Jason Peters on joining the Eagles
The Philadelphia Daily News - Eagletarian
Jason Peters on joining the Eagles
Daily News staff
When free agency arrived, the Eagles lost the longtime cornerstones of their offensive line -- left tackle Tra Thomas and right tackle Jon Runyan. In one offseason, the Eagles replaced them with two players in their late-20s and locked them up to long-term contracts.
Stacy Andrews signed as a free agent on the first day players were eligible in late February. Friday, the Eagles acquired All-Pro left tackle Jason Peters in a trade with Buffalo.
" The bottom line is we have a group of good, young players here that we feel can come out and handle the great competition in the NFC East from a defensive line standpoint and in the National Football League,” coach Andy Reid said at Peters' introductory press conference today.
Reid said he had not made any final decisions about the line, where Stacy Andrews, Shawn Andrews and Todd Herremans can all play guard or tackle. Depending on how quickly Stacy recovers from knee surgery (the Eagles believe he will be ready for training camp), it is possible he could at least start out inside at right guard, with Shawn moving to right tackle. Regardless, it could take time for those players to come together.
“I think in training camp we can make it happen. I go back to when Jon Runyan came in and the changes we had with Herremans in there and [C] Jamaal [Jackson] and so on," Reid said. "They just kind of fit in and work it out. It’s good that three of the five have been here and know what they’re doing. I think that it won’t be that difficult for Jason or Stacy to pick the offense up.”
Reid, who called Peters the "best left tackle in football," conceded that he was surprised when Peters became available. Talks heated up Wednesday between the two sides, with offers exchanged. The Eagles made their best offer Thursday, the Bills tweaked it and Peters was in town Friday for a physical. His agent and the Eagles then met later Friday night to get a new contract finalized.
"His play over the last few years has been phenomenal," Reid said. "He’s an All-Pro left tackle in the AFC and a two-time Pro Bowler. We welcome him here to fill the left tackle position for us. We couldn’t be happier to have him be a part of our football team."
For Peters, this is a fresh start after a protracted contract dispute that saw him sit out training camp last season and then not play as well as he had hoped.
“It was difficult sitting out and not being with my team and kind of letting my teammates down, but it was something I had to do. It was difficult,” Peters said of his holdout. “It was a family thing. When I go to a team, that’s my team to play ball. I have to support my family so I felt like I had to do it.”
Asked if the contract situation affected his play, Peters said: “A little bit. I was thinking about it sometimes. If you get beat on a play and you think about your contract. It doesn’t affect me that much. I thought about it some early in the year but later on in the year it wasn’t a big deal.”
Peters was asked to respond to the stat that indicated he gave up 11.5 sacks last year.
“That’s the first time I’ve heard that stat. I don’t recall giving up that many. If they charged me with that many, so what? I’m an Eagle now. If I give up 11.5 sacks, I’m only human. I’m going to give 100% on every play.”
Peters said he was excited to join the Eagles and did not foresee a huge adjustment period.
"It blew my mind, first and foremost, for them to trade me," Peters said. I was happy to come over and be an Eagle.
“It will be an adjustment at first, but I don’t think it will be a hard adjustment. We will get in minicamp, get in OTAs, training camp. We have time to get close before the season starts.”
all that for a one year wonder?— uvadad- One year wonder?? He has already made 2 Pro Bowls.— JonKap
- Well, I believe the guy is a two time pro-bowler and he's only young. What would you rather them do, draft a tackle who is unproven on the NFL level and give him a ton of money? The fact is the Eagles got rid of old and slow tackles in Runyan and Thomas and replaced them with 2 really good, young and big tackles. I'm not going to defend everything the Birds do, but in this case they did a great job!— reggiedunlop
- He was All-Pro in '07 and made the Pro Bowl in the last two years. That's with him playing LT since '06--3 seasons. How many All Pro years did either Tra have in 11 years or Runyan have in 9 seasons? Tra was named to 3 PBs in 11 years and Runayn was named to 1. Usually, it takes time to replace the lynchpins of your line--as someone else said, they did it in one offseason.— bobbyuk
- Honestly, this is a low risk high reward deal. At worst, he'll be a decent LT, who we gave up a 1st, 3rd, and a pick next year for (and we got that 1st from trading down last year with Carolina, anyways). We essentially "drafted" this guy. And at best, we get an All-Pro who's only 27. Good show.— moderndaymesh
- moderndaymesh- totally agree with you. If the Eagles wanted one of the top tackles in this years draft they would have had to move up into the top 5 which would have probably cost them similar picks and they would have had to sign him to a similar contract. At least Peters has played in the NFL (and played well). As you said the Eagles essentially "drafted" this guy and don't have to live through the rookie adjustment phase.— BadgerVMD
Comment removed.- andy reid and the fo, another outstanding job of keeping this team young, big and fast. both O linemen and fullback are 26,27. the free safety and cornerback are mid twenty's and the draft is comming. i suspect they draft five or six players and stockpile extra picks for 2010. yes, sometimes reid will mess up time control and banner will pinch a penny but that's life. whatever the writers will complain about next weekend or next week about peters not knowing of 11.5 sacks, this team remains one of the best in the NFL.— JACK V
- Comment removed.
- Typical negadelphia. The first comment is negative. Peters is a great addition. We have the best offensive line in the NFC, possibly in the NFL. Send Weaver over the left side in third and one; he'll make it with change to spare.— jonnyB
- jonnyB, well said...throw in a 1st round stud RB behind weaver in those short yardage and its too easy.....trading up for crabtree? unlikely, but thinking about it makes me chub— no10leclair
- Great to see all the positive Philadelphians, it sure is easy to stir the pot here!— uvadad
- Still need a running back to complement Westbrook. He's not getting any younger, you know...— mrjarn
I think the moves that theEagles have made this FA period have been impressive, despite the cheap, nonaggressive, stupid, stubborn, tight and care more about $$ than winning comments from the peanut gallery. Reid had made over his OL into a younger unit, added a fullback that can help with those 3rd and shorts that drove them crazy last year and strengthened the secondary while adding youth. These are not the moves of a cheap organization that doesn't want to win and I think there are more moves like these coming on Saturady. Reis KNOWS he needs RB help and can strengthen TE and WR easily. Whatever else he does after that is gravy.— tpizza- Keep Big Jon around to teach this new generation of hogs how we play.— ItalianSausage
