Kolb Shines in Debut

Kevin Kolb made his debut tonight as the starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles in a preseason matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Kolb played all the first quarter before being subbed out for Michael Vick. The Eagles did win the game 28-27, if that means anything to anyone.

In first drive for the Eagle offense, Kolb nailed open receivers with spot-on passes. In the first play of the game, Kolb found an open DeSean Jackson for a 21-yard gain. He hit Jeremy Maclin for a 29-yard gain later in the drive. On 3rd and 6 at the Jacksonville 11, Kolb made a great pass through the defenders to tight end Brent Celek, who bobbled the ball two separate times before dropping. Drive ends with a field goal.

In the second drive, Kolb lead a solid drive down the field before being halted by an offensive holding penalty deep in Jacksonville territory. Here are Kolb's stats from the game: 6/11, 98 yards, 83.5 QB rating.

Vick had an O.K. game, with the one glaring spot being his fumbling problem. Vick fumbled the ball twice, one leading to a loss in possession. Vick has to be more aware of the defenders around him, and, quite obviously, hold onto the ball. Vick's stats: 11/17, 119 yards, 1 INT, 60.7 QB rating. He also ran for 50 yards and a touchdown.

Other offense players who had good game were WR Riley Cooper and RB Martell Mallet. Don't know much about Mallet, but he ran for 60 yards and a TD. Cooper is a guy who I think will work his way into starting reps. He has impressed coaches in camp and had 61 yards receiving today.

The defense looked good in the first quarter, when they kept the Jaguars scoreless. The first team allowed the Jags to only gain 10 yards on two drives. The backups however had problems, allowing 17 points in the second quarter alone. An encouraging sign and a not so encouraging sign in the same game.

The Eagles next preseason game will be at Cincinnati on Thursday night at 8pm ET.

McNabb Fan Asked to Remove Jersey at Eagles Camp

A fan wearing a Washington Redskins Donovan McNabb jersey at Eagles training camp was approached by Eagles security. Security asked Jim Devlin, 43, remove the jersey. Devlin said on 97.5 the fanatic that the security guard told him that head coach Andy Reid requested he take the jersey off.

Of course, the Eagles denied that Reid asked to have the fan take the jersey off. Here are comments from Devlin (acquired from espn.com): "I just wanted to get reactions from the fan base, see who says what. Maybe get in a healthy debate on whether Donovan McNabb was good or bad for this franchise.

"I'm fine. Everybody was very cool, calm, professional and did not make a big deal about it. They asked me, and I figured I'm a guest at their facility, so why not make life easier for everybody?"

"Nobody really thought I was really wrong. They asked me to do something, and I was more than happy to do it."

I find this story very funny. The Eagles like to control every little thing. I am an Eagles fan but I am by no means fans of Andy Reid, or owners Jeffery Lurie and Joe Banner. I'm sick of their control freak attitude and ignorance.

Lure and Banner don't care whether the team win or lose, as long as they have a capacity crowd at the Linc. Of course, they will, and make just as much money. This team will not win a Super Bowl until the three amigos are no longer affiliated with the Eagles.

Daily Roundup: 4/30/10

I already posted about the Phillies game here.

Madson on DL: Phillies relief pitcher Ryan Madson is on the DL for a broken toe.  Antonio Bastardo, who was optioned to the minors yesterday to make room for Brad Lidge, will rejoin the bullpen in Madson's absence. Madson has not done a good job in the closer's role this season. He has blown two games so far.

Hopefully, Brad Lidge can step up and close games better than Madson had. Now that Madson is no longer here to close, Lidge will be most likely thrusted into the spot right away.

Abiamiri's Injury Trouble: Eagles defensive end Victor Abiamiri underwent microfracture knee surgery. It looks unlikely that he will be able to return by the season opener. This serious injury may even threaten his career.

Abiamiri: "I know that I've been hurt a lot since I've been here. When I got hurt during the season, I was like, 'I'm just going to play through it.' It was bothering me through the season, but I figured I'd get it fixed at the end of the season. And I did. It's just that the amount of the time it takes for it to heal up is pretty extensive."

