Preseason schedule announced
The NFL has announced it’s preseason schedule this afternoon and the Eagles will have a nationally televised game in week 2.
Many of the exact dates haven’t been announced but the Eagles open the season with a visit from Jacksonville. Week 2 the Eagles travel to play the Bengals August 20th in an 8:00pm EST game televised on FOX.
Kansas City comes in for week 3 and the eagles wrap up the preseason at home against the Jets.
Gaither re-signed
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While fellow Eagles LB Chris Gocong might be traded, the Eagles today announced that LB Omar Gaither has signed a one year deal to return with Philadelphia for the 2010 season. Gaither, 26, missed much of last season with a Lisfranc sprain in his foot.
The 6’2″ 235 pound Gaither was a 5th round pick out of Tennessee and has played his entire career with the Eagles.
Gocong to be traded?
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Cleveland.com is reporting that the Cleveland Browns are in trade talks with the Eagles regarding 26 year old OLB, Chris Gocong. Gocong just yesterday signed a 1 year tender offer.
The Cal Poly grad has 169 career tackles and has played on special teams. It was believed that Gocong was going to compete for a starting linebacker job this season. At 6’3″ 263, he could fit the Browns 3-4 scheme nicely.
Terms haven’t been disclosed.
This mornings rumor
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In this morning’s episode of As the McNabb spins, comes a story on Yahoo sports regarding sources close to McNabb as saying he would like to play for Arizona “some day”
It’s unreasonable to think that the Cardinals would try to pull off some sort of trade for McNabb this year with Matt Leinhart and Derek Anderson on the roster, but stranger things have happened. Once the draft starts, sometimes the laws of nature don’t apply.
McNabb has 1 year remaining on his contract and with all the uncertainty surrounding the 2011 NFL season, long range planning might be difficult. McNabb might get traded to a team he doesn’t want to play for this year, and what that team offers him in 2011 could be difficult to judge.
Complicating matters in Arizona is the contract situations surrounding QB Matt Leinart and WR Larry Fitzgerald. Leinhart is entering the final year of his incentive laden contract and could be due as much as 18 million next year. Fitzgerald can void the final year of his contract after 2011 and has a no franchise clause. Fitzgerald has said through friends that he will only play with a good quarterback.
McNabb fits that bill and Fitz would love to have Donovan tossing him balls in 2011. Stay tuned for the next installment of where McNabb lands.
Well, well, well.
Yesterday I posed a question regarding what team might be the possible landing spot for Donovan McNabb and I mentioned Oakland. At 6am this morning I penned an article regarding the possible rumored trade to St Louis for McNabb and closed the article by stating, Al Davis will chime in soon.
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Well, the Crypt Keeper must have gotten up this morning and decided that it was time to get in the game. Mike Florio at PFT.com reports this afternoon that now “Raiders are in hottest pursuit” Now, I don’t know what the bargaining position would be for Davis, but this move does actually make sense from an owner who has been way over the edge for nearly a decade now.
Last year, Davis drafted WR Darrius Heyward-Bey (9-124-1)and that choice was a complete disaster. LSU QB and former 1st round selection, JaMarcus Russell, has sent every signal of being a dramatic bust. Russell is gaining weight at a rate faster than the National Debt is growing.
And this is the current savior of the Raiders in 2010:
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Bruce, “The Polish Popgun” Gradkowski. I watched the Toledo product play in person in Tampa, and if you think the franchise is moving forward with him under center, you are sadly mistaken. Florio states that McNabb doesn’t want to play for the Raiders, but if he were to play for them, perhaps he could light a fire under Russell’s ass and get him motivated.
Al Davis is now about 112 years old, and has stated he wants to return to the Super Bowl soon. Well, the future is now, and don’t buy any green bananas Al. A signing of McNabb would give the Raiders an immediate Pro-Bowl caliber quarterback, but I don’t think the offensive pieces are in place for a Super Bowl run this year. Then again, when did that ever stop Al Davis?
McNabb trade talk heats up
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Just as the sun rises in the East each morning, each new day brings a new trade rumor regarding a Philadelphia quarterback. Late yesterday, Donovan McNabb to the Rams for St. Louis’ 2nd round selection (33rd overall)
Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported yesterday that the Eagles, “have an offer on the table.” Andy Reid was quoted as saying, “I’d love to have the first pick on the second day……” Of course, this year the NFL has adopted a new format for the draft, holding the 1st round in prime time and then starts the second round the following day. As an aside, does the draft really need to be a three day event? Really?
In addition to acquiring the Eagles second round pick, the Rams reportedly would be sending S Oshiomongho Atogwe to Philadelphia. Atogwe is a 6 year player out of Stanford and is considered a solid safety. He recorded 74 tackles last year and has 15 interceptions in the past 3 years.
Of course, the Rams have admitted that there is no truth to these rumors. Maybe tomorrow Al Davis will chime in.
Donovan, Kolb or Vick. Who goes? Who stays?
Adam Schefter, ESPN, Tweeted yesterday from the NFL owners meetings in Orlando Florida, that Eagles head coach Andy Reid admits to taking calls from other teams regarding the Eagles quarterbacks. One rumor which ran rampant at the meeting yesterday was that Donovan McNabb had been traded to the Buffalo Bills. That was quickly dismissed.
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McNabb, 33, has always been a controversial quarterback in the rough sports town of Philadelphia. Though he has passed for nearly 33,000 yards and 216 touchdowns in his career, he has failed to deliver a Super Bowl victory. He has appeared in 4 NFC Championship games but only one Super Bowl, losing to the Patriots 24-21 in Super Bowl XXXIX.
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Kolb, 25, is entering his 4th year with Philadelphia. He brings a lot of upside potential for the Eagles, but has only attempted 130 passes in his career. Kolb appears to be the heir apparent to the starting quarterback role.
[picappgallerysingle id="7423947"]The third quarterback on the Eagles roster, is reclamation project, Michael Vick. Vick, who will turn 30 before the start of the 2010 NFL season, only attempted 13 passes last season while being utilized primarily in the wildcat offense.
So who stays and who goes? And where?
Seattle and Cleveland were two teams rumored to be interested in McNabb and Kolb. Since the start of free agency though, both teams have addressed their quarterback situation. GM Mike Holmgren signed Senaca Wallace and Jake Delhomme. The Seahawks traded draft picks to San Diego for unproven Charlie Whitehurst.
Three teams that can use help at the quarterback position are Oakland, Carolina and Buffalo. The Raiders are heading into this season with Bruce Gradkowski slated as their #1 quarterback. Yes, they could use some help. Carolina released veteran quarterback Jake Delhomme, even though the team still owes him 12 million in guaranteed money. Matt Moore is scheduled to the starter. Buffalo is in need of a signal caller as well. The Bills tried three quarterbacks this past season. Trent Edwards, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Brian Brohm, all with little success.
According to Ashley Fox of Philly.com this morning, the Eagles have apparently backed off their trade demands of requiring a 1st round pick for either McNabb or Kolb. Fox alludes that Kolb might be able to be obtained for a 2nd round pick or a combination of lower picks. If I were a GM in need of quarterback, I’d pull the trigger on that deal for Kolb in a heartbeat, but I feel that the Eagles would be foolish to do such a deal.
With the potential of a lockout in 2011, teams which have all the pieces in place to advance towards the brass ring such as the Eagles, why would you trade away a quality signal caller like McNabb and a potential talent like Kolb.
If I were Eagle’s management, I’d trade Vick and keep McNabb and Kolb. What do you think? Who would you ship off?
Mike Bell now an Eagle
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The New Orleans Saints failed to match the offer Philadelphia made to Mike Bell. Philadelphia now adds Bell, 26, to the backfield with RB LeSean McCoy and FB Leonard Weaver. New Orleans failed to match the 1 year, 1.7 million dollar contract, partly due to the fact that they will be paying Reggie Bush 8 million this year and the Saints feel confident in RB Lynell Hamilton.
Bell filled a role in the running back by committee backfield for the Saints last year while scoring 5 touchdowns and rushing for 654 yards. He is expected to be a short yardage back as he is a power runner.
Welcome Eagles Nation!
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Hello Eagles fans, and welcome to the newest site on the net covering your Philadelphia Eagles. My name is Eric, and I will be contributing on this site until Rantsports.com can find another fulltime blogger to fill this position. Rantsports is the newest fan driven blog network where you, the average joe, has a say.
If you think you have what it takes and you have an opinion, you could be a full time blogger covering your favorite team. So, click on the link at the bottom of the page and give it a try.
Until then, I’ll be dropping by on a regular basis to give my commentary on free agency and the upcoming draft. What happens to Donovan McNabb? Kevin Kolb? These are questions I’ll be answering in the next week. So bookmark the page, and visit often.
