Eagles: Give Us Your Disgruntled
Why is it that the Eagles seem to have no problem making players happy who are dissatisfied with their contracts or looking to better their situations as long as they are on someone else's team.
Eagles: Give Us Your Disgruntled
Bob Ford, Inquirer Sports Columnist
Why is it that the Eagles seem to have no problem making players happy who are dissatisfied with their contracts or looking to better their situations as long as they are on someone else's team.
In getting New England cornerback Ellis Hobbs (left) on Sunday, a solid and understandable acquisition, the Eagles sent a message to Sheldon Brown that he might be on the way out for the sin of wanting to have his contract redone.
Now, with four years remaining and very little leverage, Brown may have spoken and acted out of anger rather than reason, but he was being honest.
Just as honest it turns out as Hobbs was being with New England when he said he wanted his contract improved. Hobbs may have a better case since there is only one year remaining on his contract, but nevertheless he spoke his mind, too.
The same goes for tackle Jason Peters in Buffalo, and for fullback Leonard Weaver in Seattle. The Eagles gobbled them up with the same speed that, in the past, they have dismissed their own disgruntled players.
The long list includes Derrick Burgess, Lito Sheppard, Corey Simon and Michael Lewis recently, and stretches back for as long as Andy Reid and Joe Banner have been doing the contact-and-contract work for the Eagles.
It just seems odd. The Eagles don't mind players who are offended by the business side of the game. They just don't like players who are offended at them.
Does anyone actually think the Eagles have a snow balls chance at ever winning a Superbowl? Come on let's keep it real!— Superbowless Eagles- I don't know. Perhaps the Eagles were just trying to get better. We read recently that the strong safety is a thing of the past in the NFL. Brown covers OK, but is really a good tackler. Would that make him an upgrade over our recently departed in-the-box, too-slow-to cover safety? If he is moved to safety, he and his agent might thank the Eagles for extending his career beyond the 4 years he has left on his contract. My advice to Brown, put on 10 lbs of muscle.— bobcitydoc
- FMAN 727 Thank you for speaking the truth! finally I hear someone who understands that BDawks time was done, and he doesn't have much gas left...as for Brown BENCH HIM! Just like Lito and trade him next year to a crappy team that will start him at the Nickel.— phillyfan#1
- I think the Eagles are fair in their dealings with players. The only player who was unhappy with his contract that the Eagles should have obliged was T.O. but even that probably would not have made him happy. The Eagles did redo the deals of McNabb and Westbrook (twice). But consider this; McNabb and Westbrook were arguably at or near the top players at their positions. While I think Brown is a good corner, he not near the best at his position in the league. Just ask Plaxico Burress who owns Brown. If you ever look at Burress highlight clips you will notice the other person starring in most of them is #24 of the Eagles. My advice to Brown, go through this next season and show that you can shut down some of the better receivers on a consistent basis and then come back and talk contract. I'm in your corner then.— massey1231
- This looks like a great draft for the Eagles. Sheldon should have handled this differently. His timing is awful, and with 4 YEARS left on your deal your in no position to tell a team to redo your deal. Besides, his agent should have played bad guy on this, not him. Now, if he doesn't play nice, he's essentially be replaced already. As, for the rest of the draft...the Eagles will be fast, deep and dangerous on offense, and the new TE Ingram is a beast and a steal for the 5th round.— romeophilly
- Agree with ivusdr.— amblereagles
- two issues.....control and age.....locking younger players into a deal is a good thing and we do have plenty of money under the cap...and you do then have control over them versus the good soldier who only wants what is fair...and you can ignore them...AR and Joe are control freaks....so this stuff happens— nuggett
- One very imporatant point that is missed. You can give someone else's player what he wants because you won't be backtracking on what you agreed on. If it's your player and you made the contact you can't back out. All the players will pull the same stunt if they know it works. The Eagles will make Sheldon pay the price for what he did. He won't be traded, but will rot on the bench like Lito did last year. Then he'll be traded. The problem is he won't have the takers for a big contract because he will be unproven for a year. In the NFL loosing two of your prime earning years is huge. I commend the Eagles for their hardball approach. You make a contact and you stick too it.— MasterOFunk
- IM convinced that the writers here dont do very much research. They pretty much just gossip...go back to the pen and pencil club.— no10leclair
- I'd take a second or third rounder for Brown. Someone will be calling at end of training camp. I like the way the draft and trades turned out. I thought, however, that they would have taken a center in later rounds. AJ Shipley (penn state) went very late.— ginzo
- NE traded Hobbs because they have their own "salary cap". Next year he might have asked for too much and then been a liablity. There is no trade value in a player without a contract, you can cut him but that doesn't pay you for the training you put into him. This trade is good for both teams, we get a good player they won't have contract issues all year long. As for Brown, as I said before, a man as only as good as his word. Ask TO— unbelieveable!
- BOBBYUK.....YOU SHOULD BE WRITTING FOR PHILLY SPORTS PAGES. THIS IS THE STUPIDEST, MOST UNINFORMED ARTICLE I'VE READ ALL YEAR. GET YOUR FACTS RIGHT BOB BEFORE YOU RUN THE STORY.— cheesesteak17
- Wow. This article is so flawed in its accuracy it's embarrassing. How can an experienced sportswriter in this city make so many mistakes?— Bob1
- all of those players you named only Derrick Burgess was worth keeping. The Eagles brass must know a little something. The always second guessing is incredible and mostly incorrect, go figure only in Philly...— Atleagle
There's a big difference between four years left on a contract and one year. Unless you're a differencemaker, you shouldn't have much of a say in contract renegotiation with four years left on a contract.— kalina
