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Did Reid get best value for McNabb?
Andy Reid has never been one to put on an entertaining press conference – ever.
So it should come to no surprise that Reid gave few details in his post -Donovan McNabb trade press conference. One thing that jumped out Sunday night was his refusal to answer a question which is sure to be discussed in Philly from now until the two teams meet next season.
The question: Was the offer from the Redskins (Second round pick this year, No. 37, and a third or fourth next year) the best on the table?
Reid sidestepped the question twice, answering that he did what was best for the Philadelphia and that he felt that Washington was a great fit for McNabb.
Later on CSN he repeated that he wanted to do what is best for Donovan McNabb and the Philadelphia Eagles.
So was there a better offer from a team like the Raiders that wouldn’t have made McNabb happy? Did Reid turn down a better offer from Buffalo because McNabb didn’t want to be there? Did Reid’s personal relationship with McNabb have an impact on his business decision?
In a perfect world both McNabb and the Eagles could get got the best possible deal out of this. This isn’t a perfect world, though.
This is a question that will be debated often. It’s one of about 100 questions that have popped up since the deal went down.
For the first time since 1999 the Eagles will have a leader under center not wearing No. 5
The post-McNabb era has officially begun.
Donovan McNabb traded to Redskins
This time it’s not an April’s Fools joke.
According to espn.com, the Eagles have reached a deal to trade quarterback Donovan McNabb to the Redskins. That’s right, he’s staying in the NFC East.
Bellow is an excerpt:
The Philadelphia Eagles have reached agreement on a blockbuster intra-division trade that will send perennial Pro Bowl quarterback Donovan McNabb to the Washington Redskins according to multiple sources close to the situation.
The two sides still must finalize language, but McNabb is now headed to Washington. Sources said the deal involved the Redskins’ second-round pick in the 2010 draft and either a third- or fourth-round pick next year, depending on several factors.
The move means the Redskins now have a new starting quarterback and the Eagles have a new one as well in Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick is now in line as the team’s backup.
Read the whole story here:
The timing of the news is surreal as we are just hours away from the Phillies opening up their 2010 season. Boy is the city is going to be buzzing. Philly Sports Blogs will have much more reaction to McNabb going to a divisional rival once the story is officaly confirmed.
For now?
Wow. Just wow.
Raiders closing in on McNabb
It looks like the Donovan McNabb era in Philadelphia will truly be coming to an end.
ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter is reporting that the Raiders have emerged as the front runner for the quarterback and have all of the ingredients for the trade in place.
You can read the entire article here.
After reading this report there is only one thought in mind: Only the Raiders.
Oakland appears willing to deal away its second round pick (No. 39 overall) for McNabb even if he does not sign a contract extension before the deal is completed. This means they would be giving away a top pick for a one-year rental. Does anyone believe the Raiders will contend next year even with McNabb? Of course not. They are several years away from contention, but with Al Davis running the ship this news is not all that surprising.
If these reports do turn out to be true I would have to laud the Eagles for making the move. Knowing that the team does not intend on bringing McNabb back after next year, the ability to get a high second round pick in a stocked draft this season is a good bargain.
The only losers in this deal would be Oakland.
And that’s something Raiders fans are quite used to now.
A weekend free of McNabb trade rumors
Good news fans, you can watch the NCAA Tournament with ease today not having to worry if you’re going to miss anything in the Donovan McNabb rumor train.
At least that’s what our friends over at Profootballtalk.com are thinking.
The rate of Donovan McNabb news should slow down for a few days. We promise.
That’s because Eagles leadership is heading out on vacation this weekend. Andy Reid is in Utah and team president Joe Banner is headed to Florida.
The pace of rumors was set to ease up anyway. We’ve still got nearly a month to go before the draft, and there is little reason to think anything will happen until we get closer to April 22.
So for two day we should be free of any Raiders, Bills or Vikings news. But does anyone really belive nothing will pop up this weekend? I don’t.
Loud writer has lost touch with city
To be quite honest I’m surprised it took this long to bring my next guest into the woodshed.
He’s loud, obnoxious, and quite often out of touch with the Philadelphia fans he writes for.
Welcome Stephen A. Smith.
Smith made a name for himself nationally once he joined ESPN but has been known for his hate-spewed ramblings in Philadelphia for much longer.
Today Smith offered this observation on the whole Donovan McNabb trade drama:
McNabb should have demanded a trade by now. Who cares if it’s to the Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, or one of 13 other teams, by my count, that could desperately use McNabb’s services this season? With the Eagles having adopted their new and improved turncoat mentality, the biggest mistake McNabb appears to have made does not involve interceptions or NFC championship/Super Bowl losses.