Big Sports Day: Tomorrow will be a big sports day for Philadelphia sports fans. The Flyers will play Game 1 of their second round series against Boston at 12:30. Roy Halladay starts for the Phillies against the Mets tomorrow at 3:30. The Philadelphia Union (1-4) play the top team in the Western Conference, the LA Galaxy, tomorrow at 10:30. The Kentucky Derby will also be held tomorrow.

It should be fun....

Daily Roundup: 4/29/10

I am starting a new segment called daily roundup, in which I comment on some of the major sports topics of the day.

Kolb Gets Extension: Kevin Kolb, the Eagles starting quarterback has received a contract extension. Kolb was only under contract for the upcoming season. This deal guarantees Kolb with be with the 'Birds for at least two years. The Eagles hope he'll be their starting QB for much longer than that though.

The deal is worth $12.26 million of guaranteed dough over the next two seasons. That's a lot of money for a guy that hasn't started more the two NFL games. It is evident the Eagles are very confident in Kolb. This deal basically means Kolb will get two years to prove himself in Philly.

Kolb: "I'm not trying to prove anybody wrong, I'm trying to prove this organization right for making this move. I know there are a lot of expectations. When you get an extension and you get the starting quarterback position, regardless of where you're at, there's a lot of pressure and responsibility."

Lidge Off DL: Phillies closer Brad Lidge was activated off the disabled list today. The Phillies will send down lefty Antonio Bastardo down to make room for Lidge. Hopefully, Brad can help sure up a shaky bullpen by shutting teams down in the 9th, something Ryan Madson couldn't do.

Antonio Bastard didn't get a lot of outings, but when he did pitch, he pitched well. Bastardo was the only option for the Phils because all of their other relievers could have been exposed to other teams had they been sent down.

Charlie Manuel (on whether Lidge will close right away): "I don't know. We’ll have to see where we’re at with that. I’ll just play it by feel. I’ll talk to him first and see where he’s at and how he feels."

Sixers Still Looking: Rumors have been swirling all week about who will land the Sixers coaching job for next season. While Larry Brown has been talked about, other candidates are also being contacted by the Sixers. According to the Philadelphia Daily News, the Sixers have contacted Avery Johnson and the agent for former Sixer Doug Collins. They have also pursued some high-ranked assistant coaches and talked internally about Jeff Van Gundy.

The Sixers have so far denied all Larry Brown rumors. I think Larry would be the best fit for the job. His family lives in the area. Brown has turned around teams before and that's what the Sixers need, a turnaround. They should also make Brown the president of basketball operations.

Eagles Draft Update

http://www.flickr.com/photos/scottstuart/ / CC BY-SA 2.0

As day two of the 2010 NFL draft winds down, it's time to evaluate how the Eagles have done so far. The Eagles decided to trade up in yesterday's first round to take defensive end Brandon Graham at #13. The Eagles fully expect Graham to become a playmaker on the otherside of Pro-Bowler Trent Cole. Graham is a little undersized for a D-end, but he is descirbed as having a "great motor." Then again, 95% percent of the guys picked are described as having a great motor.

I think this was a good pick for the Eagles. They need an impact player on the D-line to take away attention from Trent Cole. Time will tell on whether Graham can become that player. I just hope he doesn't turn into Jerome MacDougal.

The Eagles then selected safety Nate Allen with the "Donovan McNabb pick" (37th overall). The Eagles have not been able to replace Brian Dawkins and they hope Allen (USF) can help fill the void left by the future hall-of-famer.

After selecting Allen, the Eagles started stockpiling draft picks. They traded the 55th pick (2nd round) to the Cowboys for the 59th overall pick and a fourth rounder. The dealing did not stop there. The Birds decided to trade the 59th pick to the Browns for the 71rst overall pick (3rd round) and two 5th rounder. Not so fast.... then the Eagles traded that 3rd rounder to the Packers for the 83rd pick (3rd round) and a fourth rounder.

Finally the Eagles decided to pick a player with that 83rd overall pick. That player was Washington defensive end Daniel Te'o-Nesheim. This pick confused me a little bit. Now, I have never heard of Te'o-Nesheim, but he was projected to be available in the 6th and 7th rounds. According to the "experts", the Eagles reached a bit. Also, I'm not understanding why they are picking another defensive end.

