Back to Work for the Birds – Names to Watch

As convenient as it may seem to blame the NFL lockout on my own hiatus on the BSB front, the real story is that I was in labor negotiations myself. I played was playing hardball over my share of the BSB “total pie.” But today, in the spirit of labor peace (and a lucrative offer of a $5 per story donation to Hope Through Health, www.hthglobal.org, from a loyal BSB follower).

So, the most exciting two weeks in the history of off-the-field sports transactions will begin tomorrow, as the NFL lockout is lifted and the MLB trade deadline nears its climax. In preparation of Eagles roster moves as early as tomorrow, I wanted to run through some of the names that will most likely be associated with the Eagles in some way or another over the course of the whirlwind that we are about to enter.

THE KOLB DEAL
Kevin Kolb

Looks like another in the long line of huge trade returns for Eagles backup QBs

Obviously, the most bandied about name in the NFL would be the most on his own team. And, that guy is Kevin Kolb. It is almost a lock that Kevin Kolb will be traded, and it seems pretty definitive that it will be to the Arizona Cardinals. Would I make this move? Almost definitely – as long as I believe I maximized his value. He will never be more valuable than he is right now, the Birds have a Pro Bowl starting quarterback, and the jury is still out as to whether or not Kolb will ever even be a reliable starter in this league. They spent a second round pick on the guy, got a couple wins from him, and now it appears they are going to flip him for MUCH more than a 2nd round pick. The question is how much more…

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
The most likely return for Kolb is Cardinals 5th year cornerback, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, and probably a draft pick as high as a 2nd-rounder. If you’re asking me: DO IT! Rodgers-Cromartie is very, very underrated. He’s got size, speed, toughness, and he is just coming into his prime. I think this guy might be a superstar as soon as this year. His ability might go unnoticed because of where he plays and because another guy at his position has the same last name, just in a slightly different media market. The only reason I would not do this deal is if I had a shot at…

Patrick Peterson
He’s a game-changer. The Cardinals picked him #5 this year and, at the time, I thought that that meant he would be an Eagle. It looks more now like the Cards got him just so that they could part with Rodgers-Cromartie, but if there’s a chance of grabbing Peterson, I wouldn’t even mind seeing a draft pick go the other way in the deal, if that’s what it takes. But, this is probably wishful thinking, and trust me, DRC is quite the consolation prize, especially if a 2nd or 3rd round pick is thrown in.

EAGLES FREE AGENTS:
Stewart Bradley

If he had been healthy all these years, he'd be a household name

The first thing that is going to happen for the Birds in this “offseason on crack” is the Kolb trade, but the next thing that they will do is try to bring back their own free agents. Teams will probably have three days to negotiate with their own free agents before they hit the open market. And, probably the most interesting piece of this puzzle for the birds is Stewart Bradley. I really believe that a healthy Stewart Bradley might be a borderline franchise player on the defensive side of the ball. The problem is there is no possible way to prove me wrong about this because we have never really seen a healthy Stewart Bradley. I expect (and really hope) that Bradley comes back, but it would be hard to fault the team to letting him walk because it is very difficult to build a defense for a Super Bowl run without any confidence that your middle linebacker will even be healthy come December.

Quintin Mikell
From the sound of it, we may have seen the last of Quintin Mikell in an Eagles uniform. And, honestly, I am not happy about it. I think Mikell is about to become (if he isn’t already) one of the better strong safeties in the league. But, he is a free agent, and from the looks of it, it is not at the top of the Eagles priority list to bring him back. If he leaves, he will be missed.

Jerome Harrison
It is looking more and more like Jerome Harrison’s Eagle career will end after just 8 games.  To be completely honest, I really don’t know if it is because he is looking for starters’ money or if the Eagles just don’t have him in their plans for the upcoming season.  If it’s the former, I would wish him luck and move on, but if it is the Eagles that are choosing to cut the cord, I hope that they have a direct replacement in line (maybe one of the guys listed in the next section) because I actually think Harrison still has some value, and, as the roster is constructed right now, I think that this season may depend a little too much on the health/effectiveness of Shady McCoy.  I do believe they have a plan, though, and if that plan is an upgrade to Harrison, then great.  But, if not – bring him back.

