"Nothing but good old-fashioned rumor mongering."


Well, folks, it's official.

There is absolutely nothing going on between the Philadelphia Eagles and St. Louis Rams, according to a source of my own. And my source is much more reliable than that of Mike Missanelli's or Jeff McLane's, a source which led them down a road of wild speculation and that ended in a huge hit to their credibility.

Okay, so my source isn't a true source like Deep Throat -- it's Adam Schefter and his Twitter feed. It's a great source to have, by the way.

In response to a question from someone else out in the Twitterverse as to the validity of the talks between the Eagles and Rams for Donovan McNabb's services, Schefter called it "nothing but good old fashioned rumor mongering."

Schefter has been accused of his fair share of rumor mongering, but nine times out of 10 the man is spot on with anything he says. Multiple other sources, including Rams' GM Billy Devaney, have shot down this story as well, but with Schefter publicly shooting it down, it's certainly now safe to assume that there is nothing happening between the two teams.

And really, if we all thought for a little while, it just didn't make sense from the get-go. Why would the Eagles accept less than their asking price when they have absolutely no reason to do so? Why would the Rams trade for McNabb when they're clearly very high on Bradford, and why in the world would McNabb sign an extension with such a god-awful team?

The only way McNabb gets traded is if the Eagles take the chance and trade him to a contender, because that's the only way he's signing an extension. And the only way the Eagles trade him to a contender is if they get more than their asking price.

So unless the Arizona Cardinals or Minnesota Vikings are willing to part with a first-round pick, McNabb will be an Eagle in 2010.
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Would McNabb really sign an extension in St. Louis?


According to the great prophet Jeff McLane, the Rams have an offer on the table to acquire quarterback Donovan McNabb.

Per McLane, the offer is the 33rd overall pick (the first selection in the second round) and free safety O.J. Atogwe for McNabb. McLane also says that a source close to McNabb tells him that the quarterback would be willing to sign a contract extension with the Rams -- likely where he would finish his career were this deal to go through.

McLane adds that McNabb would not, however, be willing to sign a contract extension with the Buffalo Bills or Oakland Raiders, were he to be traded to either team, because the franchises are in such poor shape.

But if he thinks those teams are poor and not a place where he can win a Super Bowl, why in the world would he believe that St. Louis can get the job done before his body gives out on him?

At this point, the Raiders and Bills are far and away better than the Rams. The Rams, outside of Stephen Jackson, have absolutely no talent. The Bills and Raiders aren't exactly contenders either, but they've got a lot more talent than what is being put together in St. Louis.

They've not made any improvements in the offseason and, even with McNabb, are no more than a five-win team in 2010 -- and won't be more than that any time soon.

Apart from the fact that the first pick in the second round and Atogwe is a lot less than what the Eagles are asking for McNabb (they want at least a first-round pick), I don't believe McNabb would actually sign an extension with the Rams.

He wants to win a Super Bowl before he hangs it up, and simply reuniting with his former quarterbacks coach, Pat Shurmur, wouldn't be enough for him to deal with losing for the rest of his career. Then again, I've never believed that McNabb would become a Ram.

I didn't believe it then, and I don't believe it now.

UPDATE(1): ProFootballTalk.com is reporting that a source within the Rams have told them that there is "zero truth" to this rumor. Expect this to be completely ignored by the ignorant Philly media that wants McNabb gone.

UPDATE(2): According to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Dispatch, Rams GM Billy Devaney called the rumor "absolutely false."

UPDATE(3): Another Rams source added: "They may have a trade offer, but not from us. Why would we trade for McNabb and then go watch Bradford throw on Monday (at Bradford's Pro Day)?"

UPDATE(4): Atogwe currently cannot be traded anyway as he has not signed his restricted free agent tender. He can sign it at any time, but he's currently not under contract and therefore cannot be included in any trade.

UPDATE(5): Jason La Canfora just backed up the reports that there is no truth to this rumor according to his own sources. He says that there are three or four teams pursuing him heavily, but that the Rams are not one of them.
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The talks of McNabb to St. Louis are 100 percent false.