The Eagles now have nine picks for tomorrow. Then again they could trade out of the 4th round and wind up with 10 picks in the last two rounds (makes sense to me). The Eagles love to wheel-and-deal come draft time. They may like it a bit too much, possibly more than drafting players. So, the Eagles have four fourth round picks, two fifth rounders, a sixth rounder, and two seventh rounders.... have fun!

Eagles Pound Chiefs

Even without Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook, the Eagles still easily beat the Kansas City Chiefs. Kevin Kolb threw for 327 yards and 2 touchdowns (he also had a TD on the ground). LeSean McCoy ran for 84 yards and a touchdown. DeSean Jackson had 6 catches for 149 yards and a TD. After it was all said and done, the Eagles had trounced the Chiefs, 34-14.

Going into this game everyone was talking about Vick's debut. As it turned out, Vick didn't really contribute to this victory. Vick had a nice 7 yard run early in the game but that was about it. He threw 2 incomplete passes.

The Eagles' defense was exceptional in this game. The 2nd touchdown they gave up was late in the game after a Jeff Garcia fumble gave the Chiefs the ball at the Eagle 20 yard line.

So the Eagles played well today and improved their record to 2-1, but you have to remember who they were playing. The Chiefs are a pitiful team right now.

Eagles Bring Back Garcia

The Eagles have added to their quarterback depth today, signing former-Raiders QB Jeff Garcia, who will be in his second stint as an Eagle. The Eagles needed to add another quarterback after McNabb's rib injury yesterday. McNabb hasn't ruled out playing Sunday, but most reports are saying that there is no way McNabb can play on a broken rib in one week.

So now more quarterback controversies. Garcia did well in his stint as an Eagle, going 5-1 while McNabb was injured. So will he get the start over Kevin Kolb? He knows the Eagles offense, but I doubt Reid would start Garcia over Kolb. It would show that Reid lacked trust in Kolb.

With that said, I think Garcia should get the start. Even at 39, I believe Garcia is a better option than Kevin Kolb. Kolb has shown glimpses of talent in the preseason, but Garcia is a stable veteran who is a playmaker.

No, Garcia isn't a threat to throw the long ball, but he is a playmaker. Kolb is not a playmaker from what I have seen. A playmaker is a guy who can make the right play even if the play breaks down or the rush gets to him.

"Whether it's a week or two weeks or the entire season, I'm excited about the opportunity," Garcia said in a conference call. "As far as a team I can go to and blend right in, this is the team for me to do that."

Andy Reid called Jeff Garcia a "positive influence on Kolb." I'm hoping this move wasn't just for that. Speaking of moves, according to Sal Paolantonio, the Eagles are looking to trade wide receiver Hank Baskett for a draft pick to make room for Garcia on the roster.

Now here's an interesting situation: McNabb is still hurt Week 3 and can't play. Kolb starts Week 2 and does poorly and is replaced by Garcia who does less poorly, but still poorly. Mike Vick is eligible for Week 3. Could he be the Week 3 starter? .... hmmmm.

Eagles Roll Past Panthers

Yes, I was wrong picking the Panthers to win in my weekly NFL Picks of the Week. And I'm happy about it. The Eagles put on a defensive clinic in Carolina, trouncing the Panthers 38-10. It wasn't good news for the Eagles today, however. Donovan McNabb left the game in the 3rd quarter with a fractured rib according to Chris Mortensen.

This team really surprised me today. I was nervous about the defense. I thought Carolina would run right over the Eagles D, and it looked like they would after the first drive. But then the defense kicked it up a notch (maybe 10 notches) and forced Jake Delhomme out of the game.

The Eagles defense picked off 5 passes in this game. Sheldon Brown (one of the stars of the game) picked 2 of those. The Eagles forced 2 fumbles. One of which was recovered for a TD by Victor Abiamiri.

The big story here is the McNabb injury, which is starting to overshadow the Eagles greatness in this contest. Derrick Gunn of CSN is reporting that McNabb is out 2-4 weeks with a broken rib. The Eagles only have 2 quarterbacks active (not counting Vick), and one of them is now injured. So, the Eagles can't go into a game with only one quarterback. So they will have to sign another QB. I expect A.J. Feeley will rejoin the team.

