debate, there was no competition, and no one really seemed to question it.

However, what good does it do to simply hand the job over to the kid without making him earn it first? The popular answer is that quarterback competitions can tear a team apart. At the end of training camp, one half of the team is pulling for one guy and the other half is pulling for the other guy.

The downfalls of such a situation are obvious, but it's probably unlikely that these grown men can't separate their personal feelings from their play on the field.

For instance, it's pretty clear that a lot of the young guys on the team wanted to see Kolb get his chance while McNabb was still in town, but they still did their jobs on Sunday without a hitch.

Of course, the obvious respect and admiration they had for McNabb helped that along.

But if it were me as a player, I would question why in the world this guy simply had the job handed to him while I'm working my tail off in 90-degree weather to battle the guy behind me every day just to keep mine.

And perhaps even more importantly, what message does it send to Michael Vick and Mike Kafka that they're not even going to be afforded the opportunity to prove themselves? If either guy came out and played better than Kolb in training camp and the preseason, wouldn't it make sense that they should get the nod?

The NFL is in the business of winning, not protecting the feelings of the players. If Kolb doesn't like the fact that he's being challenged, then he is playing the wrong game. Football should be a battle every day to prove to the coaches that you're the best man for the job.

If you can't do that day in and day out, then perhaps someone else should be given the opportunity to do so.

Now I'm not saying that Vick or Kafka would have a real shot at taking the spot from Kolb, but to simply close off the idea and anoint Kolb the starter doesn't help anyone. It doesn't help the rest of the team, it doesn't help the morale of the guys behind him (by default), and it doesn't even help Kolb.

Nothing in life is simply handed over, so why should his spot on this team be any different?

I've probably taken a different stance in the past and sided with what the Eagles are doing with Kolb and the quarterbacks, but upon further review, it just doesn't make sense. Every other guy, even the established superstars, will have to fight for their job -- so why not Kolb, a guy who has done little during his three years in the league?

As the old adage says, "nothing in life worth having comes easy."
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Is Justice ready to take his game to the next level?


With training camp the next big event of the NFL offseason, and not much else going on right now, let's take a look at the issues facing the Eagles for the upcoming season in no particular order.

1. Who starts at right cornerback?

Ellis Hobbs is supposed to be the front-runner heading into training camp, but Joselio Hanson is also seeing some reps with Asante Samuel. Hanson has proven himself to be a very good nickel corner, but probably doesn't have the speed or athleticism to play on the outside.

Hobbs has already played the right cornerback position with Samuel, and played it well, during the New England Patriots' undefeated season in 2007. Hanson, on the other hand, was considered a scrub before he moved inside in the nickel.

In other words, he's probably another Rod Hood -- very good in the nickel, but not great on the outside.



2. Who emerges as the third running back?

Last season it was Eldra Buckley, but he saw limited time as a running back and was mostly a special teams player. This season, however, the Birds have brought in some competition for Buckley in the form of a former league MVP and a sixth-round draft pick.

Martell Mallett, the reigning MVP of the CFL, was signed early in the offseason. He is probably a very long shot to make the team, but signing a guy who was voted as the best player in the entire league, even in the CFL, is worth the minimal amount of money it took to sign him.

Then there's Charles Scott, a sixth-round pick in this year's draft out of LSU. Scott doesn't seem to fit Andy Reid's mold of a running back at all at 5'11", 240 pounds, but there's a lot of buzz around this kid and he's probably the most likely to make the team.

However, if he can't play special teams, he will most likely find himself on the practice squad to make room for Buckley.



3. Who plays center while Jamaal Jackson rehabs?

Currently, there are three candidates for the center position: Mike McGlynn, A.Q. Shipley, and Nick Cole. McGlynn was a fourth-round pick in 2008, Shipley was a seventh-round pick of the Steelers last season, and Cole is a guy the Eagles have been moving around since he came to Philly as an undrafted free agent in 2006.

Cole played center last season once Jackson went down, but was unimpressive, to say the least.

It's believed that McGlynn and Shipley will battle it out to see who mans the position until Jackson is able to return, and it's likely McGlynn wins the job due to his size advantage (6'4", 315 over Shipley at 6'o", 300), and the fact that he was a fourth-round draft pick.



