Lurie speaks

[MURP]

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Lurie confident about his team
By Bob Brookover
Inquirer Staff Writer

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - For the first time since the turn of the century, Jeffrey Lurie showed up at the spring NFL owners' meetings as a man with a losing football team.

In one miserable year, Lurie's Eagles went from the top of the NFC to the bottom of the NFC East, so surely this off-season must feel dramatically different than other ones in his recent past.

Not so, Lurie said.

"Whether we're coming off a Super Bowl performance or a Final Four championship-game performance or a 6-10 season, you're never very far from the bottom and you're not very far from the top," Lurie said yesterday after listening to the address of outgoing commissioner Paul Tagliabue at the Hyatt Grand Regency.

In other words, Lurie is confident that the Eagles can go from the bottom back to the top of the NFC East in 2006 even if the team's fan base has been less than thrilled with the free-agent events that have taken place in the last two weeks.

"I think we have the nucleus of a terrific team," Lurie said. "No team is going to suffer the injuries that we had last year and survive. If [Ben] Roethlisberger or Tom Brady went down, you don't have the same results. You have to understand that we had an enormous number of injuries.

"On the other hand, we have to improve this team very much as well. It's the combination of the two. We have a lot of terrific players back. How many Pro Bowlers did we have 12 months ago? I think we led the NFL by far. But you can't rest on that because you might have some descending players."

Yes, the Eagles were devastated by injuries last season. Only four of their projected 11 offensive starters from training camp were still in the lineup by the end of the season, and none of them played quarterback, tailback or wide receiver.

Those missing starters figure to be healthy in 2006, although some of them won't be back in the starting lineup. Terrell Owens, of course, will be the most notable absence. For the first time since Owens' departure to Dallas, the Eagles' owner commented on the star receiver's ill-fated tenure in Philadelphia.

"The regret is that we couldn't maximize his entire talent," Lurie said. "In my estimation, he's the most talented receiver in the NFL, bar none. We were able to maximize that personality and talent for one year, and then we were not able to maximize the personality and team aspect in the second year. It was frustrating."

Now, Owens plays for the Eagles' most bitter division rival and will get at least two chances this season to beat the team that used to employ him. Lurie said it didn't bother him that Owens landed with the Cowboys. Nor did he seem all that concerned that T.O. might dance on the Eagles' midfield logo at Lincoln Financial Field or pull out an imaginary six-shooter to celebrate a touchdown.

"It didn't matter to me who he signed with," Lurie said. "I think it's more exciting for the fans that he signed with Dallas. I'm happy for that. I think it will be a great matchup. We've been playing T.O. since I've been in the league."

But now, it's different.

"It is and it isn't," Lurie said. "He's an excellent wide receiver, and you've got to account for him on every play. We've done that and done it well. We've never, that I can remember, had a game where he was the decisive factor."

The 49ers were 3-1 against the Eagles during Owens' time in San Francisco and he caught 21 passes for 300 yards and three touchdowns in the four games. Most of his individual damage, however, came in a lopsided loss to the Eagles in 2002 when he caught 13 passes for 166 yards and two TDs.

Anyway, the Eagles are obviously ready to move beyond the T.O. era/error, and their owner is convinced they can still be an elite team, even though he acknowledges that the rest of the division is vastly improved.

"It has happened because those teams drafted better," Lurie said. "The other teams have had a lot of high draft picks. These other teams are excellent teams. They've been in the top 15 in the draft over and over, and they've capitalized on it. We haven't had that chance, but we will this year.

"As long as we have the best quarterback in the division, I'm looking forward to the season. I feel very strongly that if Donovan [McNabb] is healthy, we have the best quarterback in the division."

Lurie also feels strongly that the Eagles' approach to free agency this off-season has been the right one. While the Cowboys and taterskins have made headlines with additions such as Owens, kicker Mike Vanderjagt (Dallas), and wide receiver Antwaan Randle El (Washington), the Eagles have made far less noise with additions such as defensive end Darren Howard and linebacker Shawn Barber.

The owner said the Eagles' personnel decisions are not based on saving money. He finds it absurd that the team is sometimes portrayed as cheap.

"It's crazy," Lurie said. "Every team spends the same amount of money. If you total up the cash spent, we're always in the top level in the league. Whether you spend it in March or you spend in November, you are spending the exact same dollars.

"If you look over the free-agent lists from this year and last year, there are reasons that players are out there. There are some good players out there, but you have to make a decision about things as an organization. Arizona acquired a very good running back in [Edgerrin James], but at his age, it may or may not work out.

"We tend to prioritize on re-signing our best young players and the draft. What free agency provides is a foray to take a player that another team has decided not to re-sign, and occasionally we do that. We've done it with T.O. and Jevon Kearse. We did it with Jon Runyan. We've surely done it, but it's not the way to win your division or your conference. The most effective way to do that is clearly the draft."

[ice grillin you]

Arizona acquired a very good running back in [Edgerrin James], but at his age, it may or may not work out.

what the hell does this mean exactly

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

It means that Edgerrin might have gotten a pile of money just to prove that his legs aren't as fresh as they used to be and that not even one of the better RB's in the NFL can run behind one of the worst run-blocking lines in the league.

[hunt]

if lurie says everything's okay, i believe him.
whew.

[Zanshin]

What about that confused you?  The whole proper English thing get in the way of comprehension again?

[ice grillin you]

or it might work out and turn arizona into the most dynamic offense since the forward pass

again whats the point

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

again whats the point

The point is that even the most slam-dunk free agents are not a sure thing to succeed on their new teams.

[ice grillin you]

The point is that even the most slam-dunk free agents are not a sure thing to succeed on their new teams.

yeah and matt schobel and jabar gaffney might turn into probowlers...yippie

we all know there arent any guarantees in pro sports...thanks jeffy

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

It's funny that you claimed to really like the Schobel signing, but now you use it to make your bitchy point.

[ice grillin you]

i do like it a lot...for what it is...a back up TE...

[PublicEnemy_81]

The most effective way to do that is clearly the draft.

Does he realize that drafting players is not really a strong point for them? 

[Wingspan]

The most effective way to do that is clearly the draft.

Does he realize that drafting players is not really a strong point for them? 

i beg to differ. other than troy vincent, terrell owens, hugh douglas...every other eagles pro bowler has been drafted or initially signed as a UDFA as an eagle.

drafting is a strong point. yes they have had their share of misfires in the draft, but the hits are pretty good.

[ice grillin you]

in seven years of drafting reid has 2002 and mcnabb as his successes

[hunt]

don't forget tapeh...i'm expecting big things from him this season.

[MURP]

in seven years of drafting reid has 2002 and mcnabb as his successes

so now Burgess is a failure eh?