Eagles: Give Us Your Disgruntled
Philadelphia Inquirer Sports Columnist Bob Ford writes about the Eagles, the Phillies, the Sixers and the Flyers.
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.
Comments (94)
HA!...ZiiiiiiNG...Take THAT F.O.— DirectusVeritas- Does that mean that if you aren't happy at the Inky and express your thoughts, that your bosses should be happy about it? And that if you go elsewhere, that your new employer is somehow guilty by association because they knew of your unhappiness at the Inky? Has the Inky ever hired someone who wasn't happy at their last job? Your logic is poor, but I know you need things to write about, so you got an article out of it. Well done.— jkjchs
- Of the players you named, only Sheppard was complaining about his contract--and lke Brown, he had more than two seasons remaining on it. The contracts for Burgess, Simon, and Lewis all expired. And all, if I'm not mistaken were offered extensions but refused them--Lewis thought he was the best safety in the league in '04, but by '06, he couldn't cover my grandmother; Burgess was an injury concern--how many times in the 4 years with the Eagles was he on IR?; Simon had the franchise tag put on him--and he had said in February of '05 he didn't mind the franchise tag, but soon after a discussion with his agent, changed his tune. Hobbs is in THE LAST YEAR OF HIS ROOKIE YEAR DEAL. Sheppard and Brown signed long term extensions. And to compare those above with Peters is ridiculous--Buffalo moved Peters to LT--probably the 2nd most critical position in the game if you value the health of your QB--and were paing him like a guard. Weaver was a UFA--what was strange about the Eagles signing him? Haven't you media guys been crying for the Eagles to sign a FB for years--now that they have, you're crying becausse you say he was disgruntled. His contract expired.— bobbyuk
Comment removed.- Let Brown cry!!! Hey Sheldon go follow Bdawk and Buckhalter, I'm sure they are both so happy... Denver drafted 2 Safeties (bdawk will be cut next year) and they drafted Moreno (there goes buck starting)... What goes around comes around. Stop crying!!! Winning should matter— fman727
- Um...yea. I was going to chime in but I think bobbyuk pretty much said everything that needed to be said and ruined your article by stating the true facts.— woogie
- Bob, I think that you are smarter then this, or i hope you are smarter then this article shows... there is a huge difference between having 1 year left on your contract (hobbs) and 4 years left (brown), if sheldon had one year left i think it is safe to say that most people would back him up... weaver was a free agent so money had nothing to do with that.. he wasnt unhappy with his contract it was just time for a new one and he didnt think seattle was being fair. and peters is considered the best tackle in football by some, brown has never been considered the best anything in this league... so lets start comparting apples to apples BOB— bleed green forever
- I think the point is more that the Eagles would rather sign another team's unhappy player than pacify their own unhappy player.— Nutburgers
- All these guys suffer from the grass is greener syndrome...they're happy to be out of one place, but they'll soon realize it's no better in another.— draneym2
- Comment removed.
- Comment removed.
- Comment removed.
- Because the other guys are younger and with Hobbs he did not choose to take the sure money of an extension he is waiting to cash in and take the risk Brown did not. Peters is at a prime position and is a 27 yr old pro bowler not a 30 yr old solid 2nd CB.— bsaw
- I am annoyed with Sheldon Brown. Last time I checked the Eagles D ( which he apparently was a part of) could not stop Arizona from scoring in the fourth quarter ( after no stopping them at all in the first half). I don't want to hear anything but " I am working my tail off this off season to get better, to put ourselves in a position where we can seal the deal. No distractions. Just dedication. Stop whining Sheldon. Play better and the money will come. Or just be satisfied with the 25 million you will get.— notch44
- The difference is this - the Eagles are welcoming other teams disgruntled players that are young, in their prime and Pro Bowlers. Sheldon Brown is not any of those things. Lito fizzled as well due to injuries and poor play. Case closed.— IVUSDR
- 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
bobbyuk's blog was better than the article. Good work bob: just the facts sir.— Flyboy24- Comment removed.