4. How will Jason Peters and Winston Justice progress?

Peters caught far too much heat last season, and Justice didn't get nearly enough praise. Peters, while he didn't play as well as the Eagles hoped, was still their best lineman, by far, and was often blamed for sacks that were actually the fault of Todd Herremans on the inside.

Justice suffered much in the same way Peters did, as several times Nick Cole/Max Jean-Gilles would block the wrong man on the blitz or on a stunt.

I firmly believe another year in the system will help Peters dramatically, he'll play like the best left tackle in the league, and Justice could have a Pro Bowl season if the guy playing next to him is better than last season.



5. Will Stacy Andrews prove to be worth the money?

The Eagles sunk a lot of money into Stacy Andrews last season with no results. Nothing. He played in the season opener, but that was it. From there he was relegated to special teams duty on the field goal team, but even that was taken from him as the season progressed.

He claims it had nothing to do with his recovery from a torn ACL the year prior, but that was obviously the issue as he looked timid moving forward to run-block or planting his leg to dig in and pass-block.

This season, he's got to take the right guard spot from Cole and play well. With a young guy likely to take over at center for the majority of the season, he and Herremans will be counted on even more to man the interior of the line.

If he's unable to play up to the Eagles' expectations, don't expect him to be around in 2011.
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Parker may have played his final game as an Eagle.


With the Eagles drafting three defensive ends in last week's draft, it appears as though they're gearing up to replace the old man of the defensive line: Juqua Parker.

Not only does Parker's age (32) not fit in with the younger crowd the Eagles are bringing in, but he appears to be overpaid for a rotational player. Parker is set to make $3.4 million in 2010 -- a number worthy of a starter, but not a guy who figures to see 10-15 snaps per game.

At the moment, Parker is still penciled in as the starter, but with Brandon Graham and Darryl Tapp coming into town, he's going to be at a huge disadvantage. The Eagles front office and coaching staff want to see the job go to the young guys, so that's likely where it will end up.

Even losing his starting spot might not be enough to get Parker cut, but then comes that numbers game we hear about every offseason.

Usually, the Eagles will keep 10 defensive linemen -- any combination of defensive ends and tackles. Currently, the Birds have four defensive tackles that are all-but guaranteed to make the final roster in Brodrick Bunkley, Mike Patterson, Antonio Dixon, and Trevor Laws.

It's possible Laws gets the axe, but it's unlikely considering he was a second-round pick only two years ago.

So, for those mathematically-challenged (such as myself), that's four defensive linemen already.

Then, at defensive end, there is Trent Cole, Victor Abiamiri, Daniel Te'o-Nesheim, Ricky Sapp, Tapp, and Graham. Again, for the mathematically-challeged, that's six.

So, altogether, without Parker, that's 10 defensive linemen right there. I do believe that Sapp will eventually be moved to SAM linebacker, and it's possible that Abiamiri is a surprise cut, but it's more likely that Parker is the odd man out in this scenario.

Then when we figure in the fact that, due to a defense-heavy draft, the Eagles could be carrying more defensive players than ever before, the number to defensive lineman the Eagles keep could potentially drop to eight or nine.

Parker still has a lot to offer a team, but it's not likely to be the Eagles any longer.
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2010 could prove to be a tough season for the Birds.


It's not as great as the draft, the start of free agency, or any of the other landmark dates the NFL has throughout the calendar year, but it's all we've got until Thursday to hold us over: the 2010-2011 NFL schedule has been released.

More specifically, the Eagles' schedule is out and it's filled with interesting matchups from Week 1 to Week 17. Which, for the third straight season, is against the Dallas Cowboys.

Week 1 will see the Eagles open up at Lincoln Financial Field against the Green Bay Packers, which will conjure up terrible memories for anyone who watched the Eagles fumble their way through a season opener against the Packers in 2007.

Hopefully things go differently this year since the Eagles' punt returner is no longer Greg Lewis, J.R. Reed, or anyone else who happened to muff a punt in that disaster of a game.

Then, of course, there's Week 4 when Donovan McNabb will make his return to Philadelphia as a member of the Washington Redskins. Will he be booed, will he be cheered, or will there be a healthy mix of love-hate in the Linc?