His biggest mistake was not demanding a trade years ago.
The treatment McNabb has received year after year has been disgraceful. What has taken place this off-season has surpassed betrayal. And for what, exactly? One quarterback (Michael Vick) who’s still shaking off the rust of prison, and the other (Kolb) a bit rusty from riding the pine for three seasons.
You can read the story in it entirety here: Just be warned, you might have a headache before you are done.
He references the Eagles likely future quarterback as Kevin (Corn on the) Kolb. Really Smith? What are you seven?
He then goes back into the well about McNabb only having two quality receivers in his whole career of any quality in T.O. and DeSeasn Jackson. Seriously, how does that well have any water left?
It’s fine to argue that the Eagles would be making a mistake by trading McNabb, some people still feel that way. But in typical Smith fashion he offers nothing to explain why trading McNabb would hurt the franchise.
Of course when the trade does go down and if Kolb becomes a star overnight Smith will be the first one in line to tell you how he saw this coming a mile away.
He will do it in a loud, brash manner. That’s just his style.
Hey any chance that when McNabb gets traded, Smith can be thrown in the deal?
Reid says Eagles entertaining offers for all three quarterbacks
Andy Reid has finally come out and admitted what everyone in Philadelphia already knew: The Eagles are entertaining trade offers for all three of their quarterbacks.
You can read the report on espn.go.com
While the news is not a surprise, the fact that it came from Reid is. The Eagles’ coach has been steadfast in his statement that Donovan McNabb will be the team’s starting quarterback next season and they would like to keep all three of their signal callers.
The national media has not bought that for a second though, linking McNabb, Michael Vick and Kevin Kolb to different locations during the offseason. Someone is going somewhere.
Of course tightlipped Andy was not about to go into any further details on any possible deals, as the article states.
“This is the truth: Our three quarterbacks are Philadelphia Eagles,” Reid said Tuesday, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. “People are entertaining us with offers. Nothing’s been done, but we’re evaluating all of them. That’s the truth. There’s not a lot really going on other than entertaining.”
So while we may not know more about the future of the Eagles quarterback position today than we did yesterday, at least Reid has come out and admitted the obvious.
For him, that’s a big step.
Eagles cut Shawn Andrews. Time for him to go “Get His Michael Phelps on”
One of the more talented linemen the Eagles have had over the last decade also turned out to be one of the most injury-prone and bizarre.
Such were the ways of Shawn Andrews.
Philly.com is reporting that the Eagles cut Andrews today, ending an odd six-year tenure with the team. Andrews went from a Pro Bowl guard to a guy who missed half a season with back issues and another due to depression.
It was clear that Andrews had talent, but no one could really tell if he ever wanted to be involved with football. At times, rap seemed more important to him.
Whatever becomes of Andrews I hope first, he takes care of himself mentally and physically.
As for the Eagles: I think they will be just fine without him.
Oh and then there’s this gem that deserves posting one last time.
Eagles front office nabs DE Darrly Tapp
After nesting up for the early part of the free agency period the Eagles front office woke up and spread it wings yesterday making a pair of moves that it hopes will help solidify two positions.
While he doesn’t bring the explosiveness or name value of Jullius Peppers, who signed with Chicago, Darryl Tapp looks to be a solid addition to the Eagles front four.
Tapp, who the Eagles acquired in a trade with Seattle for Chris Clemons and a fourth round pick, was a second round pick in 2006 and played in 65 games for the Seahawks.
Now Tapp will not provide nearly the sack production as Trent Cole, but he has been solid in his career against the run. Last year Tapp had 49 tackles to go with 2.5 sacks. Clemons never really fit into the Eagles system and was used as a reserve last season, finishing the year with 11 tackles and three sacks.
The other news coming out of Philadelphia was that the Eagles signed an offer sheet for Saints running back Mike Bell. With Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas already in the fold for next year it would be a surprise for the Saints to match.
Bell had some success when given the opportunity in New Orleans and should be a nice compliment to LeSean McCoy. Bell rushed for 654 yards and five TDs last season, though he did average just 3.0 yards per carry.
By no means did the Eagles make themselves Super Bowl front runners with their actions on Tuesday, but they did fill in a couple of holes, which is a start. Not everything can be fixed in a draft so some action was needed. The thought by many is that the Eagles will turn their focus in the early stages of the draft to the safety position and look to add depth on the offensive and defensive lines, as well as linebacking core in the later rounds.