David Akers

He'll be missed...for a kicker

There is only one kicker that I have ever actually felt a connection to.  There is only one kicker that I have ever been proud to root for and felt was “one of us.”  There is only one kicker that I have ever watched on a regular basis and thought of him as a real part of the team.  And, that is David Akers.  But…he’s still a kicker.  And, with all due respect to what he has brought to this team for so long, I am not really losing sleep over the chance of losing him in the next couple of days.  Don’t get me wrong, I am not and have never taken for granted how great it was to have such an incredibly accurate and reliable kicker.  But, when they go downhill, sometimes they go really quickly.  And, while I have a lot of mixed feelings on using a 4th-round pick on a kicker, the Birds did draft the most accurate kicker in NCAA history (Alex Henery), so maybe they are going to replace the great David Akers with the next David Akers.

OTHER FREE AGENTS/POTENTIAL TRADE TARGETS:
Nnamdi Asomugha
If Kolb isn’t the most talked about name this offseason, it is probably because people think they know how to spell Kolb – they don’t even try with the guy who should be the most talked about. Nnamdi Asomugha is one of the two best cornerbacks on the planet, and I am not convinced he is not the best. And, he is an unrestricted free agent. If the Eagles didn’t have this Kolb off-the-charts-value fall in their laps, I would have said that they were the clear-cut favorites to sign Nnamdi. But, now, if they can get DRC (or Peterson) for their backup QB, then they can save the money to spend on someone else. And, while Nnamdi is incredible, it would be a little dicey to have two highly-paid cornerbacks, both entering their 30’s together. I never thought I would say this, but it might be best if we actually let this one off the line, even though it’s pretty sweet to dream about it. All that being said, if the Eagles, somehow, do not land a CB in the Kolb deal, then they had better get this guy. My real fear is that he ends up with a star on his helmet, but we’ll deal with that if it happens. My guess is that he either ends up in that same state, but a couple hundred miles away in Houston or, even more likely, in my home state, just a couple miles from my house – in Baltimore.

Johnathan Joseph

So, he's not Nnamdi...but he's damn close

Again, now that it looks more and more likely that the Birds are going to trade Kolb for a cornerback and not just draft picks, the less and less important the free agent crop of corners becomes to them. However, if they decide to either keep Kolb or they decide to trade him just for picks, they will need to make a splash in free agency at CB. And, if it isn’t Nnamdi, then I really hope it is a guy that no one seems to be talking about – Jonathan Joseph. While not quite on the Nnamdi level, I think Joseph might end up being the best bargain of this wild free agency period. Joseph is an absolute stud, who may be just a small step below Nnamdi and Revis as the best in the business. And, he is only 27 and probably won’t command near the price tag of Asomugha.

Jason Babin
Ah, the prodigal son returns…I have said this on BSB several times now, but the one thing that I believe will come out of the blue this offseason for the Birds is the return of Jason Babin. And, I will now add to this prediction. Mark it down – the Eagles will try to sell to the fanbase that Babin is their “big free agent pickup” this offseason, and Howie Roseman and company will use this signing as reason why they did not sign Nnamdi. Eagles fans will be up in arms about how the team always oversells their moves and never actually goes for it. And, in the end, the team will be right and the fans will be wrong…again. Babin emerged as a potential superstar defensive end while in Tennessee. Why the sudden emergence? Some guy named Jim Washburn, who is not the Eagles D-line coach. I expect the Birds to sign Babin, and I expect him to be a terror opposite Trent Cole for several years to come.

