Poor Sports GM: On the Eve of NFL Free Agency

Normally this date comes and goes and I don't really consider it post-worth. The Eagles have been actively upgrading thier roster as of late, and they have done a wonderful job locking their talent down and avoiding losing any key pieces. This year might be different in that the Eagles might actually stand to lose more than they gain for a few reasons.

Despite having a ton of the third-most money to spend this offseason, the Birds stand to lose some big names: Brian Dawkins, Tra Thomas, Jon Runyan and maybe if you add up Buckhalter, Considine, and LJ Smith they would count as a big name. In a weak year for free agents (aside from Hanyesworth) all of a sudden, these Eagles with expired contracts may be appealing options for other teams. They come to a crossroad and the decisions made in the next few days may drastically affect the rosters come autumn. With my advice, we'll win a Super Bowl in no time, so enjoy the latest installment of Poor Sports GM.


EAGLES PLAYERS TO RESIGN: Tra Thomas, Brian Dawkins, Correll Buckhalter, Sean Considine

WHY I'M RIGHT: We CANNOT go into next season with 2 new tackles and Runyan is a no-go, so Tra it is. Once the Panthers re-signed Jordan Gross and the Dolphins locked up Vernon Carey, the market for tackles is drier than a menopausal vagina in Tempe. Tra will cost more than the Eagles might prefer, but he's a must sign. Dawkins has at least a year left in the tank, if not two. Jerry Jones is in Philly today*, so let's hope he's not envisioning a revamped, dedicated and intense defense featuring both Ray Lewis AND Brian Dawkins. I can't see Dawk leaving for the 'Boys, but if Jones wants an attitude change, who knows how much it will be worth to him.

* UPDATE: Jones was in Philly to meet with Comcast. Dawk is in the clear.

Buckhalter may test the market looking for more touches, but he knows the system here and is just starting to show Andy and Co. what he can do when given the ball (finally...at age 30). I wouldn't give him a ton of money, but even if the Birds should draft a RB to replace him, I don't feel comfortable with Westie, Booker and a rookie being our only running back options...unless the Eagles should sign Derrick Ward, but I'm getting ahead of myself. Sean Considine will not take much money to bring back and his impact on special teams is probably worth the price.

EAGLES PLAYERS TO LET GO: LJ Smith, Nick Cole, Willie Reid, Hank Baskett, Tank Williams

WHY I'M RIGHT: Do I even need to make an argument for LJ Smith or Willie Reid? They will be gone for the same reason—failing to appear in a game. Haha. Now seriously, Nick Cole played well really well as a fill-in for the injured MGJ (who filled in for the injured Shawn Andrews) but with the Eagles needing tackles he'll probably play elsewhere next season. Herremans and Andrews could be moved to tackle with MGJ stepping in to the vacated guard spot, so the situation seems resolved. If Tra doesn't re-sign, then maybe I'm wrong.

Finally, Hank Basket stole our hearts in his first training camp but aside from his uncanny ability to catch 80+ yard TDs, he's been more hype than hit. Jason Avant can replace Basket as the possession receiver. Plus with Jackson, Curtis and perhaps Housh or Boldin, the WR position is getting a bit crowded in Philly.

UPDATE: I forgot about Tank Williams, but there's not much to say about a special-teamer.

UPDATED NOTE: The Eagles have made tender offers to restricted free agents Baskett, Cole and Williams. If they should leave, the Eagles now will receive compensatory picks. I STILL view these players as extraneous.

FREE AGENTS THE EAGLES SHOULD SIGN: Jason Brown (Ravens C/G), Leonard Weaver (Seahawks FB), TJ Houshmandzadeh (Bengals WR), Derrick Ward (Giants RB)

WHY I'M RIGHT: The first two names are players the Eagles should definitely sign. Brown is a 6-3, 320-pound beast who could play center or guard for the Eagles, allowing the offensive line carousel continue. They would then be able to move current center Jamaal Jackson out to guard, leaving Herremans or Andrews to slide to tackle or just keep him as a backup. Best of all, Brown is just 25 so he fits well into forming a new, younger O-line.

Leonard Weaver is the fullback we've all been begging for. Considered versitale, Weaver is a 240-pound bowling ball with soft hands and a nice quickness that helped him record 100+ receiving yards and 2 TDs in one game last year. His blocking has improved and his skills with the ball would make him a perfect fit for the glaring hole at fullback. Plus Seattle drafted Owen Schmitt to be their FB of the future, so all that's left to say is: SIGN THIS PLAYER!

Now comes the difficult part. The Eagles have money to spend on Housh, so if they can't pry Boldin away from the Cardinals, he's a good guy to spend some money on. Considering John Clayton says Boldin can be acquired for a 1st and a 3rd, hopefully this will not be the case. However, with McNabb wanting weapons (and most of the world not wanting to test Marvin Harrison out), Housh would look good in midnight green for 2 or 3 years. Hey, he may not be that much better than what we've got, but where else do we spend our cash?

Finally, if the Birds should happen to lose Buckhalter, Derrick Ward would be an upgrade to the Birds backs. In fact, if Buck stays, Ward would still be an upgrade. Despite being Westie's age, he has relatively low mileage on him, can catch the ball, has the power to pick up the tough yards and most importantly—he would be leaving the Giants. He'll probably want a chunk of change, but if the Birds don't land any other big name FA, Ward would be a good fit for the next few years.

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So there you have it. If anyone knows people in the Eagles front office, send 'em a link, would you? Otherwise, if we don't win the Super Bowl next year, you have no one to blame but yourself. You can't point the finger at me, I laid it all out for everyone to see. For more perspective, Philly.com's Paul Domowitch lists his top 6 free agents for the Eagles to sign. There is some overlap and Bell was just resigned in Miami, but it's still a good read.