What will happen with the logjam at the quarterback position is anybody’s guess.
But at least for a day, the Eagles front office showed that they are, in fact, awake.
Eagles trade Reggie Brown to Buccaneers
One of the bigger busts in the Andy Reid era is leaving town.
The Eagles traded Reggie Brown to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for an undisclosed 2011 draft pick.
Brown never quite found a home with the Eagles, bouncing between roles as high as their No. 1 receiver, to as low as their No. 5. Some weeks he wasn’t even activated.
The Eagles selected Brown with their 35th pick of the 2005 draft, a move that excited the teams fan base. The Birds had spent little attention to their receiving core in years previous and this was a move that looked to change that.
Outside of 2006, when Brown made 61 catches, Brown was never used as more than a last option. Last year he caught just nine balls and became a forgotten man.
In Tamps brown will be given an opportunity. What he does with it is anyone’s guess. The Bucs are thin and receiver after allowing Antonio Bryant to become a free agent. Maybe Brown will relocate the talent that made him a second round pick. Maybe he won’t.
One thing most Eagles seem to agree on is that Browns absence will not affect the Eagles moving forward.
Eagles lock up Jason Avant
Julius Peppers and Aaron Kampman are not coming to town to help the Philadelphia Eagles.
However the team is taking care of its own.
The Eagles announced a contract extension with wide receiver Jason Avant. Avant, who was a restricted free agent, signed a five-year deal, but terms have yet to be disclosed.
The move comes on the heals of the team’s decision to pick up the $1.5 million bonus for Michael Vick. The bonus is part of the $5.25 salary Vick is set to earn this season. The move does not guarantee that the Eagles will keep Vick and it could just be a way to buy time for a trade.
The other news out of Philadelphia came on Friday when the Eagles inked fullback Leonard Weaver to a 3-year deal. The deal is worth $11 million and will keep the powerful back paving the way for LeSean McCoy for the foreseeable future.
While the moves have not jumped off the front pages of major sports publications, they are smart, sound football decisions. If the Eagles didn’t lock up Vick by Tuesday he would have become a free agent and the team would have been left with nothing in return. Now there are trade possibilities. Avant is young, tall and talented and has become Donovan McNabb’s favorite third down target. His upside is great.
And Weaver is everything you could want in a fullback. He’s a great blocker and he can run when given the opportunity. He is also said to be a great leader and teammate.
There are still holes that the team needs to fill, but by bringing back their own talent the Eagles have avoided creating new ones.
Eagles make offer to Julius Peppers
The thought of Julius Peppers lining up opposite Trent Cole has had Eagles fans salivating since the team’s season ended in early January.
Apparently the same can be said for the Eagles’ front office.
Comcast SportsNet is reporting that the Eagles have made an offer to the offseason’s top prize. Jordan Raanan of CSNphilly.com wrote “According to Peppers’ agent Carl Carey, the Eagles have made an offer to Peppers and have “strong interest” in the five-time Pro Bowl defensive end.
Though no details were given on the amount of money or years, this confirms that the team’s interest in upgrading the pass rush is legit.
Reports are that peppers is in Chicago today for a meeting with Bears executives. The Bears are without a first and second round pick in this year’s draft and are desperate to upgrade their team through free agency.
If Peppers intends to sign with Chicago it will likely happen today. If he gets on a plane without signing a deal that is very good news for an Eagles team which that can offer him a much better chance to play for a winner.
Keep your fingures crossed Philly.
No moves for Flyers, how about Eagles?
Wiht the NHL trading dealine now oast us it’s time to tunr our focus to the FL free agent market, which opens up at 12:01 a.m. on Friday. There is not as much out there this season as the uncapped year has forced many would be unrestricted free agents to become restricted. That means if teams want to aqcuire any of these players they must be willing to fork over mega bucks as well as draft picks.
Not every deal will be so difficult though. Player with more than six years in the league have the right to become free agents, meaning there is still talent in the free agent market.
SI.com’s Don Banks recently chronicled the top 10 free agents and where they will – and should – land. The Eagles were mentioned for two high profile players, defensive end Julius Peppers and running back Darren Sproles.
Bellow are exceprts:
Julius Peppers, defensive end
Where he will sign: Washington — The Redskins are poised to come after the ex-Panthers franchise player with their go-to combination of Daniel Snyder’s private jet and a Brink’s truck, which seems to work every time. Washington has been signing the biggest available fish in free agency for so long now we really can’t remember when the Redskins weren’t the market setters.
