Eagles Land FB Weaver

Eagles fans can now relax: the Eagles have a fullback. 

The Philadelphia Eagles signed fullback Leonard Weaver today, inking him to a 1 year deal worth up to 2.5 million dollars. Weaver finished with 130 yards on only 30 carries last season with the Seahawks, for a 4.3 average per carry. Weaver is also a threat in the passing game, catching 20 balls for 222 yards, an 11 yard average. 

The signing will help the Eagles in a lot of ways. Third and one was the teams Achilles heel last season, but now with the addition of Weaver, they will improve in that area. Weaver is 6'0, 242 lbs, and is the answer to Eagles fans hope for a big, bruising back. Where Kyle Eckel, Correll Buckhalter and Dan Klecko failed, Weaver will be able to pick up the tough yardage at the end of games. 

Weaver, as stated before, is also a threat in the passing game, which we all know will make him a factor in Andy Reid's offense. With Weaver in the game with Westbrook, the Eagles will be able to keep one of them in the backfield with McNabb and send one in the flat. Both Weaver and Westbrook will be able to win the 1 on 1 match ups with the linebacker, and sending them into the flat will open up the middle of the field for players like Brent Celek, Jason Avant and Kevin Curtis to make plays. 

The timing of this move is a curious one- the Eagles have been rumored to be talking to Weaver for a couple weeks, and it was rumored that they were at one point out of the chase. Is it a coincidence that now that both Beanie Wells and Knowson Moreno are done there pro-day work out, and mere days after Moreno finished his, the Eagle sign Weaver? Could this mean the Eagles decided to sign Weaver, use him as a change of pace back, and go another route with their first round pick? 

That is just speculation, but the real story is that today, for really the first time all off season, the Eagles made a move that the fans could be excited about. 

Bargain Receiver For Eagles?

With the draft coming up, the Eagles are (hopefully) looking for ways to improve their team, especially their wide receivers position.


Take a look at the breakdown at these two receivers over the last 3 seasons, and decide which one you would rather have:

Receiver 1 Receiver 2


Catches 81 83
Touchdowns 8 6.5
Yards Per Catch 16 12.6
Yards 1,031 1,057


On paper, those two wide outs are almost identical.


However, in real life, the perception of these two could not be farther apart.


Receiver 1 is Anquan Boldin, probaly the man that most of the people in Philadelphia would take a pay cut to get in an Eagles uniform. Boldin is reportedly on the block, and the asking price is being set by the New York Giants, who are rumored to have offered 2 first round draft picks and a 3rd round draft pick. While that is just a rumor, it is a more then generous offer, one that the Eagles would probaly not match.


Receiver 2 is Torry Holt. Holt was released today by the St Louis Rams, and is a free agent. he is 3 years older then Boldin, but has not taken the physical beating that Boldin has. Last season was a down year for him (63 catchs, 3 TD's) , but who on St Louis had a good year in general? Holt has spent years being the number 1 option on the Rams, a role Boldin never had. He has had under 90 catches only once in the last seven years.


But most importantly, Holt will cost you only a contract. Sign Holt, and you get to keep your two first round draft choices. If the Giants sign Boldin, they will be favored to win the NFC. With Plaxico not returning (most likely), Boldin would fill that hole for them. Boldin also would be a better fit for the Eagles, as he is an under neath, strong, over the middle the receiver, a perfect compliment to DeSean Jackson.


Holt is not Boldin, but he is more then just a consolation prize. If the Eagles sign Holt, and keep their two first round draft choices, they could also add a running back like Knowson Moreno through the draft, as well as a tackle that could fill the huge hole on the left side of the line.


Would I match the Giants trade for a 1rst this year, 1rst next year and a 3rs round draft pick for Boldin? Yes I would, mostly to block him from going to New York, and because if the Eagles get Boldin, that first round pick next year will probaly be in the high 20's.


Would I try to out do the Giants and give up BOTH first round picks this year? No, at that point I would sign Holt, keep the draft picks, draft a running back and tackle, and hope Boldin is a flop in New York. Holt is still an offensive weapon, and down field threat.

Eagles Can Still Save Off Season

Much like last season for the Eagles, the off season has not gotten off to the best start for them.

Its been 2 months since the Cardinals ended the Eagles latest run to the Super Bowl, and for Eagles fans, its been 2 months of watching the Joe Banner and Andy Reid trying to make the team better. 

