2012 NFL Free Agency: Today's Buzz and Speculation in the NFC East, 2/13 Edition

Tag, DeSean Jackson's It for the Eagles

Whether DeSean Jackson likes it or not, he will likely be given the franchise tag in 2012. According to Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Eagles will not let him go for free.

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The Eagles are going to franchise DeSean Jackson, count on it. They will not let their Pro Bowl receiver—whose contract is set to expire—walk without getting something in return, according to NFL sources.  

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Some may feel Jackson's character issues are overblown, but he had more than his share of problems both on and off the field in 2011, not the least of which was a meltdown after a loss to the Seahawks in which he walked out on a postgame interview.

That doesn't really matter to the organization, or at least that's what ESPN NFC East blogger Dan Graziano thinks. Their sole focus is on winning a championship in 2012.

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The most important thing to remember here is that every single decision the Eagles make between now and September will be for the purpose of helping the 2012 team reach the Super Bowl. For the people running the franchise, there's nothing beyond next season right now.

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Giving Jackson the franchise tag is like pouring kerosene on an open fire. It could likely be the impetus behind a six- to eight-week holdout for Jackson, and is likely to more harm for the locker room than good on the football field.

Trade Block Nowhere New for Asante Samuel

Will Samuel ever be traded? He's been on the block for awhile now, and the Eagles were a heartbeat away from trading him just last offseason. 

And with a hat tip to Graziano, Jonathan Tamari of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes that Asante is as unsure about his future as anyone.

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Asked if he wants to be back as an Eagle, Samuel said simply, "Of course." But he didn't elaborate.

"I just take it day-to-day, see what the future holds," Samuel said. But he said he had received no clear indication from the team what its plans are for him next year.

The Eagles tried to trade Samuel last season after acquiring Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Samuel lashed out at management, criticizing team president Joe Banner and general manager Howie Roseman for playing "fantasy football" and dropped numerous hints that his future might lie elsewhere.

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As noted by Tamari, the Eagles have no shortage of talent at cornerback, and with that, they also have a lot of money invested in the position. This all, of course, comes just days after the Inquirer's Les Bowen wrote that the Eagles could free up some cap space with the move. Making a move would help unload an estimated $9.4 million of cap space.

That being said, I point back to Graziano's early sentiments that the team won't make a move unless it directly helps their chances to win in 2012. They would likely want to be rewarded handsomely for a player of Samuel's stature, and with the common knowledge of his issues with the team, they're not likely to get big offers for Samuel.

Redskins Have Options At Quarterback Besides Peyton Manning and Robert Griffin III

If you ask most around the nation's capital, the buzz this offseason has been mainly centered around the prospect of picking up Peyton Manning or Robert Griffin III. There are plenty of other options, though none are quite as sexy as adding Manning.

One possible option is adding Kyle Orton. Two separate columns—one by Mike Jones of The Washington Post and the other by John Keim of the Washington Examiner—both present strong cases for Orton.

Why would this be a good move? Two reasons particularly:

1. He limits his mistakes; he has thrown 57 interceptions in 71 career games. The Redskins have struggled to find a quarterback that can limit their mistakes in recent years.
2. He's cheaper than Manning and better than Rex Grossman or John Beck.

He's been solid at times through his career, and though most wouldn't put him at blame for the team's 1-4 start, it's hard not to notice that the team went 8-5 in their remaining games (regular season and playoffs).

He's clearly not a franchise-caliber quarterback like Manning, but he's no slouch. As pointed out in the above graphic from ESPN's Rumor Central, the Redskins don't exactly have a lot of cap space to dance with. This would be an effective low-cost move to improve a position of need.

Victor Cruz-ing to a new deal?

The one setback of winning the Super Bowl is that the title oftentimes comes with an increased dollar sign. Count Victor Cruz among those searching for a new deal.

And who can blame him? He set the Giants' single-season record for receiving yards in just his second season in the league—really his first, considering he spent 2010 on injured reserve.

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“I just feel like, yeah, with what I did this year statistically, the records and everything like that,” said Cruz according to the New Jersey Star-Ledger. “Obviously, just looking at the top players in the league and looking at what I did this year, I feel naturally there should be an increase in pay.”

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Cruz is due just $450,000 in 2012. Considering what he meant to the team's championship season, he's probably worth a little more than that. According to Omar Kelly of the Miami Sun Sentinel, though, the Giants are among those who are the most strapped for cash in 2012. 

He may want to get paid, and he may very well deserve it, but he wouldn't be the first player to have a breakout season to help a team reach a championship, only to have to wait for a pay day. The way the Giants have handled these situations in the past, though, something tells me they'll get it worked out. 

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