More on DRC, Plus Thoughts on Chaney as WLB

Posted: July 19th, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 46 Comments »

First up, for PE.com I wrote about Jamar Chaney playing WLB for us.  This is a projection on my part.  We’re still very much in the dark about what is happening on defense.  We should be finding out some real information soon enough.

Stewart Bradley is the real mystery man on defense.  We don’t know if he’ll be an Eagle or not.  Bradley’s agent Eric Metz told Philly Sports Daily that Bradley would like to remain with the Eagles.  Metz made mention of a possible long term deal.  I think Metz and Bradley are in for a rude awakening if they expect a deal like that.  Stew missed all of 2009.  He missed a few games this past year.  He didn’t play very well.  Stew needs a bounce back year before he can expect a team to really commit to him.  I think the best thing for all involved would be a one-year deal.  That would allow the Eagles to develop their young LBs.  It would give Bradley a chance to show he can stay healthy and what he can do with his ACL issues in the past.  When healthy, Bradley is a unique guy.  There aren’t many LBs his size that run well.

* * * * *

Let’s talk more about DRC.  He did not have a strong showing in 2010, in regard to both coverage and tackling.  DRC had a solid rookie year in 2008 and then played very well in 2009.  His play fell off in the same year that the team’s play fell off.  Some see that as a convenient excuse.  I think it makes sense.  Some young guys don’t handle adversity well.  DRC played well for 2 years and then was up and down in the other season.  I’m willing to bank on him returning to form, if he’s in the right environment.  We’re not talking about a guy trying to recapture the glory of 10 years ago.

In terms of value, I think the Eagles should request a pick along with DRC (assuming this is a potential deal and not just speculation gone rampant).  DRC is a cornerback.  Kevin Kolb is a QB.  Huge, huge difference.  Nnamdi Asomugha has been the top CB in the league for most of the last decade.  How many playoff games has he been in?  CB is a crucial position.  QB is the crucial position.  Big difference.

All of that said, the Eagles don’t have great leverage.  Prior to the draft they could negotiate with several teams.  Now we’re down to Arizona, maybe Seattle, and possibly Miami.  For all we know, this could be a one team market – just the Cardinals.  If that’s the case, you may have to settle for a DRC/Kolb deal.  Howie Roseman will negotiate his butt off to pull in the most he can, but we really need to trade Kolb so the return may not be ideal.

The Eagles were very high on DRC prior to the 2008 draft.  They spent time with him at the Senior Bowl and then brought him to the NovaCare Complex for a visit.  They played him twice that year.  I’m betting the coaches, scouts, and front office types have a high opinion of DRC.

He fits the Eagles in a variety of ways (where he plays, age, cost, skills, style of play, etc.).  If you can trade for him and then sign him to an extension, you’ve got a good CB for the next 5 or 6 years.  That’s critical in today’s NFL.  You must have good CBs to deal with the passing game.

I understand not everyone loves the notion of trading for DRC.  Heck, the Eagles might feel the same way.  I tend to think they’re high on him, but that’s speculation on my part.  DRC isn’t a great player.  He does have some issues.  I think the good far outweighs the bad and that he would be an excellent addition at RCB.

The Eagles got Troy Vincent in the prime of his career and he was a key player for us for a long time.  DRC isn’t as good as Troy was, but he’s got potential to be similar.  Getting a guy with that kind of talent in the prime of his career is very enticing.

I understand the desire of some people to sign Nnamdi or Ike Taylor and get picks for Kolb.  There is an argument to be made for that, but Nnamdi and Ike are older guys.  You might very well have to turn around and use the extra pick on a CB in next April’s draft.  We do have Curtis Marsh and Trevard Lindley in place, but there is no guarantee that they will develop into good starters.

I’m hoping we do pull off the Kolb/DRC deal, with a pick thrown in.  2nd rounder would be great, but I could live with a 3rd.