The Bears have money to spend too, and with no picks in the first two rounds of the draft (see Jay Cutler and Gaines Adams trades), they’re motivated to make something happen in free agency. The Eagles may not match dollars with Washington or Chicago, but if Peppers wants to play for a winner, Philly offers an opportunity the Redskins and Bears can’t dangle or duplicate.
Where he should sign: New England — If Peppers is serious about wanting to approach greatness and try his hand rushing the passer as a 3-4 outside linebacker, his best shot to realize those goals is with the Patriots. New England won’t throw the biggest contract at Peppers, but Adalius Thomas aside, its biggest free-agent acquisitions usually prosper from the move to Foxboro.
Darren Sproles, running back
Where he will sign: Washington — The Chargers came to the conclusion that as a situational back, Sproles wasn’t worth the $7 million-plus price tag he was in line for if they tendered him as a restricted free agent. But Mike Shanahan covets him from his days competing against San Diego in the AFC West, and the Redskins have been known to overpay for skill players in free agency (Antwaan Randle El and Brandon Lloyd come to mind).
Where he should sign: Philadelphia — The Eagles are reportedly interested, and if so, Sproles would fill the third-down back/return man role quite nicely. With no Brian Westbrook around to throw the ball to any more, the Eagles would let Sproles inherit the same role he enjoyed his greatest success with in San Diego. The Eagles have LeSean McCoy to carry the rushing load, and Sproles would add yet another electrifying young playmaker in Philly.
I think most Eagles fans would be happy with each player coming to town. The Eagles have long been searching for a stud end to put on the opposite side of Trent Cole and Peppers would do the job. The issue there will be the money.
As for Sproles, he would be a great compliment to McCoy, and would give the Eagles another dangerous return man to go with their already stacked unit. This will be an interesting free agency for sure.
It’s the offseason of Donovan McNabb
In Philadelphia every offseason is about Donovan McNabb.
Only this time, Philadelphia is not alone.
ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio says that the drama around McNabb is the story off the offseason. Bellow is an excerpt:
Philadelphia is the only team in the NFL with all three quarterbacks on its roster going into the final year of their contracts. Teams are calling, wondering who’s available, who’s not and what the Eagles would want in any potential trade.
The Eagles’ front office is listening. But here’s the kicker: The Eagles, according to multiple league sources, have so far told teams that both McNabb and his primary backup, Kevin Kolb, are not available.
Now, does that mean the Eagles won’t trade McNabb? Definitely not. Most league insiders believe the Eagles are just posturing right now, trying to determine the market and how to proceed. If the team says publicly or privately McNabb is on the trading block, its bargaining position would tank.
You can read the complete article here.
The word sources has been thrown everywhere lately and none of it has been verified. On the same day a source told a Buffalo newspaper that McNabb would be open to a trade to the Bills, and a source told ESPN that he would not be open to a trade to Buffalo.
Sometimes I think sources are pulled from the thin air.
It seems set in stone that at least one member of the Eagles’ quarterback trio and maybe a second will be traded. Who that is and where he/they end up is anyone’s guess right now. The speculation will be endless and the Eagles front office has to be loving every second of it. The more their quarterbacks are pumped up, the more the Eagles can ask for in a trade. The trading game is all about having leverage and with three quarterbacks that teams believe can be starters, the Eagles are holding all of the bargaining chips.
Among the teams that have talked to the Eagles, according to multiple sources, are the Denver broncos, Cleveland Browns, St. Luis Rams and Buffalo Bills.
McNabb rumors swirl
Not even the Super Bowl can be free of Donovan McNabb trade rumors.
Les Bowen issued a piece in today’s issue of the Daily News talking about the latest speculation in on trades involving McNabb, as well as Vick and Kolb. He also stressed that as of now nothing is close to happening.
Bellow is Bowen’s article.
If there is one day in the NFL year when we ought to be free of worrying about Donovan McNabb and the Eagles , it should be Super Bowl Sunday. Alas, such is not the case.
We’ve had reports today from ESPN folk who apparently have too much time on their hands, with their network not doing the game. Adam Schefter says teams have asked the Birds about all three of their quarterbacks and three teams have called about Michael Vick. Sal Paolantonio added that three teams — Cleveland, Denver and Buffalo — have had multiple conversations with the Eagles about Donovan McNabb.
Don’t know the exact teams myself, but I understand there have been a lot of calls, many of them not about any QB in particular, just letting the Eagles know Team X is interested, should they look to deal any of their three. I’m also told nothing is anywhere close to happening, that all of the queries have been preliminary.
