Philadelphia Eagles Free Agency: Sifting Through the Rumor Mill

First of all, I’m a diehard Philadelphia Eagles fan.

That said, this lockout has sent every football fan into purgatory, where the only thing to do is spin rumors and make up what our “sources” say will happen.  I can no longer just sift through this endless pile of imaginary sports fodder.

This is what I would like the Eagles to do in free agency. Maybe when the lockout ends, in what feels like five years, we can see if they do anything.

1. Albert Haynesworth Reuniting With Jim Washburn

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NASHVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 28: Defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth #92 of the Tennessee Titans tries to get the crowd into the game while taking on the Minnesota Vikings at LP Field on September 28, 2008 in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans defeated the Vi

Fresh from the rumor mill is the news of Jim Washburn’s undying lust to acquire his old pal Albert Haynesworth and build a defensive line to rule humanity.

Matching Haynesworth with Washburn’s new favorite toy Trent Cole could make them both even more effective. Match them with Washburn’s recent glory boy Jason Babin, and now we're cooking.  

Assuming the Redskins cut Haynesworth, the Eagles could easily sign him to a modest (hopefully work incentive based) contract, which he said he would be willing to take to play with Washburn again.

Many people have put the stamp on Haynesworth of being selfish, lazy and just an all-around non-team player. I would attribute most of this to being tossed against his will into a 3-4 scheme.

The difference between playing as a standard 4-3 DT and a 3-4 NT may not seem that extreme to the casual football fan.  In addition, the difference between an astronaut and a scuba diver might not seem that different, they both use suits and oxygen; but they work in totally different environments.

Point being that once someone has become the best at doing one thing, in one environment, don’t go altering their job description. This kinda goes along the lines of, “If it’s not broke don’t fix it.” I don’t want scuba divers in space and astronauts underwater, it’s a crude comparison, but I think you get what I mean.  

Expecting a dominating DT to just become a dominating NT in a different scheme seems a little naïve.

The point is that Albert Haynesworth, back in a good old 4-3 system, working with his favorite position coach, makes for a happy, motivated and in-shape Albert Haynesworth, the same man who once dominated the DT position.

In Philadelphia, Haynesworth could play like the $100 million man that Washington thought they were getting, but that doesn’t mean we have to pay him that.

If the Redskins somehow don’t cut Haynesworth, I would be perfectly fine with Reid trading a third-round pick to get him. It’s not like it matters, Andy Reid spends all his time stock piling draft picks anyway, he’d probably find a way to gain back a third-round pick.

If the Eagles could get Haynesworth to play like he did in Tennessee under Washburn, then they have nothing to lose.

And the Eagles will most likely sign Jason Babin, that’s not really much of a question, so there.                  

2. Nnamdi Asomugha and the Right-Cornerback Position

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OAKLAND, CA - JANUARY 03: Nnamdi Asomugha #21 of the Oakland Raiders in action against the Baltimore Ravens during an NFL game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on January 3, 2010 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

Doesn’t that just sound like the title of a children’s book?

For months, Eagles fans have been clamoring for the Eagles to go after Nnamdi Asomugha and after the Eagles passed on any decent CB in the draft it appeared all but concluded, the Eagles were gonna open up their wallets and get it done.

But after two months of post-draft lockout rumor slinging the Eagles are apparently not interested in Nnamdi anymore. I’m not even going to take the time to look up this “source” because I’m sure it’s nowhere near the team.  

The saddest thing about this news, as much as I’d like to dismiss it, is I could easily see the Eagles passing on Nnamdi.  If there is one thing Andy Reid is great at, it is doing nothing substantial, signing bandaids to plug into crucial positions then stare confusingly into the camera after a playoff loss as if to say, “What went wrong?”

Well Andy, it turns out that here in reality, with the rest of us, not every player you stole away from the seventh round of the draft is capable of carrying the Eagles to a Super Bowl victory.  

Now I do applaud Andy for his work in recent years. He’s gone after good players, and luck has seriously smiled on the Eagles, but luck doesn’t win Super Bowls, great players in key positions do. The longer Reid continues to fill his roster with bandaids the longer Eagles fans will have to wait for Super Bowl victories.

If I had one thing to tell Andy Reid, it would be to solidify crucial positions once and for all. Fill key positions with proven veterans who know what to do in every situation and have the experience and capability to accomplish the tasks put before them.

If you can fill up a roster with a good nucleus of talent and plug in a couple of real play makers, the Super Bowl is yours for the taking.

That said, I think we can all agree Nnamdi Asomugha is one of the best, if not the best cornerback in the league and signing him would keep those bandaids safely in the box, instead of trying to ineffectively cover receivers in the red zone.  

Andy, sign him, that way you can check, “Start two capable cornerbacks at the same time” off this year’s list. There’s no point in hanging onto all the extra cap space, they don’t hand out award’s for who went the furthest into the playoffs with the most left over cap space.  We’ve won that award like every year.

