McNabb on his blog: Please send help
Citing the Patriots' success, the quarterback again pushed for the Eagles to add some playmakers to the lineup.
Donovan McNabb has taken his pitch for more weapons to the blogosphere and intensified it.
In his blog on yardbarker.com, the Eagles quarterback wrote Monday that he hoped his team would "secure some playmakers in all three phases of the game" during the off-season, continuing a campaign he started near the end of the season.
"Maybe some of those playmakers are already on the roster but have struggled with injuries, myself included, that have held us back a little," McNabb blogged.
He used the New England Patriots as an example of a team that "went outside their locker room and stocked up on playmakers last year."
The Patriots, of course, went 16-0 in the regular season.
"It certainly helped to have Randy Moss, Donté Stallworth, Wes Welker and Adalius Thomas making plays for them all year," the Eagles quarterback wrote, referring to four of New England's off-season additions.
These were the strongest comments to date by McNabb about pushing the front office to bring in outside talent for next season. When asked about similar comments by McNabb the day after the regular season ended, Eagles coach Andy Reid said that players should watch what they say about personnel matters.
"I know, as players, you have to be careful about saying that because those are your teammates that are being replaced," Reid said. "Most players don't get into that who really care about their teammates on the other side."
McNabb seemed to respond to that sentiment in his blog:
"I'm surprised that anyone would have a problem with me, or anyone else in the organization, expressing a desire to bring in more quality players. We were 8-8. There is room for improvement. This is a competitive sport. It's about putting together the best players, the best team, and giving yourself the best chance to win.
"We didn't disrespect anyone when we traded for Takeo Spikes or signed Kevin Curtis last year. I don't think the Patriots were being disrespectful to Troy Brown or Reche Caldwell when they brought in Moss, Stallworth and Welker. Over the past few years, when the 49ers added Nate Clements, the Seahawks added Julian Peterson, the Giants added Plaxico Burress, the Colts added Adam Vinatieri, it was in an effort to add playmakers. In each case, the team identified a way to improve and they took action.
"I don't think that's being disrespectful to any of my teammates," McNabb continued on his blog. "It's certainly not my intention. I bet that anyone who wants to see the Eagles win - from Mr. [Jeffrey] Lurie to the entire locker room to every Eagles fan who bleeds green - would agree."
There have been indications that the Eagles intend to make some big moves in free agency this off-season, but the front office may feel better about the team's talent than the quarterback.
The Eagles were one of three NFL teams with three players to have at least 60 receptions and one of six teams with at least two wide receivers with at least 60. The three players: Brian Westbrook (90 for 770 yards, 5 touchdowns), Curtis (77, 1,110, 6) and Reggie Brown (61, 780, 4).
The Eagles also were one of just four teams to finish in the top 10 in yards gained and yards allowed. The other three - New England, Indianapolis and Dallas - went a combined 42-6 this season, and all will play this weekend.
Extra points. Eagles secondary coach John Harbaugh interviewed for the vacant Baltimore Ravens head coaching job last night and will continue those talks this morning, according to a league source. . . . Tight end Brent Celek underwent surgery yesterday to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder. The procedure was performed by team physicians Peter DeLuca and Paul Marchetto at Methodist Hospital. . . . The Eagles signed wide receiver Jamal Jones and defensive end Xzavie Jackson to three-year contracts yesterday. Defensive end A.J. Schable was signed to a two-year deal. Jones, a high school teammate of Westbrook's at DeMatha Catholic in Maryland, played in 12 regular-season games and both playoff games for New Orleans in 2006 but was released before this season. Jackson spent eight weeks on the Eagles' practice squad this season after signing with Cincinnati as an undrafted free agent out of Missouri. Schable appeared in 11 games with Arizona as a rookie in 2006 but was released by the Cardinals before this season. He had 19 sacks in his senior season at South Dakota in 2005.