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Monday, April 27, 2009

As you know, the acquisition of college players does not end with the final pick in the draft. The Eagles are likely to announce their list of undrafted free agents whom they have signed. The Birds are among the best in the league at finding those diamonds in the rough after the draft.

We call tell you at this point that the Eagles have signed Vanderbilt safety Reshard Langford, according to the Nashville City Paper Langord started the final 48 games of his college career, the longest active streak in the SEC.

He is expected to travel to Philadelphia on Thursday as the Eagles hold a minicamp this weekend.

“Reshard will make a huge impression on the Philadelphia coaches with his talent, effort and desire to help anyway he can,” Vandy coach Bobby Johnson said. “He was tremendous here, both on and off the field. Reshard Langford is one of those guys you build winning teams around.”

According to various reports, the Eagles also will be bringing in Penn State defensive end Josh Gaines (6-1, 275), Boston College wide receiver Brandon Robinson and Indiana running back Marcus Thigpen. Credit to Jason at Bleeding Green Nation for unearthing this last bunch.

Robinson (5-10, 198) caught 42 passes for 646 yards and three touchdowns as a senior and finished his career with more than 2,000 yards receiving.

Thigpen is smallish but quick. He finished his senior season with 94 carries for 631 yards and 7 TDs in 12 games. He also is a solid return man.

Back later with more names.

*

BELICHICK ON ELLIS HOBBS

You never get much from Bill Belichick and that was the case in his post-draft press conference when it came to the subject of Ellis Hobbs.

"I’ll just say that the Ellis Hobbs trade was not really something that we anticipated. It was just one of those things that, based on the way things went and where are team was and what the opportunity was with Philadelphia and so forth, we felt that that was the best thing to do for our team. So we made that transaction."

Asked if Hobbs was traded to clear salary cap space or to give New England's younger cornerbacks a chance to get more playing time, Belichick replied:

"I think there are a lot of forces at work there. I would just say that it’s a combination of a lot of things that we felt like, from a timing standpoint and moving forward, ‘what’s the best thing for our football team?’ That was just the right move at this time. Philadelphia was a partner on that and it just felt like when we talked to them that that was the best thing for our football team. It wasn’t any one thing. It wasn’t any one force, but it was just kind of a combination of all of those things coming together."

Meanwhile, Hobbs's agent, Kevin Omell, told the Boston Globe that there had been no discussions about a new contract with New England for Hobbs, who was entering the final year of his deal. He is scheduled to make $2.54 million in base salary.

By the way, here is Andy Reid's version of how the Hobbs' deal came together:

“Well I was in communication with Bill during the draft as we were with everybody. I end up calling around to talk to everybody and I needed another corner and the board did not fall to where I was satisfied with what was there, so I went in this direction with Ellis. Again, he is a really good player.”

*

TRACKING THE TRADES

In case you got lost in the Eagles' dizzying array of moves -- and you were not the only one -- here is a list of the transactions, courtesy of the Eagles:

To Eagles: 1st round (19th overall) … To Cleveland: 1st round (21st overall), 6th round (195th overall)

To Eagles: 3rd round (91st), 5th round (164th) … To NY Giants: 3rd round (85th)

To Eagles: 5th round (137th), 7th round (213th), 3rd round in 2010 … To Seattle: 3rd round (91st)

To Eagles: CB Ellis Hobbs … To New England: 5th round (137th), 5th round (141st)

To Eagles: 7th round (222nd), 5th round in 2010 … To New Orleans: 5th round (164th)

To Eagles: 6th round in 2010 … To: Indianapolis: 7th round (222nd)
 

 

Posted by Daily News staff @ 12:28 PM  Permalink | 28 comments
28
Comments   
Posted 08:30 AM, 04/27/2009
yahmpy
I thought I heard Eskin on Sports Final last night say something to the effect that the conversation got started because NE was interested in Sheldon Brown, and that's how the Eagles later got to talking about Hobbs. I'm pretty sure that's the gist of what Eskin said last night (I know, take what Eskin says with a grain of salt, but Eskin and Andy are real tight).
Posted 08:36 AM, 04/27/2009
allrightknight
I feel dizzy. Bill can really talk circles around ya! I'm just glad the Eagles did almost exactly what I wanted them to do in the draft. I think they got to tweak things a bit. I wouldn't mind seeing another RB who was biggish not smallish like maybe the 'Fridge' part II and get rid of Booker.
Posted 09:22 AM, 04/27/2009
borntosuffer
We got biggish with Weaver. Get another versatile FA running back to compete for that third spot with booker.
Posted 09:56 AM, 04/27/2009
mick314
Booker got traded to a library in the Northeast. Ideal spot for him. He figures to start there working with returns.
Posted 10:09 AM, 04/27/2009
dragoon6
That's two WR in the draft plus one UFA. What does that mean for Gasperson?
Posted 10:22 AM, 04/27/2009
NiceToBeHere
It probably means Gasperson is on his last gasp.
Posted 10:24 AM, 04/27/2009
elbinkogrande
Dragoon6: droll, very droll.
Posted 10:29 AM, 04/27/2009
HandNik
I think that the Birds should look into Maurice Evans out of PSU.
Posted 10:37 AM, 04/27/2009
FireAndyReid
great draft by the Eagles... it's not often I say this, but I am very impressed by their off-season moves!
Posted 11:04 AM, 04/27/2009
cheesesteak17
what does that mean for Gasperson?? is he even on the practice squad?
Posted 11:22 AM, 04/27/2009
Habs68
I would have liked to have picked up Rashard Jennings, RB out of Liberty. He's a big back with some moves. He went in the 7th. Otherwise, great draft.
Posted 11:22 AM, 04/27/2009
Habs68
I would have liked to have picked up Rashard Jennings, RB out of Liberty. He's a big back with some moves. He went in the 7th. Otherwise, great draft.
Posted 11:24 AM, 04/27/2009
nuggett
lots of cannon fodder for camp.....
Posted 11:29 AM, 04/27/2009
SkipinWV
Andy ate two double meat cheese steaks last night he was so happy...
Posted 11:58 AM, 04/27/2009
somertonspartan
It's "our"(Belichick's quote) not are. Second time in two weeks that the same mistake has been made.
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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.

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Paul DomowitchPaul Domowitch has been with the Daily News since 1982. He has spent most of his 27 years at the paper covering the Eagles and pro football. For the last 10 years, he’s been a selector for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. A native of Wilkes-Barre and a graduate of Wilkes University, Domo came to the Daily News from the Fort Worth (Tx.) Star-Telegram, where he covered some god-awful Texas Ranger baseball teams. His first beat at the Daily News actually wa s 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, a University of Oklahoma grad and very dangerous to be around following a Sooner loss, have been married 29 years and have raised 2 terrific daughters – Allison, 26, a lawyer and graduate of Boston University School of Law; and Amy, 23, who graduated from Clemson and works in marketing and sales for a professional baseball team.