Eagles Notebook

Posted: March 8th, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 43 Comments »

Lots of little stuff to talk about.  Let’s start off with what is going to happen this weekend.  The NFL is experimenting by letting teams and players negotiate for 3 days.  The goal is to drive up interest so that Tuesday is the NFL’s version of national signing day, when the high school kids commit to colleges.  The NFL would love teams to make big signings on Tuesday and to have a week of major activity, news, and good publicity.

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No one knows exactly what to expect.

Some in the football community think this weekend is going to be a giant waste of time.  Why go negotiate with a team when you can’t really pressure them?  Players can’t say “Give me a better deal or I’m going to Dallas.”  You can spend the weekend feeling out teams/agents/players, but how much serious bargaining will go on?    

Others think this could be real interesting.  Agents do a great job of using writers and media types to get rumors out.  We could have all kinds of rumors this weekend, leading to a great deal of anticipation for Tuesday.

I have no idea what’s actually going to happen.  Howie Roseman is an aggressive GM so you can expect he’ll take advantage of the situation as best he can.  The interesting angle is to see how things go with mid-level players.  Will teams focus on calling the stars this weekend or will they also mix in calls to lower level FAs?

Here’s an update from Jason La Canfora on the NFL warning teams what to not do this weekend. No deals can be agreed to. And no player visits.

Stay tuned here and at EaglesBlog.net for as many regular updates as I can come up with.

* * * * *

Jared Cook is a player that we’ve talked about a few times in recent days.  It sounds like the bidding for him will be fast and furious (did we all just picture Jordana Brewster for a moment?).

There are already reports saying that teams will offer him between $8M and 10$M per season.  The Eagles can pay that if they want to.  I’m just not sure if they will want to go that high.  This could help Dustin Keller.  He’s the second best athletic pass-catching TE on the market.  The only knock on him is size (6-2, 245 or so).

* * * * *

Daniel Jeremiah has talked to some GMs around the league and the feeling is that Andy Reid and the Chiefs will take Luke Joeckel at #1.  I’m still thinking that Eric Fisher will be the choice.  Here’s my logic.

Prior to the arrival of OL coach Howard Mudd in 2011, Reid and Juan Castillo loved to draft big guys with long arms.  They wanted players who anchored well and can run block.  Reid rarely took natural pass protectors.  Fisher has some RT experience in his past.  He has slightly longer arms than Joeckel.  And he anchors better.  Fisher is the better run blocker of the two.

It will be interesting to see if I know Big Red as well as I think.

* * * * *

Here are a couple of stories I already posted at EB earlier today:


Dashon Goldson speculation

Adrian Wilson cut

Danny Amendola as FA target

* * * * *

I do not anticipate the Eagles spending a pick on a RB, but there is one guy that truly fascinates me…Christian Thompson from Florida State.  He broke his back in 2011, but came back and was having a great 2012.  Then he tore his ACL.  He’s small, but very explosive.  His tape is awesome.  If he’s on the board in the 7th round, I’d consider taking him.  Chip Kelly loved smaller, explosive backs at Oregon.

David Syvertsen wrote about Thompson and some other RBs to watch.

* * * * *

Lots of older NFL DBs are getting cut.  It is easy to dismiss them, but if you look carefully, there can be a player or two worth checking out.  Not every guy who gets cut is washed up.  Adrian Wilson is the most interesting person so far.

More than a few fans are ticked off that all these guys are getting cut and Nnamdi still has a job.  I think he’ll be cut on Tuesday.  That’s when the new league year starts.  Seems there is some technical, contractual reason to keep him on until then.  I’ve not heard a word about the Eagles trying to keep Nnamdi.

It is funny to see DRC praised by some media outlets.  Makes you wonder what we don’t know about FAs on other teams that are out there. Eagles fans are very turned off by DRC.  Other fans want him.  Who is it that we want that other fans are glad to be rid of?

_

 

  • A_T_G

    I commented on Goldstone over at the new site, but you said this is the place for conversation, so…

    You pointed out that Gamble had a hand in bringing him in and so might push to bring him here. On the other side of the coin, did Gamble have any input in the decision to let him walk? I don’t know what his responsibilities were there, but that conversation must have happened before he left.

    • TommyLawlor

      Goldson turned down a contract extension last year. He wants to hit the market and see what his true value is. Gamble knew for a while he’d be a FA. SF doesn’t feel overpaying Goldson is smart, but Gamble may tell Eagles brass that he’s worth it due to the weak secondary here.

      Or Gamble could point out that he’s not a difference-maker and doesn’t deserve that kind of money.

  • scratcherk

    I’m not as down on DRC as all of Eagles nation.

    He had a great camp and start to the season before the the mess with DC. I would happily resign him at a friendly contract and give him another shot on the outside.

    • TommyLawlor

      If the price is right, I’m open to bringing him back. Tend to think some team will overpay based on size/speed.

      • austinfan

        Don’t care what the price is, the attitude adjustment would be thwarted by bringing him back – we need defensive players who play defense.

    • SteveH

      I agree, he was having an elite season before the whole thing broke down after the Lions game. Imo theres just not many people with his skillset around the league and if the whole team isn’t dysfunctional I think he’ll perform up to what he’s capable of.

    • xlGmanlx

      He certainly didn’t put anything on tape that makes him able to demand top dollar. Kelly might be able to get him on board.

    • RC5000

      Like DRC some but it’d have to be a year to year thing and how’s he going to handle it if things don’t go great. Problem is he marches to his own beat and we need to get rid of those who stop playing.

      • http://www.facebook.com/normanahaupt Norman Haupt

        Year to year is exactly right. If only the Eagles knew of a way to force questionable player into a 1 season agreement and pay him well for it so it’s less of a problem for the pending FA.

  • Flyin

    Tommy,

    I really like your concept of adding Eagles Blog. I saw your post about trying to add more content with more posts per day. I welcomed more info… of coarse! Just didn’t have an answer on how to do it. I think you did a heck of a job figuring it out. Just awesome!

    Many Thanks!

    You sure know how to keep an Eagles addict… an addict.

    • TommyLawlor

      I’m glad you like it. I’ll tweak things to find out the best way to cover everything.

      Be warned…this is all a trick by me. In 2 weeks, the blogs switch from covering the Eagles to focusing on Burt Reynolds, America’s greatest actor and a true national treasure.

      • Flyin

        Tweaking is expected, but taking the next step is what sets you apart. Along with your offerings…

        I’m regretting lasering my upper lip.

        • TommyLawlor

          Don’t be critical of our in-home Lasik surgery or we’ll come do it over again (and even worse the 2nd time)

          • Flyin

            It wasn’t the big boobs with big adams apples that has caused me to be critical, It’s the fact I can’t naturally compete with burt and his upper lip.

          • A_T_G

            Wait, Tommy is doing breast enhancements now?!

            It was amusing buffoonery when he was shooting a laser at people’s eyes without any kind of training or any real expectation for success.

            There is nothing amusing about wrecking boobs. Tread carefully, Tommy.

      • http://twitter.com/JackfinBauer Jack Bauer

        “Gator Mcklusky”…that is all

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=723700607 Trevor Turner

    “Who is it that we want that other fans are glad to be rid of?”

    This is such an important question. I think often fans know a player’s name better than his game. For example, Dolphins fans are in love with the idea of signing Mike Wallace right now, but Steelers fans would gladly pay his ticket out of town.

    Free Agency can really be like a pawn shop. It’s a bunch of pre-owned stuff with nicks and cracks. Sometimes you get a great item. Other times you’re paying for damaged goods.

    • TommyLawlor

      Pawn shop is an interesting analogy. Hadn’t thought of that before.

    • http://twitter.com/PhiIs_Goodman Phils Goodman

      It’s also natural for many fans to talk down about a player who is as good as gone anyway. A lot of it could be classic cognitive dissonance. I’m sure you remember how many Eagles fans were in that mode about Desean last year when it didn’t seem very certain that be would return. Remember that fans are inherently biased. And the ones who like Wallace the least are most likely to come out of the woodwork now to say good riddance.

    • D3Keith

      I think often fans know a player’s name better than his game.

      So true. I find myself doing it all the time and have tried to stop, but it’s hard. I sit near a Dolphins fan at work and they like Sean Smith about as much as we like DRC, for instance.

  • Birdsrookie

    The eagles blog allows you to keep things current . Good idea. There’s been a lot of talk about ” value” in free agency. Goldson will definitely not fit that bill. If we take him then that suggest chips thinking short term. I like how you point out the causation versus correlation discrepancy in the reports about Goldson. Minus the O-line, we’ve got a young team. Any free agent signings will indicate quickly Chip’s intentions on age and his ST v LT plan. I hope we stay young and think long term.

    • A_T_G

      Any free agent signings will quickly be used to divine all kinds of things about the plans, style, and promise of Chip and Co.

      Way too many things, and way too quickly, I expect. Some of the guys might just be a result of not having any ideal options.

  • TommyLawlor

    Geoff Mosher says the Eagles have interest in CB Sean Smith.

    • http://www.insidetheiggles.com/ CalSFro

      Any chance they look at Smith as a potential safety? Or some type of safety/CB hybrid?

      I know he’d probably fight it for monetary reasons, but maybe once he’s in the fold you get him to transition.

