I heard Eagles former cornerback Sheldon Brown on the radio with the 610-WIP Morning Show and he talked about problems in the locker room. Brown talked about players coming in from other teams and disturbing the team’s chemistry which was a way of pointing at Asante Samuel without using his name.He went on 610 again in the afternoon and continued to point fingers at Samuel.¬† This time he focused on Samuels refusal to believe in what defensive coordinator Sean McDermott was telling them to do, namely move up in press technique and tackle.
“I¬†just think, we as a defense in Philadelphia, you just have to believe in what coach [Sean] McDermott preaches and follow the plan,”¬†Brown said to Howard Eskin and Ike Reese. “You know, sometimes I look back at last year, the season, I feel that we had some players that really was questioning some of the things that were being done. And [we] never had that situation since I’ve been there. And first and foremost, you have to believe in the system, believe in the plan, or you lose before you even go out there. And if the guys can remember to do that, stick together, they’ll be fine.”
Samuel’s refusal to listen to McDermott really showed up in the Cowboys games.¬† Dallas was running quick screens against the Birds, so McDermott wanted the cornerbacks to move up into press technique to take away that play, but Samuel continued to play off his man.
I remember one of the final touchdowns that the Cowboys scored in the last game was a quick screen to Samuel’s side.
It’s going to be interesting to see how long Samuel remains here with the Birds.¬† They can’t be happy about a player who won’t do what the coach wants him to do, plus he doesn’t have a fondness for tackling.
I think he’ll be here another year then they’ll move him next off season.
Join me and the other GCobb.com¬† writers at P.J. Whelihan’s on Rte. 70, in Cherry Hill on Monday night April 12th at 7pm.¬† We’re going to do a mock draft and go through all of the options that the Eagles will have in the first round.
Bring your friends and come on by to talk about the Philadelphia Eagles and the new Kevin Kolb era.
Look at Samuel to be moved in an attempt to move up! Also likely traded on draft day could be J Thomas. Both of these guys are a little older and Asam has a bad rap (uncoachable). I would love to see us get some quality young corners in here and live with them. I wonder about the Strong Safety position as well. Mikell probably has his most value in a trade now. He is approaching the big 30 and given the right circumstances I could see him moved on in favor of getting another young player in round 2 or 3.
Sheldon has a right to complain about Asam. I hate free agency for that one reason. How can you expect other players to get along when they are almost as good or in their minds just as good as a FA pick up but because they were drafted by the team and signed (their fault) a secure deal early they don’t see the money. If it was close in money no problem but when its 5 million a year or more difference and you both start the same position well I would feel slighted too,.
They paid a ton for this guy and I knew right away just his salary would cause lockerroom problems.
In addition, his unwillingness to tackle and get in press coverage somehow indicates a mistake in the FO’s evaluation of his total contribution. He is just another addition who is overrated and overpaid. We need hard nosed cover corners like we had years ago, like Troy Vincent. He was a Rhodes free agent.
The DB’s that the eagles drafted and raved about are gone-Lito-Sheldon-Lewis. I can’t wait to see what this season brings with the new braintrust Howie (fantasy football) Roiseman.
Big E(go), in all seriousness, is there anything the team could do that you wouldn’t criticize? I really think that if they drafted all future probowlers this year, and went on to win 10 straight SBs, you’d still trash them.
Samuel is not going to get any one in Philly to forget the name Eric Allen with his lack of physical play,he is good at playing center field going for picks and thats it
Asante is a perennial Pro-Bowler. I’ll put up with the bullshit.
Asante’s contract that he signed during FA several years ago definitely pissed off Lito and Sheldon given that they weren’t happy with their own contracts and they had been with the Eagles since being drafted. There are too many egos in the NFL. Asante was overpaid, although I’m ok with overpaying sometimes, but for the kind of money he’s getting, he needs to do what he’s told and tackle people. He’s such a sissy.
Who would want Asante with that insane contract the Eagles gave him. A corner should not make more than 7 million a year.Asante makes closer to 10 or 11. Way over paid.
eagles fans…please the guy had what 10 pics last yr…..move him…….andy need to put his foot down and stop being so dammm soft….it seems that alot of our coaches are boy p*ssys…….wheres bill cowher.by the way paulman sucks
I was excited when we signed Asante, and really liked having a ball hawk out there. I really began to sour on this guy in ’08 and firmly believe he needs to be moved while he still has value. He’s another guy that wants to be the star of his own show. Anything can happen on draft day.
Sheldon showed his class by not mentioning his name.
I agree with the criticism but I think the picks are not worth giving up. So many wanted Randy Moss, Boldin, Roy Williams, TO to stay – those who did all were wiling to put up with serious issues/shortcomings for big production. But with Asante, it’s different for some reason? And yes, Paulman sucks.
Schiller I wouldn’t criticize the firing of Andy Reid.