- That whapping sound you hear is the door hitting Sheldon on the way out.— tdcuse
- Sheldon is one of the most accessible players to the media; he makes their jobs easier by providing good quotes, doing interviews, etc. Its no surprise they'd rally to his defense when he starts making demands, because if he leaves their work gets harder. Reporters are only human.— tagryn
- Comment removed.
- it IS insulting that the Eagles pay their nickel cornerback about double what their starting cornerback is going to get this year though.— yantastic
- Comment removed.
- Maybe it's because Job One of being an Eagle is keeping your mouth shut, the slightest sign of disloyalty earns ou a ticket out, especially if they want an excuse to dump your salary. Same reason so few players retire as an Eagle under this regime. Can't imagine what it would be like to live with such a rigid guy.— atp2007
- Comment removed.
- Amen to that IVUSDR. Hobbs is younger, more athletic, has 1 yr left on his deal and is a KR. Not only that, he will probably be our starting RCB by the end of the bye week! Eagles sign players based on when their contract is expiring. There is no such thing as payment for PAST performance in the NFL.— Joyner80
- I have to go with bobbyuk's comment. Your lumping together disparate situations. The Eagles clearly make these assessments on a case-by-case basis and it appears they don't believe Sheldon is worthy of having his contract changed. I happen to agree with them.— Grover
- Bob, I must say that this is a very poor post by you. I can't believe that you are making the comparison of these situations as they are all totally different circumstances.— m23haz
- As it already has been said....this is not one of your brightest spins Mr Ford. Frankly I think the Eagles FO has been doing a good job. They stand up to demands which are not reasonable and seem to bend with reasonable demands.If you are at the end of your career and want one more last bonus this is the wrong organisation to try and wring it out of. If you have some future to offer you will be listened to. A long time ago a player named Reggie White stripped away my loyalty to individual players. I agree there is a difference between owners and players. I just do not know which ones are greedier. In all honesty I do feel that in Philadelphia the owner tries to deliver an honest product for our money and that most of the players are happy to be carrying our hopes for a reasonable fee. Then there are a few T.O.'s out there. I do not cry for them.— morituri
- This article is pointless. The team with the disgruntled players has an emotional connection with that player and other teams don't. That's why they only look at the player's abilities, not their potential locker room issues. Just goes to show you how bad TO was when he left the Eagles. Dallas was the only team who would give him a chance. Besides, the contracts of players that the teams bring in are contracts signed with the other team, not arranged by the Eagles. There's a huge difference. It makes sense to create your own contract for your new employees rather than keep a contract from a previous employer.— awl
- Did you notice that the long list of Eagles mentioned includes Derrick Burgess, Lito Sheppard, Corey Simon and Michael Lewis. With the exception of Burgess, what all these players have in common is they proved that they actually weren't worth the money. This is how the business side is played. Eagles Mgt. has to decide whether a player is worth the money or not. Last year they decided Westbrook was worth it and he got paid! It's not like Sheldon is coming off consecutive pro bowl appearances or is a feared playmaking DB in this league. Sheldon is a solid player who is getting paid like one. He's not the playmaker Asante is and therefore will never see that kind of money from any team. Everyone works with people that make more money than you, it's when you can't justify it that makes you want to complain or move on. Sheldon, show us the stats that make you justify your complaint??? You're average of 2 INTs a year including only 1 last season for a starting corner in a pass happy league is average at best.— Philly Dom
- I have no compassion for Sheldon. If he didn't sign his ridiculously long extension, he would be a free agent soon (if not already). But he chose to have the security until 2012 instead of taking that risk. Now he regrets it. I'm not sure if this is true, but I heard that Sheldon's salary can increase (maybe even double) if he were to make the pro-bowl. If that's true, more reason, why I have no sympathy for him. If he meets his incentives, he will (if it's true) make more. But he'd rather just have it handed to him.— awl
- poor BOB...— doggybag
i agree with jkjchs. looks like bob wrote this on the bus ride in to work this morning.— Richard Saunders- winning is all that matters....if the player disagrees then show him the the exit.
- Comment removed.