Trying being the key word.

So far, the Eagles has added Stacy Andrews, Sean Jones and Rashad Baker. Needless to say, those names do not make the fans hearts skip at beat. The Eagles have passed on players such as T.J. Houshmanzadeh and Derrick Ward, players that could have helped them this season. 

Meanwhile, the Eagles have let every single free agent of theirs walk except Joselio Hanson. That list includes one of the corner stone of their franchise, Brian Dawkins. It includes the heart of their offensive line, Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan. And it includes the best tight end in the NFL, L.J. Smith (ok, maybe not). 

But as mad as the fans are at the Eagles, take a step back, and look at where the Eagles stand right now.  

They have spent virtually none of their almost 40 million dollars in cap space. Through trades, they have 12 picks going into the NFL draft.  

The Eagles have the ammunition to turn this around. 

Some will get on them for not putting out the money for Houshmanzadeh, but was he really worth the money the Seahawks paid him? Profootballtalk.com has reported that the Cardinals are now shopping Anquan Boldin. Do you think the Eagles would have tried to trade for him if they had already signed TJ? Now, the Eagles have to be considered the favorite to land him, and many websites link him to the Eagles. 

As far as letting Dawkins walk, it was not a good move. There is no denying that he was the heart and sole of this team. But the replacement they have signed, Sean Jones, is better then people think. Over the last 3 years, Jones is 3rd in the NFL in interceptions as far as the saftey position goes. Jones has averaged more tackles and more pass deflections then Dawkins. You could look at that and blame that on the fact that the Browns defense sucks, and he had more tackle oppurtunies, but you could also credit the fact that Dawkins has more sacks and forced fumbles then Jones on the fact that Dawkins plays in a blitz happy defense, and towards the end of last season, played up on the line a lot. 

While Dawkins will be missed in the locker room, on the field, the Eagles defense is just as good, if not better, then it was when the season ends. 

When I wrote my Eagles Off Season Preview article, I said I hoped the Eagles let Correll Buckhalter walk. Not because I didn't like Buck, but because I knew if they resigned him, they would not draft a half back in the draft. Now? Their is a good chance that when the Eagles are on the clock for the draft, they will be debating between Beanie Wells, Donald Brown or Knowshon Moreno as their running back of the future. 

Their have also been reports that the Eagles are talking to Seattle full back Leonard Weaver, a 6 foot, 242 pound pass catching, tough running player. The addition of him to the Eagles offense would be big, because it would solve their 3rd and 1 problems, and would open up holes for Westbrook that were not their for him last season. 

So while many people feel down about the Eagles, look at what they have the potential to due based on their inactivity in the first 2 weeks of free agency: trade for Boldin, sign Weaver, and draft top running back.

If the Eagles take the field week 1 with Boldin, Weaver, and Moreno on their offense, would you call the off season a failure?  I would say that roster makes them the favorite to make the Super Bowl. All of these moves are very possible. 

So even though so far the Eagles have let Dawkins walk, passed on players, and even fired a disabled man, the off season is not over. They have used virtually none of their resources, and due to public backlash, are feeling the pressure to do so. 

Much like last season, the Eagles can turn this around, and I think they will. 

Dawkins Signs with Denver

Its official. Brain Dawkins, the heart and soul of the Eagles, is gone.

After some speculation that the deal might not go through, Philly.com has received confirmation from Dawkins agent that he has signed with the Broncos. The deal is believed to be a 5 year deal, with 7.2 million guaranteed. 

The Eagles will spin this in their favor, saying that they did not want to pay that much for a 13 year veteran, and that 5 years was to long of a deal for an older player. The Eagles have done this in the past, with players like Jeremiah Trotter, Ike Reese, and Hugh Douglas. They are in the process of doing this with Jon Runyan and Tra Thomas. 

But this is different. This is Dawkins.

You don't let Dawkins walk. You just don't. To make matters worse, gcobb.com has reported that someone in the organization said something to Dawkins that made him upset, and made him test the free agent waters. 

If this is true, it is an example of the disrespect that the Eagles have shown Dawkins. While he is up there in age, it is a fact that he was 1 of only 2 Eagles to make the Pro Bowl last year. Joselio Hanson got taken care of by the Eagles. But they can't take care of Dawkins?

