After all of the controversy surrounding his contract, Lito Sheppard decided to be the bigger man and report to mandatory training camp. It’s so rare to see nowadays, a player that actually works through problems with the team instead of holding out. Yes, he is disgruntled that his starting position was taken away on the first day of free agency, but I believe his contract is more than enough considering his injury history. Sheppard has missed 19 regular season games in his 6-year career, not to mention all of the playoff games he’s missed with late season injuries and he still was paid. So I say his real beef should be with how the situation was handled, with the giving away of his starting position and how he has been on the trading block since then only to not be traded. No one can dispute with what Andy Reid has done by giving the starting cornerback position to Asante Samuel, he’s just flat out better than Lito at the position and is much more durable, but this should have been resolved shortly after the Samuel signing and the team is wrong for not finding a resolution by trading him. The fact of the matter still remains that Lito signed a contract and should be bound to it. I’m sure there were no complaints when his contract was extended and he received an $8.7million signing bonus in 2004. I do believe he is worth more than the $2,731,720 he will receive this year in comparison to the other corners in the league when he’s healthy, but his injury last season is not helping his case at all. He missed five games early in the season and never seemed to be at 100% through the remainder of the season, and he can’t expect much more in the way of salary since the NFL is a “what have you done for me lately” league. I’m just glad Lito’s being a man about the situation and not a diva, ala Chad Johnson and Terrell Owens. Big ups to Lito!

Wow, what a draft! I think Andy Reid is allergic to the first pick, maybe he’s realized if he stays away from the inevitable as first round bust as much as possible during his tenure as GM he will receive actual tenure. He traded the Eagles first round pick (19^th overall) to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for their second round (43^rd overall), their fourth round (109^th overall), and also, my favorite, their first rounder in 2009. Then we all received a sneak peak into Andy Reid’s mind when he traded a fourth rounder (114^th overall) to the Miami Dolphins for running back Lorenzo Booker. Then, just when we thought they were done Reid traded the 43^rd pick from Carolina and a fifth-rounder (152^nd overall) to Minnesota for their second-rounder (47^th overall) and a fourth-rounder (117^th overall). When asked about his trade from Miami Booker said, he was surprised but seemed genuinely happy to be heading to the Eagles. Here’s a pick by pick analysis of the top players headed to the nest.

At 47^th overall, Notre Dame defensive tackle, Trevor Laws. At 6’ 1” and 304 lbs, Laws is considered undersized by most experts, but the one thing they all agree on is this kid has a non-stop motor. He goes all out until the final whistle. He lacks the ability to consistently get to the quarterback, but is strong for his size. After being switched from tackle to defensive-end last year he posted a career-high 112 tackles and 4 sacks; those 112 tackles also was the team high.

At 49^th overall, California receiver/kick returner, DeSean Jackson. Physically he looks a little undersized to play in the NFL (5’ 9” and 169lbs), but don’t judge him just yet. This kid is fast and if you won’t take my word for it his 40-yard dash time was 4.35 seconds (the fastest among receivers in this years draft class). With his speed this kid can take a route underneath and turn it into a long gain; a definite homerun threat whenever he touches the ball. He will face problems getting off of the line as teams have already learned to press the Eagles other receivers and will definitely try it with him. He put up pretty good numbers as a receiver but his real worth will come in his return ability. Jackson returned 6 punts for touchdowns in his college career. Andy Reid is trying to avoid the embarrassment of last year’s season-opener when the Birds lost essentially because of their lack of a kick returner which some say affected the teams play causing early struggles; he did a great job getting Jackson in the second round since he was a projected first-round pick.

At 80^th overall, McNeese State defensive end, Bryan Smith. Weighing in at 6’ 2” and 228 lbs Smith should definitely not be a defensive end in the NFL, he’s just too small! He most likely should be converted to linebacker or used as a situational pass-rusher bringing speed off of the end in Jim Johnson’s blitzes to open gaps for linebackers.