Schiller, you have to admit going into a season with high school punt returners is just unforgivable.
Not being able to draft on pro bowl linebacker in 11 years is also.
I appreciate your side shiller, I think there are hugh differences.
Asante doesn’t or can’t tackle as well as a second stringer leaving the safety all alone to give up 6. Is it any wonder our D sucks with that kind of attitude? The picks should be something that happens when you play the position the right way. He thinks pick first as opposed to making the best play for his team, and tackles are a basic skill.
On the other side – if you have a star receiver who is a big playmaker and scores often, (his job) small distractions go unnoticed, except by an offical. I stress ‘small’.
I wanted Moss and would take him today, Boldin has seen better days, Roy Williams didn’t excite me, after all he was a Lion and any body catching a pass was almost unusual. T.O. blew himself up and had to go.
I wouldn’t critize the firing of Andy either, but how do we sign Cower?
I believe that there are 2 Eagles who will be traded on draft day
CB A Sammuel and a 3rd Rd Eagles draft pick (#70 overall) to the Raiders for CB Asamogoah
I also think the Eagles will tade QB M Vick and a draft pick to Buffalo Bills for Safety Donte Whittier
If the Rams do not chose QB S Bradford with the 1st pick overall , then I think the Eagles may trade QB Vick, Safety Q Demps and a 3rd Rd pick to the Rams for Safety Otwege and their 4th Rd pick.
I am not sold that the rams are sold a Bradford being a “Franchise QB’, if they do not select him with the #1 pick, then the Rams are obviously in the market for an NFL experieiced starting QB which Vick is and actually would probably be a good fit for them since he could hand-off to Steve Jackson 60% of the snaps …..
I love how your predictions are so precise and so completely unrealistic.
Whenever Andy Reid hires a bad character guy, he sticks out like a sore thumb. You can’t pick all choir boys and then drop a bad seed in the middle of them.
What’s unrelastic about it Horatio..
IF Rams draft QB Bradford, Obviously they will not be in the market for a QB, (I am hearing lots of chatter that they are not really sold on Braford being the “guy” so they may as well draft DT Suh and
keep their draft picks to build a better overall roster..
The Bills connection is an easy one, they need a Qb and some excitement for that franchise and remember that D Jauron is now the Def/Secondary coach and drafted Safety D Whittier with a high 2nd Rd draft pick a couple years back and would be a great fit for this Eagle Defense and could be that new leader of a entirely new Secondary that we will see for the Eagles in 2010 and beyond
The Raiders deal is probably a stretch, But I know the Raiders want rid of Asamogah’s big contract and the Eagles want rid of Sammuel “Bad Attitide” who also happens to make big $$$$
The got Asante because of his interceptions, but they wouldn’t have needed him if everyone else didn’t have hands of stone.
Paulman, the most unrealistic part was probably the cornerback trade, but the detail on the proposed trade with the Rams is a little unrealistic, too. I just don’t think it’s possible to predict that kind of thing with that level of accuracy. Even the front offices themselves don’t know what position they’ll be in until after the first round. If the Rams draft a QB -> no trade at all; if the Eagles draft a safety or a couple good safety choices will be available early the next day -> completely different trade; if someone else wants Vick or if there’s no market for him at all (which is what I think is most likely) then no trade with the Rams; etc. etc.
I think I’d be able to take Paulman’s traxe proposals a little more seriously if he actually knew how to spell the players’ names. Who the hell is Asamogoah????
Anyway, Sheldon should just shut up. Whether he’s right or not about Samuel, he just sounds bitter because of his contract issues. I mean it’s not like Sheldon is a perennial Pro Bowler like Samuel is. He looks and sounds silly ripping him like that.
Personally, I recognize that Samuel has weaknesses, but he’s a ball hawk and that’s why the Eagles signed him. I’ll deal with him giving a two or three TD’s a season when he gets burned on long balls, because he typically scores three or four TD’s himself … or at least he generates that many TD’s with his turnovers whether he actually scores or not.
I think I’d be able to take Paulman’s traxe proposals a little more seriously if he actually knew how to spell the players’ names. Who the hell is Asamogoah????
Anyway, Sheldon should just shut up. Whether he’s right or not about Samuel, he just sounds bitter because of his contract issues. I mean it’s not like Sheldon is a perennial Pro Bowler like Samuel is. He looks and sounds silly ripping him like that.
Personally, I recognize that Samuel has weaknesses, but he’s a ball hawk and that’s why the Eagles signed him. I’ll deal with him giving a two or three TD’s a season when he gets burned on long balls, because he typically scores three or four TD’s himself … or at least he generates that many TD’s with his turnovers whether he actually scores or not.
I could see something like Asante Samuel/Mike Patterson/#24 to the Lions to get Suh. BUT the more I think about the Eagles preference in drafting D-Linemen it’s highly unlikely they would even put that out there to try to get a DT.