Andy Reid and Joe Banner need to go. This is exactly the type of arrogant, horrible move that has plagued this team. The Eagles have 48 million in cap space, and you tell Dawkins that you don't want to resign him. I believe Dawkins wanted to resign here. The amount of disrespect the Eagles showed him to have him sign in Denver must have been huge.

Dawkins does not want to be in Denver. How many times do athletes stay in 1 place all of their career, then go to another team and succeed. Look at Brett Favre. Allen Iverson. Emmit Smith. Hugh Douglas. 

Dawkins will not have a good year in Denver. That will make the Eagles say that they made the right move by letting him go. But thats not that point. It just shows the way the Eagles operate. Its a sleezy move. 

This casts a dark cloud over the franchise. Do the Eagles really think that the signing of Stacey Andrews is supposed to excite the fan base? So far, the Eagles have lost Brain Dawkins, Correll Buckhalter, Lito Sheppard, LJ Smith, and Sean Considine. 

Their only addition has been Andrews. 

With Dawkins gone, and the status of Jim Johnson up in the air, the Eagles defense will be very different this up coming season. Dawkins was the heart of the team, but especially the defense. 

How can McNabb feel about this? The report earlier in the week was that he wanted the Eagles to build a winner, and that obviously has not been their goal during the first few days of free agency. The vast majority of the top free agents are gone. T.J. Housemanzadeh is the only big name free agent left, and aparently the Eagles have told him that they are not interested. 

So goes another exciting off season under Andy Reid. He has managed to take all of the momentum and hope built up by the late season run by the Eagles and squashed it. He better have another move up his sleeve, because if I'm McNabb, and they Eagles don't do anything else, I want out. Its that simple.

This is a stupid, arrogant, jackass move by Reid. Its that simple. 

I still expect to see a lot of Dawkins jerseys in the stands this season, especially when the Broncos visit the Eagles. 

Is Boldin Best Fit For Eagles?

Its the off season, so it is that time of the year again: the time of year when Eagles fans get their hopes up for a number 1 receiver.

Remember last summer, all of the talk about LarryFitzgerald and Randy Moss? How the Eagles were in "serious negotiations" with the Cardinals, and how Andy Reid talked to Moss on the phone trying to get him to come here?

Well, this summer's name will be Anquan Boldin. For the same reason Fitzgerald was supposidly avaible last summer, Boldin is this summer. Many say that the Cardinals will not pay Boldin the same amount at Fitzgerald, and that they are not willing to invest so much money into one position.

Also, Boldin is extremely unhappy in Arizona. He has repeatedly said that he wants traded, and that he will not sign a new contract with the Cardinals, because they have disrespected him. All of this has led people to believe that he is available, and that, surprise, the Eagles are the front runners.

John Clayton of ESPN said that the Eagles are the favorite to land Boldin, givin that they have 2 first round picks, and both of them are higher then the Giants picks (who are also reportedly interested.)

If I were the Eagles, I would trade a first round pick for Boldin in a heart beat. Boldin is a tough, physical player, something the Eagles lack from their wide out group, other then Jason Avant, who is no Boldin. I would also give up 2 first round picks if it ment blocking him from going to the Giants.

Boldin is one of the premier recievers in the league, and last season totaled 89 catches, 1038 yards, and 11 touchdowns despite only playing in 12 games. He missed 4 games in the season due to a vicscious hit he took in a game against the Jets, and required surgery on his face. Boldin is probaly the most physical, touch receiver in the game other then Hines Ward.

So will Boldin end up an Eagle?

The obvious, based on history answer is no. Since the Eagles drafted Donovan McNabb, they have only tried to pair him with a top notch receiver once- Terrell Owens. While no one can dispute that he was great while he was here, the Eagles will be weary of going back down that road. Boldin does not have the attitude of TO, but Owens has to creep into the Eagles heads when they think about this move.

There is one reason tho, I think a deal might be able to get done. The Eagles do have 2 first round picks this year, and I don't think the Eagles will want to pay big money to 2 first round selections. Chances of them trading one of those 2 picks are high. So one of their first round picks are available. If the Cardinals come to them, and say they want a first round pick, coupled with a lower round pick or a player, I think the Eagles do it. If they are going to financially commit to McNabb (which I think they will, like they did with Westbrook last season), then they are committing to winning now. Boldin helps them do that.