All this talk of Donovan McNabb to St. Louis is ridiculous. ProFootballTalk.com seems to be the main culprit behind these rumors, and like most rumors they back it up with absolutely nothing.

No sources, no inside scoop, not even so much as a logical explanation as to why it would make sense. Not only that, but they're completely ignoring multiple reports that the Rams haven't even called the Eagles about any of their quarterbacks at this point.

The reality is that the move doesn't make sense for any of the three parties involved. McNabb is 33 years old and wants to win a ring -- he won't do that in St. Louis and everyone knows it. The Rams are in an obvious rebuilding mode, so why would they even want a quarterback McNabb's age?

And why would the Eagles move a quarterback of McNabb's caliber for the first pick in the second round? It's far below what McNabb is worth, and the Eagles would be foolish to even think about it.

The first pick in the second round (33rd overall) sounds like a good pick, but when you consider the fact that there's only about 20-25 players given a "first round grade" every year, anything past that essentially becomes a second round pick because the talent level no longer justifies the slotting of the pick.

If a team wants McNabb, it's going to have to not only be a first round pick, but a mid-level first round pick.

This is really just playing devil's advocate on my part since I don't believe that the Eagles are really looking to trade McNabb anyway, but they're certainly not going to trade him just for the sake of trading him.

If Big Red isn't blown off his chair by the offer, McNabb stays put.

The only teams McNabb would consider signing an extension with anyway are the Arizona Cardinals and Minnesota Vikings. Those are the only two teams with a realistic shot at the playoffs and the Super Bowl every season, and also need a quarterback.

Arizona would also make sense for McNabb because that's where he lives.

But the Eagles aren't ever going to allow that to happen. They're not going to give someone in their own conference the means to knock them off in the playoffs with their own quarterback.

So what we've learned (and really already knew but just like to ignore) is that McNabb will only sign with a good team, but the Eagles won't trade him to a good team. They want to trade him to a rebuilding team, but McNabb won't sign with a rebuilding team.

Or, in other words, McNabb isn't going anywhere.
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Will a team really wait until August to trade for Vick?


Jason La Canfora of NFL.com reported yesterday that he doesn't believe the Eagles will move Michael Vick until late August or early September.

The thinking is that, with strong performances in the preseason, that teams would be more willing to part with a third round pick for the quarterback. The Eagles have made it clear that they will not simply give Vick away for a late round pick, so this could be their way to drive up his price.

"I don't think there is enough value in a trade to make the move now," said an executive with a team that needs help at quarterback to La Canfora. "They don't have to trade him before the roster bonus is due, and I'd be very surprised if they traded him in March. I expect them to hold on to him until he has more peak value, and that could be in August or September."

That makes sense for the Eagles, but how much sense does it make for potential suitors?

If the Eagles actually hold on to Vick throughout the entire preseason, why would a team then trade for him this season? They would be trading for a quarterback who has absolutely no time in their offense, but is expected to come in and start.

That's just not realistic. It's not realistic for a quarterback to spend all offseason in one offense, then come in a week before the first game of the season and be able to pick up a brand new offense and be able to execute it to perfection -- the way teams will expect if they're trading for Vick.

This could, however, be exactly what the Eagles want other teams to think. Just giving the illusion that they're willing to hold onto him until the bitter end could cause a team to, in a sense, bid against themselves and just offer the third round pick that the Birds are looking for in order to get Vick into all the offseason practices.

Personally, I think Vick will get moved in or around draft weekend. If a team is sitting there with a third round pick and they know that's what it will take, they could pull the trigger if they don't see a player they like with that pick.

I think the way teams have to look at swapping picks for a player is, "If this player was on the board right now, would I draft him?" That's the only way teams can avoid overpaying for a player like Vick.

I don't see a team giving up a straight-up third round pick, but a conditional fourth or fifth is certainly possible. Something tells me the Eagles will squeeze a conditional fourth out of the Rams if a team like the Bills offers a conditional fifth.

