The 2007 Offseason Thread

[The BIGSTUD]

They tell you that they love character guys when it supports them being cheap. They would never sign a Chad Johnson(since TO) because of his character issues, but when Stallworth wants big money it isn't such a big key anymore.

[Beermonkey]

where are all the "character" guys on this team. can't they restructure to get stallworth back. character my ass. 

Where has anyone in the Eagles organization said that a lack of cap dollars is what would be the cause for not signing Stallworth?

Most of those "character" guys that you're alluding to, don't take pay cuts, they just have their bonuses called something different so they can be counted favorably against the cap. "Restructure" does not equal "Pay Cut".

[Stallworth Supporter]

Get Moulds, for cheap!

[BigEd76]

Arizona Republic:

[The Cardinals] are not expected to pursue Buffalo's Nate Clements, but Indianapolis' Nick Harper could be a target, as could Cincinnati's Tory James or Philadelphia's Roderick Hood.

Tampa Tribune:

Ten players the Bucs figure to have their eyes on when the free agency signing period begins Friday.
.
.
•WR Donte' Stallworth - He may never be a No. 1, but he'd ease the need to draft Calvin Johnson.
•QB Jeff Garcia - He has the experience the Bucs need in a backup, and he will push Chris Simms.

[MURP]

land of the free
Eagles expected to be bystanders in free agency as usual
By LES BOWEN
bowenl@phillynews.com

    * LIVE CHAT Noon today with Paul Domowitch

THIS IS THE WORST, most frustrating time of the year for many Eagles fans. The 2006 season will have been dead for 7 long weeks by this weekend. We still are 2 months from the 2007 entry draft, 5 months from the start of training camp.

But here is free agency, starting tomorrow, or actually midnight tonight. This is an actual NFL event, less mind-numbing than watching linemen prance around traffic cones at last week's scouting combine, and it's complete with wild rumors and breaking-news bulletins on ESPN, except... well, except that the Eagles, like many successful teams, generally don't participate. Or at least, they don't participate at the level that would make a fan's pulse quicken, that would soothe the impact of that season-ticket price increase. The 1 year in recent memory they did, in 2004, they ended up going to the Super Bowl, but they also ended up with a super-sized hangover.

Most fans know the drill by now. They know that the teams that go out and make big splashes in free agency usually are the teams that perenially just don't get it, like the taterskins, the Raiders and the Browns. "Fool's Gold" is not a difficult concept to grasp; yes, the Browns stole LeCharles Bentley out from under the Birds' beaks last year, and how is that working out for them? Watching the Eagles beat the taterskins twice last season, did you remember that a lot of fans wanted the Birds to sign Antwaan Randle El last winter? But back when it was happening, it seemed so important.

Wouldn't it be fun if Jeffrey Lurie could somehow morph into Daniel Snyder for a few weeks every year, starting in late February, ending well before time to bungle away the draft? But that can't happen, and between September and February, Eagles fans understand why it wouldn't be a good thing. It's just right now that they have a problem with it.

So prepare to be thrilled by the news that the Eagles have re-signed Juqua Thomas. Keep an eye out for a second-tier running back, a Chris Brown or a Najeh Davenport, maybe Dominic Rhodes, even. If the bidding gets too crazy for those guys, the Eagles probably still can bring back Correll Buckhalter, whose knees are likely to keep him from getting a lot of other offers. And then there's always Reno Mahe, right?

After that, don't look for much. Donté Stallworth will take his field-stretching speed elsewhere without even fielding an offer from the Eagles, who will consider themselves justified when somebody gives him a Randle El-level deal ($31 million over 7 years with $11.5 million in bonuses). They might bring in some wideout you never heard of, but most likely 2006 training-camp phenom Hank Baskett will become a starter, with Jason Avant competing with Greg Lewis and maybe a draftee for the slot role; it's said to be a good draft for wide receivers.

Further squashing the possibility of excitement is the fact that for once, about two-thirds of the league has more room under the salary cap than the Eagles, although Birds general manager Tom Heckert pointed out last week that the Eagles can create more cap room by converting roster bonuses into signing bonuses. They don't seem to find the market intriguing enough to warrant that, though.

"Free agency's never a great tool to rebuild your team, just because of the money and the guesswork involved," Heckert said last week. "I think it's going to get worse this year, just because everybody's got so much money - there'll be less players available on the market, just because people have the money to tag guys - there's going to be lesser players that make a lot of money just because once it gets into a bidding war, people just have the money to do it. All it takes is one team to make a big offer, and usually, the money starts going high after that."