I think McNabb will be cheered, but we won't delve too deeply into that; There's plenty of time to do that when the time comes.

The next notable game won't come until Week 9, the week after the Eagles' bye, when they welcome the Indianapolis Colts.

The Colts are always a difficult team to play, but as we always talk about the week after a bye, Andy Reid has never lost following that bye week. There's no way to tell where both of these teams will be at the halfway point in the season, but it could be a pivotal turning point for one, if not both, franchises.

Then there's a hell-stretch for the Birds in the last five weeks of the season:

• Week 13: vs. Texans
• Week 14: at Cowboys
• Week 15: at Giants
• Week 16: vs. Vikings
• Week 17: vs. Cowboys

That is going to be, as I said, absolute hell for the Eagles. If they aren't at least 9-2 or 8-3 heading into that stretch, it is going to be very difficult for them to make the playoffs. There's a good chance they lose three or four of those final games, some coming in with anything less could knock them right out of the playoffs.

Those are the notable games, let's take a peek at the schedule in its entirety.

• Week 1: vs. Packers (4:15PM, FOX)
• Week 2: at Lions (1PM, FOX)
• Week 3: at Jaguars (4:05PM, FOX)
• Week 4: vs. Redskins (4:15PM, FOX)
• Week 5: at 49ers (8:20PM, NBC)
• Week 6: vs. Falcons (1PM, FOX)
• Week 7: at Titans (1PM, FOX)
• Week 8: BYE
• Week 9: vs. Colts (4:15PM, CBS)
• Week 10: at Redskins (8:30PM, ESPN)
• Week 11: vs. Giants (8:20, NBC)
• Week 12: at Bears (1PM, FOX)
• Week 13: vs. Texans (8:20, NFLN)
• Week 14: at Cowboys (8:20, NBC)
• Week 15: at Giants (1PM, FOX)
• Week 16: vs. Vikings (1PM, FOX)
• Week 17: vs. Cowboys (1PM, FOX)

It's going to be an interesting season, to say the least. Be on the lookout for a week-by-week breakdown sometime in early May once the dust from the draft settles.
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For now, Akeem Jordan is the Eagles' starting WILL.


I said in an earlier article that I thought the newly-acquired Ernie Sims might be thrown into the mix at SAM linebacker, but given his size (6'0, 230) that seems unlikely. Quite frankly, there's probably no shot of that happening and I'm not quite sure what I was thinking.

Sims is about the same size as the Eagles' other two WILL linebackers -- Akeem Jordan (6'1, 230) and Omar Gaither (6'2, 235) -- but gains his advantage with his speed.

He was drafted to play weakside in a cover 2 defense, so that should give a clue as to what the Lions thought of his ability to drop back and cover in space. He wasn't afforded that opportunity as the Lions changed their defense almost immediately, but it could be something to give him a slight edge over Jordan heading into offseason camps.

Right now, Jordan will be the starter heading into the offseason workouts. He has been the guy here for a couple seasons, and Sims will have to uproot him if he wants to start.

Gaither has had his chance to start and was only average. He is playing on a one-year deal after being a restricted free agent; Otherwise he would most likely be playing elsewhere as the Eagles were unlikely to retain him had he been an unrestricted free agent.

And there's even still a chance Gaither gets moved this Thursday.

But even with Jordan as his only competition, there's no guarantee the former ninth-overall pick will be a starter in Philadelphia. The Eagles think very highly of Jordan and would have a hard time sticking him on the bench without being absolutely positive that Sims is the better choice.

So not only will Sims have to play well, he will have to make Jordan look like a scrub if Sean McDermott and Andy Reid are going to feel comfortable turning away from Jordan.

Both Sims and Jordan are playing on one-year deals, so whomever is put on the bench will most likely not be back next season. Both guys know that, so it's going be some quality competition all season long to see who stays and who goes.
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The Eagles got a close look at what Sharper can do.


It's no secret the Eagles have a lot of holes to fill with the upcoming draft, and I don't think I'm shocking anyone when I say most of those holes are on defense. But do the Eagles seriously believe they can fill all of these holes with rookies?