- illogical connection. Hobbs never held out, threatened to hold out, publicly criticized the NE front office, or displayed any contemptable traits. Asking for a new contract is absolutely acceptable under any and all situations. It's the throwing a tamper tantrum when one doesn't get his way that seperates the Lito Sheppards and Sheldon Browns of the world (and Jason Peters, for that matter). Ellis Hobbs doesn't figure into this trend in any way, neither does Weaver. Get a grip.— owumd
- Comment removed.
- Wow. Between the draft and the off-season additions do you think there is any way Andy Reid and Joe Banner can negotiate picking up a free agent goalie for the Flyers next season?!— elektrika
- Its simple...one person trash, is another person treasure! Conversation over! But if I'm Seldon...I want to win. Your not going to go to a team thats going to win cause they normally dont have big money. Eagles being the exception cause they hoard cash!— Sheed
- It's about the logo on the chest...not the name on the back of the jersey. Who cares if a player's disgruntled. Make the moves and put the best team on the field.— xpatriate
- Simple answer? Their disgruntled are better than our disgruntled.— baldeagle1955
- Idiot. The Birds FO "redo" their own players' contracts (Westbrook, Andrews 1st contract, Trent Cole, Patterson, Sheldon's first contract, the list goes on and on and . . . .) when they think the player is worth it. The message the FO is sending isn't we don't redo contracts, the message is "Sheldon, we don't think you are worth it." I mean, come on, Lito? Lewis? Simon? Please.— PhillyPhantastico
- Bob looks like that shady guy that hangs around the tennis courts.— davekrieg
- Bob Ford, this is below your usual sub standard work.— fred13
- Would it be possible for the Eagles to offer to trade Sheldon Brown, under the sole condition that he refund 2/3 of his signing bonus? He signed for a 6 year contract, and played 2, and now wnats to renegotiate. OK, pay us back $5.2 of the $8 million we paid you, and go play fotball somewhere else...— AmblerJ
- Why Bob? Because Hobbs and Peters are both much younger than the players they are replacing. That is as sinister as it gets nice try drumming up controversy though Oliver.— jkard99
- Comment removed.
- Makes sense to me. Players should be kept in there place. They are EMPLOYEES, many without a complete College education, most are from under privileged situations and many of the African American players are involved in the "Yo Boy culture"(Rap music, Guns, Drugs, Strip Clubs, DUI's) So from the "Members Only" perspective of the NFL Owners, If you bow to the "Class Level" of a Player, you'll have every player following suit (not to mention the same players doing it over and over again) Therefore, the company line of all the teams is: DON'T LET PLAYERS DEMAND OR CONTROL ANYTHING, punish, fine, then Trade...— Raaaannndall
- Brown's comments and moves are all reason, with maybe a little anger. If he goes along, his earning for the rest of his career are capped and could be greatly diminished by being cut by the Eagles. Of course the reporters will raise a great hue and cry about the Eagles not honoring the contract...right? If he can get the Eagles to trade him, he likely earns at least $5 million more than he would have earned otherwise. Is it worth $5 million to have the front office and reporters stoke up the fans against you? I'd take the money and the heat and so would anybody else. To pass it up would be irresponsible.— jtj06
- I agree with most of the previous comments. SBrown wasn't secure enough in his own talent to let his contract play out to take a shot at big money. He opted for security, which the Eagles happily afforded him. And now he wants to change the rules? NOT!! The Eagles have a reputation of letting players go at the point where their money exceeds their productivity. That's just plain good business. They let some other team pay the big money for past performance (see Vincent, Troy; Taylor, Bobby; Trotter, Jeremiah; Staley, Duce; Jackson, Keith). SBrown was thrilled to make Philadelphia his home, get his long-term security, and play for a winner. Until the money changes around the league. Which it always does. Folks, a contract is a contract. You sign it as an adult, you honor it as an adult. Play ball, Sheldon. Earn your next contract with three Pro-bowl seasons, and someone else out there will be thrilled to overpay a slightly over-the-hill corner with a great resume. Welcome Ellis Hobbs.— freddhead
- Poorly thought out article Bob - I swear its almost like a half-witted fan is sitting in front of his monitor typing out any random unresearched thoughts that come to mind. Is this journalism? Wow— chaz190
- Bob do us a favor and ask the editors of site to delist this article from the main sports page. Its pieces like this and Les' typical garbage that give Philly a bad name and create turmoil where there needs to be none.— chaz190
- I don't know about you guys, but if someone is paying me 2.5 mill a year, I'm going to smile and say "thank you" every payday and keep my big mouth shut. These guys are idiots.— craig123
- Comment removed.