This last point canot be overemphasized. NOTHING IS ANYWHERE CLOSE TO HAPPENING.
As you know, Andy Reid has indicated McNabb will be the Eagles’ QB in 2010, and McNabb has said this is his strong understanding, as well. Vick has said he would like to go somewhere where he could start, and a few days ago down at South Beach, McNabb endorsed that idea. Kevin Kolb has said he’d like to start, but is a team player, and so forth.
The Vick-to-St. Louis speculation makes a lot of sense to me.
A scource close to the situation thinks at least half a dozen teams ultimately will inquire about Kolb — including Cleveland, where Tom Heckert, of course, is now the GM, working under Reid’s mentor, Mike Holmgren. Almost any team looking to draft a QB this season would be smart to look into Kolb, who presumably wouldn’t need several years of training to take over. This is not a great quarterback draft; if Kolb came out this year, he’d almost certainly be a first-rounder. Of course, with McNabb heading toward his 12th season and not under contract after 2010, trading Kolb would be quite a gamble for the Birds.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled Super Bowl XLIV hoopla.
Making the case: The final verdict at QB
Over the past few days phillysportsblogs has made a case for Michael Vick, Kevin Kolb and Donovan McNabb to be named the starter in 2010 for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Now it’s time to get serious.
Before I unveil the rightful choice for the job, it is time to look at one of the major factors in the decision that not yet been discused.
The last two weeks have been hard on Eagles fans young and old. Entering the final week of the season the Eagles had hopes of a NFC East title, No. 2 seed and first round bye in the playoffs. Instead they were presented with two tail-whippings at the hands of the rival Dallas Cowboys.
Over the course of those two games it became impossible for even the most stubborn Eagles fan to deny that the Cowboys have surpassed the Eagles in terms of talent and production.
Before the start of the season Eagles’ President and CEO Joe Banner announced to the media that his team was the most talented in the NFL.
Mr. Banner, you were wrong. Dead wrong.
While there is uncertainty for the future in Minnesota and Arizona due to possible retirements at the quarterback position, Dallas and New Orleans look set for the several years to come. Each team has a multi-layered running attack, a proven quarterback (Yes, it’s time to award Tony Romo that status) and tons of weapons at the tight end and receiver positions. The Cowboys are also stacked on defense, while the Saints have shown drastic improvement on that side of the ball from a year ago.
These teams aren’t going away so the only way for the Eagles to return to the Super Bowl — and maybe actually win it — is to improve to or above their competitions level.
With a solid draft — and health — the Eagles should be able to see improvements on both sides of the ball. Stewart Bradley will be back at the MLB position and DeSeasn Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and Brent Celek will each be a year wiser.
Is that enough?
No.
And that’s where the decision making comes to light.
Everyone has seen what McNabb can — and cannot — do leading the offense. It is true that if McNabb has three or four years of success at his current rate he will surpass the 40,000 yards passing mark and with that likely secure a ticket to the Hall of Fame. If he is elected to the Hall he will go in as an Eagle.
But even with that in mind, it is time for a change.
There are anywhere from 8-12 teams that will be looking for a new starting quarterback in the offseason and there isn’t a whole lot out there. There are not 8-12 quality quarterback out there. In fact there might not be two.
The market is led by Kyle Orton, Jason Campbell, Chad Pennington, Tavaris Jackson, and Kellen Clemens. Yhat’s it folks.
I mention this because if made available McNabb jumps to the top of that list. He could even bring back a late first rounder, or a combination of a second and a third. This would help the Eagles fill a couple of holes on the lines in a hurry.
So who then is the man to lead the offense in 2010?
Kevin Kolb.
If not now then it will be never for Kolb and the Eagles. He is a free agent to be next offseason and if the Birds do not commit to him next season there will be no reason for him to re-sign.
There is no guarantee that simply placing Kolb in the starting lineup will vault the Eagles into contention with the Saints and Cowboys next year and beyond, but it is almost certain that is the Eagles return with McNabb they will not.
As the saying goes “you are what you are.” The Eagles with McNabb at the helm have been a very, very good football team over the last decade. Yet at the end of the day the franchise has earned the same amount of Super Bowl rings as teams that are very, very bad.
What McNabb has done for this city and team should not soon be forgotten. He brought the team to heights it had not been since the early 80’s and turned Philadelphia back into a football town.
For that he should be thanked, and above all, appreciated. But the time has come to part ways.
McNabb is still very good.
It’s long past time for the Eagles to be great.
Kevin Kolb, the time is yours.
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