Something tells me Andy Reid doesn't believe that, and neither do any realistic fans. So, in order to make a real push towards the Super Bowl in 2010, the Birds must find other ways of filling these gaping holes.

Enter Darren Sharper. Sharper has always been a ball-hawking free safety, and is exactly what this young, but talented, Eagles team could use.

While I believe the talk of having a "leader" is always overrated and overblown, it wouldn't hurt to have a veteran like Sharper now that a guy like Sheldon Brown is now in Cleveland.

With Sharper in the mix, the Eagles could draft a safety like Myron Rolle out of Florida State or Rashad Jones out of Georgia in the third round or so, and let the rookie learn behind a guy who has shown he still has what it takes to be one of the best, even at 34 years old.

Then Reid and GM Howie Roseman could focus on drafting a defensive end and linebacker in the first two rounds. Both positions need a significant upgrade, but free safety is the position truly lacking a starter.

Quintin Demps and Macho Harris have shown they're not starting-caliber free safeties, and Marlin Jackson is a huge unknown who might best be suited as a backup cornerback.

Sharper would be willing to play on a one-year deal, as he did with the Saints last year, and would be a terrific stop-gap at free safety while a rookie is groomed. The Eagles don't like signing older players, but if he's playing on a one-year deal, there's very little risk -- especially when we look back at his nine-interception 2009 season.

Not only that, but he's coming off a knee surgery (although minor), so he's precisely what the Birds are looking for in a free agent.
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Garcia is certainly a fan-favorite here in Philadelphia.


According to multiple sources out of Philadelphia, the Eagles are courting 40-year old quarterback Jeff Garcia. The idea is for Garcia to come back as the emergency third quarterback while playing mentor to Kevin Kolb, but it might not be a role he's willing to take.

There's talk that, despite his age, Garcia believes he can be a starter and will only accept a backup role if nothing is offered.

Garcia's intent on becoming a starter once again was proven by his willingness to join the Oakland Raiders last season. He believed he would get an opportunity to challenge JaMarcus Russell, but asked for his release when it became evident that was not the case.

Garcia would obviously not be afforded the opportunity to compete with Kolb, so convincing him to sign on might not be as easy as it would seem. He's a guy who plays quarterback with the intensity of a middle linebacker, so it's no surprise that he's so hellbent on being a starter.

But that's not going to stop the Eagles from giving it their best shot. According to MyFoxPhilly.com, the Eagles' brass (I'm assuming Andy Reid and Howie Roseman and perhaps Joe Banner) spent an hour with Garcia recently in an attempt to add him as an insurance policy.

Michael Vick is currently the only backup to Kolb, but Reid hasn't shown enough faith in Vick to think he'd feel comfortable starting him for a few weeks were something to happen to Kolb.

Right now, Vick is a Wildcat quarterback and a guy who can run gadget plays. At least, that's how the Eagles view him.

If things don't work out with Garcia, it wouldn't surprise me if the Birds showed an interest in a guy like Todd Collins or Daunte Culpepper, depending on what kind of ego he still has intact.

They will make a move with a veteran quarterback this offseason in order to help and have some insurance for Kolb, but with the Eagles there is no telling who they could bring in or how long he's been out of football.

Perhaps Kelly Holcomb is looking for a glorious return.
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Hopefully Bell will do a lot of this in midnight green.


It has taken an entire week (or so), but Mike Bell is officially an Eagle heading into the 2010 season. He immediately takes a backseat to starter LeSean McCoy and will allow Leonard Weaver to focus more on being a fullback than a backup running back.

Weaver will still see his carries, but they'll be cut in half -- or more -- with the arrival of Bell. He's a good, young veteran who has had success in this league with the Broncos and the Saints. He's got a Super Bowl ring and will bring a Super Bowl-winning attitude to a team used to winning over the past decade.

He's a great downhill change-of-pace to McCoy who is more of a shifty running back. Bell is a guy who can punish a defense just enough to make McCoy that much more effective, and in turn make the offense that much more effective.

The Eagles thought they were going to have a good 1-2 punch last season with McCoy and Brian Westbrook, but with Westbrook missing even more games than usual, Weaver was forced into a backup running back role, once again leaving the Eagles without a true fullback.

