The NFL Offseason/Pre-Draft Thread

[Guest El Satanico]

Lions could likely have their pick from all of the top corners in the draft at #10.

 

At this point a rookie CB looks better.

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

Denver looks like they've gone insane as they've now got 4 of the Browns former defensive linemen.

 

Looks like the Browns will be getting Reuben Droughns in a trade.

[Guest Vitamin X]

I know that Denver has the Brows' former d-line coach or something like that, but that's still pretty ridiculous going after all their former #1 picks on the d-line who never panned out. To make matters worse, if anyone remembers the Pack's d-coordinator last season, Bob Slowik, he's also the defensive backs coach in Denver now.

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

Yeah, I don't know why you'd take a defensive line that you could pin an entire defenses problems on the season before. Especially when that team decided there was nothing to salvage and just blew the whole thing up.

[JustJoe2k5 0]

Carolina Panthers sign FS Idrees Bashir from the Indianapolis Colts. Anybody have any information on this guy?

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

He sucks. Thank you.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Here's an interesting free agent pickup:

Buccaneers: Hovan added to the defense

by Fanball Staff - Fanball.com

Friday, April 1, 2005

 

News

The Buccaneers signed former Vikings defensive tackle Chris Hovan on Thursday, reports the Associated Press. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Hovan, the 25th pick in 2000 draft, had only 20 tackles and two sacks last season.

 

Views

Hovan's poor play in recent years led to a significant decrease in playing time and he was even a healthy scratch from several games last season. The Buccaneers are willing to gamble on him because Anthony McFarland missed the season's final eight games with a triceps injury and Chartric Darby signed with the Seahawks earlier in the offseason.

 

I used to think Hovan was one of the better defensive linemen in the league before he got all obsessed with chicken chasing and Favre. In all seriousness, if anyone can find how to get production out of him, it's Monte Kiffin.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Also,

Denver signs Dayne to one-year deal

Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News

 

The Denver Broncos continue to be the land of opportunity for free agents hoping for a fresh start.

 

Friday the team added running back Ron Dayne to the roster, signing the 27-year-old to a one-year deal. Terms were not immediately available, but the minimum salary for a player with Dayne's experience is $540,000.

 

Dayne, a Heisman Trophy winner at Wisconsin, was one of two running backs to visit the team's Dove Valley complex Friday. Former Chicago Bears running back Anthony Thomas was the other.

 

The Broncos traded Reuben Droughns, their leading rusher last season, to the Cleveland Browns earlier this week.

 

Dayne, who was the 11th pick overall in the 2000 draft, clashed with Giants coaches about his weight at times during his five-year career there. He never started more than seven games in a season, most often splitting time with Tiki Barber early in his career.

 

Dayne was inactive for all 16 games in 2003 and carried the ball only 52 times the past season for 179 yards. Dayne also visited the New Orleans Saints and Miami Dolphins since free agency began.

 

DOUBLE UP: As expected, the Broncos have retained free- agent defensive tackle Luther Elliss and free-agent tight end Patrick Hape. Both one-year contracts were given to the league Friday morning.

 

The minimum salary for a player with Elliss' experience is $765,000, while the minimum salary for a player with Hape's experience is $665,000.

 

Elliss, a Mancos native entering his 11th season, played in only eight games this past season because of a partially torn chest muscle early in the year. He then finished the year on injured reserve after tearing a calf muscle.

 

Hape is the fourth tight end the Broncos have signed this off-season. They matched the New York Jets' offer to Jeb Putzier, signed Stephen Alexander in free agency and re-signed long snapper Mike Leach after telling him he would get a look at tight end as well.

 

With veteran Dwayne Carswell still on the roster, having re-negotiated his contract before free agency began, the position is crowded. The team carried four tight ends, including Leach, this past season.

If Dayne can match anywhere near his potential that he had coming out of college, it'd be with the Broncos for fairly obvious reasons. I liked Dayne and the Thunder and Lightning combo they had in New York with Barber, but seemed to have fallen out of favor with the Giants staff over the past couple seasons. Also,

Chiefs, Surtain near yet far

By ADAM TEICHER, The Kansas City Star

 

The prospect of Miami cornerback Patrick Surtain joining the Chiefs moved closer to reality but still faces an imposing obstacle.

 

The Chiefs and Surtain have come to an agreement on a contract extension, sources indicated. It would go into effect only in the case that the Chiefs and Dolphins can agree to terms of a trade.

