Birds Bag Babin
The Philadelphia Daily News - Eagletarian
Birds Bag Babin
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
For fans wondering when some of the underperforming stars that have helped doom this Eagles season might be held accountable, there was an answer Tuesday, too little, too late, but better than nothing.
Preening defensive end Jason Babin was released. In a statement, Eagles coach Andy Reid said he appreciated Babin's contributions -- which included making the Pro Bowl last year -- but that cutting him "gives us an opportunity to give more playing time to some of the younger guys in the defensive line rotation." -- Such as rookie Vinny Curry, who saw his first action of the season Monday and led the DL with five tackles in just 21 snaps.
Babin, who had 18 sacks last year, has 5.5 this season. He has rarely made a play other than a sack.
In an NFL Network interview, Babin was asked if he was surprised, when Reid gave him the news.
“Yeah I was definitely surprised by the move. That’s the way football goes. You can never be too surprised. There are crazy things [that] happen every week, every year,” Babin said.
Babin must clear waivers, because the trade deadline is well past. A team claiming him would be on the hook for about a third of his $5 million base for 2012. Babin began his second tour with the Eagles as part of the disastrour free agent signing tour of 2011, when he inked a five-year, $27.325 million deal after a Pro Bowl year in Tennessee under defensive line coach Jim Washburn, who preceded Babin to Philadelphia.
Reid told the Daily News Tuesday evening that Washburn was OK with the release of Babin. Reid said fans shouldn't imply that Babin is the reason for the Eagles' defensive struggles.
In the NFL Network interview, Babin said the players were to blame, in general, not himself specifically.
“Really a lot of it is due to us. If you don’t do what you’re supposed to do – if you’re not covering the right guy, playing the right coverage, in the right gap, getting the right call, not communicating – you’re giving the other team a big advantage to making a big play.”
In Nnamdi next?— bobcitydoc- Nnamdi will be here until end of year
— wolf 4 
I bet $10 he gets claimed by a team that wins the Super Bowl.— EmanuelP- A team with COMPETENT coaches that knows how to use their personnel and get the MOST out of them. — essell
- strange move. Some contending team will pick him up Im sure. Not sure how that works etc with contracts or if its allowed at all at this point. I thought the young guys played fairly well, was the first game i was interested in watching in a long time just to watch Foles etc. Those D lapses were awful though, they will clean house, just need to keep losing to get a top 3 pick. If they start winning meaningless gms with Vick at the end it will upset many.— peteike
- Monday, 12/31 will be the end of an era. Andy and the staff will be gone. Half the team will be cut.— palmyra21
- I will miss his well manicured eyebrows and roman nose.— wolf 4
- This is just the beginning...— TripleOption
- Top 3 pick in one of the worse draft class in years. Typical....— fman727
- I've been saying the same thing the last couple days. Just like when the Flyers were real bad about 5 or 6 years ago, they even lost the draft lottery, and ended up with JVR (since traded) instead of Patrick Kane. The Birds are unexpectedly hideous, and the draft class sucks. — uncle meat
- I've been thinking the same as you guys. If it weren't for bad luck these teams would have none at all. How bout when the Sixers got the second pick a couple years ago in the worst NBA draft in forever. — ericg610
- Babin stole Andy's double meatball stromboli and had to pay the price. Time's yours.— ANDY-IS-FAT
- Nice now take Nhamdi,nate allen,kurt coleman,akeem jordan,jason avant,desean jackson,basically this whole team and andy reid with you..— KEITHYD
- bedpan loves to gloat. Grow up dude.— CoettaGarner25
- BACK IN THE SPRING/SUMMER WHEN YOU WERE STILL SINGING THE PRAISES OF ARROGANT ANDY (REMEMBER WHEN YOU WERE "COETTA BIG WEINER AND LIKED IT"), I WAS THE ONE THAT SAID THAT THE EAGLES WOULD FINISH THIS SEASON 4 - 12. NO ONE ELSE EVEN HAD THEM WITH A LOSING RECORD. — bedpan