Bell has been a reliable option in Denver and New Orleans, and should be able to make a significant impact in Philadelphia right away. He will probably see 8-10 carries per game and will be the guy in the redzone.

Put Weaver in front of Bell in the 'I' and you've got a legitimate power-running attack that the Eagles haven't had since Dorsey Levens made a short run with the Birds in 2004.

Unless, of course, you count Tony Hunt.

Either way, Bell is an Eagle for at least 2010. He's only on a one-year deal so he might not be back for 2011, but if he produces 500-600 yards on the ground and a handful of touchdowns it would be hard for Andy Reid to let him walk.
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Curtis and Howard join a line of players cut loose.


Over the past week or so, the Eagles have signed Marlin Jackson, have a pending offer sheet on Mike Bell, released Shawn Andrews, and traded Chris Clemons and a fourth-round pick to Seattle for defensive end Darryl Tapp.

And if you thought they were done, you were wrong.

The Birds have cut defensive end Darren Howard and wide receiver Kevin Curtis, both of whom were in their 30's and not performing up to their contracts. Each had one very good season, but in the end the Eagles didn't feel they had another one left and decided to part ways.

Howard's season came in 2008 when he led the team in sacks with ten, and was a force all year as he was consistently making plays on the offense's side of the ball. It was what the Eagles had been waiting for out of him since they gave him a pretty hefty deal as a free agent out of New Orleans.

He seemed to back it up again last season with 6.5 sacks, but his $3.4 million price tag was simply too much for a situational pass-rusher at 33 years old.

Howard could continue to play, but it will have to be the right situation for him on a defense that will allow him to attack around the edge and, if at all possible, play across from a big-time end. Off the top of my head, I'm thinking a place like Minnesota, New York (Giants), and Atlanta may fit that need.

Curtis, on the other hand, is a bit more difficult to peg. He had a very productive season in 2007 (77 receptions for 1,100 yards and six touchdowns), but a lot of those numbers came against inferior competition and he really didn't show up in the big games.

But is that because he's just not that good of a receiver, or because the Eagles had him playing out of position?

Curtis made his money in the slot during his time in St. Louis, but the Eagles took him and made him a split-end, which may have hampered his play a little bit. Playing slot receiver as compared to split-end is as different as playing corner on the outside, or playing the nickel.

They're different animals, and I've always had the feeling that Curtis would benefit from a move inside.

If there's a team out there in need of a slot receiver, it wouldn't be too much of a gamble to target Curtis. He's 31 years old, but he appears to be making his way back from injuries and could still have a few productive seasons left in him.

It looks like the Eagles are dumping any guy they feel has a bad contract, and more cuts could still come. Cutting Howard just makes the need for a defensive end even greater, and now with Curtis gone they will need to establish some depth at receiver.

The Eagles could be major players in the draft, which is going to make this month-long wait even harder to bare.
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Is Vick really not worth a mid-round draft pick?


Apparently the rest of the league is not nearly as high on Michael Vick as the Eagles are, which could be due in part to the review that some scouts around the league are giving him.

"He can't throw," a scout told Fox's Alex Marvez. "A guy could be open 20 yards downfield and he'll throw it 25. He never could throw, but he was fast before. It's not like he's slow now but he doesn't stick out like, 'Wow, this guy is faster than everybody.'"

That had to be the concern when the Eagles first decided to bring Vick on board, but I'm not sure I would agree with the scout as far as Vick's passing. Granted, he's not now, nor has he ever been, the most accurate passer. But when he actually got the chance to throw the ball, the passes looked accurate and they always got there in a hurry.

Sure, there were some throws that landed off the mark, but to say he just can't throw anymore, or that he's worse than he was in Atlanta, is just not an opinion that a scout can reasonably come to off of only 15 passes (including playoffs).

He only completed seven of those passes, but completed two of those for touchdowns -- one of which came in the playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys on a beautiful throw to Jeremy Maclin, who then turned it upfield and raced into the endzone.

And as far as his speed goes, he has clearly lost a step after being out of the game for two seasons. However, he did have two rushing touchdowns and a very impressive run against the Chicago Bears.

For those who don't recall, Vick took a quarterback option right up the middle and, about 10-15 yards down the field, juked a Bears player (whom I cannot identify) out of his shoes, and raced 34 yards.