 

ADVERTISEMENT

 

As of Friday, the teams were nowhere close to an agreement. The Dolphins insisted on receiving a second-round draft pick, while the Chiefs offered nothing better than a fourth-round choice.

 

A compromise involving a third-round pick isn't an option unless the Chiefs make a trade for another team's pick in that round. The Chiefs don't have their third-round pick, having sent it to Philadelphia in last year's trade for John Welbourn.

 

The NFL recently awarded a third-round compensatory pick to the Chiefs for losing John Tait as a free agent last year. But compensatory picks can't be traded.

 

The Chiefs said little Friday about Surtain, a two-time Pro Bowler, and wouldn't acknowledge even that an agreement with Surtain was in place.

 

"We've shown a real interest in the guy," said coach Dick Vermeil, who added that he was unaware of any contract agreement. "But there's got to be a trade made and a contract negotiated.

 

"We're talking to him. He's a very fine player and has been for a number of years and probably has four or five real good years left in him."

 

Miami coach Nick Saban told reporters in Florida that the Dolphins would take nothing less than a second-round pick.

 

"If someone else wants to work a business deal for him to be on their team, fine," Saban said, "but we will not compromise on our price."

 

A trade agreement might not happen until the hours before the draft, which begins on April 23, if it happens at all.

 

The Chiefs talked with St. Louis about a trade for quarterback Trent Green for weeks before the draft in 2001. The Rams insisted on receiving the Chiefs' first-round draft pick, and the Chiefs balked.

 

The Chiefs finally relented the day before the draft, but only after the Rams sweetened the deal to include a fifth-round pick.

 

The Chiefs made the acquisition of a veteran cornerback a priority going into the offseason. They allowed more passing yards than any other NFL team last season, and poor play at cornerback was a big reason why.

 

The Chiefs initially tried to sign Tennessee's Samari Rolle last month but backed off after learning of his spinal condition. They also visited with New England's Ty Law, but Law is still mending from a fractured foot, and the Chiefs are uncertain whether he would be ready to play next season.

 

The Dolphins had been looking to trade Surtain, who is entering the final year of his contract. The Chiefs have expressed the most interest and are the only team to agree with him on a contract extension.

 

The Chiefs are satisfied with the play of Eric Warfield at one cornerback position. Both Dexter McCleon and William Bartee struggled last year, and each lost the starting spot at some point during the season.

 

Even if the Chiefs trade for Surtain or sign Law, they may still decide to select a cornerback in an early round of the draft.

 

Surtain, 28, has been one of the league's top cornerbacks during his seven seasons.

 

The Chiefs believe that he has the necessary skills to play the bump-and-run coverage that defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham prefers.

 

In Miami, Surtain played on some of the league's best defenses and with some of the best defensive players.

 

That's a luxury he wouldn't have in Kansas City.

 

Good job, Nick! Honestly, I heard that they were thinking of obtaining Shaun Alexander from the Seahawks for their first selection, trading Surtain to the Chiefs for their first rounder seems like a logical draft day selection, that is if these Ricky Williams rumors will just up and die already. The Dolphins should concentrate on improving their o-line in the draft, but the defense might take a huge blow if Surtain leaves. They've got an aging linebacking corps, and all of a sudden it seems like all their impact players on defense are taking off to other places (not to mention their defensive coordinator. Ha! One thing the Pack's done right in the offseason..)

 

Also heard that Nolan is still very much interested in David Boston coming to the Niners, though I can't find the article at the moment. Reuniting him with the receivers coach he had in Arizona would be great as that was where he was an all-star.. but come on, the guy's had some shitty luck with teams.. Getting drafted by the Cardinals, then sent to the Chargers the year before they became contenders again, then sent to the Dolphins and not play a single down with them (in their worst season ever), then signing with the Niners off of THEIR worst season in franchise history?

[LaParkaMarka 0]

The Patriots need to sign him. They must be stopped.

[Guest Vitamin X]

New England signs free agent WR David Terrell

April 5, 2005

 

FOXBORO, Mass. (AP) -- Wide receiver David Terrell has signed with the New England Patriots, reuniting quarterback Tom Brady with a former college teammate.

 

Terrell left after his junior season to enter the NFL draft in 2001.

 

He was picked eighth overall by the Chicago Bears, but in four NFL seasons he has yet to live up to the potential he displayed in college. By contrast, Brady, a two-time Super Bowl MVP, was a sixth-round pick in 2000.

 

Terrell started 15 of 16 games for the Bears last year, leading the team with 699 receiving yards, a career high. His 42 receptions were second on the team.