There have been talks that the Cardinals will look for something similar to what the Cowboys gave up for Roy Williams- 1rst, 3rd, 6th, and 7th round pick. The Eagles, along with any other team in the league, would not do that. One bad trade by a bad manager (Jerry Jones) does not make that the precident.

In part 1 of my Eagles Off Season Preview, I said that out of all the wideouts supposidly available (TJ, Burress, C. Johnson, Boldin), Johnson was the one I wanted. My reasoning was this- he will cost less, and will bring a swag to them team.

However, that does not mean I do not want Boldin.

In alot of ways, on the field, he would be a better fit for this team. With DeSean Jackson and Kevin Curtis, the Ealges have two big down the field threats. While Johnson is very skilled, he is the same type of player. Boldin will add a dimension- an over the middle, tough to bring down- that the Eagles lack right now.

Many people want the Eagles to bring in a tall wideout, and I agree. A big wideout in the redzone would help this team alot. But unless the Eagles want to bring in Plaxico Burress, which I'm almost sure they do not, the best option out their is Reggie Williams, who is 6'4. Rich Hoffman brought this up in a recent column, and I agree with him.

TJ Housmanzadeh is not what the Eagles need. He is not tall enough, he is older then Boldin, and has never proven he can be a number 1.

While signing Williams would be a nice move, it would be just that- a nice move. It would not make a big difference in the team. He would not sky rocket expectations.

That is why I think the Eagles should bring in Tony Gonzalez for a red zone precense, and bring the best wide out, not the tallest.

Obviously, that does not mean it will happen. The Cardinals have been sted fast in saying that Boldin signed a contract, and he will live up to it. If I'm the Eagles, and I get an offer from a team for a top flight wide out now (say the Bengals call and offer Johnson for a 1rst), I do it. I don't wait to see how this long stand off between Boldin and the team end ups.

But if I was offered both players at the same time, for the same price (a 1rst and another small piece), I take Boldin.

NBA Second Half Preview

With the All Star weekend right around the corner, its time to look back at what I said at the beginning of the NBA season, what I ment to say, and how I see the rest of the season playing out:

What I Said: "I see a huge comeback year for (Wade). This is a big rebound year for the Heat"

What I Ment To Say: I ment what I said, and I said what I ment. Everybody was down on the Heat coming into this season, with many publications picking them to finish last in their division. The Heat, however, have Dwanye Wade, and in the NBA, one superstar is all you Wade. Wade has been an MVP canidate this season, averaging 28 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists. The Heat have been in playoff contention all season, and if the playoffs ended today, they would finish 7th (however, they are tied with 3 teams for 5th) . I predicted they would finish 5th, and with the possible trade for Amera Stoudamire, they have a real chance to do so.

What I Said: "The Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards will finish 7th and 8th in the East"

What I Ment To Say: Ouch. This one hurts. After making the playoffs last year without Gilbert Arenas, I thought that the Wizards would be able to do it again, picking them to finish 8th. 55 games into the season, they have 11 wins, good for last place in the Eastern Conference. The Raptors, who started out looking like a contendor in the East, have fallen off, there are rumblings of moving Chris Bosh, and are currently second to last in the East. And to think I picked them to make it over the Atlanta Hawks.

What I Said: "The Portland Trailblazers will finish 3rd in the Western Conference"

What I Ment to Say: I knew what I picked the Trailblazers to finish 3rd, I was taking a chance. However, at the time of this post, the Blazers are currently 4th in the West, only 2 games out of 3rd. The Blazers have done it with surprisingly little help from Greg Oden, who has had a dissapoitning rookie campaign, averaging only 9 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 block per game. Brandon Roy has carried this team, and has emerged as one of the best players in the league. Roy is averaging 23 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assissts.

How I see the Second Half of the Season Playing Out:

Eastern Conference:

1. Cleveland

2. Boston

3. Orlando

4. Atlanta

5. Philadelphia

6. Miami

7. Detroit

8. New Jersey

Western Conference:

1. Los Angeles

2. Denver

3. Portland

4. San Antonio

5. New Orleans

6. Utah Jazz

7. Houston

8. Dallas

Eastern Conference Finals: Cleveland over Boston

Western Conference Finals: Los Angeles ove San Antonio

NBA Championship: Los Angeles over Cleveland

What If....???