- getrid of sheldon...not for free though....get a 2nd or 3rd rounder for him...don't let him come to our camp and even think of trying to poison our locker room!!!— xrajux
This is a league wide issue with all of the other 31 teams too. Seriously...- You mentioned 4 ex-Eagles, not one of whom had done anything since leaving. You should also have mentioned TO.— dutchman
- one's garbage is someone else's gold... or something like that. they don't want the disgruntled, just got lucky.— ag
- "Superbowless Eagles" - just another cowboys' fan polluting this message board w/ nonsense... sad :(— commen sense
- Why does this reporter continually write articles that have no relationship to the truth? Brown "sin of wanting his contract redone"? He said that he was going to skip camps and that the Eagles wouldn't want him in their locker room. The Eagles have paid him $25 million plus for his career and they are screwing him? He wants more money not because he has outperformed his contract. He has played about as well as they had hoped when they signed him to an extension. They signed him to an extension because they thought he'd do well and paid him accordingly. He wants more money only because the team is bringing in more revenue due to the TV deal. He's essentially saying that he was fine with his contract until he saw all of the revenue the team had coming in and that salaries went up for his position. And he's willing to undermine the team's goal of winning a Super Bowl because he can't get more money. He needs to go just like this reporter.— MikeP
- Hobbs was gone anyway. He's in the last year of his contract and the Patriots weren't going to re-sign him. He wasn't disgruntled. He would have liked to have a contract extensions from the Pats but calling him "disgruntled" is a stretch. Weaver was a free-agent. His contract was up and he wanted to stay with the Seahawks. Others have pointed out the inaccuracies as far as our own players mentioned in the article. Come on Bob, get your facts straight instead of twisting them to fit your opinion.— JimG
- Hmmmm, maybe some research before writing an article for a bunch of fans that know everything about there beloved Eagles. Your facts and scenarios are way off. There is nothing wrong with seizing an opportunity that some other team doesn't want to deal with. It's called good business sense. Do you think GM would go after a top notch CFO from another company if they heard that person was not happy with the money he was being paid or how they were being treated? Especially if that person might help take the company to the next level.— bobf123
- I posted this a week or two ago but, once again, what Bob wrote on his bio is so appropriate: "Bob Ford has been writing about Philadelphia sports since 1981, and is still trying to figure it all out." There are a load of good facts and circumstances written by others and very little from Bob....keep try'n to figure it out Guy, maybe you'll start gett'n it after 50 years rolls around.— bonnerlou
- Because it's a business, Bob! Would you rather they give in to Sheldon Brown and ignore their needs at tackle and fullback? This team exists for the fans, and the fans are in line with the moves they've made. It would be terribly irresponsible of them to ignore players in contract disputes, if not an egregious business model. Other teams' problems are other teams' problems-- in competitive sports, the deficiencies of other teams are supposed to be taken advantage of, after all. But as for OUR PROBLEM-- Sheldon took the deal because he wanted that money up front. He admits he knew this and knew it was a potentially unsatisfying contract. HE CAN'T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS! If every contract went this way for a 'good-not-great' player, then Curtis, Celek, Howard, Bradley, and Mikell would all just get in line for their turn. Yeah, owners have all the power with contracts. Waaah. Cry about it. It's collectively bargained--you signed--play.— KPREAVY
- Comment removed.