I also think it’s very likely that Reid could go after Nnamdi, because he needs the RCB position solid now, because Vick only has four to five years of solid play left, and there’s no point in solidifying the CB position a few years after Vick is passed his prime.

3. Plaxico Burress Resurrecting His Career in Vickadelphia

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GLENDALE, AZ - FEBRUARY 03: Wide receiver Plaxico Burress #17 of the New York Giants catches a 13-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter over Ellis Hobbs #27 of the New England Patriots during Super Bowl XLII on February 3, 2008 at the University of P

I don’t see anything wrong with this potential move. He’s probably incredibly out of shape but has the lockout to work on that. He’s well rested, injury free and even self-inflicted injury free.  

He’s what the Eagles need in the redzone, and if he can still run, jump, and catch, I’d say he’s perfect. Mike Vick seems to think so. What better place for an ex-con to start over? Come to Philadelphia, the place where redemption is truly possible. All this brotherly love is finally starting to pay off.

Now for everyone who wants to immediately write off ex-cons, I’m sure the other 31 teams are basking in their pride knowing that they didn’t sink as low as the Eagles did when they snatched up tarnished gold in Vick.

But I’m sure they’re a little upset now that they didn’t strike while the iron was hot a couple years ago. Point being, great talent is still great talent even if it comes with a troubled past, and if it leads to a Super Bowl victory, you’re not going to care what it took to get it.

If Burress can help the Eagles win, who cares that he shot himself in the leg. I’d much rather have Vick throwing to Burress in the back of the endzone than to Riley Cooper, wouldn’t you?

4. Kevin Kolb to Arizona For…

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TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 01: Santonio Holmes #10 of the Pittsburgh Steelers catches a touchdown in fourth quarter against Aaron Francisco #47 and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie #29 of the Arizona Cardinals during Super Bowl XLIII on February 1, 2009 at Raymond

I would like to take this opportunity to say the Eagles won’t be trading Kevin Kolb for Patrick Peterson. I’m afraid we haven’t wandered quite that far into the Twilight Zone.  

If they did anything they would trade for a first- or second-round pick and/or Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. This is a more plausible trade. You can look forward to any combination of those items in return for Kevin Kolb.

If Whisenhunt traded the No. 5 overall pick for Kevin Kolb, Whisenhunt might be committed to a mental hospital. I think all Eagles fans can agree, we haven’t seen Kolb do much of anything.

Yes he beat the Falcons, but other than that, he’s a glorified A.J. Feeley.  Even the idea of getting a first-round pick for him with the aid of a bidding war is gravy. Let’s not push it too far.

The idea of getting Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie isn’t the worst idea I’ve ever heard. He’s definitely better than Dimitri Patterson, Joselio Hanson, Trevard Lindley and Curtis Marsh but not better than Nnamdi.

I would much rather just write Nnamdi a check, trade Kolb for a first-round pick and call it good.  I doubt Arizona would give up both a first-round pick and DRC. This way we sign the best and save the pick for another day.

5. Eagles Drafting Terrelle Pryor in Supplemental Draft

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NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 04: Terrelle Pryor #2 of the Ohio State Buckeyes runs with the football against the Arkansas Razorbacks in the first quarter during the Allstate Sugar Bowl at the Louisiana Superdome on January 4, 2011 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

I don’t hate the idea. Pryor’s got a lot of talent, but he’s not exactly NFL ready. And every NFL guru under the sun wants to talk up Andy Reid’s obvious QB developing skills. I’m almost getting to the point when I wish Reid would stop seeking out “developmental” players.

I want Reid to spend his time improving his instant replay challenging skills, perfecting the run/pass ratio, and learning to stop saying “listen” before everything he says. 

I don’t want Reid doing anything besides working on our Super Bowl.  If he wants to tutor QBs independently after he retires, OK, but focus on the gameplan for now. I would be fine with the Eagles trading for Tyler Thighpen to back up Vick.

6. Conclusion

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PHILADELPHIA - AUGUST 15: Head coach Andy Reid of the Philadelphia Eagles speaks at a press conference regarding Michael Vick at the NovaCare Complex on August 15, 2009 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/Getty Images)

Well that’s it. I just wanted to get this stuff off my chest. I’d love to hear any opinions on these rantings, especially if your name is Andy Reid.

I hope Reid is just throwing up smoke screens waiting to break the bank on Nnamdi the second that free agency starts. I mean really, who would blame him for signing the best?

Reid has made all these changes to his coaching staff, I just hope he doesn’t think that this means he can get even more bandaids because he has such a good coaching staff now, and they’ll be able to turn these rough stones into diamonds in a few short weeks thanks to the short offseason. 

I hope he realizes you can only teach young players so much, and they need years of experience to be truly capable, and we don’t have time to wait. That’s why we need to get it done in free agency right now. If we win a Super Bowl, no one will care what it took to get it. 

Remember that Andy, who knows, maybe this year you won't have to ask yourself, "What went wrong?"