Position-by-position, the Eagles' situation looks like this:

Quarterback: Jeff Garcia and Koy Detmer are gone. A.J. Feeley will back up Donovan McNabb, with a draftee almost certainly filling the third role. Now that McNabb is 30, it will be interesting to see if the Eagles take a Feeleyesque fifth-round shot in the dark, or if they actually spend a first-day pick on a QB. First round is extremely unlikely. But for now, we know they are unlikely to add a quarterback in free agency.

Running back: This is the most likely area for a free-agent upgrade, especially since Buckhalter's agent, Fletcher Smith, said last weekend he hadn't heard much from the Eagles. They could wait for the draft, and some second-roundish talent like Penn State's Tony Hunt or Rutgers' Brian Leonard, but they'd prefer a veteran, especially a veteran with West Coast offense experience. Ahman Green is unlikely to want to come for the price and the role the Eagles envision, as a complement to Brian Westbrook.

Offensive line: Like the guy guarding the door to the Emerald City said, "Not nobody, not no how!" This is the one spot where the Birds are really flush. They have a highly regarded second-round 2006 draft pick, Winston Justice, who never played a down last season. Even if they, say, end up asking William Thomas to restructure, and trading him if he won't do it, they aren't looking for any free-agent help here.

Defensive line: This is the team's biggest mess and maybe the hardest to fix. The suspicion is that having drafted d-linemen in the first round 3 of the last 4 years, and having signed both Jevon Kearse and Darren Howard to big free-agent deals, the Eagles are just going to hope for better health and more development. Other than re-signing Thomas, they don't seem to be ready to throw more money at this area. But something still seems seriously, strangely wrong. Ever wonder why guys like Derrick Burgess and Hollis Thomas seemed to play better after leaving here?

Linebacker: Yes, everybody except the Eagles seems to know the league is going more to playmaking, big-impact linebackers. No, the Birds don't have any, unless Jeremiah Trotter discovers the fountain of youth. And no, they show absolutely no interest in trying to find one, still. Adalius Thomas? Only if he changes his first name to "Juqua." Maybe in the draft.

Defensive backfield: They'll let nickel corner Rod Hood walk, which could come back to haunt them, especially if Will James either doesn't sign here or gets hurt again. Mike Lewis also is leaving, opening the possibility of a bigger role for just-signed Quintin Mikell. This will be a major area of emphasis in the draft (first-round safety, at 26th overall?), but a significant free-agent signing at corner or safety would be a surprise.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

And then there's always Reno Mahe, right?

Adalius Thomas? Only if he changes his first name to "Juqua."

Hate.

[ice grillin you]

i refuse to believe they arent going to sign a linebacker in free agency and a wide receiver

according to bowen they are going into next year with no additions anywhere except back-up RB?

and without their best WR the QB a huge questionmark and their best DL coming off a terrible knee injury

[Beermonkey]

But something still seems seriously, strangely wrong. Ever wonder why guys like Derrick Burgess and Hollis Thomas seemed to play better after leaving here?

Well, for one, the years they played afer they left, were one of they few that they weren't on IR for.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

BTW, when he talks about how DL's seem to perform better elsewhere, I think it's very obvious why.  The LB's on this team have been awful and do not support the line as they should.

[Diomedes]

So which is it, the awful DL is putting too much pressure on the LBs, or the other way around.  I've heard both theories bandied about here.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

So which is it, the awful DL is putting too much pressure on the LBs, or the other way around.  I've heard both theories bandied about here.

I don't think either group has been particularly good, but it does seem that of late, Eagles LB's have had less success on other teams while Eagles DL's have had more.

[SD_Eagle5]

They compliment each other

[Diomedes]

So which is it, the awful DL is putting too much pressure on the LBs, or the other way around.  I've heard both theories bandied about here.

I don't think either group has been particularly good, but it does seem that of late, Eagles LB's have had less success on other teams while Eagles DL's have had more.

Well, I agree with you there.

[mussa]

the problem last year was we got great pressure on QB early, when our offense was clicking...when the offense fizzed out, so did our d-line ad overall defense. the 3 and outs were killing our defense. that all picked up at the end. i think it has to do more from our offensive production and clock management.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

That couldn't be more wrong.

The defense lost two of the three top CB's and Jevon Kearse in the first couple of games... THAT'S why they stopped getting nearly the same amount of pressure.  Kearse was finally playing out of his mind, and the secondary could actually cover people if Johnson brought pressure.  It didn't last long due to injury, not due to the offense.