 

Terrell was released by Chicago in February after the Bears signed All-Pro receiver Muhsin Muhammad. Terrell, who had another year left on his contract, totaled 128 receptions for 1,602 receiving yards and nine touchdowns in four years with Chicago.

 

He has been known for on-field displays, such as hopping a fence and punting the ball toward the stands after scoring a touchdown in the 2002 season opener. In last year's opener, he was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty when, after catching a pass, he flipped the ball to a Detroit Lions player on the sideline.

 

He also had difficulties off the field, pleading guilty earlier this month to negligent driving. Terrell was charged after Chicago police stopped him Nov. 16, claiming he was driving his SUV erratically.

 

Good deal for the Pats. Terrell had a pretty good rookie year, when the Bears went 13-3 and actually had stability at the QB position for once, but Chicago's passing game, hell their whole offense suffers from that atrocious offensive line they have. Doesn't hurt that Brady helped make Terrell a star in college either. He could have a breakout year if New England's offense can prove to survive without Charlie Weis.

 

Also, Kansas City acquired Tennessee Titans DE Carlos Hall, who was Jevon Jearse's replacement, for an undisclosed draft pick. A reason why the Titans didn't have a problem with letting Kearse go last year was because of the strong play of Hall, who had equal production at the other DE spot when given the opportunity. He dropped off a bit last year, but still a very solid player. Good job in KC actually going after upgrading their talent on defense rather than just the coordinator. Miami also signed CB Mario Edwards from the Cowboys. This made me think of nothing else but the Super Mario song.

[therealworldschampion 0]

Freddie at it again....

 

Mitchell's stinging words

 

By John Tomase

 

FOR THE INQUIRER

 

 

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - His Eagles career all but over, Freddie Mitchell took stock of the last four years yesterday, and he didn't like what he saw.

 

A quarterback who had no confidence in him. A team scared of the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXIX. An organization that buried him.

 

And now he sees the writing on the wall. He'll likely be traded or released before the season, his mercurial run in Philadelphia coming to a disappointing end.

 

"I've been thrown so many curveballs on 2-0 counts when everyone else is getting damn fastballs down the middle," he said. "If people knew what I've gone through and had to adapt to, they'd probably feel sorry for me. You have to know my story to know my glory."

 

Never at a loss for words, Mitchell had plenty to say during a wide-ranging interview from a picnic table in the heart of the Harvard Business School campus. In town for a three-day league-sponsored seminar on business opportunities after football, he touched on a range of topics. To wit:

 

Eagles QB Donovan McNabb lacked the confidence to throw to him. "You need that rapport," Mitchell said. "And it just wasn't there."

 

His teammates should have supported him after he incited Patriots safety Rodney Harrison prior to the Super Bowl. "I could have sworn we were playing tennis," he said. "They didn't back me up because they were scared."

 

He believes wide receiver Terrell Owens should renegotiate his contract. "He's worth $25 million up front."

 

He has some choice words for Patriots coach Bill Belichick, who criticized him again in a speech last week. "I want to see how he does without his coordinators," he said. "At some point, we need to sit down and talk."

 

He believes his Eagles career is over. "A lot of people would say trading me or getting released would be the best thing for me," he said.

 

"I'm not going to say that. I'm still under contract and I intend to honor it. I'm still an Eagle. And I love Andy Reid."

 

It's part of the Mitchell dichotomy, at once praising Philadelphia while writing his ticket out of town. He spoke matter-of-factly and without rancor for an hour yesterday, the interview interrupted 11 times by well-wishers he had met this week in Boston.

 

At the conclusion of his final class, Mitchell remained behind 10 minutes after the last player had left, engaged in an animated conversation with a professor.

 

"I'm an extrovert," Mitchell said after giving a student his e-mail address with instructions to contact him if she ever needed a reference.

 

"I draw crowds."

 

Unfortunately, Mitchell never blossomed into the No. 1 target Philadelphia expected after making him the 25th pick of the 2001 draft out of UCLA. He has caught just 90 passes in four seasons, with a high of 35 in 2003.

 

Part of the blame, Mitchell said, belongs to his shifting roles. He played three different positions in the Eagles' wide receiver sets his first three years.

 

"Other receivers learn one and just have to perfect that," he said. "It hindered my performance to have so many plays running through my mind."

 

But even worse, he said, was the lack of chemistry with McNabb.

 

"You have to have certain relationships with certain people to succeed," he said. "Me and Don need that relationship, but I don't feel like it's there. I can't throw myself the ball. There were times I got more tired doing jumping jacks on the field than actually playing in the game itself."