At 109^th overall, Pittsburgh left tackle, Michael Mcglynn. I like this kid a lot!! This guy has the drive and tenacity to be a starting tackle for any team. This guy has heart and no injury concerns as he made 42 straight starts and even played the 2006 season with a right hand injury and a torn labrum! When asked about the injury the coaches claimed they knew nothing of it, in other words this kid plays through the pain with no complaints! He drew attention when he played guard at the senior bowl, and with his endurance should be the heir apparent to William “Tra” Thomas or John Runyan.

It seems that fans are so starved for a wide receiver that they will eat anything thrown at them. Lito Sheppard was reportedly in the Tampa Bay area recently visiting some old friends, and wow, amazingly enough there is an NFL team in town! There may be a deal in the works with the Eagles and the NFC South champs, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They get the two time pro bowler and we get….hmmm…. I don’t know! People are saying the Eagles will receive some late draft picks this season and maybe a 2009 first-rounder (fair price since we can’t get a receiver). Then there is some speculation that we will get receiver, Michael Clayton (now that’s just stupid). So now we’re going to trade a defensive play-maker, albeit an oft-injured one, for a 2004 first round bust who also has a few nagging injury issues of his own. His production has decreased drastically since his rookie season!! Isn’t it the norm for a player’s production to do the exact opposite early in their careers? Let me break it down for you. In his first season Clayton compiled 80 rec, 1,193 yds, and 7 TDs, that’s absolutely astounding for a rookie receiver! In his second season he recorder an abysmal 32 rec, 372 yds, and 0 TDs (no that’s not an error, he did not score). Okay, okay, for all of you out there that believe in players being able to have bad years and wanting to give them the benefit of the doubt, here are his ’06 and ’07 stats respectively: 33 rec, 356 yds, and 1 TD; 22 rec, 301 yds, and 0 TDs (no, once again not an error). Some fans are just seeing his size, 6′ 4” and 215 lbs, and are allowing themselves to be taken in by this. Don’t be!! We need a play-making #1 receiver, not a former first round pick that’s not as good as Reggie Brown. As fans we are constantly complaining about Brown’s failure to mature into the receiver he was hyped to be, but at least he would make a solid #2. I know this is the world wide web and anyone can read this so I’ll stop the Michael Clayton bashing after this comment: HE SUCKS!! Feel free to quote me on it.

There are rumors afloat that the Eagles are interested in Kansas City Chiefs’ defensive end Jared Allen (65 tackles, 15.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and 10 pass deflections).  Allen is a great pass-rusher that led the NFL in sacks last season, and has had a stellar four years in the league compiling a total of 230 tackles, 43 sacks (resulting in 282 lost yards), 1 interception, 13 fumbles forced, and 25 pass deflections.  In other words this guy is a BEAST!  According to the rumors Allen is seeking a contract with $30 million in guarantees, but any team courting Allen has to go through the Chiefs as he is their designated franchise player.  After a disappointing season the Chiefs are looking toward the future and want to stockpile draft picks.  With important needs to address at free safety, left and right offensive tackles, kick returner, and wide receiver, I don’t believe the Eagles can afford to turn over their early round selections and concede to Allen’s $30 million price tag.  But, with Jim Johnson salivating over possibly having the best defense in the entire NFL the Birds may decide to go all out to sign him.  They supposedly offered Lito Sheppard and undisclosed picks, but not their first rounder.  The competition is steep with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Minnesota Vikings also pursuing Allen.  The guy is a great cornerstone to build a defense around and pairing him with Trent Cole would give the Eagles the best pass-rushing duo in 2008 (if Michael Strahan finally hangs it up)!!  I would welcome Allen with open arms and introduce him around the division to our good friends, Tony Romo, Jason Campbell, and Eli Manning (I don’t think they’ll like him much, do you?).  It’s great they’re doing so much to bolster the defense, but where is our #1 receiver?