He did get chased down from behind, but by the looks of it, it was only because he had to slow down to make a couple moves.

Maybe he won't be running away from defensive backs anymore, but he can certainly still run away from defensive linemen and linebackers, which is really all that matters. If he can get away from those guys blitzing and extend the play, it can be huge for any team willing to pick him up.

The Birds might not get the third-round pick they're looking for out of any team who wants Vick, but it's not out of the question for a team to give up a fourth or fifth round pick -- especially in a draft that's not very deep in quarterbacks once the top four or five are off the board.
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Could Mike Bell be the answer behind LeSean McCoy?


With an obvious need for a backup to running back LeSean McCoy, the Eagles will bring in Saints' restricted free agent Mike Bell. The Saints opted to only put a "right of first refusal" tender on Bell, which means they're not going to fight very hard to keep him.

Bell isn't exactly a superstar, and may not even be all that much better than Eldra Buckley, but this is certainly a move that can't hurt. At the very least, Bell would add depth were something to happen to McCoy because, unlike Buckley, Bell has some starting experience.

He played well for the Saints in '09, but seemed to wear down as the season went on and is clearly nothing more than a five-to-eight carries-per-game type of guy. He can also catch the ball out of the backfield, but hasn't been given the chance to do it over the past three years.

Losing his starting spot in Denver and playing with Reggie Bush in New Orleans is going to limit those opportunities, but the Eagles must believe he can do it if they're bringing him in for a visit.

Justin Fargas has also visited, but left without a contract and isn't expected to sign.

If Bell doesn't sign on, or if the Saints decide to match the Eagles' offer (assuming there is one), it's likely that the Birds would simply wait until about the fourth round and draft someone they feel is NFL-ready.

Bell has 1,376 yards on 348 attempts (4YPA) and 14 touchdowns in only 37 games played.

If something is going to happen with Bell, it's going to happen either tomorrow or Wednesday, so make sure to stay tuned.
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Justin Fargas might not become an Eagle in 2010.


Justin Fargas stuck around for a while during his visit to the Eagles' practice facilities at the NovaCare complex, but apparently has left the building without a contract.

As far as I know, he is still in Philadelphia but apparently will not sign a deal today.

There's no cause for concern just yet, but if he leaves the city is becomes highly unlikely that he would be back to sign a contract. There's no word of another visit scheduled for Fargas, so he and his agent could just be playing hardball at the moment.

He probably wants to be paid like a "1a" running back -- or a guy who is going to see about 40 percent of the carries -- but the Eagles are most likely offering him a deal as the backup, figuring he's only going to see about 25 to 30 percent of the carries.

We all know the Eagles aren't going to overpay for someone, but it's unlikely that they'd feel comfortable going into the 2010 season with a rookie as LeSean McCoy's backup. That is, unless a guy like Dexter McCluster could possibly fall to the third round.

He won't, but it's okay to hope and dream, right?

Fargas would be a terrific backup to McCoy, but it just doesn't look like it's going to happen today and the longer it goes, the further the chances drop. Fargas is probably going to have to come down on what he's looking for if he wants to become an Eagle.

Let it be known, however, that Jeff McLane is reporting via Twitter that a league source has told him that the Eagles are not expected to sign Fargas at all. I'm not sure how a "league source" would know what specifically the Eagles are doing, but there it is.

The Eagles have no free agents scheduled to come in tomorrow, so it looks like both sides could just be playing a waiting game.
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Jackson will immediately become the starter at FS.


Earlier today, the Eagles and defensive back Marlin Jackson agreed on a two-year deal. Terms of the deal have yet to be disclosed, but it's probably somewhere around $7-8 million. I'd be surprised if the Birds shelled out any more than that.

Jackson will immediately be penciled in as the starter at free safety (regardless of what the Eagles say) and will only lose his job if he's absolutely atrocious. Sean McDermott saw what Macho Harris and Quintin Demps can do, and it's not a whole lot.

Many Eagles fans and outsiders alike wonder about this move, but it makes perfect sense from where I'm sitting. He played free safety during his junior year at Michigan and started about half the season as a free safety during his second season in Indianapolis.