 

Mitchell noted his propensity for big plays. None was bigger, of course, than his 28-yard reception against Green Bay that helped put the Eagles in the 2003 NFC championship game.

 

"The argument would be Don doesn't have confidence in me," said Mitchell, who was very animated and clearly not angry, even referring to McNabb good-naturedly in an expletive. "The motherf- had confidence in me on fourth and 26 to get his ass out of a jam. I can name all my catches on third downs. No matter how much confidence he says he didn't have in me, when it came to those situations, the ball was coming my way."

 

Fewer balls came his way with the arrival of Owens, a fact Mitchell accepted. Misunderstood, he said, was his desire to contribute to a winning team.

 

"I didn't want the ball for my own stats," he said. "I wanted to help the team win and be a part of it. Society says that's selfish. But is it selfish to want to be able to say, I helped the team win today and I felt great? Who wants to go to a championship without stepping on the field?"

 

Mitchell said that one of the team's most successful plays in 2003 involved him going over the middle from the slot. But that became Owens' play last year, with Mitchell a decoy outside.

 

"That was another curveball thrown to me," Mitchell said. "But you know what? I can play next to a T.O. any day of the week. He's going to draw double coverage and I'm going to get matched up one-on-one. I just want to be on a team that exploits the other team's weaknesses. I had a free safety or a linebacker on me in the Super Bowl. Dang. What's going on with that?"

 

That brings up another point of contention with Mitchell - the Super Bowl. In a light-hearted interview with ESPN, he misidentified the no-name members of New England's secondary. Then he called out veteran strong safety Rodney Harrison, saying, "I've got something for you."

 

The Patriots used it as inspiration. The Eagles tried desperately to distance themselves from the comments.

 

"Maybe in another program," Mitchell said, "I would have had players say, 'Fred's right. I'm going at them. I back him up 100 percent, because I'm on the battlefield with him.' But I didn't have that. The program they have here and the kind of people they recruit with the Eagles are laid-back.

 

"I could have sworn we were playing tennis. They didn't back me up because they were scared. That's what pissed me off the most. I sensed people were scared of the Patriots. And me? I fear no team. I fear nobody. I'll catch balls over the middle."

 

The Patriots, experts at inventing motivation, jumped all over Mitchell's comments. Harrison fumed, then intercepted two passes in the Super Bowl. Belichick, vanilla all season, labeled Mitchell "terrible" in Sports Illustrated, then hammered him again on the Tonight Show.

 

Ten days ago during a speech at Bryant University in Rhode Island, Belichick kept up the assault. Asked by a student if he keeps track of those who doubt his team, Belichick replied, "Only Freddie Mitchell."

 

Mitchell laughed.

 

"I want him to be part of my marketing team or promotional staff," he said. "He's my Don King right now. My name cannot stay out of his mouth."

 

Mitchell also issued Belichick a challenge. The New England coach lost offensive coordinator Charlie Weis to Notre Dame and defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel to the Cleveland Browns.

 

"You know what, Belichick? You're talking [crap] about me, but they're the silent investors who are really running the company. You're just a spokesman," Mitchell said. "I want to see what he does next year. Believe me, I'll be the first one to shake his hand if he wins the Super Bowl. And I'll be the first one to laugh in his face when he doesn't succeed."

 

The likelihood of Mitchell's heading to New England appears slim, but everywhere else is fair game. The Vikings supposedly offered a sixth-round pick and the Eagles might not do better after coach Andy Reid admitted at the owners meetings that Mitchell talks too much.

 

"I think sometimes I come off as arrogant," said Mitchell. "People don't get my humor. I come into an interview and say, 'I just want to thank my hands for being so great.' Some people say what an arrogant [expletive]. Why didn't he thank the QB for throwing him the ball? Why didn't he thank his team? It's not my fault those people don't have enough of a personality to understand a joke when they see one."

 

When it comes to being outspoken, Mitchell said the league applies a double standard.

 

"I would love for them to be like, you know what, Freddie? No more interviews. Just play," he said. "But they've got to understand what drives our business. Guys like me, guys like T.O. drive our business. We get people talking."

 

Speaking of Owens, Mitchell said he deserves whatever he can get after hiring agent Drew Rosenhaus to renegotiate his contract.

 

"He should renegotiate," Mitchell said. "I hope he gets his due. I wouldn't say he's underpaid, because if you sign a contract, you signed a contract. Whatever T.O. does, it's great for him. He's worth all of $25 million up front."

