Private Workouts

We'll have to wait to see whether this will matter come draft day, but NFL.com is reporting that the Eagles have a couple of private workouts set up with Texas A&M WR Terrence Murphy and UNLV LB Adam Seward. Seward is supposedly a "hot" pick moving up draft boards after running sub 4.6 40-yard times at the recent Scouting Combine. Here's more of what NFL.com says about each after his respective Pro Day workout:

"Murphy worked out at the combine. In College Station, he ran the short shuttle in 3.93 seconds, the three-cone drill in 7.08 and the long shuttle in 11.41. He had a 41-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot-8 broad jump."

"Seward (6-2¼, 248) probably worked himself into a second-round pick. He just did positional workouts, choosing to stand on his combine numbers, which was unbelieveably fast times (4.56 in the 40-yard dash)."

You can find more info on each from NFLDraftCountdown.com here and here.

Miscellany

With the main free agent-signing thrust over and the draft still three weeks away, we're definitely in one of the dog-day periods for Eagles coverage (the next coming after the draft and before the june 1 cuts). Still, I'll try to scrape together whatever I can find related to the Birds in the meantime.

1) Pro Football Weekly's Trent Modglin lists the odds for the next Super Bowl winner from Harrah's in Las Vegas. Both the Eagles and the Patriots top the list at 4-1. The next NFC teams are Atlanta and Carolina, both at 12-1. Don't be surprised if the Panthers are indeed back in the hunt, as they were just decimated by injuries and still almost snuck into the playoffs with a late-season rally. Blame the usual Favre-myopia for Green Bay having 15-to-1 odds while Minnesota is 20-to-1. Yes, the Viking lost Randy Moss, but they improved on defense and can grab Mike Williams with their first-round pick to make up for the Moss loss. There's no strong reason not to think the Pats can't defend their title again, and if they somehow slide, there's no strong reason not to think the Eagles won't have the best chance in the NFC to be back in the Bowl.

2) Lest you think those four compensatory picks the Birds grabbed for the upcoming draft for their free agent losses are just late-round throwaways, ESPN.com's Len Pasquerelli runs down some of the more notable players drafted with compensatory picks (including Tom Brady and Hines Ward) as well as noting that about 10 percent of the Ravens' roster were compensatory picks. Unfortunately, late-round picks in the Andy Reid have rarely panned out (click here for the team's entire--and often ignominious--draft history), though A.J. Feeley, Dexter Wynn, and Raheem Brock are notable exceptions (even if Brock has made a name playing for the Colts after the Eagles ran out of money to sign him).

3) Last, but certainly not least, Sportingnews.com/Foxsports.com's Dan Pompei mentions the Eagles' success at draft not for immediate need but for future insurance against free agent losses. He's right to assume the Eagles will probably pick an RB early, in part to have someone in place in case the team can't sign Brian Westbrook to a long-term deal before the next off-season. Of course, he can't help but get in a cheap shot at Eagles fans while making his point:

"If the Eagles plan to choose a running back with their first pick in the draft -- say, Florida's Ciatrick Fason -- the Philadelphia riot squad should be notified several picks in advance. Or at the very least, the team's community relations staff should head to the team's draft day party armed with ballistic shields, stun guns and mace, as well as balloons, banners and party mix."

The allusion, of course, is to a group of Eagles fans booing the selection of Donovan McNabb over Ricky Williams in the 1999 draft, an image that we'll never get over (much like booing Santa Claus) if the national media can help it. But we know better. Many, if not most, of us knew a franchise QB was more important than a running back, and cringed when the boos emanated from Madison Square Garden after the pick. Still, we're saddled with the rep that the whole fan base didn't want McNabb, and we'll be reminded of that at every possible occasion. Don't you wish the rest of us got some equal time to refute this? The Santa Claus happened before I was born, and frankly, I don't mind if that got us the surly reputation. But being lumped in with some short-sighted fans continues to irritate me again and again.

Interesting Tidbit

In his Inside Dish column, Sportingnews.com's Dan Pompeii leads off with a blurb about where that rumor about the Eagles being interested in Plaxico Burress may have started:

"One player who didn't want to see free-agent WR Plaxico Burress sign with the Giants last week was Eagles QB Donovan McNabb. In fact, McNabb gave Burress a plug with Eagles coaches in the hopes Philadelphia would sign the former Steeler.

McNabb and Burress have a long-standing relationship that dates back to their days as basketball players. They also have hung around at Pro Bowls and even spent time together during a game delay caused by an electrical storm last preseason.

Burress and Terrell Owens would have been a dynamic combination for McNabb and the Eagles, and coach Andy Reid was interested in Burress. Reid was not interested in making the kind of financial commitment the Giants made, however."

So the idea that the Birds would have been interested in Burress for maybe a one-year deal might have had some legs after all. While it would have made sense for the Eagles (another big target, insurance if Owens is injured again), it would have made little sense to Burress, which is why he was smart enough to fire his old agent and have his new one make nice with the Giants.

In any event, with so many draft picks in the early rounds, hopefully the Eagles will draft someone another wideout that could start in the slot and work up to being more than a one-dimensional #2 receiver (cough, Pinkston, cough).

Speaking of which, I don't quite get this idea of compensating teams for losing free agents, since they lose them because: a) they don't want them anymore, b) they screwed up their cap space enough so they can't keep them, or c) they're too cheap to match a competing offer. But despite the fact we don't really deserve them, I'm quite happy we received a bunch of them for the upcoming draft. In case you haven't heard, the Eagles snagged four picks for the loss of free agents--one in the fifth, one in the sixth, and two in the seventh. Granted, the team hasn't done great drafting in the later rounds overall, but a late-round pick becoming a star happens enough that you can't dismiss these as throwaway picks. Plus, it gives me more reason to watch day two of the draft.

Keith Adams Re-Signs

The Eagles Web site has just reported that back-up linebacker/special teams ace Keith Adams has re-signed with the team, but only for a single year. The length of the contract is a bit surprising, as he may well have been offered longer deals with other clubs. Nevertheless, it keeps him in the fold, offering the Birds not only a chance to work on a longer-term deal with him--especially if he winds up starting next season--but also to draft an OLB this April and start grooming him in case Adams bolts after the 2005 season.

Mock-ing the Birds

Since we're drawing about a month away from the 2005 draft, I thought it was time to check again around the Web to see what draft "experts" were predicting for the Eagles' picks. In addition to the selections, I've included any commentary added with the prediction.

Mel Kiper, ESPN.com
1st Round--Jerome Mathis, WR, Hampton
"Played at the Division I-AA level in college but showed at the Gridiron Classic and the combine he belongs with the big boys. He dominated Hampton's playoff game this season and was the best player on the field at the Gridiron thanks to his overall athleticism."

Clark Judge, Sportsline.com
1st Round--Demarcus Ware, DE/OLB, Troy State
"Eagles never pass up quality pass rushers; could become outside linebacker. "

Pete Prisco, Sportsline.com
1st Round--Daryl Blackstock, LB, Virginia
"They need a playmaker on the edge, and Blackstock has that type of ability."

Don Banks, SportsIllustrated.com
1st Round--Demarcus Ware, DE/OLB, Troy State
"The Eagles could still draft receiving help for No. 1 pass-catcher Terrell Owens, but signing Plaxico Burress would also accomplish that goal. Ware is a bit of a project, but could generate some edge rush from DE or LB."

Sportingnews.com
1st Round--Marcus Spears, DE, LSU
(Posted last week; slightly outdated analysis)
"With five Day 1 picks and an extra in the fifth round, the Eagles might trade up for a shot at a top wide receiver such as USC's Mike Williams or Oklahoma's Mark Clayton. If they stay here, they might need to target an end if Derrick Burgess leaves as a free agent. Spears lacks big-time speed but uses his size (6-4, 295) and power to burst into the backfield."

OurLads.com
1st Round--Roddy White, WR, Alabama-Birmingham

NFLDraftCountdown.com
1st Round--Daryl Blackstock, LB, Virginia
"With both Nate Wayne and Ike Reese out of the picture the team certainly needs to rebuild the depth of their linebacking corps so this would be a nice pick for them. Blackstock, who some have compared to Lawrence Taylor, is a tall, rangy and athletic player who excels at blitzing and getting after the quarterback, which would make him a perfect fit in Jim Johnson's scheme. He is far from a polished all-around player but in this situation he would be allowed to develop and only play in situational roles where he will have some success as a 3rd down pass rusher. "

2nd Round--Kevin Burnett, OLB, Tennessee
"A tremendous athlete with range who will add depth to a linebacking corp in great need of it."
2nd Round--Eric Shelton, RB, Louisville
"A solid backup to Brian Westbrook is needed since Correll Buckhalter can't seem to stay healthy."

3rd Round--Terrence Murphy, WR, Texas A&M
"Todd Pinkston is wearing out his welcome and Freddie Mitchell's bark is much worse than his bite."
3rd Round--Corey Webster, CB, LSU
"A tremendous value pick who will help rebuild the depth after losing Taylor and Vincent a year ago."

DraftKing.com
1st Round--Anttaj Hawthorne, DT, Wisconsin

DraftAce.com
1st Round--Barrett Ruud, ILB, Nebraska
"Ruud has excellent size and speed and has been very productive at Nebraska. Even though Trotter is back, he is aging and won't play much more than 2 more years. Ruud can give him a rest, while training under him."

2nd Round--Mark Clayton, WR, Oklahoma
"The Eagles simply need someone to take pressure off T.O."
2nd Round--Logan Mankins, G, Fresno State

"Shawn Andrews could move to right tackle with Mankins inside."

Tim Sabatk, ProFootballDraft.com
1st Round--Shawne Merriman, DE/OLB, Maryland
2nd Round--Vernard Morency, RB, Oklahoma State
2nd Round--Lance Mitchell, LB, Oklahoma
3rd Round--Steve Savoy, WR, Utah
3rd Round--Adell Duckett, DE, Texas Tech

InsidetheEagles.com
1st Round--Elton Brown, G, Virginia
"Strong guy with an imposing build. Can pull and lead block with the best of guards. Solid blocker who gets his body in the proper position. A force in the middle."

2nd Round--Channing Crowder, ILB, Florida
2nd Round--Ciatrick Fason, RB, Florida

Under Burress?

In the where there's smoke, is there fire department, the chatter about former Steelers wideout Plaxico Burress signing with the Eagles continues on. The Philadelphia Inquirer's Bob Brookover continued to report on the latest developments over the weekend (i.e., none) , but more intriguing is Sports Illustrated's Peter King in his Monday Morning Quarterback column quipping that:

"[Burress'] next step may be a one-year deal with Philadelphia, to position himself better for free agency in 2006. Now there's a bright move. Raise your stock by playing second-fiddle to Terrell Owens and catching 46 balls."

On the surface, none of this adds up. Do the Birds really want to rent Burress for a year when they can draft a wideout to groom for the long-term? If Burress felt upstaged by Hines Ward in Pittsburgh, how's he going to feel being in T.O.'s considerably larger shadow?

Since there's been no official word on the Eagles having any interest in the receiver, the only thing I can surmise, if there is interest, is that the team would want some insurance in case Owens gets injured again or suffers a setback in his current recovery. Burress is already a known quantity and a similarly big target.

Burress fired his agent over the weekend, a wise move considering he walked away from a solid offer from the Giants, as well as refused to make a deal with the Vikings, where he would replace Randy Moss as the main target. Has Burress burned enough bridges that the Eagles would be one of just a limited number of suitors, or can his new superagent Drew Rosenhaus mend things for the petulant receiver?

Mike McMahon Inks 2-Year Deal

News this morning from the Eagles Web site that former Lions backup QB Mike McMahon has signed a two-year deal with the Birds. As I mentioned in yesterday's post (see below), this signing may signal the end for Koy Detmer as the second-string QB. While Detmer knows the offense well, he isn't as physically gifted as McMahon, who's a couple of inches taller and more mobile.

***************

There's still an air of mystery surrounding J.R. Reed's leg injury, which could be career-threatening. Though the laceration occurred nearly two weeks ago, the Eagles' first statement about it came just yesterday, and, according to the Philadelphia Daily News, that was only because "rumors about Reed's mishap were beginning to circulate among the media." According to the paper, the thinking was that revealing the injury make public the team's need for a backup safety and tip off other teams come draft day.

For what it's worth, Michael Barkann, host of Comcast SportsNet's "Daily News Live" show, said on last night's episode that he had heard Reed was being chased by a dog when he tried to jump over a fence and injured himself. Barkann then made a joke about it immediately after it, so it's difficult to gauge how serious he was about the information, but I haven't seen any details on exactly why Reed was jumping over a fence to begin with.

Mike McMahon to Visit; J.R. Reed Injured

The Eagles Web site has two pieces of news this afternoon. First, Lions QB (and Rutgers alum) Mike McMahon will be visiting. He would presumably compete with Koy Detmer to be Donovan McNabb's backup. McMahon is more physically gifted than Detmer, but hasn't seen a lot of playing time since Detroit picked Joey Harrington with their first pick of the 2002 draft. In Detroit, McMahon was previously coached by Eagles assistant head coach Marty Mornhinweg, and, as the Birds site points out, has familiarity with the West Coast offense. Signing McMahon could free up a draft pick the Eagles could have spent in the upcoming draft on a rookie QB to groom.

Worse news comes from Tampa, where J.R. Reed severly injured his leg. While jumping over a fence (!), the Eagles backup safety and kick returner cut the back of his knee seriously enough to damage the peroneal nerve, which the Eagles site says “affects the use of his lower leg and foot.” There are no details about the length of rehabilitation Reed would need, but he has already undergone exploratory surgery and is under the care of a Baltimore-based doctor.

Ike Reese Signs with the Falcons

The Eagles Web site and with Comcast SportsNet are reporting that Ike Reese has signed a four-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons. No other terms are available. Not only a special teams standout and a fine nickel linebacker, Reese was also one of the more visible and likable Eagles. Will this increase the Birds pressure to re-sign Keith Adams, a similar smallish LB/special teams dynamo? According to Comcast SportsNet, Adams is planning a few upcoming visits to other clubs. When Adams slotted in for Simoneau at outside backer in the playoffs, you got the sense that Adams may have more of a future with the team than Reese did, but we'll see how it plays out over the next few days.

We'll Call You

Apparently, Plaxico Burress' agent is claiming the Eagles as having potential interest in the free-agent WR. The Philadelphia Daily News reports that the rumor surfaced on the NFL Network, but that the Birds brass has no official comment. The Trenton Times confirms that the team hasn't been the party expressing interest:

"According to a team source, Burress' agent, Michael Harrison, called the Eagles; the Eagles did not call Harrison.

It would not be a stretch to think the agent is using the Eagles' name to get more money for his client, who has - surprisingly - gotten very little interest."

Given Burress' inconsistency and problem-child rep entering the league, it may not be so surprising based on his salary demands--including a $10 million signing bonus, according to the Daily News. Of course, the idea of another huge target for Donovan McNabb to throw will have fans salivating, but I'm not sure Burress would be happy feeling even more like was a second option than he was with Hines Ward in Pittsburgh. What the team really needs is a better slot receiver than Freddie Mitchell, which could come for much cheaper via other free agents or from a draft pick.

Though he cancelled a visit on Monday to the Giants due to the flu, according to his agent, Burress is supposed to meet with them today. That team needs a high-profile wideout much more than the Eagles, so it'll be interesting to see if those sides can hammer out a deal.

Bell Now Not Tolling?

The Philadelphia Inquirer's Bob Brookover is now reporting that Kendrell Bell will not be paying a visit to the Linc tonight, now that Jeremiah Trotter is back in the fold. Apparently thinking Trotter would sign with the Chiefs, the team had called Bell as its backup plan, but that plan is no longer needed, Brookover writes.

Also according to Brookover, it appears Trotter finally decided to return during a second physical exam with the Bengals--perhaps he sensed concerns about his knees were going to dog him throughout visits with other teams.

Trotter Signs!!!

Not many details, but the Eagles Web site has announced that Trotter has come to terms with the team on a five-year deal. Updates when available. Will Kendrell Bell still visit (see immediate post below) and, if so, would he be considered as an outside linebacker possibility? Again, if I hear anything, I'll post it.

[[UPDATE]]

ESPN.com's Len Pasquerelli has more details on the signing:

"Trotter tested the unrestricted free agent market for three days, visited with the Kansas City Chiefs and drew interest from at least two other teams, and then Friday afternoon rejected a more lucrative proposal to go back to the Eagles, a team for which he has a strong passion.

Sources close to Trotter acknowledged that it would have taken a tremendous offer to pry him away from the Eagles. On Thursday night, Trotter spoke by phone with Eagles coach Andy Reid, and that all but sealed his return.

The seven-year veteran will sign a five-year contract worth $15 million and including a signing bonus of $4 million....

Trotter was actually visiting with Cincinnati Bengals officials on Friday when he made up his mind to accept the Philadelphia offer."

That must have been some pitch the Bengals were making...

Ringing the Bell?

While Jeremiah Trotter has met with the Chiefs and may visit elsewhere, it appears the Eagles have started planning for a Trot-less future. According to Philadelphia Inquirer Eagles beat writer Bob Brookover, the Birds plan to have Steelers' LB Kendrell Bell in for a visit today. Bell had a groin injury for most of the 2004 season, but that appears to be of potentially less concern to the Birds than Trotter's knees. History suggests that once a free agent visit Philadelphia, he doesn't usually leave without being signed. If that's the case, the Eagles may be indicating a shift in its philosophy regarding the linebacker spot. The received wisdom is that the team values the linebacker position less than other positions and, in the past, has tended to see 'backers as interchangeable parts. Trotter's impact on the Eagles run defense last year, however, may have jolted the brass out of that reasoning. Bell is similarly sized to Trotter--i.e., much bigger than Mark Simoneau--and, if healthy, could perform comparably. So another day of endlessly checking and rechecking the Eagles Web site...

Brookover's article also mentions that the team is beginning negotiations with Keith Adams about re-signing with the team. Whereas the higher profile Ike Reese has had several teams contact him about visiting, according to Reuben Frank, I haven't heard of any other visits that Adams has planned yet. Perhaps Friday, then, will bring more exciting news than yesterday, when backups Correll Buckhalter and Hugh Douglas's re-signings were announced.

Correll Buckhalter Re-signs

After a day of visiting the Eagles Web site upwards of 20 times, I've finally spotted some news--though details aren't provided, the team has announced that it's re-signed RB Correll Buckhalter. With two severe injuries in the span of three years, Buckhalter had little market value, so the move makes sense on his end. I imagine the deal was an inexpensive one for the Birds, who get some depth at running back if he comes back from his latest. I doubt this would prevent the team from drafting a back fairly high in April, since Brian Westbrook's other backfield mates are either near retirement (Dorsey Levens) or negligible talents (Reno Mahe, Eric McCoo). I'll keep hitting the refresh button on my Web browser so you won't have to...

No Signs

That eerie silence coming from the Linc means that the Eagles inked none of their own free agents before the midnight deadline when they hit the free market. The screams coming from the rest of Eagles country indicate the displeasure and anxiety over the fact that the Birds and Jeremiah Trotter didn't agree to terms and, as the Philadelphia Daily News' Les Bowen puts it, "When Eagles starters become free agents, sometimes talks continue, but the team doesn't tend to dramatically boost its offers." The Philadelphia Inquirer's Bob Brookover is equally ominous: "The Eagles have tried for two days to get in touch with [Trotter's agent Jimmy] Sexton, but as of 8 o'clock last night the agent had not returned their phone calls." (However, Mark Eckel of the Trenton Times counters that "there were serious talks with linebackers Jeremiah Trotter and Keith Adams throughout the day and into the night"; the Burlington County Times' Reuben Frank also reports that talks were continuing yesterday.)

In other words, Trotter very well may be gone--again. Bowen speculates as to why the team brass isn't as enamored with the MLB as many fans are:

"But Eagles officials never have seemed as emphatic as their fans about the difference between Trotter and Mark Simoneau, the 2003 starting middle linebacker who was moved to the weakside at midseason to get Trotter back into the lineup. When assessing Trotter's value, they note that he doesn't play on passing downs, and that he suffered a serious knee injury playing for the Redskins in 2002."

I'm still really puzzled by what the Eagles officials see in Simoneau, who barely seems effective on either running or passing downs, getting engulfed by blockers too easily and often fooled on play action. He may know the defense better than Trotter, but he sure doesn't play better in it.

If Trotter does get away, Bowen mentions the speculation that the Eagles may go after Ravens' linebacker Edgerton Hartwell or select an inside linebacker high in the draft. They would at least be addressing the position while steering away from Trotter's past knee problems. But if the defense winds up without a different middle linebacker than Simoneau come opening day, there's a lot of explaining that will need to be done.

(Incidentally, Mike Labinjo has some definite promise, as he showed himself to always be around the ball in the preseason and when activated and put on special teams late in the season, but whether that can translate into him competing for a starting job remains to be seen.)