Birds Pay Stacy Andrews, Sign Avant
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Birds Pay Stacy Andrews, Sign Avant
Les Bowen
The Eagles are paying guard Stacy Andrews' $4.1 million roster bonus and he will remain with the team, a source close to the situation said this afternoon. Last month, a source told the Daily News Andrews would have to restructure his six-year, $38.9 million contract to stay an Eagle; a source confirmed today that Andrews will make a $1.15 million base this season, instead of his original $2.95 million.
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The Eagles announced this morning they have reached agreement with wideout Jason Avant on a five-year contract, which ESPN says is worth $18 million, $8 million guaranteed.
Avant, a restricted free agent, was tendered at the second-round level last week, so he was unlikely to leave, but the team seems to value his hustle, dedication and clutch play, and the new deal reflects that. There were indications last week that the Birds intended to pursue a deal with Avant, as they did with fullback Leonard Weaver, signed to a three-year contract on Friday.
At a news conference this afternoon, Avant thanked God, his wife, his late grandmother and "the Eagles organization for taking a chance on me" when his slow 40 times before the 2006 draft knocked him down a few rounds. Avant, unable to get into a proper sprint starting position because of a broken arm, was listed as "inj" for the scoutng combine 40 and clocked a 4.62 at his Michigan pro day. He told of being disappointed when the first day of the draft, and the first three rounds, passed without his named being called. Avant said he was bolstered by a call from then-Patriots safety Rodney Harrison, whom Avant had met through one of his brothers.
"He called me and said, ‘You just have to let this be fuel for you; to prove a lot of people wrong. That it's not about a 40 time, it’s about being a good football player.’ I’m just thankful to coach [Andy] Reid and those people that were there, [wide receivers coach David] Culley, and all those that helped draft me for looking past the 40 time and really focusing on what type of player I was. I owe a lot of people for it and I’m just thankful for that and I’m going to continue to try to make them proud.”
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Not to pour salt in the (Julius) Peppers wound (hey, I could have written for Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin Sunday night), but the free agent defensive end gave an interview to The Charlotte Observer after signing with the Bears in which he identified the Eagles as his favorite team growing up and spoke of how neat it would have been to sign here, if he hadn't felt the urge to visit and sign in Chicago before even checking us out.
"I wanted to go there also, but when I came here, when I came to Chicago, this just felt right. It had a different feel to it. Obviously, I didn’t visit Philly to see what it felt like, but I didn’t need to," Peppers said.
Dumervil is better off in a 3-4 as an outside ruch linebacker, not as a DE in our system. I agree that the Birds had a lot of turnover last year and could use some stability on both sides of the ball. We need an interior lineman, whether it's an Andrews brother or from the draft, to provide whichever QB some time, and any help on defense will be huge.— Bleue- now that jason's signed, will he be reporting to the phillies spring training facility for infield practice? donovan's still an eagle, right?— goofyfooterwill
- Lets waste 4 million on Andrews and 1.5 million on Vick. Lets not go after any free agents. Lets tell the fans we are keeping mcnabb bc he give us the best chance to win. Lets not improve a team he didnt win the super bowl.... Hey lets go FLYERS!!!!! Eagles are wasting are time.— fman727
- Offense is fine. Defense needs all the attention it can get.— Seed
Comment removed.- Both Andrews boys should have been shown the door.— blueye7
- Are you scratching you head trying to figure out why they can pay Stacy Andrews his 4 million roster bonus but they couldn't pay Witherspoon his 5 million salary after trade away Brandon Gibson and their 5th round pick this year?— The Marco Islander
- Some folks haven't looked at the 2010 schedule. Our O line was trash last year. I'll wait till after the draft and after Bethlehem to speculate for sure but I see a 10-6 season at the moment..— Hatfield_ham
- "Not to pour salt in the (Julius) Peppers wound (hey, I could have written for Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin Sunday night)" Stick to sports writing. You get paid to write about sports, not make jokes (something that many Philly sports writers seem to think they are good at), and your sports writing needs a LOT of work.— JimG
- We gave Stacy Andrews a $4,000,000 roster bonus?— mainstreet
- Avant is a nice guy, dime a dozen player. Andrews sisters stink! Both should be dropped immeidately and stop wasting everybody's time.— Shenkman3
- If the Andrews sisters actually decide that making millions playing a game isn't such a bad way to spend the next few years and Jamaal (underrated ) Jackson comes back strong, maybe we can just outscore everybody. This defense can be decent, but they aren't going to dominate anyone. They only way they win next year is force turnovers and jump all over everyone early.— albertpa
- Comment removed.
- I just love all you wannabe's who think you know so freakin much. How many of you bozo's ever play a down of pro football? NFL football? Probaly none of you that's why you have so much criticism for a team with the leagues 4th best win percentage over the last 10 yrs. You guys are idiots.........— The Manager