 

Mitchell's looking at significantly less than that for his next contract. If his Philadelphia career does end before next season, Mitchell is asked how he wants to be remembered.

 

"I love Philly and want to retire in Philly, but the business won't let me," he said. "I would ask fans to rewind the highlights that I made. Everyone's going to remember fourth and 26. Everyone's going to remember the 14-second play in Dallas when Donovan scrambled around and found me deep.

 

"No matter how much you hate me, I'm going to be in Eagles history."

 

For chrissakes Freddie if Belichick is STILL ripping you two months after the Super Bowl, then you really should just shut up. I think the 6th round pick from Minnesota is the best they'll get for him, other than a bag of footballs...

[the max 0]

"You know what, Belichick? You're talking [crap] about me, but they're the silent investors who are really running the company. You're just a spokesman," Mitchell said. "I want to see what he does next year. Believe me, I'll be the first one to shake his hand if he wins the Super Bowl. And I'll be the first one to laugh in his face when he doesn't succeed."

 

This is the part that irks me.

 

All this fucker did the entire week before the game was talk...and talk and talk and talk and talk about how great he was, how he was going to run wild, etc.etc. And then he doesn't, Belichick makes a snappy remark (something along the lines of "I was happy when Mitchell was on the field") and that was the end of it.

 

Now, Mitchell refuses to give the guy that has just coached his team to three of the last four super bowl titles any credit at all and will now "laugh in his face" if the Pats don't win this year. Does Belichick get to laugh in Mitchell's face when he ends up choking when it matters again? Maybe he can call him and say, "Hey, Fred. Just saw you get one catch for eleven yards in the biggest game of your life...gotta say...HA HA."

 

People like this are why I can't stand football right now. People that constantly run their mouths for attention...then don't back up what they're saying...but still run their mouths because they're given the audience to do so.

 

Just ignore Mitchell and maybe he'll talk himself to death.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Rodney Harrison ended up with more catches than Freddie Mitchell did.

 

That amused me.

[Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly]

Well shit, you put a guy in a press conference and he's NOT supposed to run his mouth? If I remember correctly, Mitchell only called out Harrison because that's the only member of the Patriots secondary whose name he knew off the top of his head. They had Troy Brown and a bunch of backups playing in the secondary. Also, how come the Patriots can say stuff about Freddie Mitchell but he can't say anything about them? When Mitchell was thanking his hands for being so great and catching two touchdowns against the Vikings everybody loved him. When the Superbowl rolled around, everybody turned on him.

 

Nobody around here has mentioned the TO contract negotiations, but for the record, I think he has every right to want more money. He broke his leg and came back early to try to help the team win a Superbowl. His contract is back-loaded and when it's time for him to get that money at the end of his contract, the Eagles will want to pay him less. If he wants to get his money, more power to him. I hate how when players want money, it should be about the game, but when teams want to keep money, it's all about business.

[the pinjockey 0]

Not much to mention as there is about a 0.01% chance that the Eagles will do anything for him here. They are not going to set a precedent for renegotiating after one year, no matter who it is for. I actually don't think it would be the worst thing in the world to restructure the deal so TO can get some guaranteed money this year instead of next, since they have extra cap room use it now so you have the extra in the future. But like I said, they are not going to set the precedent for renegotiating after one year.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

What's the deal with David Terrell going to the Pats? I could swear it was all over the news that the Giants signed him a little bit before they got Burress.....

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

Guy drops balls left and right, I'm just happy he's off the Bears.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Saints: McKenzie skipping workouts

by Fanball Staff - Fanball.com

Sunday, April 10, 2005

 

News

Mike McKenzie was disgruntled in Green Bay last season, and now it he is unhappy with his situation in New Orleans. The veteran cornerback is the only Saints player who is not attending the club's offseason workout program without an excuse, according to the New Orleans Times-Picayune. McKenzie is believed to be holding out in protest of his contract, which is scheduled to pay him $3.4 million this season.

 

Views

McKenzie showed last season that he is willing to play hardball if he doesn't get the contract he's looking for. Although most observers expected him to back down on his trade demand and report to training camp, McKenzie staged a lengthy holdout that eventually led Packers' officials to make good on his trade request. Saints' general manager Mickey Loomis indicated last year that he was willing to renegotiate McKenzie's deal, but the two sides have yet to reach an agreement.

 

HA!

[2GOLD 0]

Apparently the TO situation has went from "I deserve more money" to "Give me my damn money or trade me you cheap bastards!"

