Thursday, March 11, 2010

McNabb Update

***

Good news and ... odd news.  The Eagles are talking to teams about McNabb.  The stories you hear about "the Eagles aren't negotiating" are partially true.  Apparently the Eagles are telling teams "here is the price...take it or leave it".  Obviously they aren't using adversarial words like that, but the point is the same.

I'm very encouraged to hear that the Eagles are at least acknowledging that McNabb is available.  That is the first step in all of this.  I have mixed feelings about the hard-line stance regarding compensation.  If there are multiple teams looking at McNabb then you are smart to ask a high price and drive a hard bargain.  We are talking about a franchise QB, after all. 

At the same time, I don't want the Eagles to burn bridges because they are being too greedy.  I know some NFL people are ticked off right now by the Eagles refusal to haggle.  That is part of the negotiation process to a certain extent.  However, you don't want the Eagles seeming so obstinate that other teams throw their hands in the air and move on. 

The asking price for Kolb is super high.  I didn't get specifics, but it was enough that it definitely scared off suitors.  The asking price for McNabb isn't as high.  He's an older guy who will also want big money.  Those factors lessen his value. 

Right now I make the key suitors as Cleveland, Seattle, and Buffalo.  They have pick 7, 14, and 9 in the upcoming draft.  Seattle also has pick #6, but it is very doubtful that they will let go of that pick. 

This situation is headed in the right direction.  The Eagles are working things and trying to get the best possible offer.  I guess there is still a chance that Andy Reid can't pull the trigger, but I'm starting to think that even Big Red realizes that it is time to move on.  Don't expect a quick resolution.  I get the feeling this could still take a few weeks as teams try to decide what they are willing to pay and as teams go to Pro Days and evaluate just what they think of the draft prospects. 

I'm not hearing anything about Vick.  He appears to be on the back burner.  Maybe they hold him until the summer and then deal him to a team that has an injury. 


MARLIN

I'm fine with the Eagles signing of Marlin Jackson.  He comes here to compete with Quintin Demps and Macho Harris for the FS job.  If the right guy falls in the draft we will grab him up, but we're not forced to reach for a FS. 

I'll watch some tape of Marlin when I get a chance and post some thoughts. 
___

25 comments:

Myron said...

I'm guessing that the Eagles are demanding two first round picks, minimum, for Kolb and at least one first round pick for McNabb.

If that's true, I don't see McNabb ever getting traded. There is no team out there willing to give up a first round pick for a 33-year-old quarterback. It's just not happening, unless *maybe* that quarterback's name is "Peyton Manning".

T_S_O_P said...

If it all goes tits up, i.e. Kolb doesn't work out or McNabb works out very well elsewhere, does that leave AR in the ish?

It seems that he goes back and forth on his decision all the time, and it isn't clear cut one way or the other.

I wonder? Trust McNabb? Trust Marty? Trust Kolb to overcome Marty?

Difficult.

Tommy Lawlor said...

@ Myron

I can't get into specifics, but you're wrong about McNabb's value.

xtianDC said...

Tommy...I love the work you do and respect for your viewpoints and opinions. I'm curious though...over the last few months, you seem to come across more often as having some sort of "inside info". I doubt you are liberty to reveal your sources, but will you at least acknowledge that you have some sort of lead into what's going on at Novacare? Do Spadaro or Mcpherson give you tidbits or something? Or does it deeper?

Just curious...

izzylangfan said...

Tommy,

I can see where McNabb is worth a first round pick, but so far we are talking 7,10 and 14. Is it realtistic to think that the Eagles can trade into the top half of the first round?

Unknown said...

Who is Chad Hall?

Unknown said...

Tommy, love your stuff. Just curious where you heard this though? How are you so sure that the Eagles are "taking offers?" Did you hear this from a personal source? Or did you hear this from another media outlet?

I'm starting to think it is time to move on too but this whole rumor-mill thing is becoming tiresome.

Tommy Lawlor said...

RE: sources

Spadaro does a great job of offering hints to all Eagles fans. You just have to know how to read his stuff. He and I don't talk regularly. He's jealous that all he has is 6-pack abs while I've got a whole case of beer.

Back in 2007 the Eagles ran a story on Kevin Kolb visiting NovaCare in Eagles Insider. That was a huge hint, but fans just ignored it and focused on other players. I wrote prior to that draft that Kolb was a target. No inside info, just connected the dots a little.

If you understand the Eagle way of doing things and do a lot of reading you'd be surprised how often you can guess right when trying to figure out what the team will do.

From a recent Spuds column: "Even though there's plenty of optimism surrounding Curtis' return, I still think the Eagles will add a veteran receiver, and I think it could happen soon."

What does that tell you? Eagles are looking for a veteran receiver. Who is out there? How about Hank Baskett? Wouldn't surprise me then to see them linked to Hank in the next week or so. No inside info, but a good prediction that any smart fan can make.

As for sources...let's just say I stumble across things from time to time. More blind luck than good connections. Today's post came from an outside connection. I do trust the material or I would not have written it.

The less we talk about this subject, the better. You can make up your own minds on whether the info is good or not. I'm a natural doubter myself so I'm not offended when people are skeptical about certain stories.

Tommy Lawlor said...

RE: Chad Hall

Think of him as the next Danny Amendola.

Chad is 5'8, 180. Good, but not great athlete. Was a runner, receiver, and RS at Air Force. He's here to compete for a job on the Practice Squad most likely. Solid signing.

Joe said...

"You can make up your own minds on whether the info is good or not."

