The Eagles Act Benevolently Towards Players Currently On Their Roster

It would be the easiest thing in the world to make a bunch of Bruce Springsteen references about today’s Eagles news, seeing as the team “took care of their own” much like Bruce boasts about how “we take care of our own” in his new hit song. It would just turn into 600 “Born to Run” references, though, so we’ll save it for when it comes time for Shady McCoy’s big bonus.

In the meantime, at least we know the most versatile offensive lineman and their best defensive player are going to be around for a while longer.

Todd Herremans – Three more years, up to $21 million more

Trent Cole – 27 more years, at least $655 trillion more*

*-Cole’s extension is not official yet, so I plugged in what I believe are reasonable estimates.

Herremans is 29 and will be 34 when his deal runs out, right around the upper boundary of time the Reid-Banner-Lurie Eagles like to bid their players farewell. (Jon Runayn was 35 when the team let his deal expire without an extension; Tra Thomas was 34). Cole will be 56 when my projected extension ends, but presuming the Eagles sign him to a similar extension to Herramans, he will also be 34 at the end of his deal.

Herramans can play basically any spot on the line but center and play it well. He’s not an elite lineman, but he’s definitely upper-echelon, and he’ll be paid like it. The team doesn’t need to plug in a superstar at every spot.

All Cole does is get sacks on sacks on sacks.

With Cole and Jason Babin, who helped the Eagles to a tie with the Minnesota Calf-Ropers for most sacks in 2011-12, now both likely locked up past 2015 (not to mention the oh-so-studly Cullen Jenkins through ’14), the Adam Schefter and Jaws-fueled rumor putting the Eagles in pursuit of Mario Williams is…confusing.

For the Eagles to do that, they would have to:

·      Trade Asante for a bag of peanuts to get rid of his $8.5 million cap hit
·      Cut Darryl Tap and his $2.5 million hit
·      Essentially give up on Brandon Graham after two injury-plagued seasons (it took them three to quit on Jerome McDougle, and they only did because they discovered he had an IQ of 48)
·      Make Pro Bowl Dude Babin a bench/situational player – which you just can’t do, no matter how badly you think he plays the run.
·      Give up on signing pretty much anyone else, like Mathis, a safety, or a linebacker like Dan Connor…oh wait.

Speaking of Connor, Pete Prisco is pretty sure Mr. Sort Of A Local Legend is coming home to Philly. Connor received playing time in Carolina last year because of the Jon Beason injury , and didn’t totally suck. In fact, he proved damn near proficient at stopping the run, which is all the Eagles care about, since they can pull him in nickel and dime packages and leave Jamar Chaney and/or Brian Rolle out in passing situations.

He won’t cost as much as Tulloch, Hawthorne, Lofton or Fletcher (mostly because he isn’t as good), but he’ll represent an upgrade, if not a substantial one. Plus, when he loses his job to Keenan Clayton or Greg Lloyd, he’ll know exactly where to locate the bench when told to occupy it.

Lastly, if the Eagles aren’t going to sign Evan Mathis, they’re definitely not going to get Carl Nicks. That is all.

Elsewhere in the NFL…

·      Since the Racistnames coughed up the Herschel Walker Special to get RGIII, the least they could do is surround him with overpaid, mediocre weapons.

·      Like Iggles Blitz writer Sam Lynch, I was worried the Racistnames had wrecked the market for wide receivers in a Davis-ian way. Then Marques Colston signed for less money than Pierre Garcon did, and now I’m just lost.

·      Guys, don’t forget the Giants won the Super Bowl last year without their best defensive back.

·      Peyton – “I’m gonna need about a week to figure out where to play.” Reggie – “Too long!”

·      So, for real, the Bucs offense might be really good next year.

·      I have absolutely no idea what the Dolphins are doing.

Here we go.

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