 

The Eagles shouldn't pay him cause he'll just want even more money next season. Welcome to the TO Experience, please keep your wallet open at all times.

[Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly]

The NFLPA and the NFL need to talk about these contracts because this shit is ridiculous. He's going to want more money because the Eagles have a history of cutting players when they get in their 30's. I think they need to make teams actually HONOR the contracts if players are expected not to holdout.

[MrRant 0]

Oh... Seahawks signed LB Jamie Sharper to a 5 year deal.

[KingPK 0]

Wow, I guess Corey Dillon's signing a contract extension with the Pats flew completely under the radar.

 

He's guaranteed $10 million over the next 2 years, and the deal can be stretched for three more years at a total of 5 years and $25 million. Corey's said that he really likes playing for a good system in NE and wants to end his career here. If he can keep putting up the numbers he did last year, this is a great deal (he probably will, since Charlie Weis never really utilized him enough last year, I thought).

[the pinjockey 0]

Actually it was an article in the Daily News where a writer had an article stating they should either trade him or pay him, not a quote from TO or Rosenhaus. While I think Rosenhaus is being a douche, the situation is not that bad....yet.

[the pinjockey 0]

Well it appears that the "...yet" lasted all of one day. Quotes from a Screamin A. Smith article in the Philadelphia Inquirer.

 

“I know I’m a top player in the game, and my current contract doesn’t justify that. The fact that I signed this contract, that I’m under contract, doesn’t factor into anything when it comes to the National Football League. (The Eagles) can cut me anytime they want to — even if I’m performing well, I’m healthy and I’m putting up numbers, just because they don’t want to pay a player that money.

 

“If they can do what’s best for their financial future, then why can’t I?

“Everyone knows my former agent (David Joseph) settled for a low-ball number because of my situation last season when Baltimore traded for me. He told me he couldn’t get a cent more, knowing I deserved more than they gave me. They used their leverage to strong-arm us because they knew I wanted to leave Baltimore for Philadelphia, and they capitalized on it. I can’t go for that now. It’s not in me to do that.”

 

So much for Owens’ future in Philadelphia — at least if Eagles history repeats itself.

“I’ll listen to my agent and let him handle that. But Drew did bring that possibility to my attention, and recognized it as a worst-case scenario.

“But I’ve already prepared myself to do whatever’s best for my family. And I’m not about to shortchange my family because of people thinking I’m selfish.”

 

So much for wanting to come to Philly that bad that he was willing to take less on his contract. At this point I say dump him, he is not going to get top-10 player money from the Eagles being at his age and being at WR where they have shown they are willing to go with lesser players. And he is only going to get worse when he doesn't get what he wants. They had gotten to three NFC title games without him and they got to the Super Bowl last year without him, while he is certainly a great player he is not worth destroying the team over. Use his money to lock up Michael Lewis and Brian Westbrook long term and draft Matt Jones to fill the WR hole.

[Guest Vitamin X]

I agree with pinjockey here, as much as I'd like to see the Eagles get shortchanged with T.O.'s bitching.

 

If the Eagles dump him, I wonder who he'll want to sign up with? Think Baltimore will take a shot at him? I thought T.O. would've been perfect over there.

[LaParkaMarka 0]

They already have Derrick Mason, and if TO didn't like Garcia and Mcnabb, he'll hate Boller.

 

One team that has some cap room, has a strong-armed QB with a wide open passing game, and is in need of a WR: Minnesota.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Going from one headache to another, eh?

[the pinjockey 0]

One thing that is very irritating in this ordeal is the assumption that the Eagles are planning on screwing TO by releasing him after the coming season. Every media outlet brings up the fact of "Oh, the Eagles have a history of getting rid of veterans" which is horseshit. The Eagles have a history of letting veterans walk when their contracts expire. Big difference there.

 

If anything they have been incredibly reluctant to release players and take on dead money (one reason why their cap management has been incredible the last few years). Look at their OTs, Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan, both have been inconsistent at best the last few years, but they are both still around with large cap figures. There is absolutely zero evidence to suggest that if TO performs, that they would let him go anyway so they wouldn't have to pay his roster bonus next year.

[therealworldschampion 0]

I really think the Philadelphia media is probably making more of this story than there really is, as they are usually apt to do...

[the pinjockey 0]

You'll see I was that way a couple days ago (look a couple posts up) before today's fiasco. But Rosenhaus and Owens' comments today have got me leaning towards the Owens is going to become a huge headache side.