NFC East Preview

This is my first NFL divisional preview for 2009. I will list each team, based on my prediction for how they'll finish. I'll list their 2008 record, my projected record for 2009, and my take on each team. Here it is (teams in bold are teams I predict to make the playoffs):

1. New York Giants

2008 record: 12-4

My 2009 projected record: 12-4

My take: The Giants are a complete team, and only getting better. I believe they will duplicate their 2008 season this year. While their secondary is a little suspect, their defense line won't give the quarterback anytime to throw. D-ends Justin Tuck (12 sacks in 2008) and Osi Umenyiora (13 in '07) will give the quarterback heck.

Now to the offense. Eli Manning, while inconsistent, is one of the league's better QBs. Brandon Jacobs is an absolute wrecking ball, and Bradshaw is a good #2. While the wide receivers are young and inexperience, they are also talented. I think Steve Smith is going to have a breakout year.

Overall, the Giants should win the NFC East and go deep into the playoffs, baring any injuries.

2. Philadelphia Eagles

2008 record: 9-6-1

My 2009 projected record: 10-6

My take: The Eagles barely squeezed into the playoffs last year, but I think the team will do about the same as they did last year. While some have aged (McNabb, Westbrook), some have matured (DeSean Jackson, Akeem Jordan).

The Eagles offensive line has been the worry for all Eagle fans heading into the season. They are all talented players on that line, and they'll eventually pull it together. I think Brian Westbrook will decline as much as people are saying. He can be effective as a rusher, and receiver, if he can stay healthy, which I kind of have to assume.

The defense, I am worried about. If they had the kind of defense they had 5 years ago, this would be a Super Bowl team. But their defense had looked bad in the preseason and they are unproven. There are several game-breakers on the unit though. Trent Cole and Asante Samuel can change the game with their ability.

3. Dallas Cowboys

2008 record: 9-7

My 2009 projected record: 9-7

My take: The Cowboys again missed the playoffs, and I don't see any reason why they should make it this year. They lost their best wide out, Terrell Owens, and Roy Williams and Patrick Crayton don't really inspire confidence. The Cowboys collapse late season, and Romo has not done well under pressure.

The Cowboys defense is always good and I expect no change this year. Their defense is stingier than most. They have many playmakers on the defense side of the ball, but I think their schedule is the reason why they will miss the playoffs. The NFC East is an extremely tough division and they also have games against Seattle, Atlanta, and San Diego.

4. Washington Redskins

2008 record: 8-8

My 2009 projected record: 7-9

My take: The Redskins would finish 2nd in most divisions but not the tough East. Their only real improvement was signing monster tackle Albert Haynesworth. While he is a big man, on player can't make all the difference. Their defense is pretty good, but the offense lacks consistency.

When their offense is good, the Redskins look like a playoff team. When it isn't, they look like an average team with a good defense. Jason Campbell, while improving, is still the worst starting QB in the NFC East. Clinton Portis is a beast, but how much will he deteriorate with age, running in his usual physical style.

Reid: Vick Will Play Thursday

This afternoon, Andy Reid held a press conference announcing the Michael Vick will play this Thursday night against Jacksonville. Reid said the Vick will play during the first three quarters with the starting squad. Reid also said that Kevin Kolb will quarterback during the fourth quarter.

Reid: "I can only go off what I've seen in practice and it looks like he's moving around pretty good. Realistically, it's been two years. We'll see how it works out. We'll give him a couple shots in there and see what he can do."

"I'm just going to take it play by play and see how he adjusts to game speed. If I think that's a problem, I'll probably discontinue the reps. If I feel he's adjusting OK, I'll continue to give him an opportunity here and there."

It will be interesting to see how Vick performs and how Reid uses him. Vick will actually appear in a bankruptcy court hearing the morning of the game. He will show up though. That is confirmed.

Brian Westbrook will also make his preseason debut. Westbrook is coming off an ankle injury. I am also interested to see how he looks. Hopefully, he hasn't lost a step.

Reid Confirms Vick Debut

Andy Reid said today that Michael Vick will make his Eagles debut Thursday night against the Jaguars. If everything goes well over the next few practices. I guess that means, unless Vick gets injured, he will appear in the game this week.

Reid: "I want to see how he does this week. He worked throughout the week here as we went to the game [in Indianapolis]. He did a couple of workouts here and was here yesterday on the players' day off and worked hard. He's getting through that soreness and we'll just see how it goes for this week as he goes through practice.