He has had some issues with his knees, and is currently rehabbing from a torn ACL, but that actually just makes the decision to move him to safety even better.

The injuries will slow him down, but they will slow him down to the speed of a safety. Pair that with the cover abilities of a cornerback and you have exactly what the Birds are looking for.

They have wanted a guy who can play "center field," if you will, for a few years now. Brian Dawkins was never that guy, and it's the reason why Demps was drafted and why Harris was given a shot to take the job.

McDermott's defense calls for someone who can go sideline to sideline, if need be, and be able to tackle in the open field. That wasn't Demps or Harris, but it could be Jackson.

Jackson's best season came in 2007 when he started all 16 games, had half a sack, one interception, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, five passes defended, and 112 total tackles -- 76 solo.

The number of tackles is the most impressive because it shows that he can make a tackle in the open field when he needs to. He's an instinctive and tough guy who is used to winning and will carry that mentality into a team also familiar with winning.

Jackon is certainly not the marquee name that fans were looking for, but his presence could have a significant ripple effect.

Quintin Mikell will not longer feel like he must play two positions, which will allow him to roam around the box and make plays around the line of scrimmage -- something he was unable to do last season. Sheldon Brown and Asante Samuel will also feel more confident in breaking on a pattern because they known Jackson is back there to clean up any mess they leave.

The Birds still need a left defensive end who can rush the passer on a consistent basis, but signing Jackson is certainly a move in the right direction for this defense and for this team.

At the very least he adds great depth to this secondary, so it's a signing that has very little risk involved and certainly looks to pay off in the end.
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Avant is a key piece to this young, dynamic offense.


It appears as though the Eagles are much more inwardly focused this offseason, signing two of their own players and being very quiet in free agency.

Leonard Weaver signed a three-year extension with the team on the first day of free agency, now Jason Avant has been locked up a few days later with a five-year deal that will keeping him in Philadelphia through 2014.

Terms of the contract have not yet been disclosed, but it figures to pay him around $3 million annually with a modest amount of guaranteed money prorated over the next few seasons.

It's not a big contract, and it's not a move that's going to make a lot of national headlines, but it was the second-most important move this team could make in regards to free agents. Avant is a guy they can absolutely not afford to lose, and now they don't have to worry about it.

Avant has been an absolute rock in the slot, seemingly always coming down with the key third down reception to keep the ball moving. His concentration when the ball is in the air is nothing short of incredible, and his hands may be among the tops in the league.

I would equate his ability to catch the ball to Larry Fitzgerald, so it's only a shame Avant doesn't have the physical attributes to go along with it.

Avant had his best year last season with 41 receptions, 587 yards, and three touchdowns. He's steadily gotten better since his rookie season. He's got eight career touchdowns, all of which have come inside the redzone.

The Birds are hoping he improves on that number this season and can give the Eagles a trio threat similar to Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston of 2008.
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Signing Jackson could solve two very big problems.


In an effort to bolster a weak passing defense, the Eagles have set up a visit with former Colts' defensive back Marlin Jackson. It's unknown whether the Birds are looking to him to make the move to free safety, or if they want to keep him at cornerback.

Jackson is scheduled to be in Philadelphia on Tuesday, but will meet with the Baltimore Ravens on Monday. If the Ravens don't sign him on the spot, he'll make the trip north to Philadelphia.

The Eagles definitely need some help in the secondary as Ellis Hobbs in the only real backup on the outside if Sheldon Brown or Asante Samuel were to go down. Joselio Hanson is best suited for the nickel and has shown he's not all the reliable playing the close to the sidelines.

Jackson has, however, started six games for the Colts at free safety and has even played a little strong safety. He's 6'0 and just under 200 pounds, so he's a bit undersized as a free safety, but the Birds are looking for someone who can play center field, and that might be Jackson.

Personally, I'd like them to use the opportunity of bringing in a starting-caliber cornerback to move Brown to free safety. He's exactly what any team would want in a safety in that he can not only cover receivers, but he can pop them if they come across the middle and has shown that he can play the ball.

Whether or not he'd go for it or whether or not the Eagles are interested in asking him to make the move is a different story, but it simply makes too much sense to ignore.

