Haynesworth part of trade talks, source confirms
Philly.com, Inquirer, and Daily News coverage of the Eagles
Haynesworth part of trade talks, source confirms
Daily News staff
Tons of things happening in the wake of the Eagles' trade of Donovan McNabb last night.
*A source close to the situation confirms that DT Albert Haynesworth was part of the Redskins trade discussions, as first reported by Adam Caplan of Scout.com last night. The source said Haynesworth, who has clashed with the Redskins over workout regimen and other things, and has known controversy off the field, "wasn't a good fit" for the Eagles.
* ESPN's Sage Steele said during SportsCenter this morning that the Eagles would face the Redskins in an Oct. 26 Monday night game. Turned out the worldwide leader was looking at LAST YEAR'S NFL SKED. Birds won that game; McNabb wore green. A league spokesman told the Daily News in an email that the league has no information on any team's schedule right now because it has not been completed. "There are no games officially scheduled at this point."
The league is not expected to release the schedule until April 13. The league usually releases some of the marquee games during the owners meetings and that announcement was delayed.
* Kevin Kolb will meet the media for the first time as the official starting quarterback at 12:30 today at the NovaCare Complex.
* Coach Andy Reid has done some interiews since last night's press conference, including one with Mike & Mike on ESPN Radio this morning. Here are some highlights:
On his conversation with McNabb after the trade: "I had a nice talk with him after the deal was made. We are friends. We will remain friends. We had 11 great years together. Unfortunately this game moves fast. In this day and age thins happen like this. It’s a terrible thing to deal with for the player and the coach. There is a certain bond that develops on that football field, tight and emotional and everything else. It’s a neat thing. It doesn’t last forever. That’s the problem. We all face it. We all know it’s coming, some time, some place. The players are conditioned to it the best they can be, the coaches are … The game moves on."
On offers for Kevin Kolb: "I can’t deny there wasn’t a choice to be made. I was offered things for Kevin. I thought this was the best deal here with Donovan. I did not go into it saying that Donovan was the guy. I kept it open for all three of them. This happened to be what I considered the best deal for everyone."
On any dissent in the organization about the deal: "I have final say on the whole thing there ... You know how this business goes, there is a business side and there is a personal side. I knew I was going to be in this situation. I didn’t know it was going to be Donovan that would be traded, but I knew something was going to be offered and something was going to happen."
On trading McNabb within the division: "I didn’t concentrate as much on Washington as I did on the Philadelpia Eagles. I’ve got to do what I think is the best for our football team. When you get into negotiations that is the way you think.You take into consideration that it’s Washington a little bit. No .1, you’re thinking about your football team and what you need to do to become a better football team. This is part of the game. We’re trying to make ourselves better. We felt this was the best way to do it.
On why he thinks Kolb is ready to start: "Obviously, we have confidence in Kevin to do what we have done here. We have confidence in Michael Vick. We still have a tremendous situation at that position. The things we have seen in Kevin -- leadership, he’s a smart kid. He’s a coach’s kid, not that that matter. He grew up around the sport … He’s got good enough arm strength and good enough athlete to make this thing work and then he was able to be tutored under Donovan. … That has helped his maturation process."
On how much younger the Eagles have gotten this offseason: "I kinda feel like the movie Cocoon. Everyone is getting younger and I'm getting older. I hope some of this rubs off on me. I think we’ll be fine. We have some work ahead of us. The majority of the football team is up here and grinding and doing the offseason program. We have some moves we have to make in the draft. With 11 picks we have some flexibility. We’ll try to bring in some more good players to this football team. We should have a chance to compete."
Hmm. Ya think Andy looks a little like Wilford Brimley in Cocoon?
We have a very predictable and under talented defense. Trust me, McNabb knows all the flaws, combine this with Shannahan's coaching and it will be two L's on the ledger. Stupid move to trade him within the division, but I keep forgetting, Andy invented football!!!!- it's funny - last year - this team was 1 win (the final game of the season, no less) away from winning the division (again), locking up a first round bye (and either the 2 or 3 seed). Was it McNabb that cost the Eagles the win in that game and then the following week? Seems to me it was a wounded and patch work D that finally "bent". Similar situation the season before - didn't the "D" let them down in Arizona, not McNabb and the offense. In fact, I think D-Mac had his 3rd best season as a pro last year. The bottom line is- it seems like he was made the scapegoat for other areas of weakness. This current team has lots of talent - it is just a head-scratcher (to me, anyway) that the Eagles would have "upset the apple cart" at the one position they were seemingly solid and set at. I guess we'll see this year. I'd never root against The Eagles or for another franchise - but the Eagles (management) has really thrown out a curve ball here.— mebphila
Kevin Kolb will be a competive EAGLE QB and the draft picks the 'Birds' now willl use as compensation will hopefully be productive eagles...it is very exciting; and DM will play the 'boys and giants 2x each and I wish him the best as he helps propel the 'birds' to a Super Bowl championship...johnnyu- Mabus, I will certainly not defend AIRWOLF, but I will say that you cannot compare McNabb's first full year as a starter with Kolb's. I am not going to waste my time trying to compare the NFL 10 years ago, but the NFC EAST was a lot weaker. The Giants were good, the Eagles were 11-5, the Skins average, and then there were the Cowgirls and Cardinals, who were God-awful. Kolb has been given the weapons on O, but his D is terrible. The complete opposite of Donovan's first year as a starter. Give Corn a chance!!— jimmydugan
- KOLB IS AWFULLLLL!!! Right now,the 27th best QB in the league. Here comes 5-11 all over again.— knebman
I hope Kolb is the second coming of Montana & the Eagles finally bring the Lombardi to Philly. I'm a lifelong fan whose had season tix in the past & splitting one this coming season. I def support the team & by extension, the QB (something that lonewolf has never done). That D was good but not the best in McNabb's career (10th in the NFL). I don't think this year's D is as bad as a lot of people think. Like last years O, injuries held them back. If the returning players remain healthy and they get 1-2 "impact" players able to contribute (in playing time, if not starters) I think the D will definitely be in the top half of the league. I'm not trying to bash Kolb, just busting lonewolf's....um, can't bust 'em if he doesn't have 'em— Mabus