"I think he wants to get in and play again. I can't tell you right now how much he is going to play. But he's shooting to play this game.

"It looks like -- I'm talking the football side -- it looks like he's in pretty good shape. You could tell he's done some running and some lifting. It looked like he started out a little rusty throwing the ball and as the week went on that smoothed out for him a little bit."

Good. I will be watching for Vick. It will definitely be exciting to see how Vick can play. Some people have suggested that Vick won't play because Reid doesn't want him to be the focus, but the team because of their sloppy play two days ago.

Reactions to Vick's First Practice

T

he Philadelphia Eagles newest acquisition was on the practice field today at the NovaCare Complex. Michael Vick's first impressions from his new teammates were very good. Although Vick is still trying to get into football shape, his teammates were impressed with him today.

Safety Quintin Mikell: “That was great too. He was dropping some dimes in 1-on-1s. He looked good. We were joking – we wanted to see him take off one time, but he wouldn’t do it.”

Receiver Reggie Brown: “He’s taking it slow. I know how strong his arm is – but still accurate."

Receiver Danny Amendola: "He throws the ball the ball as hard as anybody I've ever seen." “He throws the ball as hard as anybody I’ve ever seen."

Vick himself said he felt "great" during practice. Coach Andy Reid said Vick needs to lose "2-3 pounds" or "5 pounds". Vick should be able to do that easily after some practices in the Philly heat.

Andy Reid: “Now, he’s not getting any younger, but once he gets back in shape, I don’t think you’re going to see person that’s slower and can’t throw as well.” Let's hope for your sake, Andy.

The Eagles organization shouldn't be worried about fans boycotting their team. I was actually at a Jersey shore beach today and I saw a plane whose banner read, "Shame on Eagles... boycott the game." No real Eagles fan would boycott their team just because they do not agree with a decision they made.

I am hearing a lot of people on the radio and on the computer saying that they will never root for the Eagles again, or that they will start rooting for the Steelers. That won't hurt the Eagles. Those "fans" wouldn't be the ones shelling $80 for a game or God-knows-how-much for season tickets.

Reaction to Vick Press Conference

The Philadelphia Eagles have just wrapped up a press conference announcing the signing of Michael Vick. Vick, Andy Reid, Tony Dungy, and owner Jeff Lurie all spoke at the press conference. Vick said he was very remorseful and sorry, but he had to say that or Jeff Lurie would have cut him at the conference.

If you scroll down you can see a video, provided by ESPN, of Vick at the press conference.

Vick: "I know I've done some terrible things, made a horrible mistake. Now I want to be part of the solution and not the problem." He better not be the problem. He caused enough problems for the NFL. Let's hope he can still play.

Vick: "For the life of me, I can't understand why I was involved in such pointless activity. Why did I risk so much at the pinnacle of my career?" I don't know Mike, that's the question everyone was asking when the dogfighting news came out.

Vick: "I'm glad I got the opportunity and the second chance. I won't disappoint." That sounds like a guarantee.

Owner Jeff Lurie spoke after Vick, Reid, and Dungy. He said he had to do a lot of "soul searching" and and he spoke a lot about the horrific acts Vick committed. He ripped into Vick, but he thinks that Vick can become an ambassador for the fair treatment of animals.

Lurie will hold Vick on a very short lease (no pun intended). Vick messes up just once, Lurie gave the impression that the Eagles will not hesitate to cut Vick if this doesn't work out. This seems like a low-risk, high-reward situation to me. If Vick screws up again, he's gone. If he works out, he could be very good for this team.

Vick Signed by Eagles

http://www.flickr.com/photos/keithallison/ / CC BY-SA 2.0

The Philadelphia Eagles have agreed with terms to ex-con and QB Michael Vick to a 1-year deal with a club option for a second. While I was watching the Eagles first preseason game, I found out that the Eagles got a deal done with Vick. I'm am in pure shock.

Chris Mortensen of ESPN first reported this story during the Steelers-Cardinals preseason game. I had heard rumors about the Eagles signing Vick be he was the first reliable source. You have to give him props.

According to ProFootballTalk, the first year of the deal is worth $1.6 million. The Eagles reportedly have the option of bringing Vick back for a second year, and that would be worth $5.2 million.

I like this move myself. Vick could become a game-breaker either as a part-time QB or in the Wildcat formation. Maybe Reid will use Vick to give McNabb a rest or something. Maybe Reid will reveal this in the post-game press conference (I wish).

Keep in mind that Vick has not been fully reinstated yet. He is allowed to play in preseason games, but he is not yet cleared for regular season duty. Roger Goodell has until week 6 to inform Vick of his status. But Goodell can clear Vick to play at any point up till then.

I have more on this when more comes out. The post-game press conference will be interesting to watch. If your in the Philly area then it will be on CSN after the game.

Kolb and Cole Injured at Eagles Camp

I didn't want to post about this topic until more information was available. I found out about the injuries this morning but I wanted to make sure everything was clarified. Backup quarterback Kevin Kolb sprained his MCL in his knee in morning practices. He will miss the first preseason game, but after that he is day-to-day.

Defensive end Trent Cole sustained an AC sprain in his left shoulder. He will also miss Thursday's game, but is day-to-day after that.

It was originally thought that these were more serious injuries. Good thing they weren't because you wouldn't want your backup quarterback and sacks leader missing significant time.

I don't no what is happening down at Eagles training camp. First, MLB Steward Bradley out for the season. Then, rookie backup TE Cornelius Ingram gone for the year. Maybe the Eagles have to stress more to their players that they need to come to camp in-shape and ready to work.

Just found out that the Eagles have signed Matt Nagy, a former top quarterback in the AFL. I guess they want some more depth at QB.

Maclin Finally Signs

The Eagles have finally signed their first round pick (19th overall) Jeremy Maclin to a 5-year deal worth $15.5 million, a little over $9 million guaranteed. Many Eagle fans (including me) are relived that Maclin will finally join the team.

Maclin is an explosive player who will have some impact catching the ball and returning the punts. He is like DeSean Jackson, and hopefully he will have the same kind of impact Jackson had on the Eagles offense last year this year.

Maclin will have to study up extra hard on the Eagles complicated offense, being that he missed the team's first 15 practices.

Maclin: “I pick up things very easily. I think I’m smart and I can do things like that. I’m going to take what I learned in minicamp and hopefully translate it out here.” Hopefully, Jeremy, hopefully.

Here's DeSean Jackson about the time that Maclin missed: “It’s definitely crucial – the time he’s missed. I’m not saying he’s not going to be able to come in and pick up things and get going. But definitely the time he’s missed is a crucial period of time. Vets, selected vets and all the rookies – we went through it already, so our bodies are kind of in shape now. Those first couple days, it’s nothing you can just bypass. It’s work you have to get through. Hopefully he has to come in with the mentality that he has to get right on it.”

Eagle Nation hopes the Maclin is a fast leaner and can catch up with the team right away.

Bradley Out for the Season

Sorry I couldn't post about this topic earlier in the week, but my computer was having technical difficulties. The Eagles are having some difficulties as well (but not of the same kind). Middle linebacker Steward Bradley is out for the season with a tore ACL. Joe Mays will likely take his starting job.

First of all, Bradley sustained this injury at Eagles Flight Night, a promotional event at the Linc. The event is basically a practice with fans and giveaways. A night that was supposed to be fun for Eagles fans has turned out to be anything but.

Head coach Andy Reid was steamed at a press conference when asked about Bradley's injury. He said he would not confirm it even after the team and Bradley's agent had already done so. He then went on an apparent tirade on the media for essentially doing their job.

Reid: “We won’t talk about injuries today. Some of your colleagues here decided that they would go to the players and/or other personnel here and ask about injuries. I made a pact with you guys when I first got here that I would disclose to you the injuries – just stay away from the players, stay away from other personnel in the organization, and I would take care of you with that."

Does Reid understand that a reporter's livelihood is interviewing players and/or personnel. Also I'd like to know more about this "pact" made between Reid and Eagles reporters. Is there a signed contract somewhere that we should know about?

This is just Andy being his old ignorant self. He is a control freak who wants to manipulate any news coming out of Eagles camp. Reid doesn't give a crap about us fans. We deserve to know about a injury to a key defensive player. We pay your salary through paying to see you coach, the least you could do is acknowledge a injury of this magnitude.

Another problem I have with Reid (and these are starting to pile up) is why he is blaming the reporters. Maybe he should blame Bradley's agent or the his bosses in the front office. The Eagles organization did acknowledge an injury to Bradley.