Either way, I don't believe teams will want to trade for Vick after he's missed their OTA's, training camp, and all offseason team meetings.

I think he gets moved in or around draft weekend, before the veterans report for post-draft workouts, and that it will be to the Rams for a 2011 condition fourth.

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Vick will probably be a starter somewhere in 2010.


Reports are coming out now that the Eagles will be keeping Michael Vick, but I don't buy it. He's going to get paid far too much for the Eagles to keep him around as their third-string quarterback.

So now the next step is to identify which teams might be willing to trade for him, and where he would fit best. Most people continue to talk about Buffalo, but I don't see it happening for one key reason: they play outside in the cold.

Vick has always had his success in the confines of the Georgia Dome and is a player whose skill-set requires that he play indoors, or at the very least in a warm area -- something I think teams like the Bills realize and consider before trying to acquire Vick.

With that in mind, let's take a look at the top five teams that could swing a trade for Vick. Teams are listed from five to one, with one being the most likely.


5. San Francisco 49ers

This would of course hinge upon how much the organization actually like Alex Smith. He played fairly well this season and with another season under his belt could finally blossom into the quarterback the 49ers thought he could be.

However, if the Niners are even the least bit shaky on Smith, it could set in motion a trade for Vick after seeing that he might still have what it takes to play the position.

The Niners didn't show any interest in Vick when he hit free agency, but it doesn't mean anything anymore because a lot of teams wouldn't admit interest in him because of the media circus it would create.

Mike Singletary didn't want that in his first full season as the head coach, but now might be the time to try for the embattled quarterback. The media attention on the situation has died down dramatically and a liberal city like San Francisco may welcome him with open arms.


4. Arizona Cardinals

After hearing of Ken Whisenhunt's feverish attempt to keep Kurt Warner in Arizona for one more year, it makes me think that he's not exactly excited for the Matt Leinart era to begin for the Cardinals.

Leinart will of course be given every opportunity to win the job, but the Cards may figure that bringing in a guy who has done it before may be just what they need if Leinart still isn't mature enough, mentally or physically, to take over the reigns.

Vick has never been the most accurate quarterback, but throwing to Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald, and Steve Breaston will certainly help that. His playmaking skills other than that will make him an attractive option if Leinart doesn't earn the trust of the team or coaching staff.


3. Carolina Panthers

Jake Delhomme is not the answer for the Panthers. He proved that last season with one of the worst seasons a quarterback could have possibly suffered as the starter. He should have been benched about a month before he was and putting it off effectively ended the Panthers' shot at the playoffs.

Matt Moore came in and played well, but it's unclear whether the Panthers believe that he is the guy moving forward. Vick then becomes an attractive option for the Panthers.

They have seen him tear them apart year after year as a Falcon, and may be willing to take a shot on him in the hopes that he hasn't completely lost it.

Vick could really flourish with the Panthers. They have a great running game to support him and a great receiver for him to throw to. Not only that, but at least 11 games per year will be played in warm weather (eight home games and three away games at division opponents).


2. Oakland Raiders

Al Davis' incredible ability to never admit when he's wrong could mean that the Raiders once again open up the season with the incredibly-inadequate JaMarcus Russell at the helm. If that is the case, the Raiders will probably not make a move for Vick, but even Davis seems ready to back off his support of Russell.

Just the fact that Russell was benched shows that Davis is perhaps backing off and could allow the Raiders to finally move forward without being tied down by a quarterback who refuses to do what it takes to succeed.

If Davis is in fact backtracking with Russell, it could allow Vick to come in and start immediately.


1. St. Louis Rams

The Rams make so much sense that the other four teams become very distant possibilities.

There are ties all throughout the Rams franchise to Michael Vick, they play indoors, and with a great running back like Steven Jackson, Vick would not have to carry the Rams' offense on his shoulders.

Bill Devaney was the GM in Atlanta during Vick's time there, and Steve Spagnuolo's ties to Andy Reid and the Eagles could help the entire process move forward.

