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Banner: Eagles to take patient offseason approach

As the number of teams still playing in the NFL playoffs continues to dwindle down, much of the league-wide focus has started to shift to the uncertain offseason and what it means for players, fans and ownership.

Last Sunday (presumably before the Eagles' playoff loss to the Packers), Fox 29 aired an interview with team president Joe Banner.

Banner talked about what the Eagles' offseason approach will be.

"Our view is really no different than what you see going around the league," Banner said. "With the unknown of the collective barganining agreement, we've decided - and everybody can make their own decision - that it's safer to wait, be patient, let's see what the landscape is and move forward.

"So we don't rule out doing things, and at the same time at this point, we haven't done anything, and it's overwhelmingly related to just kind of the uncertainty of where things are headed."

Two of the Eagles' main offseason decisions pertain to Michael Vick and DeSean Jackson. The Eagles' likely options with Vick will be to offer him a long-term extension, franchise him, let him walk or sign him and trade him. One of the first two options seems most likely.

As for Jackson, the Eagles need to decide whether they want to rework his current deal.

However, Banner said putting plans into action right now doesn't make sense.

"You don't know if there's going to be a season. You don't know what the size of the cap will be or if there's going to be a cap when you come back. You don't know if you do things like we've traditionally done with signing bonuses, how will they be treated, how much of it will be charged to each season," Banner said. "So there's a number of questions out there that would make it very difficult in terms of your long-term planning... whether there was going to be a season or not right now, under the current rules to figure out how you best want to approach a contract.

"So we've made the decision that let's be patient and get a better feel for what's going to be the structure of things going forward before we jump in."

And finally, Banner talked about the Eagles' overall quarterback situation. Kevin Kolb is under contract for another season at $1.4M. Would the Eagles consider dealing him?

"There's a saying in football: If you think you have two quarterbacks, it probably means you have none," Banner said. "And I've always thought that was true. I think we're the first team that thinks it has two and truly has two. At the end of the season, we'll sit back on all the decisions we have to make - contracts, specific players and positions... to try to figure out the best we can how to make this team as strong as it can be going forward and hopefully get it right."

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