Bringing in a guy like Jackson, or perhaps Leigh Bodden, gives the Birds a guy in Brown who I believe would immediately become an All-Pro. He's exactly what they want for Sean McDermott's defense, and he's beginning to slow down a little on the outside.

Move him inside, play to his strengths, and hide some of his weaknesses.

Jackson is only 26 years old, is in the prime of his career, and is more than capable or playing across from Samuel, especially with a guy like Brown behind him to make up for any mistakes he may make.

Hopefully the Eagles, and Brown, are open to the move because it would allow them to fill two needs with one signing and also let them focus on more pressing issues -- like figuring out who is going to provide a pass-rush opposite Trent Cole.
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Kampman might visit Philadelphia today -- or not.


I was about halfway through an article talking about how Aaron Kampman is visiting the Eagles according to FOX's Jay Glazer, right before I notice this:

"Correction on Kampman, birds have had talks with his rep but he is NOT visiting at this point."

So Glazer got his facts mixed up and got everyone all excited over nothing. The two sides talking could be a great thing. It could mean that the Eagles are getting set to bring him in and perhaps offer a deal, or it could mean absolutely nothing.

The Birds could just be doing their due diligence with Kampman and trying to find out what he's looking for and how his knee is doing, for all we know. Talking to the reps mean they're interested, but it could very well not go any further than that.

Kampman is certainly a guy that would make sense for the Birds to pursue if they can't lure Julius Peppers out of Chicago. He's a high character guy who has a great work ethic and could really be a leader on this defense -- not to mention highly productive.

He did tear up his ACL last season, but by all accounts he's progressing nicely and will be ready to go by the time 2010 kicks off.

Kampman would also be returning to his natural position of defensive end, were he to come to Philadelphia. He was playing outside linebacker in Green Bay's 3-4 scheme last season, but he's clearly more effective with his hand in the ground.

Geoff Mosher also just tweeted: "The fact that Eagles haven't yet scheduled press conference for Weaver makes me think they expect to sign someone else today. Kampman?"

It's a good point -- maybe. But, of course, it could just mean that the Eagles haven't gotten around to it because they're dealing with more pressing matters. Adam Caplan just tweeted that the Eagles are announcing the Weaver deal at 4:00PM, so that probably kills what Mosher just said.

Gotta love free agency.
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Julius Peppers' next visit will be to Philadelphia.


Julius Peppers is in Chicago right now, but that apparently doesn't mean he won't be hopping the first flight to Philadelphia in a couple hours.

It was thought that the Bears would not allow Peppers to leave Chicago and would have him signed today, but with every passing hour it's looking less and less like that's the case. His agent is even going so far as to name-drop and say that if a deal isn't done, Philly is their next stop.

The Birds apparently placed their bid and are now just waiting for Peppers to either accept or decline. There's probably a little wiggle room in the offer, but not much. It's got to be a good one, however, if Peppers and his agent are willing to make the trip should things break down in Chicago.

Jason La Canfora is reporting that the Patriots also have an offer on the table for Peppers and are simply playing the same wait-and-see game as the Eagles.

Most of us are completely in the dark as far as what Peppers is looking to command. I've heard numbers that would put Albert Haynesworth to shame, and I've also heard that he's willing to take about $10-12 million per season in order to play for a contender.

It's going to be very interesting to see where he signs, and I hope it's with the Eagles, but I also hope that they don't break the bank on a 30-year old defensive end who has a reputation of not playing as hard as he should.

It's not really something we have to seriously worry about with the Birds, but something tells me his contract will be far from reasonable and could create some unhappy people in the Eagles' locker room.

How will Sheldon Brown react if he's sees big money tossed at a guy like Peppers? Brown constantly does and says the right things, but he's left in the dark while a guy known for taking plays off is getting paid?

Or what about Trent Cole? He's not making nearly the money Peppers would be, but he's certainly worth about as much and has proven so.

That's really my only concern. Players try to keep themselves apart from what other players are making, but in today's NFL is tough not to take it personally when you're playing next to the guy and get to see all his new toys first-hand.

He most likely won't become an Eagle if he's got an outrageous asking price, but if he doesn't like what Chicago has to offer and the Patriots -- the only franchise more frugal than Philly -- are the only other team with a bid in place, the Birds might just get him at a discount.
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