As for the notion of Patrick Peterson…he isn’t going anywhere.  Will.  Not.  Happen.  Don’t waste your time trying to figure out how the deal makes sense.  Arizona isn’t going to trade him unless Manning, Brees, or Brady is being offered.

* * * * *

Someone asked about the possibility of the Eagles going after Le’Ron McClain.  I’d love to add him to the mix.  He can be a good blocker, but also is a very good short yardage runner.  He ran for 10 TDs back in 2008.  He’s not gotten many carries since then.  McClain has said he’d like to go somewhere he can get more carries.  I don’t think that would be with the Eagles.  My guess is that he goes to more of a running team so that he has a chance to get his hands on the ball.


46 Comments on “More on DRC, Plus Thoughts on Chaney as WLB”

  1. 1 Patrick said at 3:11 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    Hey Tommy, love reading your stuff, you keep it real and give us good info. Anyway, wanted to talk to you bout the big RB / FB. What I wanted to ask is how come we never bring up Leonerd Weaver at all? Did I miss something? Did he have a career ending injury? He was pretty good for us back in 2009. Sure he was injured all of 2010, but shouldn’t he be a real option? Guy is still in his prime if I’m not mistaken, he’s like 27 or 28 years old isn’t he? Anyway, I haven’t seen a single person ever mention him, maybe you can fill me in. Oh and are you taking apprentices? lol

  2. 2 Netherman said at 3:13 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    I can never remember so much speculation about a player as we have seen with kolb to AZ…starting to feel like two teams using media as a pawn in negotiations. “well we would give you more but how would we know kolb would stay long term?”…”Obviously I can envision myself in AZ”…

    Just a sidenote…i was perusing a post on eagles forum with mattwill’s off season plan. I know you have covered lots of areas individually, but would love to hear your total (realistic) plan including which udfa’s you would target. There is always a suprise move…what is your prediction on a move that might shock us?

  3. 3 ICDogg said at 3:18 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    What are your thoughts on the Eagles possibly going after Marcel Reece?

  4. 4 McG said at 3:26 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    If Chaney is our WLB then what do we do with Clayton and Rolle?

    It sure sounds like WLB was a position made for Chaney to play though… I am guessing that you think that Casey Matthews will be our Mike at some point this season or next?

  5. 5 Stephen said at 3:30 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    I won’t let you kill my dream Tommy… Kolb to Arizona for PP…

  6. 6 Thunderlips said at 3:41 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    The Cards aren’t trading Peterson regardless of the compensation (even if Brady, Brees, or Manning are on the market).

    Sam has stated several times that Kolb for Peterson can NOT happen. The Eagles would be unable to sign Peterson after the trade due to the rookie salary cap which is based on the players you draft (regardless of subsequent trades).

  7. 7 ian no 2 said at 4:08 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    Thunderlips, sssh, if that’s true then the Giants can ask for Philip Rivers back..

  8. 8 Tommy Lawlor said at 4:16 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    RE: Leonard Weaver

    He suffered nerve damage in his leg when he had the devastating injury. To my knowledge, that’s one thing doctors can’t “rehab”. They can fix his ACL (and MCL if that got hurt), but nerve damage is a whole other story.

    Sadly, sounds like Weaver’s days in the NFL are over.

  9. 9 Tommy Lawlor said at 4:19 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    RE: Marcel Reece

    I’m not sure he’s a FA. He was on the Raiders in 2008, but didn’t play in a game. Might still need one more year to hit the market.

    Would be of interest if available. Good pass catcher, 25-333-3 last year.

    http://www.nfl.com/player/marcelreece/4433/profile

  10. 10 mcud said at 4:24 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    @thunderlips

    There’s nothing that says Peterson CANT be traded. The Cards would simply need to sign him, then trade him. I think it would be frowned on by the league, but I dont think any one has said its explicitly against any rule.

  11. 11 nzflyer said at 4:45 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    I think our FBs we have are sufficient for our requirements this season. Two different types of players in Schmitt and Havili. I still think the Portis train could be a possiblity still if he passes a medical. He provides the extra blocking and is a bigger back to complement shady.

