CAN HEAR CLEARWATER CALLING
As Moving the Chains noted the other day, ESPN's Tim Graham has reported that there have been no conversations between the Bills and Eagles regarding disgruntled left tackle Jason Peters. Graham also reported that it was highly unlikely that Peters is traded before the draft. Of course, the sides do not seem anywhere close to the lucrative contract extension that Peters is seeking, either. (To read Graham's report, click here.)
Well, over the weekend, Allen Wilson of the Buffalo News, suggested that the Bills could be leaning toward trading Peters rather than giving him an extension or dealing with whatever dismay that might bring from him. Peters is seeking $11.5 million per year.
Wilson listed a number of potential trading partners for Peters and speculated as to why they might be interested. The list included the Eagles at the top, followed by Arizona, Green Bay, Detroit, Oakland and the trio of St. Louis, Seattle and Cincinnati.
The perceived asking price is a first- and a third-round pick.
Here is what Wilson wrote about the Eagles' being a potential match:
"The Eagles want to get younger on the offensive line, which is why they didn’t retain free agent starting tackles Tra Thomas, 34, and Jon Runyan, 35. They signed Stacy Andrews to replace Runyan on the right side and are toying with moving right guard Shawn Andrews, Stacy’s brother, to fill Thomas’ spot. But Shawn Andrews hasn’t played tackle since college. Peters would be a better option because he has already proven himself as a Pro Bowlcaliber player.
And the Eagles have plenty of salary cap space to accommodate Peters’ demands.
The Eagles have the most draft picks of any team (12), including two in the first round. But their firstround selections (21st and 28th) are too low to get one of the draft’s elite offensive tackles. They might be able to get Peters with one of the first-round picks. Add that to the 11th choice they already own, and the Bills would be able to get one of the draft’s top offensive tackles while addressing another need at either defensive end, outside linebacker or tight end with the Eagles’ pick."
"You make a below-average NFL team better by trading one of the best players on the roster. I believe Peters is one of Buffalo's three best players. I don't think he deserves to become the highest-paid OLT in the league, but he deserves more than the $7.2 million in base salary he's due to make combined in 2009 and 2010.
The left guard spot will be filled by Kirk Chambers or Seth McKinney. The new center is journeyman Geoff Hangartner. If Peters were traded, the left side of the offensive line would be in even worse shape. The right side isn't so hot either.
Philadelphia's reported desire to deal for Peters, and presumably satisfy his salary concerns, should be a strong clue that he's a very good football player."
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On the draft visit front, South Florida linebacker Tyrone McKenzie is scheduled to visit with the Eagles, according to The Ledger in Lakeland, Fla. McKenzie also has or plans to visit with the New England Patriots, New York Giants and New Orleans Saints. The 6-2, 243-pound McKenzie is rated the 10th best outside linebacker, according to nfldraftscout.com.
Les
Bowen has covered the Eagles for the Daily News
since 2002.
Before that, he spent nearly 13 years covering the Flyers. It took Les
only a few seasons after the switch to figure out that there was no
penalty box at the Linc, and that the time really wasn't his, despite
what Andy Reid kept saying. Les came to Philadelphia and the Daily News
from Charlotte in 1983. In the intervening years, he has pretty much
lost track of NASCAR, and his accent. He, his wife Barbara, and their
two sons live in Haddon Township, New Jersey.
E-mail Les at bowenl@phillynews.com
and follow
him on Twitter.
Paul
Domowitch has been with the Daily News since 1982.
He has spent most of his nearly 3 decades with the paper covering the
Eagles and pro football. For the last 10 years, he’s been a
selector for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. A native of Wilkes-Barre
and a graduate of Wilkes University, Domo started his career in Texas,
working first for the Midland Reporter-Telegram (1976-78), and then for
the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, where he covered some god-awful Texas
Ranger baseball teams. His first beat at the Daily News actually was
boxing, which he covered just long enough to lose 2 sports coats to
blood spatter before moving on to football. Domo and his wife Shelley,
a University of Oklahoma grad who still hasn’t gotten over
that Fiesta Bowl loss to Boise State 5 years ago, have 2 terrific
daughters -- Allison, 28, who is an attorney in South Jersey, and Amy,
25, who works in administration for a professional baseball team.
E-mail Domo at PDomo@aol.com and follow
him on Twitter.
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