Ray Edwards

This could be the kind of signing that is more likely to win you the front pages in January than it will in August

While I have been predicting a return of Jason Babin, I have been hearing more and more that the Eagles are leaning towards the younger, more well-rounded Ray Edwards.  There was even a report of a real estate agent showing houses in Malvern to the Edwards family.  And, honestly, if this is true, the Birds will have proved again that they really know what they are doing.  Edwards would be a fantastic fit opposite Trent Cole.  He is a very good, efficient pass rusher, especially when single-teamed on passing downs (which he was in Minnesota and would be here), but he is also a stellar run defender.  He has the rare combination of effective pass rushing ability with the ability to set the edge on run plays – something that guys like Darren Howard and Brandon Graham were not able to do that well last year.

Tamba Hali
It is still unclear as to whether or not Hali will even be available this year because the Chiefs are most likely going to make a push to keep him.  But, if for whatever reason, he becomes available, he is definitely a guy that the Eagles will want to try and bring in.  At 25 years old last year, Hali broke out in a big way with 14.5 sacks and was one of the keys to the surprising season in Kansas City.  He would be a monster opposite Trent Cole, and I am drooling thinking about those two rushing the passer while Samuel and DRC shutdown receivers on the outside.  Though I am a little worried about just how high the price tag is, but I do know that he would be an instant favorite here at BSB to Doogan because of his Penn State roots, to me because of his West African heritage, and to all of Eagles Nation because of his pass rushing prowess.

Albert Haynesworth

Character issues? I hadn't heard...

This one is more “what if…?” kind of speculation than anything actually founded in reality.  But, what if…?  Yes, maybe I am a little too caught up in ignoring his “issues” and just focusing on how good he was in Tennessee under Jim Washburn, but when I hear him say things like “I’d give up everything to play for Coach Wash again,” I can’t help but wonder.  Let us not forget that it was just two years ago that an NFL franchise gave him $100 million.  In 2008, he was the most dominant interior lineman on the planet (and the Sporting News Defensive Player of the Year).  He is still only 30 years old.  Most of that ridiculous contract is already in his bank account via Daniel Snyder’s brilliantly structured contract that paid a notoriously unmotivated player all the money upfront.  Now, the only thing he’s got left to earn is his pride, which coupled with a once-in-a-generation set of abilities, could be a dangerous recipe.  But, here’s the problem:  Haynesworth, much to the dismay of Mike Shanahan, is still technically a member of the Washington Redskins.  So, unless the Redskins flat-out release him (which is unlikely because he does seem to have some value – though you never know with the ‘Skins), acquiring him would mean trading for him.  And, while the Redskins have been pretty inept in the front office, they do now have Bruce Allen running the show, and he is more than smart enough to know that Haynesworth is more valuable to the Eagles than anyone else because of Washburn.  And, therefore, will probably charge the Birds an “in-division tax.”  All that being said, if I were running the Eagles, I think that I might be willing to go as high as a fifth and a seventh or possibly even a fourth-round pick for Haynesworth simply on the remote possibility that I’d be acquiring the best D-tackle in football.

Plaxico Burress

The jury is still out - so to speak - on whether he's got anything left in the tank

He wore a Phillies hat when he was released from prison – that must mean he is definitely signing with the Eagles, right? Well, not exactly. The Eagles on the short list of Plax destinations, but let’s slow down before dreaming of the Vick to Burress red zone celebration of the American criminal justice system’s powers of rehabilitation. Would Burress help in the red zone? Sure. Would I mind if the Eagles brought him in on a smallish, incentive-laden contract? Probably not. Would it be impossible to express how shocked I would have been three years ago if you told me that Michael Vick and Plaxico Burress would be the big Eagles receiving combo in 2011? Uh, yes. The problem is that it seems like there are several teams pretty interested in what Plax can do. I would love to have him, but I would not like to see the Birds getting in a bidding war for what may likely amount to nothing more than an older, more rusty version of a guy they already have on the roster in Jason Avant. Don’t break the bank, but if he’s cheap, take a shot. I mean any friend of Jimmy Rollins if a friend of Philadelphia, right?

