The 2007 Offseason Thread

[PhillyPhanInDC]

PFT.com:

POSTED 7:08 a.m. EST; UPDATED 8:11 a.m. EST, February 7, 2007

GARCIA WANTS TO GET PAID

While Eagles quarterback Jeff Garcia says that he is "very optimistic and open-minded" about the possibility of re-signing with the team that he led to the divisional round in 2006, Garcia made it clear that he'll need a contract well in excess of the one-year deal for the veteran minimum that he received a year ago.

"It's tough for me to sit here and say that I'm going to close all doors because there might be something out there that is either going to be interesting to me or force Philadelphia to not just think they can get away with giving me the same thing they gave me this past year," Garcia said.

Translation:  Garcia plans to hit the open market and force the Eagles to match (or come darn close to matching) the best offer he can get.

And that means, in our view, that he won't be back.  We can envision an offer to Garcia in the range of $3 million or more per year, maybe more.  And that's something that the Eagles simply won't touch.

Though we're inclined not to believe the predictable stream of "all is well" coming from the Eagles, Garcia, and starter Donovan McNabb regarding the ability of the two quarterbacks to coexist, if it's true that McNabb would welcome a return by Garcia then the Eagles should have signed Garcia to a longer-term deal when they signed him in 2006.

But the lure of the twist in the rules regarding the signing of veteran free agents was too strong for the Eagles, who have shown an affinity over the years for staying well under the salary cap.  By inking Garcia to a one-year contract worth $710,000, the Eagles carried a significantly lower cap charge.

And now that his contract is set to expire after one of his best performances of his career, Garcia is looking to turn that success into cash, as he rightly should.  "I realize what's best for me and I realize what's more comfortable for me," Garcia said.  "I know being here will be a great thing for me, so in no way will I turn my back on that, but in no way do I want to be taken advantage of for my hard work and dedication and for what I bring to the team.''

Garcia has been linked most prominently with the Vikings, since Minnesota uses the same offense that Garcia operated in Philly.  Other teams that have been mentioned as possible destinations include the Broncos and the Bears.

[Diomedes]

PFT breaking the obvious

[PhillyPhanInDC]

PFT breaking the obvious

True. But read these quotes:

"It's tough for me to sit here and say that I'm going to close all doors because there might be something out there that is either going to be interesting to me or force Philadelphia to not just think they can get away with giving me the same thing they gave me this past year," Garcia said.

"I know being here will be a great thing for me, so in no way will I turn my back on that, but in no way do I want to be taken advantage of for my hard work and dedication and for what I bring to the team.''

Garcia is outta here! Maybe it isn't such a bad thing....if Garcia goes they'd have to resign Stallworth, right?



Right? 

[Diomedes]

Riiight.

[PhillyPhreak54]

Get ready for the end-is-near overreaction from some when Garcia bolts. I don't blame the dude and if they paid him more than a mil to be the backup they're nuts anyway. Go with Feeley and draft a kid.

[ice grillin you]

this is important not because garcia is gone but for him calling out the front office...maybe his words will resonate more with them and they will ante up and pay stallworth to prove everyone wrong

[Beermonkey]

Get ready for the end-is-near overreaction from some when Garcia bolts. I don't blame the dude and if they paid him more than a mil to be the backup they're nuts anyway. Go with Feeley and draft a kid.

I've been resigned to Garcia being gone since the season ended. He was paid what he was worth at the time during the last free agency period. Based on his performance. he'd be nuts to not try & cash in. Based on the dwindling cap space, I also think that the FO would be nuts to pay him like a starter.

[Wingspan]

I don't care if Garcia bolts. If someone, like Minnesota pays him $4-5M for 2 or 3 seasons, that's there own problem.

Besides Garcia, while he played well for the most part, he did some pretty stupid things too, things that McNabb would have been murded for for the entire offseason. His won loss record mostly benefited from Westbrook's surgance and the better playcalling. Garcia was dangerously close to thowing 6-7 INTs at least, and only didn't because the DBs had dropped passes that hit them in the hands. Garcia also fumbled 5 times in the final stretch of the season.

He committed a LOT of penalties. The personal foul in his first Giants game, and made a terrible decision on a 3rd and 7 play in the saints playoff game when he threw it past the LOS, when he had 10 yards ahead of him for the 1st down.

But hey, he pumps his fist! Yay!

Garcia is a good backup QB, thats about it.

[SunMo]

one of the main reasons that the Eagles won the games they did when Garcia was playing was because the defense had stepped up and the running game was effective.  had the rest of the team been playing the way they played when Donovan was quarterbacking, they wouldn't have won the division, and maybe not made the playoffs.

Garcia played well, but he was just another component in an entire team effort that won them the division.  i have no doubts that Feely would have done the same thing had he been the one that played.

[ice grillin you]

wingspan says mcnabb > garcia

[Wingspan]

one of the main reasons that the Eagles won the games they did when Garcia was playing was because the defense had stepped up and the running game was effective.  had the rest of the team been playing the way they played when Donovan was quarterbacking, they wouldn't have won the division, and maybe not made the playoffs.

Garcia played well, but he was just another component in an entire team effort that won them the division.  i have no doubts that Feely would have done the same thing had he been the one that played.

Agree.

Although with the way the Giants, Cowboys, and Falcons tanked, they would have made the playoffs anyway. Probably at 8-8

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

wingspan says mcnabb > garcia

FF agrees.   But it sure would be nice if the playcalling, team, and McNabb himself learned some positive lessons while Garcia was under center.  If they go back to the way things were pre-Garcia, then nearly anyone > McNabb.

[Wingspan]

If they go back to the way things were pre-Garcia, then it doesnt matter on the QB as they will be on IR by week 8.

[Diomedes]

nm

save it for another time

[mussa]

wingspan says mcnabb > garcia

FF agrees.   But it sure would be nice if the playcalling, team, and McNabb himself learned some positive lessons while Garcia was under center.  If they go back to the way things were pre-Garcia, then nearly anyone > McNabb.

I wouldn't go that far and say nearly anyone.