In Sports, there will always be "what if" questions. There have been tons of games that, had they gone the other way, would change the history of sports. What if Portland would have taken Michael Jordan? What if Tom Bradys incomplete pass is ruled a fumble? What if Terrell Owens remains sane, and is still an Eagle?

Those are all situational what if's, but I have come up with some bigger "what if"'s that if they happened, would change sports as we know it.

What If All Athletes Were Paid the Same?

As sports continues to progress, money is becoming more and more the driving force behind sports moves. Players are traded for salary cap reasons, players sit out of camps for more money, and in contract years, players play harder then ever before. Teams like the Yankees are able to sign all of the premier free agents because they know that if they go to New York, they will get the best deal. Remember when Johnny Damon signed with the Yankees, after years on the Red Sox? Only in a sports world where the dollar rules all can something like that happen.

But what if all athletes were paid the same amount?

Imagine a sports world where every player on the team made the same amount of money. in my opinion, something like this would bring many positive things to sports. First of all, it wouldn't make players jump teams all of the time. Players, especially star players, are constantly on the move, looking for the best deal. Do you think Asante Samuel would have signed with the Eagles in the off season if he would have made the same amount of in all other 31 NFL cities?

Imagine when a player was a free agent, and he was deciding where to sign. You wouldn't read headlines like "Sabathia signs with Yankees; says dream comes true". Players would decide where to go based on where they wanted to play, or where they had the best chance to win. It would also make players not want new contracts so that they could be the highest paid player on the team, or at their position. Think Anquan Boldin would want out of Arizona if he and Larry Fitzgerald made the same amount?

Overall, I think a sports world where each player on the team made the same amount of money would be a positive change to the sporting world.

What If The Fans Were the GM's?

Every average joe has an opinion on what there favorite sports team should do. Hours are filled on talk radio with fans calling in and saying what they think what the team should do, who to draft, what free agents to sign, and whether or not the coach should be fired.

But what if they really had control?

Imagine if the Eagles were run by the fans. If all executive choices were made thru an internet poll. On draft day, fans could vote on who to draft. The Eagles lose 4 in a row, or maybe tie a mad team 13-13, the next day, the fans could decide to fire the coach. Should the Eagles give McNabb a new deal? If over 50 percent of the fans think he should, it is his.

There are many different levels to this. First, you would have to make it so that only members of Philadelphia could vote on the Philadelphia teams. Otherwise, a fan from Dallas could vote on something and try to make the Eagles worse. Like "Should the Eagles Re-Sign LJ Smith?" The Dallas fan would vote yes.

Next, imagine how many moves would be made, and how different the teams would be. Charlie Manuel and Andy Reid would not be coaches. Pat Burrell would have been long gone. Do you think Andre Iguodala would have gotten that massive contract with the fans in charge?

It would also affect the fans at the stadium. Could they boo the product they put on the field? If you voted to keep McNabb, then he goes out and throws 4 interceptions, could you rightfully boo the man you thought was best to get the job done?

Also, imagine the civil unrest it would cause. People would hate their friend who voted to keep Andy Reid, only to watch him blow the game on Sunday. There'd be pressure from your friends to vote along with them. Fans could run campaigns to get players out of town. With a whole city deciding on what to do with the team, there would sure to be some disagreement.

It would be interesting to see how the professional teams would look with the fans in charge.

What if Steroids Were Never Discovered?

The biggest story of this sports decade has been the baseball-steroids scandal. Fans have watched their heros stripped and made into nothing in front of their own eyes. Every accomplishment has been met with skepticism about if it was earned fairly. Fans have been taught to watch the game threw the eyes of a fan who can't trust their favorite player.

But what if they never found out baseball players were using steroids?

I think its safe to say that the game of baseball would be completely different if no one found out that players like Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were shooting up. When Bonds was on his historic streak, trying to break the all time home run record, he was met with boo's and outrage in every city. Now, the all time leading home run hitter is out of a job. If people didn't know that Bonds was on steroids, he would be of the all time heros. Baseball is considered Americas past time, and he would be the king of it.

Look at all the players who have had their amazing careers tarnished. Mike McGuire, Sammy Sosa, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, and now, Alex Rodriguez. Now, it is fair to say that they did it to themselves, by breaking the rules.

But I wonder, if fans could do it all again, would they chose just to turn their shoulder, and not know anything about any of this? I think they would.

Then again tho, that is a big what if.