Reggie Bush
This makes a lot more sense, actually, than Burress does, and I think I would be willing to up the dollars and years on an offer to Reggie Bush than I would to Plaxico. In fact, while Reggie Bush has never even come close to living up to the #2 overall pick (which absolutely shocks me because he seemed, to me, to be unequivocally destined for Canton), he actually comes out of New Orleans a little bit underrated, if you can believe that. For one, he is an elite pass-catcher out of the backfield, and, as we all know, those kinds of guys can really thrive in Andy Reid’s system. Also, while small, he is a smart player, who is pretty decent on the blitz pickup. Tell me you don’t get somewhat excited thinking about Vick and Bush on the field together on a broken play. I say, unless someone offers him a big contract, bring him to Philly.

Willis McGahee

The guy's just got a nose for the end zone

In news that just broke as I was writing this post, it looks like the Ravens are going to release McGahee as soon as they are able to do so.  While it is still too early for me to have heard any rumors, I would be pretty surprised if his name wasn’t connected to the Birds, at least in rumor, this offseason, for the same reason they have been connected to Burress – their struggles in the red zone last year.  Having watched McGahee first-hand here in Baltimore for the past several seasons, I know how frustrating he can be in the middle of the field, BUT, I also know that he is just one of those rare guys with a true nose for paydirt.  And, with all those weapons on this team to get them the first 90 yards, McGahee might be a really nice addition to help get those last 10.

Derrick Mason
Again, this news is “hot off the presses” and maybe a bigger story here in B’more than anywhere else, but Derrick Mason is probably going to join McGahee on Tuesday as the newest crop of ex-Ravens.  I do not really think that the Eagles necessarily need a guy like Mason, I figure I’d throw his name out there because if they’re interested in Plax, I’m sure they’d be interested in this guy.  Plus, unlike a guy like Burress, Mason might be the perfect “veteran presence” for a group of young, talented receivers.  However, as a Raven fan (and friend of the site) opined when I mentioned this possibility, Mason’s whole game is based on intricate timing and route-running, and, if you were running down a list of Michael Vick’s strengths, you might be there a while before reaching “intricate timing” as one of his best qualities.

Vince Young

Isn't the point in this league still to win games?

With Kolb out of the picture, the Birds will have to turn to filling the backup QB spot with someone who can step right in and win games if (and, some people believe, when) Michael Vick goes down. Vince Young would seem like a really nice fit. For one, they would not have to change the playbook drastically if Vick went down. Young, like Vick, is a left-handed thrower with a relatively long delivery and phenomenal movement in the pocket. And, let us not forget that, despite everything that people have said and written about the guy, he is one of very few people that can say that they have won 2/3 of the games they’ve started in the NFL. I think I would be totally onboard with VY as the backup here – at least until Kafka is ready to take that role…or be traded for 3 times what it cost to acquire him…

The Former Falcons/Packers/Jets/Vikings Quarterback from Mississippi that Cannot Stay Away from Untimely Interceptions, Disturbing Wrangler Jean Commercials or Inappropriate Text Messages
I can’t tell you how much it pains me to write this section, but with the rumors flying, I would be remiss to not even address it…I will, however, refuse to use his name out of respect for the dead. And, the only thing I actually will say is, “please God, no.” Not only will I find it very, very difficult to root for him, I also cannot imagine it not undermining the startership of our current QB, regardless of what he says on Twitter.

Donovan McNabb
Hey, the backup QB position will be open in Philly, and Mr. McNabb is on his way out of Washington, so there will inevitably be the shameless rumors about him coming back to Philly. This will not (and better not) happen.

Terrell Owens
After tearing his ACL filming some ridiculous reality show, it looked like the Hall of Fame career of one of the most interesting athletes in a generation would end at the age of 37. But, smarter men than me have stupidly discounted his work ethic and commitment to the game, so I will not do that here. But, will he be back in Philly? Let’s just say, it’s not 0%, but it’s not much more than that.

Brian Westbrook
Just like McNabb and TO, Westbrook is looking for work, so I am sure rumors will attach him to the Eagles. I love B-West, but he’s done…unfortunately.