For one perspective, I used to visit Pe.com several times a day. Now I'd say I pull up this blog every morning and refresh it throughout the day to see your comments. I visit PE.com a few times a week now. I'll also pop in on EMB's 411 to see what the "pros" are saying.

Keep up the good work.

Unknown said...

"What does that tell you? Eagles are looking for a veteran receiver. Who is out there? How about Hank Baskett? Wouldn't surprise me then to see them linked to Hank in the next week or so. No inside info, but a good prediction that any smart fan can make."

Lol, that didn't take long...

Cliff said...

Looks like Mr. Lawlor will get his wish with Fargas, too. If he signs, does Fargas essentially replace Buck's role from his last few seasons with the Eagles?

Also, while doing my "research" on Justin Fargas, I discovered he is the son of... Huggy Bear! I had no idea! Damn, all this time I could've been dropping that odd bit of trivia on people. I'm infinitely more excited about signing Fargas now.

Myron said...

Tommy, I've recently been pondering this:

What are the chances that the Eagles grab one of the solid linebacker prospects in this year's draft somewhere in the second round, if they go S or DE in the first round?

I'm wondering if there is a possibility one of: Navarro Bowman, Darryl Washington, Eric Norwood, Sean Weatherspoon, Brandon Spikes etc. MIGHT drop into the second round to where the Eagles are picking, and if necessary, the Eagles can trade up to grab them.

Possible scenario or not? Are the Eagles even looking to get a linebacker in the upper rounds?

I personally think that a fast WILL linebacker like Navarro Bowman or Daryl Washington would be an AMAZING pickup for the Eagles in the second round. You yourself were impressed by Washington's coverage skills, and a draft selection like that could go a long way to helping solve the Eagles' TE covering woes on defense.

Danyo said...

I would love signing Fargas. I live in the Bay and watch plenty of Raiders games. All that guy does is run hard and pick up yards. He's the kinda back that hits defenders first.

Pitmanite said...

below is why i think people overvalue draft picks in too many cases. mcnabb is still a very very good QB, and it's clear QB is the most important position on the team. you're the seahawks and you have the #6 and #14. you still get a potential stud at #6 and you could give up your #14 for a top 12 QB in the league, who in my opinion, has at least 2 and maybe 3 or 4 good years left in him. especially if you run an offense that's conducive to his skill set (i.e. run the ball for some balance and take pressure off of him!!).

the list below are the #14 picks in the draft since 2000. there is one superstar on that list (revis) and we're talking about giving up the #14 for a good player at the most premium position in football. the seahawks are in a sh*t division and they do have some talent. with a good QB, they could immediately be a division contender next year w/ mcnabb.

looking at the guys below, myron, you wouldn't give up the #14 for donovan mcnabb? what are the seahawks alternatives at QB? it's all garbage on the FA market and if they take clausen they aren't winning for a while. if i'm them i give up #14 in a heartbeat for donnie.

bubba franks
kenyatta walker
michael haynes
tommie haynes
thomas davis
brodrick bunkley
darelle revis
chris williams
malcolm jenkins

Pitmanite said...

tommy, i appreciate you being noble and not giving up your source, but it's only fair that i should step forward and reveal that i am in fact tommy's source.

i give tommy little nuggets here and there, and i'll throw you guys a bone as well. aside from trading donnie. we will take a RB in the first 3 rounds in the draft and he will get between 7 and 9 carries for the season and then the FO will leak rumors that it's bc he couldn't understand our complicated playbook.

p.s. has anyone seen desean jackson's twitter? i have never seen anything like it. i challenge you to try and make sense of anything that guy says on there...in fact, i'm not even sure he's speaking english.

Unknown said...

lol pit I've seen it, Jackson shoulda stuck around for that senior year at Cal maybe :).

Dr. Ogrodnick said...

or maybe Desean is a genius, simply because he will never get in trouble no matter how controversial his tweet is as nobody will understand it.

LoadLeft said...

Spadaro comments;

Maybe us Kolb backers should be worried about the Jevon Snead comment Dave dropped out of the sky prior to the combine. I remember reading and thinking; wow, that was odd & way out of place for Spadaro. He continously professes ignorance to the abilities of most college football players yet here her is making a specific endorsement for Snead. I hope it's not the case; but I'm not so sure Kolb isn't in play here.

Pitmanite said...

here are a few gems from d-jack. by the way, i love d-jack so this isn't mean spirited making fun. i just find his tweets to be so funny/comical.

"What A Life!!!! I'm A MaN!!! And Its PleNtY Shiiiit I'm OuT hEre TaKn Care of..... Trust That... I'm the MAN of Tha HOuSE cALL mE POpPa....."

"Whoever in SoUth beAcH and tryn get TURNT halla at me let me know somethn...."

"Jerk it out..... why don't u then..... ayyyyyyyyy halla at me....I jerk it iight real cali boy...."

Dr. Ogrodnick said...

That's my point. Any one of those tweets could be about boning Andy's wife while injecting steroids, but we'd never know.

Cliff said...

@ LoadLeft

I think the Snead comment (or anything related to drafting a QB) has more to do with McNabb and VIck than it does Kolb. If we trade either of the two QB's, we'll need to draft a QB for depth, especially now that AJ Feeley is off the market.

Myron said...

As long as he can catch the football and outrun coverage, I don't care what how incoherent he is.

Wide receivers are kind of like women in that way. As long as they're HOT (talented), you don't care about anything else. They could be gibbering idiots and we (men) wouldn't care!

Cliff said...

Yes! Hank's back!

With Kendra.

Unknown said...

yeah desean seems cool as shit but his tweets are still hysterical.