To say the least, I'm am not a big Andy fan. This may be me being cynical about the Eagles (wouldn't be the first time), but this has not been a good start to camp.

Eagles Land Star Lineman Peters

The Philadelphia Eagles have finally made a big move this offseason. It was reported today by Comcast Sportsnet that the Eagles have traded three draft picks (1rst, 4th, 6th in 2010) to the Buffalo Bills for offensive lineman Jason Peters. Peters was having contract disputed with the Bills and will probably work out a new deal with the Eagles.

I have to confess: I have never heard of Peters. Of course, most Eagles fans probably haven't either. I hear he is good though, and he definitely filled one of the Eagles needs at the left tackle position.

Peters is a two time Pro Bowler at left tackle. The Eagles did give up a first rounder for him, but they were likely to use that pick on a lineman anyway. Instead, they traded that pick for a proven player. I think this is an excellent move by the Eagles because you never know if a rookie is going to work out the way you want.

They Better Have a Plan

The Philadelphia Eagles, as you probably already know, will begin the 2009-2010 season without safety Brain Dawkins. Dawkins has been with the team since his rookie season in 1996. He was the defensive leader for the Eagles on and off the field. It will be weird to see Dawkins in a Denver Broncoes jersey next year. I speak for all Eagle fans when I say we will miss number 20.

It was a buisness decision the Eagles made when they let Dawkins go. They figured that he didn't have many more high-performance years left in his 35-year old body. Joe Banner and Jeffery Lurie (the two most hated men in Philly right now) clearly don't see the value in offering Dawkins a two or three year deal. They must not understand how much he leads and mentors the guys on defense. I even heard Quentin Mikel say that Dawkins took him under his wing.

I am not that suprised that the Eagles let Dawk go. It is exactly the kind of classless thing you would expect them to do. They did it to Jeremiah Trotter, and they did it to B-Dawk. Don't think they wouldn't do it to current player on the Eagles today. That's just how they operate.

What are the Eagles going to do? That seems like the million-dollar question floating around Philly today. The Seahawks signed receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who the Eagles were interested in. I think they may make a trade, utilizing those two first round draft picks. Torry Holt and Anquan Boldin have been mentioned. I think if Kurt Warner (please, please, please!) signs with a team other than Arizona, Boldin will demand a trade. That would open the door for the Eagles.

Joe Banner has publicly said that he wouldn't be able to spend all the money the Eagles had if he tried. He a list that should help him out with his little problem:

• Resign some of your current players (Hint: Tre Thomas, Jon Runyan).
• Pile it up in front of McNabb's door so he can't make it to training camp.
• Three words: Five Dollar Footlongs
• Buy Andy Reid a cheese steak
• Atlantic City, anyone!

Eagle Rumors

Donovan McNabb is at it again. If you haven't already heard, the Eagles apparently (remember this is all rumor) had a meeting with their franchise quarterback. In that meeting, the organization and McNabb were supposed to work out a contract extension. McNabb still has two years on his current deal. Donovan apparently told the Eagles that they need to obtain more "weapons" for McNabb to sign with them.

By weapons, one would assume McNabb means T.J. Housmandzadeh, Anquan Boldin, or Tony Gonzalez. I don't know what McNabb thinks he is doing by issuing an ultimatum on Eagles management. He acting like they NEED to resign him. He's still got two years on his contract. Why should they do what he says? They have the power over him.

That does not mean I don't want the Eagles to sign a premier offensive weapon. They have enough money under the cap to sign a big name player. Recently, Marvin Harrison has been mentioned as a guy the Eagles should be interested in. They shouldn't sign Harrison. He is no longer a number one receiver. He would be a nice guy to have, but I would like to see somebody with more quality years left in their career.

Meanwhile, the Eagles haven't said anything about what they might or might not do in free agency. The Eagles are always like this. They will keep a poker face up until the point of action. You will not hear anything from them until something definite occurs.

What baffles me the most is that people are surprised by this. Doesn't McNabb do this every offseason? Whether he says it directly, in his blog, or we hear it from his mom, this topic comes up quite a bit with McNabb. He is trying to act like he has a say in what the team does. He doesn't have that power, and even the Eagles are smart enough to know that.