Eagles came to terms with two important players on each side of the ball in the last two days.  Restricted free-agent, Joselio Hanson (52 tackles, 1 sack, and 1 fumble rec.), was the nickel corner last year with Lito Sheppard being plagued by injuries for a good part of the season.  This re-signing news should surprise no one after a solid performance by Hanson in 2007 showing heart and decent cover ability.  Don’t expect him to create any turnovers, as he hasn’t had an interception in any of his three NFL seasons, but he can prevent a receiver from coming up with the ball.  All things considered he’s a great option at the nickel spot and worth the $1.47 million tender he received.  This also was a great move financially for the Eagles; the Birds get a proven cover-corner with a low price tag in the nickel spot instead of trying to groom a rookie with the possibility of paying more.  The Eagles used their franchise tag on L.J. Smith (236 yards and 1TD) early in the free-agency period to lock him up.  He’ll be making the average of the top five tight ends in the league, a reported $4.5 million, which he doesn’t deserve.  The Birds are trying to make a serious run for the Superbowl and they wanted the most experienced tight end possible, but look for this to be Smith’s last year as an Eagle.  They have serious depth at the position and maybe a future starter in second-year man Brent Celek.

It looks as if the Eagles front office is not even considering having the best secondary in the NFL. Before they signed former Patriot Asante Samuel (46 tackles, 6 int., and 1 TD in 2007), it was rumored that Lito Sheppard (51 tackles and 2 int.) was unhappy with his contract but I’m sure he didn’t expect to be replaced. Eagles’ coach Andy Reid named Samuel the starter at the press conference announcing the signing and with Asante’s proven shutdown corner ability, Sheppard would be nice to have but his happiness is no longer important. The only thing Lito may be able to demand now is a trade, oops too late. The Eagles have already been shopping him and have heard some significant offers but are continuing to listen. A lot of teams will wait until they have completed all of their draft work before making an offer, but a deal is expected before the draft. Now, I don’t want anyone to think I’m coming down too hard on Sheppard so let’s compare the two corners.

Since the NFL has an unofficial, “what have you done for me lately?” policy, I’ll only compare the last three years: Lito Sheppard (113 tackles, 11 int., and 1 TD) is a high quality corner but his durability issues are a serious concern. In the last three seasons he has missed a total of 14 games!! That’s almost an entire season on the bench unable to contribute!! In fact, the only year he played an entire season was his second in the NFL, 2003. While he has sometimes shown the ability of a shutdown corner with great elusiveness after the interception, he needs to be on the field showcasing those qualities to be considered elite. On the other hand, Asante Samuel (165 tackles, 19 int., and 1 TD) has put up solid numbers the last three seasons and is an elite shutdown corner. He has proven is durability, only missing two games in the last three seasons. In 2006 he compiled a league-leading 10 interceptions (tied with Champ Bailey) and solidified his status as one of the top corners in the NFL. Also, his resume is impeccable when it comes to big-game experience; he’s played in 10 playoff games and 2 Superbowls! Lito has been great and I would love to keep him, but after the Samuel signing he has become expendable.

NFL owners are preparing to head off to Palm Beach, Fla., for their annual meetings to debate everything from rule changes to adding hair-length restrictions (is this boot camp?). The most important subject under debate is whether to extend the NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), in 2011. Things could get ugly with the NFL trying to take away personal freedoms (hair length) and scrapping the CBA

For those that don’t know the CBA is a deal between and the National Football League Player’s Association (NFLPA) that came in response to lawsuits filed by players against their teams (most notably Reggie White V. the Eagles). It gave players unrestricted free agent rights for the first time, improved benefits (including a 401k with contributions made by the team), and most importantly it gave the players a percentage of the NFL’s gross revenues. So that means the NFL has to spend at least a certain percentage of its’ total income on players’ salaries. Also, included are salary guarantees for players after their fourth year, and the Performance-Based Pay Pool (a system that rewards players for their on-field contributions).

The NFLPA is said to be telling players to prepare for a lockout if 2010 ends up being the last salary capped year. Veteran players are being told to pay down debt and to save in preparation of the potential strike. Why should the fans suffer because the owners want to make their pockets even fatter? Don’t the owner’s and the league make enough money? Shouldn’t they have to pay for the bruising these guys take week in and week out? They should be given a portion of the NFL’s income because they are the NFL! They put their bodies and health on the line every game and could end up severely injured like Buffalo Bills tight end Kevin Everrett. I don’t pay to see Jeffrey Lurie and I don’t buy Lurie jerseys! With fans already tense about the NFL trying to become the IFL (International Football League) by playing games in other countries, the owners need to get a grip and be happy their hands are in the cash pot.

The Eagles inked former Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end/fullback Kris Wilson to a three-year deal Wednesday (the terms of the contract are undisclosed).  Wilson was the 29^th pick in the 2^nd round of the 2004 draft, but being the backup to arguably the best pass-catching tight end ever, Tony Gonzalez, has left little room for him to flourish; Gonzalez has only missed two games in his entire career!  However, Chiefs’ coach Herm Edwards found a way to squeeze him into the offense as a fullback last year; Wilson made the most of his small role by catching a career-high 24 passes for 180 yards and 1 touchdown in 12 games.  The Eagles have signed him as a tight end for special teams purposes and to backup L.J. Smith (236 yards and 1 TD), Matt Schobel (108 yards and 1TD), and rookie Brent Celek (178 yards and 1 TD).  They must want to take a good look at the kid, evidenced by the three-year contract and Smith only being franchised instead of receiving a new deal.  With Celek showing soft hands and flashes of playmaking ability, the aging Schobel (he will be 30 on Nov. 4^th) and the oft-injured Smith may be working on their final years with the Birds.

The Eagles signed linebacker Rocky Boiman (64 tackles and 2 int.) to a one-year deal on Monday.  Boiman was drafted in the 4^th round of the 2002 draft by Tennessee where he stayed for four years before signing with the Indianapolis Colts.  Look for him to be a backup in the defense since Andy Reid has said he is “very excited” about the young linebacker group he currently has.  After releasing veteran Takeo Spikes they needed someone to serve as a mentor to the inexperienced group, which may not be a bad idea.  Maybe he can teach them how to create turnovers since he tied the amount of interceptions Omar Gaither, Chris Gocong, Stuart Bradley, and Takeo Spikes accumulated combined last year.  Yet and still Boiman would need to have a break out preseason (not at all likely to happen at the age of 28) to see much playing time.  Unless there is an upcoming trade, all of the Eagles’ moves will seem inconsequential in the aftermath of signing Asante Samuel.

Earl Bennett, a junior from Vanderbilt, has apparently caught more than the 236 passes in his three years of college; he has now caught the eye of the Eagles’ personnel department.  Listed at 6 feet and 209 lbs., Bennett is expected to be a second round selection.  He was an all-Southeastern Conference selection three times and led Vanderbilt in receiving during his entire tenure.  The Eagles’ are very interested and are rumored to have requested a personal workout with Bennett.  Hopefully, he can make an impact over time unlike draft busts Freddie Mitchell (1^st round pick in 2001) and Todd Pinkston (2^nd round pick in 2000).  That still doesn’t help the immediate receiver need but at least they’re working towards the future. 

Bennett ran a 4.48 in the 40 at the scouting combine.  He caught 75 passes for 830 yards and 5 touchdowns in his final season.  I would prefer someone bigger or that could possibly make an immediate impact like the Detroit Lions’ 2007 first round draft choice Calvin Johnson (756 yards and 4 TDs).  I’ve kept my faith in Andy Reid and the front office for years even through questionable personnel decisions and one-sided play calling.  This could be the draft when the Eagles finally get that number one receiver who will be a difference maker, but unfortunately it may not be until year three (the consensus on the amount of time it takes a receiver to mature to his full potential in the NFL).  Keep the faith Eagles fans, maybe we can land Cincinnati’s Chad Johnson who is very unhappy with his deal and may hit the trading block.  All we can do is hope!!