      • TommyLawlor

        Nah, he’s a CB.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=509888566 Addison Abdo

    Dustin Keller better than Delanie Walker? I think Walker is one of the more intriguing FAs this year. Was a WR in college. Ran a 4.59. Think it would be interesting to see him and Celek in two tight end sets.

    • xlGmanlx

      Walker has the dropsies

    • Miami_Adam

      I used to live with a 49ers fan and saw a bunch of their games. Delanie became my favorite player because he’s pretty good, but guaranteed to make an absurdly boneheaded play every game. He’s like the NFL’s JaVale McGee.

      • D3Keith

        Funny, I’d often thought of him as the anti-Sean Considine, in that whenever I watched the 49ers, he was always around the ball, making (usually good) things happen.

        I like the guy.

  • xlGmanlx

    If cook is looking for $8/10M a year, even though they have the room, I think you pass. Money is probably better spent on defense.

    • RC5000

      I don’t think it would be bad getting Cook but you pay that much money and he has to be on the field all the time. I’d lean toward getting extra pick in 3rd round and looking at Kelce who lined up everywhere at Cincinnati or maybe Escobar. May look to sign Casey also if he isn’t too much but he may get overpaid. Not suggesting Casey is Cook or anything but you have to think about the money and how Kelly’s going to use players since we’ll also be running the ball a lot.

      • deg0ey

        What do you think Celek nets you in a trade? Celek makes $4.5m in 2013. If you could get a 3rd for him, there’s a chance you can bring in Cook and then draft a guy (Kelce if he falls or Sims if he doesn’t) to be the second TE for only about $6m more per year than you were paying Celek anyway.

        • A_T_G

          No way. It was bad enough when people were suggesting trading Foles for a pick that would need to be used on his replacement. Trading Celek for a pick that you hope can be used on a guy to replace him in the third round is not a good trade.

          Money isn’t restrictive for us this year. If Cook is worth it great, if he isn’t, great. Trying to shuffle money to him by replacing a proven player and team leader is not the way to go.

          • deg0ey

            I think you’ve kinda misunderstood my point. The pick we got for Celek wouldn’t need to be used on his replacement, he’d be replaced by Cook. The assumption is that if you’re giving Jared enough money that “he has to be on the field all the time” (per RC5000′s comment), then you’re committing to him as your primary guy. In that scenario, do you really want to pay Celek 4.5m/year to be a situational guy? If not, then it makes sense to move him on.

            My speculation about Kelce/Sims was based on the fact that I’d consider them a luxury pick as it stands, but if we got an extra 3rd (whether it’s for Brent or somebody else) then they’d be a much more tempting option.

            FWIW, this isn’t necessarily a move I’d advocate the Eagles making; was just throwing out an alternative scenario that I hadn’t seen mentioned yet.

          • RC5000

            I was raising it as a question. To me, giving Cook a huge deal raises questions because of the WRs and the TE we have and because we may have more of a run balance. I’m not saying it can’t be done but I wonder if that’s what Kelly is really looking for.
            Would it diminish Maclin’s role for instance? What happens if they are in the hurry up and they are in a two back set? I’m wondering if they really are going to spend that much on a 2nd TE/WR that is basically a “starter” right away.

          • austinfan

            Celek has outgained Cook by a couple hundred yards the last two seasons, Cook averages 8.3 yards per throw, Celek 8.2 per throw, and Celek is a much better blocker than Cook (so is any TE not named Finley or Winslow).

            So why would you dump an every down TE for a big WR pretending to be a TE? We already have two fast WRs to stretch the field.

          • deg0ey

            I wouldn’t; was just curious if anyone else would.

  • TommyLawlor
    • xlGmanlx

      What is the skinny on his work ethic etc? Any insight or nuggets? I’m not a fan of how they go about business up there and it starts from their head coach down. I would agree this is the type of non-headline grabbing pick up at the right price that could pan out.

  • D3FB

    Tommy,
    With Brett Veach leaving the Eagles and Tom Gamble coming to the Eagles from the Niners, how concerned are the respective teams that the personell men who left are going to divulge the “big board”

  • new coach

    my stupid off-season plan that nobody should follow
    Sign: Jake Long
    Trade: Jason Peters and Bryce Brown (or Dion Jordan) to KC for the #1 pick
    draft: Dee Millner (#1) and Dion Jordan #4

  • http://www.insidetheiggles.com/ CalSFro

    Given the choice, I’d prefer to bring aboard Dustin Keller and someone like James Casey as opposed to just Jared Cook.

    Sure, Cook is the more explosive athlete and thus has the higher ceiling. But if he’s going to command so much money, I think you’re better off spreading that between two guys who can do a whole lot more for you in the long run.

  • shah8

    Florida State? Christian? Instahate.