- your way off base in your critizim. Hobbs is ending a rookie contract. Brown signed a contract that precluded his getting to free agency. two different scenerios. get it straight when being vritical. Phila sports writers delight in stirring up the pot!— rich brunetti
Does no one understand? The difference is he has 1 year on his contract and not four. I understand the get everything you can mentality but that is when you take the risk. He played the safe bet and got the guaranteed security and now he wants the jackpot. Guess what you have to put your years and cash on the table at free agency and sign a contract with Oakland, Washington, or Detroit to get that fools gold. If you get your wish you might get a trade and a small bump in salary, have fun with your millions in obscurity. Tell Troy Vincent and Bobby Taylor and all the others who ended their career away from home we said hi---And yes that includes B-Dawk.— KINGOFZED- yawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwn...we are officially into the most boring part of the off season..thanks Bob....— merlinknghts
- bobbyuk, you are right on about Hobbs contract and Burgess, Simon and Lewis. Why don't these writers do the CORRECT research before making these comments. Simon is out of the game, Raiders are trying to unload Burgess and Lewis is underachieving.— The Marco Islander
- BOB FORD, YOU DON'T GET IT. YOU NEVER WILL. I USE TO THINK YOU COULD WRITE ABOUT BASKETBALL. YOU CAN'T EVEN DO THAT.— JACK V
- Pay them, Cut them or sign others, it is a business and we don't need complainers on this team, Mcnabb should retire in Philly he is the best since Cunningham, Randall never had an O-Line imagine if he did!!!— The Roz
- Looks like the Eagles were pretty smart by not giving any of the players mentioned extensions. They all have or will be done in no time. Funny how Burgess wants to come back.— dpell
- I WANT a Super Bowl Title. Whoever is in the way get out of the way.— Theo1980
- i didn't know it was national train day. did anyone? so.— JACK V
- Why on earth do these guys sign multi-year deals when they end up not being happy about them anyway? Brown should fire his agent. He signed a contract and thats it. Why these guys moan and groan is beyond my comprehension. I guess Brown and LEE-TOE are one in the same, just not talent-wise. I get sick and tired of this, and its almost always NFL players. Sheldon should also blame the union why hes at it. If he goes at least get Braylon Edwards or Boldin.— Prego614
- Yes, Sheldon has 4 years left on his contract and yes, he signed a long-term deal with no gun to his head. But, we all knew it was a problem waiting to happen when he signed a deal that long. Brown is twice the man Shepard was--he has attitude, a motor, hits BIG, and never missed a game. Hobbs is a great add for the team, and the Eagles always want 3 starters at CB--remember Al Harris? You can't reward a player for mouthing off, but the Iggles absolutely won't let Sheldon go this year either. I say, let Hobbs start at CB if he can beat out Sheldon for the job. Then, move the big-hitting Brown to FS to replace B-Dawk and re-work his deal during the season based on his new role: win-win for the player and the front office, and big win for the Iggles in '09!— Iggleman1
- Every one of those players were disgruntled and left their teams to come to Philly. Its like saying for every up hill, there's a down hill— JamesJ
- It's not about the players brought in. It speaks to the Eagles evaluation of the players they let walk ... whether they were right or wrong.— pmitchOC
- The real test - the Eagles are good talent evaluators and generally know when to bring in a player or let one go. Except for Burgess, these released players have not had standout post-Eagle careers, and except for Kearse the FA signings have been solid (Runyan, Samuel).— jddarby42
1
Popular Posts
About this blog
Bob Ford has been writing about Philadelphia sports since 1981, and is still trying to figure it all out. A former beat writer covering the Phillies and the 76ers, Ford became a general sports columnist for the Inquirer in 2003, following in and occasionally falling in the deep footsteps of Bill Lyon, Frank Dolson and many distinguished others. He comes to the Philly.com blogosphere after award-winning success as designer/editor of the fabulous Pen & Pencil Club softball blog. Likes: Palestra, inside-the-park home runs, sunny days. Dislikes: phony people, cloudy days, rewrites.
Reach Bob at bford@phillynews.com.
Bob Ford
Inquirer Sports Columnist
Classifieds:
Site Services:
Partners:
Powered By:
