Eagles working to trade TO?

[The BIGSTUD]

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/sports/football/13586253.htm

The Eagles may not release Terrell Owens after all.

Instead, they want to trade the star wide receiver coach Andy Reid banished from the team in early November, and they believe they have a decent chance to do so.

A league source said today that the Eagles plan to give Owens' agent Drew Rosenhaus permission tomorrow to seek a trade for the receiver. The source said multiple teams have expressed interest in Owens, including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Jets.

Rosenhaus, who was not immediately available for comment, has orchestrated trades before, including the deal that sent running back Clinton Portis from Denver to Washington for cornerback Champ Bailey before the 2004 season and the one that sent running back Reuben Droughns from Denver to Cleveland for defensive linemen Ebenezer Ekuban and Michael Myers before this season.

Exactly what the Eagles can get for Owens will depend on a couple of things. The primary one is the level of interest teams such as the Bucs and Jets have in the controversial wide receiver.

Owens infuriated the Eagles during his second season with the team after his attempt to renegotiate a seven-year contract was rejected.

If multiple teams want Owens badly enough, it would obviously increase the value of what the Eagles could get in return.

The other key factor is whether the interested teams can negotiate a new deal with the receiver. There was some thought that Owens might have to sign a short-term deal with a modest signing bonus that is loaded with incentives. But there's obvious interest in his immense talent even after his disruptive behavior with the Eagles led to his dismissal from the team.

Despite playing in only seven games, Owens still led the Eagles with 763 receiving yards and six touchdown receptions.

Owens received $8.5 million in bonus money after he joined the Eagles in 2004. His relationship with the team turned sour in the off-season because he felt this year's $3.25 million salary was not sufficient compensation for his performance during his first season with the team. Owens fired former agent David Joseph in late March and hired Rosenhaus, triggering months of controversy that eventually led to him being suspended without pay and essentially thrown off the team.

Arbitrator Richard Bloch denied a grievance filed by the NFL Players Association on Owens' behalf in November, which cost the receiver nearly $765,000 in pay. Another grievance has since been filed by the NFLPA on Owens' behalf because the team is trying to recover $1.725 million in bonus money.

The Eagles believe Owens violated the terms of his contract when he failed to show up at a mandatory post-draft camp last April.

The Eagles withheld Owens's pay for the final five games and counted it against that money. A hearing date has not yet been scheduled for that grievance, and none is expected at least until later in the year.

Tampa Bay, which was shut down by the Washington taterskins during its wildcard playoff loss on Saturday, would have an explosive receiving tandem with the addition of Owens. Speedster Joey Galloway led the Bucs with a career-high 1,287 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns, but Tampa Bay still finished 25th in the league in passing yards.

The Jets, meanwhile, ranked 28th in passing, although much of their problem revolved around the fact that they did not have a suitable replacement once starting quarterback Chad Pennington went down.

Whatever the Eagles could get for Owens would certainly be better than getting nothing, which, in retrospect, is what they gave up to get him.

When the Eagles acquired Owens in a controversial three-team trade that followed an arbitration hearing at the University of Pennsylvania, they gave the San Francisco 49ers defensive end Brandon Whiting and the Baltimore Ravens a fifth-round pick.

Whiting, unable to overcome a serious shoulder injury, is out of football. The Ravens traded the fifth-round pick they got from the Eagles to the Miami Dolphins, who selected Tony Bua, a safety who finished the season as a member of the Cincinnati Bengals' practice squad.

Does anyone think there is ANY way the Eagles can find a team that will trade for him?

[Mad-Lad]

why would a team want to trade for him, when they know the Eagles are going to cut his ass?  It's not like you'd save any money since he wants a new deal anyways.  Supply & demand is a bitch.

[PhillyandBCEagles]

why would a team want to trade for him, when they know the Eagles are going to cut his ass?  It's not like you'd save any money since he wants a new deal anyways.  Supply & demand is a bitch.

The one advantage would be that they'd just be re-negotiating his deal with him, rather than being forced into a bidding war with other teams for his services.  Might be worth giving up something for.  We're going to cut him anyway, so even if all we can get is a 7th-round pick then why not take it??  Plus, it would let the Eagles control where he ends up, send him out of the division and preferably out of the conference (seeing him go to the Jets and getting knocked out for the year in the Birds-Jets preseason game would be awesome).

[The BIGSTUD]

I'm not sure, but they said teams were interested.

The Jets traded for Coles when they knew he'd be cut by Washington if he wasn't traded. Also wasn't Keyshawn in the same situation but Dallas traded for him as well?

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

Maybe we can get McCareins or Coles from the Jets or Michael Clayton from the Bucs.  That would be nice.

[SD_Eagle5]

Got this from Spews section:

No problem. I would guess that the Eagles will try to trade him and if there are no takers, then they will release him. I think you always want to see if you can get something for somebody if you intend to release him ...

Maybe there is some interest out there. If we can get anything for him - even a late round pick - I'd call it a steal.

[hbionic]

I agree with Philly Forever...you basically secure the chance to deal with him instead of hoping you're one of the teams he'll deal with when he's cut.

It can actually be better than a 7th if its a matter of security.

[rjs246]

If we they get anything, a sixth rounder, a seventh rounder, a polaroid of a cheerleader's crotch, one baked potato from Wendy's, whatever, it will be a freaking goldmine compared to what I expect the to get for him.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

Great.  Now I'm hungry for a baked potato.

[rjs246]

Of the four things I listed there, the baked potato isn't tops of what I'm hungry for. Just sayin'.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

If we were talking about an actual cheerleader to go with her actual crotch, I might be with you.  But a fuzzy polaroid doesn't do much for me.  Not as much as a baked potato, at least.

[rjs246]

Touché

[Wingspan]

and here i assumed rjs wanted to snuggle up with David Bergeron

[Diomedes]

Does anyone think there is ANY way the Eagles can find a team that will trade for him?

Sure.  People are idiots.  Denver fell for Maurice Clarett.  Some idiot will take Marcus Herpes.  Why not?  Jets fans are so goddamned desperate right now, they'd probably praise the addition, despite the fact they can't afford their own broken quarterback.

The Eagles would maintain some control over him which, in addition to serving their material interests, must also gratify them as a last way to lord their moral authority over the piece of shtein who caused them so much pain.

I'll tell you this.  If I were Lurie--so loaded I couldn't dream of how to spend my money--I'd retire the motherfarger, just to make a point.  Pay him his bonus and bench him.  Tell the idiot coach: you've got to make a team with one less roster spot for a while.  Deal with it, fat boy.

[rjs246]

I'll tell you this. If I were Lurie--so loaded I couldn't dream of how to spend my money--I'd retire the motherfarger, just to make a point. Pay him his bonus and bench him. Tell the idiot coach: you've got to make a team with one less roster spot for a while. Deal with it, fat boy.

That's the next level of spiteful that's really missing from this oganization. Huzzah!