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Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Second-round signings

The Eagles have signed all of their draft picks, except second-rounders Trevor Laws and DeSean Jackson. If they had a first-round pick this year, he likely would not be signed, either.

We say that based on a entry in John Clayton's ESPN.com Insider blog. Only three first-rounders, including Penn Charter product Matt Ryan with the Falcons, and one second-rounder have signed.

The players union is seeking a Special Master to resolve a dispute involving guaranteed bonuses and how they are calculated within the rookie salary pool. Of course, anything with long-term contracts is complicated by the fact that 2011 -- or the fourth year of contracts signed this year -- is an uncapped year.

Here is an excerpt from Clayton's blog: "Under the rookie pool, base salaries can only increase 25 percent per year, but agents found a loophole in which a draft choice can receive a one-time bonus and guarantee it in the final year of the contract. This particularly affects second-round choices because they sign four-year deals. The problem in this summer's negotiations is that there is no collective bargaining agreement in 2011 so the fourth year of the contract can't be involved in any kind of guarantees."

The sides will present their arguments and the Special Master will rule next week. Of course, Eagles rookies are expected to report Monday night to Lehigh. The agents for Jackson and Laws have not returned calls from the Daily News this week.

It would be unfortunate if players who want to be in training camp are not because of a bigger issue outside their control. If a player holds out and falls behind, that is on him. You can't blame the players here who would be following the advice of their union and trying to protect their own interests.

 

 



 

Posted by Josh Barnett @ 7:56 AM  Permalink | 9 comments
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Comments
Posted by ox 08:08 AM, 07/16/2008
DeSean Jackson.......the hope of the eagles receiving Corps this year....more spin.......not only hasn't he signed but when he does the Birds will say that it takes awhile to learn Andy's west coast offensive scheme....probably become an asset to the team in 2011. But we didn't need to persue a receiver in the open market because we have the talent right here.
Posted by Bama 08:16 AM, 07/16/2008
Jackson can't be counted on for the receiving corps this year. However, I believe he can have an impact on special teams either as a PR or KR. That is, if he ever signs and if his hamstring is not a continuing problem.
Posted by derrickwh 08:28 AM, 07/16/2008
wow, guys. That's a lot of pessimism for July 16. I agree that Jackson will have a bigger impact on special teams than at WR, but the Birds have a good track record of getting their picks signed and into camp, so I have no concerns about Jackson and Laws getting their deals done on time.
Posted by Dvs Mind 10:20 AM, 07/16/2008
Besides DeSean....the Philadelphia Soul have better WR's then the Eagles.
Posted by shoeshineboy 10:47 AM, 07/16/2008
Any movement of the tenuous Scott Young dispute? This is one cloud hanging over the team that remains unresolved going into next week!!!
Posted by Jack B. 12:00 PM, 07/16/2008
You guys are all morons. how can jackson be the "hope" of the Eagles WR corps when he hasn't even played a game yet. and yes, it does take a while to learn the west coast offense (or any offense for that matter). that's why receivers rarely have an impact in the first year, regardless of who they are. Remember that can't miss prospect Calvin Johnson? Even he didn't do much last year. The Eagles tried to get Randy Moss last year, so you can't say they didn't try to get a WR. Who else would you have had them get? Don't say Larry Fitzgerald or Roy Williams, because neither of them was available. Relax people, training camp hasn't even started. http://santadeservedit.blogspot.com/
Posted by vincemcd 05:25 PM, 07/17/2008
DVS...that must stand for "drinking vodka straight" - you can't be sober and think the wr's for soul are better than eagles. If they were Drew Ros would already have them signed!
Posted by gallen024 05:28 PM, 07/17/2008
Jack B, You will agree that Jackson is better than Avant or Baskett right? There is no reason he shouldn't get some time at the receiver position. He will be a huge bonus in the return games.
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9 comments
About The Daily News' Eagles Blog
Les BowenLes Bowen has covered the Eagles for the Daily News since 2002. Before that, he spent nearly 13 years covering the Flyers. It took Les only a few seasons after the switch to figure out that there was no penalty box at the Linc, and that the time really wasn't his, despite what Andy Reid kept saying. Les came to Philadelphia and the Daily News from Charlotte in 1983. In the intervening years, he has pretty much lost track of NASCAR, and his accent. He, his wife Barbara, and their two sons live in Haddon Township, New Jersey.

Paul DomowitchPaul Domowitch has been with the Daily News since 1982. He has spent most of his 26 years at the paper covering the Eagles and pro football. A native of Wilkes-Barre and a graduate of Wilkes University, where he spent 3 years as the sports editor of the school paper and zero semesters on the dean's list, Domo came to the Daily News from the Fort Worth (Tx.) Star-Telegram, where he covered some very bad Texas Ranger baseball teams. His first beat at the Daily News actually was boxing, which he covered just long enough to lose two sports coats to blood spatter before moving on to football. Domo and his wife Shelley, who is a University of Oklahoma grad and is dangerous to be around following a Sooner loss, have been married 27 years and have raised 2 terrific daughters – Allison, 23, who attends Boston University School of Law; and Amy, 21, a sports marketing major at Clemson. When he's not writing about football, Domo enjoys reading Robert Parker, John Sandford and Harlan Coben novels and playing pickup basketball when his arthritic hip doesn't object.

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