    DRC is looking like the most viable option for us, from both a team and business point of view. He fits the need(skill and age wise) at the right price. NA would be awesome no doubt, but teams have shown you don’t need the best CB to win a SB. Heck, you can have the best CB and a very solid CB(a la Jets) and not make the SB. Save the money, get DRC for his immediate impact and potential over the next few years.

  12. 12 Iskar36 said at 4:47 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    @mcud

    I don’t know that the league would necessarily frown on that trade, but wouldn’t signing Peterson and then trading him that year be a huge cap hit for the Cards? I doubt they would want to have to pay for that plus signing Kolb long-term. The Peterson for Kolb trade is a nice fantasy, but even if both teams wanted to do that trade, unless the new rookie pay-scale rules drop the rookie salary cap, the challenge it would create in terms of signing our rookies would be too great to make it feasible.

  13. 13 Sam said at 5:01 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    Regarding Peterson:

    * My prior point on the difficulties of trading him was based on the prior CBA. It may well be possible to deal him under the new rules, who knows.

    * That said, on draft day, the Cardinals could NOT have been taking him for the Eagles due to those pre-existing rules.

    * As a result, it is a total waste of time to talk about the possibility, as Tommy points out. There is no way the Cardinals are going to trade Peterson now. Is not happening. Not not not.

  14. 14 Iskar36 said at 5:10 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    @nzflyer

    Personally, I would love for us to get DRC. Cheap, young, and talented option that hopefully can solidify the CB position until Asante starts to decline. That being said,one concern I have, and I have mentioned this before, is the difference between getting a guy via FA versus getting a guy via trade. On top of the fact that we will have to use Kolb to trade for DRC and maybe a draft pick (instead of using Kolb for a higher draft pick), there will also be a difference in timing of the trade relative to the start of free agency.

    Most likely, this year, more than any other year, free agents will be signed incredibly fast in order to bring them in on time for training camp. A guy like NA is likely to be reported as heading to a team before 12:00 AM on the day FA starts. On top of that, Taylor, Joseph, etc will likely not be far behind. From the Eagles stand point, that will mean we have no other options beyond trading with Arizona.

    What happens under this dooms day scenario, then: The Eagles decide they want to go with DRC, and at the opening of FA, all the quality CBs we have discussed are signed to a team. Arizona, in the meantime, feel that it would be cheaper to sign Hasselbeck or start negotiating with Denver for Orton. That ends us left with having to be desperate and either lowering our asking price for Kolb in a trade with Arizona or scrambling for an alternative at CB which most likely would be another Patterson-type bandaid.

    I know the Cardinals are desperate for a QB, so that plays to our advantage, but Kolb is not the only option they have (although I think he is probably their best option). I just think that unless the Eagles have a hush hush deal already agreed upon before the start of FA, they will be playing a very risky game with DRC as their first option.

  15. 15 PK said at 5:12 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    Chaney as the WLB seems to make the most sense. Although I’ve read that the new scheme requires more instinctive LBs so I just wonder if Chaney can perform at the same level as he did with the old more “downhill” style. But i suppose we’ll give him the benefit of doubt for being a rookie last year and expect him to improve with his ability to read offences.

    I’m sure Clayton will be a pass rush specialist at the WLB, so maybe we’ll have Chaney in for 1st and 2nd. No idea how Rolle fits into all this…

  16. 16 Boyboy said at 5:16 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    I really can’t get excited about any potential Kolb trade. We traded out of the first round to take him, he’s hung around for 4 years, barely played and now we’re hoping to trade him for a CB and MAYBE a pick? I personally, don’t like the return on the investment considering we’ve been to the playoffs 3 times (and nearly the Super Bowl once) since drafting him and the pick we used on him could have possibly been used for someone who could have been contributing on the field this entire time.

    At this point, I think he has more value to us as a backup, especially given Vick’s susceptibility to injury. If we really think Marsh and/or Lindley are the future at CB for us, I’d rather overpay for Asomaugh or Ike Taylor now. If we’re really going all in for a Super Bowl, Asomaugh/Kolb make us a better team than DRC/Kafka.

    I don’t know…just my way of looking at it. PLUS, this still leaves the door open for Kolb to be our QB of the future…ya just never know at the QB position.

  17. 17 Tommy Lawlor said at 5:20 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    @ Iskar…

    You have raised a relevant point. Dealing for DRC better be done immediately. At the first sign of a major hiccup, you had best be able to shift to Plan B. The Cardinals are a strange organization so negotiating with them can be tricky. That said, they pulled off the Boldin trade last year without too much fanfare (as best I can recall).

    RE: Keenan Clayton

    I would expect him to be one of our 2 Nickel LBs. He should be a key STer. I’d like to see him compete for the WLB job as well. I don’t expect him to win it necessarily, but he needs to push Chaney or whoever is atop the depth chart to start the summer.

  18. 18 nzflyer said at 5:24 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    @iskar36

    Good valid points. I think what plays into our hands is the fact that Kolb is probably going to offer more than both Orton and Hasslebeck. Nothing against both of them cos they seem like stand up guys. But if the Cardinals persue Orton it will be his 3rd team. proving he could not make it work in two different environments already. Hasslebeck is on the wrong side of 30, been beaten up by D Linemen constantly and would likely put the Cardinals exactly where they are in 2-3 years either because he’s injured, not performing or retired.

    Kolb on the other hand is yonger, has only been on one team who was ready to anoint him the starter and only a concussion(which is not enough to call him injury prone or brittle as some may suggest that hasslebeck is). Aswell Kolb has shown the professionalism you want in a QB, didn’t complain cos he had to sit behind Dmac, didn’t complain cos he lost out to Vick because of unfortunate circumstance and freakish play by Vick. Im not saying Kolb is the second coming of Brady or will the story or Brees. But the cardinals would have to be delusional to think the other options are as promising as what Kolb could offer.

    What I see as the best scenario for a DRC 4 Kolb trade is that it is not a straight up trade, but rather a conditional pick thrown in with DRC(as many other people have suggested).

    And just as a side note, I think the deal was made a long time ago.

  19. 19 nzflyer said at 5:52 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    Looking at blogginthebeast.com, it has the 2012 picks. Don’t know how reliable that is. But it showing we have 3 6th rounders. If necessary to sweeten the pot for the Cardinals, how would a trade of Kolb plus our lowest 6th rounder for DRC and a conditional 4th rounder(increase to 3rd round if they make the playoffs) sound ?

    That would leave both teams with the same amount of picks, but we would potentially get a 3rd round, and if that is the case that means that Kolb panned out how Arizona wanted and gave them a QB who can play.

  20. 20 iskar36 said at 6:17 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    @nzflyer

    I fully agree with the fact that Kolb vs. Orton vs. Hasslebeck, Kolb wins. The question really is how big of a difference do the Cardinals see between those guys. At some point, the cost of trading for Kolb outweighs the difference between Kolb and the other two QBs. In other words, it could be that the Cardinals feel that keeping DRC and trading a mid round pick for Orton gives them a better chance to win than trading DRC + a 3rd rounder for Kolb (which could be what the Eagles insist on). The point is, if DRC is plan A, the Eagles likely will not be left with a plan B option if it doesn’t work out.

    That all being said, I have to imagine at least some of these discussions have happened behind closed doors, both with the Cardinals and any priority FA targets they may have at CB. I would be very surprised/extremely concerned if we don’t know who our starting two corners are by the end of the first day or two of FA.

  21. 21 Thunderlips said at 6:36 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    @iskar36

    Hopefully trades will be allowed during the few days before FA starts when teams can resign their own players. If not, I would be very concerned. Once the top few FA CB’s sign, we loose all our leverage.

  22. 22 nzflyer said at 6:48 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    @iskar

    I think if the FO need to be aggresive, letting Arizona know from the get go(if a deal isn’t already in place) that they can organise a trade with us for DRC or risk us getting a RCB in free agency and then the offer is off the table. That puts it back on Arizona. DRC is not the make or break of our season, there are other viable options. We could get DRC or we could get JJ or NA, who are as good if not better(NA is better for sure). Whereas Arizona can either buck up and pay the price for Kolb even if it is a little overinflated or they can go down the road of orton(not a long term plan, proven that playoffs are beyond his reach) and hasslebeck(who may break if touched.lol)

    No guts, No glory. Put it out there. They don’t bite. We’ll live. Will they ?

  23. 23 nzflyer said at 6:50 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    cancel the if* at the beginning of that last post. lol

  24. 24 nzflyer said at 7:06 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    also. Don’t dis-count the input of Larry Fitzgerald. He has openly said he would welcome Kolb. How will that impact his upcoming contract negotiations(apparently he’s close to the end of his current contract) if the FO don’t make a push to help the team become better. If Orton goes to Arizona, the cardinals will look eerily(spell check) similar to the Broncos of 2010. Pieces here and there, a running game that is average, one real receiver….and the same QB. That is not an upgrade. Restart with Kolb, re-sign Larry Fitz, use FA wisely and then the only reason they look stupid is if a player doesn’t pan out, not because they failed to make a move that genuinely attempted to improve the team.

  25. 25 3five7 said at 7:07 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    The free agency timeline:
    – Kolb for DRC and conditional pick traded on day one
    – Charles Johnson signed within first two days of free agency
    – Cadillac Williams signed on day four
    – Plaxico on day five
    ….and on the sixth day Howie Roseman looked at what was done and said it was good
    – on the seventh day Andy Reid rested

  26. 26 nzflyer said at 7:10 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    @3five7

    AGREE AGREE AGREE.

    Cadillac or Portis on Day Four
    and Day 5.. Plaxico? I wouldn’t mind it
    but I’d rather add another DL or LB and let Riley Cooper prove his worth.

  27. 27 3five7 said at 7:24 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    @NZflyer

    I would have added fat Al in here but I think the Redskins organization are dumb enough to actually hold on to him.

    As far as LB, I would absolutely welocme a nice new addition, but I am really not that down on our LB corps as every one else seems to be. Obvioulsy Sims didnt work out for us, so he will walk, but Fokou/Stew/Chaney sounds good to me (yeah i fully expect us to resign Stew) if Fokou isnt the answer then fine everyone shifts down a little and Clayton steps into the WILL … and the LBs look like Stew/Chaney/Clayton. .. and I am fine with that too. We got good LBs they were just lost in the system last year trying to think too much. We drafted a couple pretty nice looking players too so we will be fine there I think…. but that being said, a new toy never hurt… well unless we get a new toy like the Sims (no)action figure we bought last year.

  28. 28 mcud said at 7:24 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    I just think that saying one of the “pros” with regard to trading for DRC is that he is “cheap” is short-sighted. DRC is going to be very expensive. They’re going to re-sign him to a new contract, probably immediately. They won’t, and shouldn’t wait. Would Arizona let Kolb play out his contract? No, they’ll re-sign him to a new deal immediately. He’ll be cheaper right now after a down year than he will be in 2012 after a successful 2011. And if the Eagles aren’t completely convinced that he’ll bounce back to being a Pro Bowl level player, then they shouldn’t be trading Kevin Kolb for him in the first place.

    So if you want to argue that Nnamdi is going to be more expensive, then that’s fine, because it’s true. However, the reality is that Nnamdi is going to be extremely expensive, and DRC is “only” going to be expensive.

    My last point is one I hesitate to even write, but I’ll put it out there: I think Kevin Kolb is going to fall flat on his face. I think with Andy, Kevin could be a playoff type QB, perhaps even manage his way to a Super Bowl. I have nowhere near that level of faith in Kevin when you remove the west coast system, and more specifically, Andy Reid, from the equation. Or, what if Kolb really is that good, and simply gets hurt?

    Four scenarios for Kolb in Arizona:

    1. Kolb plays great. Goes deep into playoffs.
    2. Kolb plays okay, and Arizona is mediocre.
    3. Kolb is a bust.
    4. Kolb gets hurt.

    Fast forward to next April. WORST case scenario, Nnamdi is a bust, but we’d have two 1st round picks (#30 and #32), which is plenty of ammo to move up in a very, very high-end CB class. BEST case, we’re looking at a possible top 10 pick (if Kolb either sucks or gets hurt). Where do you want to be?

    The one thing in all of this that I would bet on is that Nnamdi isn’t going to become some JAG, or even merely an average player, in one offseason.

    Sam, I’d be interested to read what you think happens to our future if we sign Nnamdi. Regardless of how he plays, does his contract (even a 4 for 60 one) really and truly cripple us?

  29. 29 nzflyer said at 7:46 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    @mcud

    My argument(not sure if you were referring to me) that it is just cost based reasoning for acquiring DRC and not NA is actually only part of the argument. The impact of having to sign NA to a very lucrative contract plus a signing bonus puts us in a tough spot to re-sign players like desean, shady and maclin. They will want bigger contracts seeing that. I think if the team re-sign DRC it will be after the first year he plays with us. Get a feel for him, if he shines we pay him accordingly, if not we can always let him go with the knowledge that it was risk that had more positives then negatives involved and the cookie just crumbled a different way than expected. I’m not sure what the next CB class is gonna look like, but if it’s as thin as this years(Petersen and Prince and then nothing) then I don’t want to wait on that risk.

    I’m not saying DRC or Bust. I’d love NA. But I just don’t think we fork out that amount of dollars,. We pay big for him now, we pay big again later for our re-signings.

  30. 30 mcud said at 8:16 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    @NZ

    Not directed at you specifically. And by the way, welcome to the blog. You’ve got good thoughts. Keep posting.

    I cannot believe the Eagles would trade for DRC and not try to immediately sign an extension. You don’t trade a “franchise QB” for a CB you aren’t absolutely sure of. If you aren’t sure about DRC, you take the picks.

    I’ve written this before, but agents are going to know what Nnamdi gets whether its here or not. DeSean’s contract is going to be measured against WRs. Obviously the same goes for Maclin, who isn’t due for a new contract for another three years anyway, at which point somebody else’s contract is going to set the market, not Nnamdi’s. LeSean is going to be expensive no matter what, and the contracts that is going to be most influential in that regard haven’t been signed yet (Chris Johnson, Adrian Petersen).

    Not worried about the young guys. The guy that is going to be pissed off (if we sign Nnamdi OR trade for DRC) is going to be Trent Cole. And rightfully so.

  31. 31 mcud said at 8:18 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    Note – I’m not saying Trent will be pissed about us getting a great and expensive CB. He’ll be pissed about his own contract if it isn’t re-negotiated. In case I wasn’t clear…

  32. 32 McG said at 8:23 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    Oh the agony of the waiting game!

    And yet… it is fun to come up with all these different theories as to how things will eventually play out.

    @ mcud… the writing is on the wall. Nnamdi is going to Tampa Bay. They are reportedly 59 million below the projected cap, and may be required to spend 50 million just to get up to the required minimum. Enter the Asomugha contract, shoring up their secondary and solving part of their cap “issue” simultaneously. It makes so much sense I can hardly see it playing out any other way… Plus Aso then gets to play for a team that is potentially on the cusp of the playoffs and against some more interesting QBs than he is used to…lol

  33. 33 McG said at 8:26 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    @ mcud… you made a point that I haven’t brought up in awhile… it’s time to get my main man Trent Cole a pay day. Let’s make that happen this off season too please!

  34. 34 nzflyer said at 8:43 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    @mcud

    Thanks, I’ll definitely keep posting, I think I may possibly be the most passionate supporter of NFL in general in all of New Zealand. hah

    Back to the re-signings. Trent Cole is going to be a tricky one. If he is a flop in the wide 9 this year (which is highly, highly unlikely), what do we do? that’s just a random scenario I thought of. But yeah, his contract negotiations are going to be tough no matter what happens, he has been underpaid for a long time.

    I understand about WR contracts being compared to WR contracts. But depending how you look at it, you can avoid a CB much easier than negating the impact of a WR. CBs you can throw away from or run the ball, as proven by NA for the last few years. But in a team like ours, Deseans value just by being on the field is extraordinary. Other teams can double team him all they want, but in doing so leave open so much field to Maclin, Celek and Shady(who can catch and run just as good as most no.2 receivers). Add to that Djax returning ability and big play ability(two very different things) and we got ourselves a superstar who wants rockstar money. I hope it never gets to that, but we never know.

    I think abit of the money saved on DRC could go towards other things like re-signing Cole.

    Being completely honest, the options available for CB, I’m not overly fussed who we get. NA,JJ or DRC or even Ike. Im abit iffy on Rodgers, well, more than abit. But we have options. Now it’s more a matter of preference and fit(scheme,ability, age,money and team wise) .

  35. 35 Iowa Ealges said at 10:22 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    Something still tells me that the Eagles will trade for someone we didn’t expect and picks like that one reporter had tweeted. Then they sign Joseph… just a feeling, the FO is always throwing curve balls..

  36. 36 Dean said at 10:37 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    Stewart Bradley is going to be 28 years old halfway during the season. If he takes a one year deal, will the Eagles re-sign him to a long term deal even if he plays as well as he did on 08? If I were Stew’s agent, I would shop around and look for a 4 year 20 million contract.

  37. 37 D3Keith said at 10:39 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    I don’t agree that you have to re-sign DRC right away. You don’t want to trade Kolb for him and lose him after two seasons, sure, but you have some time to let him set his value by either playing well after a bad 2010 or not. I think even his agent would rather he sign coming off a great 2011. Plus the Eagles have set the precedent of not re-doing deals until the final year.

    There are several in line ahead for new deals anyway … Vick, Jackson and perhaps Cole.

    The doomsday scenario above, where all the FA corners sign quickly and the Eagles are left with a de-valued negotiating postion … well, one, I think the Eagles have probably thought of that. Two, the 3-day window for their own guys, I’m sure they’ll be getting their ducks in a row then so they can pull the trigger when necessary.

    I think they actually might be able to use it to their advantage — knowing that Arizona is open to a DRC/Kolb deal, they can feel out Nnamdi’s agent and his price without getting sucked into a bidding war.

    Let’s also not forget the appeal of coming to play for the Eagles — a clear contender — for the CBs at or approaching 30. Rogers has voiced an interest, Taylor would seem to want to land here. Nothing has come out of the NA camp but us, Dallas, Baltimore and Houston are always the ones linked.

  38. 38 D3Keith said at 10:41 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    @Dean,
    I’m sure Stew will shop around for more years, because if he flops this year, he could have trouble finding a job.

    That said, would *you* give him a long-term offer? I think the market is going to be one-year deals, and that’s probably what the Birds will offer in the three-day window, and Stew will have the opportunity to play his way into a big payday. It’s bad business to sign after a bad year unless you aren’t confident there’ll be another good one.

  39. 39 tball said at 11:50 PM on July 19th, 2011:

    Mr. Lawlor:

    Does John Skelton’s skillset and last years pro tape (should you have perused) intrigue you as possible return part in this supposed trade package? Big, Strong arm, not best accuracy or field vision (sound mcfamiliar)

    I ask b/c you had a fairly favorable impression of him in your writeup leading up to 2010 draft.

  40. 40 Tommy Lawlor said at 12:18 AM on July 20th, 2011:

    @ tball…

    Interesting question. John has the arm to play in our offense, but I’m not sure he’s got the kind of mobility we like in a QB. Marty and another coach checked him out in person, but I don’t know what their evaluation was. We obviously picked Mike Kafka so at the least that means we liked Mike more than Skelton.

    I think we’ll have Vick as #1, Kafka as #3, and a veteran as the backup. More on who that might be in an upcoming post.

  41. 41 GermanEagle said at 4:51 AM on July 20th, 2011:

    Tommy

    I “could” live with DRC “straight up” for Kolb but only if the Eagles spend the saved money in at least one big Free Agent fish (by the way I don’t think the Eagles will and have to resign DRC to a long-term deal straight away).

    Speaking of big fish: the more I think about the more I want Charles Johnson. He is young and still got his best years ahead of him. Him and Cole would be a nice DE duo causing havoc for years to come!

    And if the Eagles can somehow get Fat Al as well, this D-line should cause wet dreams to everyone:

    CJ – Fat Al – Dixon – Cole

    Throw in DRC at RCB and Q or another veteran insurance at SS and the Eagles defense shall soar again.

  42. 42 MegaLinky – July 20, 2011 – Osi Umenyiora. Jerry Reese. Promises will be broken in… “The Contract.” – Blogging the bEast said at 9:12 AM on July 20th, 2011:

    […] Lawlor of IgglesBlitz says Disco Stew and his agent are in for a rude awakening if they think they’re getting a long term deal from Philly.  I actually think they’ll […]

  43. 43 Shahab said at 2:33 PM on July 20th, 2011:

    I think the best/fastest lineup would be Clayton, Chaney, Bradley, with Clayton at weakside, Chaney in the middle and bradley moving back to the strong side.

  44. 44 Patrick said at 6:46 PM on July 20th, 2011:

    Tommy thanks for discussing Weaver for me. If it is nerve damage, then I completely understand why he would not be playing. I also have nerve damage in my leg and foot and am using a walker and cane along with many braces to even walk at a slow pace. If Weaver is even any where close to this then his career may very well be over. Very sad thing to hear, I liked him a lot.

  45. 45 ian no 2 said at 11:43 AM on July 21st, 2011:

    “But, more importantly, Somers notes that Wisenhunt doesn’t believe anyone on the Cardinals roster is “untouchable” when it comes to making a deal.

    “Of course, that’s what everyone usually says when discussing the possibility of making a blockbuster deal. But it’s also indicative of just how badly the Cardinals need a quarterback.

    “And exactly why Kolb’s practically already pencilled on on the Arizona depth chart.”
    http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/22475988/30763490

    None of us know of course whether Peterson is a possibility, but I just wanted to pass this on.. Peterson for Kolb would be a double whammy cost savings for AZ — they get DRC’s older salary vs. PP’s + Orton costs 8 million more than Kolb next year; the free agent CBs are going to want money. The best deals are often the one that experts didn’t think possible. Did Heckert say “I’m not going to get all those picks from Atlanta?” Hell no!

    Also, DRC had the most penalties last year to go with the most missed tackles. I realize he’s fast and a former Pro Bowler, but you’re trading the bluest of blue chips for someone else’s problem. Coaches can’t change a player too much.. in his third year he didn’t have the fire to improve himself that you need to win titles.

    The appeal to DRC would be precisely *not* reupping his contract for at least a year.. the ability to pay 4 mil a year the next two years and see how he and Lindley, Marsh, and Hughes develop before making a decision.

    I like any of those FA CBs and the best picks for Kolb. Keeping Kolb, franchising him next year, and trading him then can be on the table if you don’t get picks you want. The circumstances should never force you to make a bad deal. Miami may be AJ Feeley-shy but maybe Oakland will enter the picture along with the NFC West teams.

  46. 46 ian no 2 said at 11:45 AM on July 21st, 2011:

    meant “the free agent QBs are going to want money.”