The Rams are one of the few teams to make their interest in Vick semi-public (allowing it to leak to media types), and may be willing to give up a conditional mid-round pick if Devaney feels like Vick is still even half the athlete he was in Atlanta.

If I was a betting man, I'd put all my money on St. Louis to win the "Vick Sweepstakes," full-well knowing that such a thing doesn't actually exist.
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Vick will be starting somewhere in the 2010 season.


The Philadelphia Eagles signed Michael Vick before the 2009 season with every intention of building him back into an NFL quarterback, then unloading him after the season was over. In essence, he was that run-down house on the corner that used to be the best on the block before it was abandoned.

The Eagles bought that run-down house that no one else would touch, put in some new floors, painted the walls, and put in some new windows, and now they're trying to flip that house to someone who could really use it.

And according to Jason La Canfora of NFL.com, the Rams, Bills, Panthers, Raiders, and Jaguars are all in the market.

The Rams, Bills, Panthers, and Raiders would seem to make the most sense since they're all going in a different direction as far as their starting quarterbacks are concerned. The Jaguars don't seem to make sense anymore since, with Jack Del Rio staying on board, David Garrard will remain the team's starter.

Michael Vick has said he wants a chance to become a starter once again in the NFL, and that could happen with one of these teams.

The only thing to work out will be what the Eagles want out of the deal, and what a team is willing to give up. The Eagles will probably ask for a third round pick to start out, only expecting about a fourth or fifth. The pick will most likely be a conditional pick depending on how much Vick plays and what kind of numbers he produces.

Gun to my head, my guess is that Vick will be traded to the Buffalo Bills or St. Louis Rams for a conditional fifth round pick that could potentially turn into a third.

Remember, you heard it here first. Unless, of course, I'm wrong. Then you heard it from... I don't know, let's say, Jeff McLane.
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Welcome Brand New Eagles Linebacker, Will Witherspoon.


News just coming in that the Philadelphia Eagles have acquired linebacker Will Witherspoon from the St. Louis Rams.

To clear the roster spot for Witherspoon, the Eagles have shipped Wide Receiver Brandon Gibson, along with a 5th round pick in the draft to St. Louis.

Witherspoon, an 8 year veteran from the University of Georgia, will add much needed depth to the Eagles weak linebacking corps. The same linebacking corps that all but cost the Eagles the game this past Sunday.

Witherspoon can play all threee linebacking positions. We know how much Andy Reid loves his versatile linebackers, and Witherspoon fits that mold to a T.

The linebacking group has been lacking since the loss of starter, Stewart Bradley, early in the pre-season at a charity event, and his absence has been painfully obvious.

The Eagles attempted to fill the hole with former Eagle and fan favorite, Jeremiah Trotter, but that experiment didn't quite work out. He should still be safe on the roster, but no longer get the quality minutes that he has been since signing.

Witherspoon has 33 tackles, 29 solo, 2 safeties, and a forced fumble for the hapless Rams.

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Amendola has a chance to impact a poor Rams team.


In what is likely a move of desperation, the St. Louis Rams have signed wide receiver Danny Amendola off of the Philadelphia Eagles practice squad. Amendola was making a real push for a roster spot after a strong preseason, but lost a numbers game and was sent to the practice squad.

It's probably no coincidence that Amendola is heading to St. Louis as two former assistants under coach Reid now hold prominent position on the Rams coaching staff.

Steve Spagnuolo is now the Rams head coach after serving as a defensive assistant in Philadelphia a few years back, and Pat Shurmur was brought in by Spags after serving as the Eagles quarterbacks coach last season.

Reid, and the entire coaching staff, sang the praises of Amendola all through training camp and the preseason but just could not find any room for him on the final roster.

While coaches usually try to keep good players, even if it's just on the practice squad, it's not out of the question that Reid talked up Amendola to Spags and Shurmur.

Amendola will most likely return kicks and punts for the Rams before seeing any time on offense, but should get his shot before the season is out. He could be a real surprising break-out kind of player as he's a bit like Kevin Curtis, but with better hands.
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