You can expect the Eagles to go after one of the the former University of Oregon free-agent safeties, Buffalo’s Jairus Byrd or Cleveland’s T.J. Ward. Eagles General Manager Howie Roseman is committed to building this football team (the right way) through the draft, which means not going all out in free agency. The presence of Byrd and Ward in this year’s free agency pool could change the free agent strategy this year for the Birds.
The main reason the Eagles could go after Byrd or Ward is Chip Kelly’s relationship with them. They both played for him at Oregon, so he knows what kind of people they are. Kelly knows how hard they will work. He knows what type of teammates they were when they played for him in college and therefore he probably feels he can predict how .
The big reason the Birds foray into free agency went awry was the fact that they didn’t have as much knowledge of the personalities of players like Nmandi Asomugha. They brought them in because of their reputations on the field, but they had no idea what type of teammates they would be. It turned into a disaster.
Chemistry is important on a football team. You need your best players to be your hardest workers. Many times the best players on bad teams have a poor work ethic. They accomplish things because of their talent, but they hurt the team in the long run because they set a bad example.
The Eagles are in desperate need of help at the safety position, which is one of the most important on the defensive side of the ball because of how pass-happy the league has become. A guy like Byrd will require big bucks, but he has the ability to cover receivers and area’s like a cornerback. Ward is more of a strong safety-type, who is an outstanding tackler and better run defender than pass defender.
Each of them would be a tremendous improvement for the Eagles. Byrd would cost mega-dollars, while Ward would be somewhat less expensive.
With all the olb’s tagged don’t know what the eagles are gonna do now my gut tells me howie is still gonna be cheap and sign somebody like Clemons or Jenkins but my heart wants them to go after Byrd cause it’s no guarantee that ha ha or Pryor will be there when they pick @22 so I guess they should 2of them then ward and Jenkins. Or maybe they go after somebody like bj raji now and Jenkins. I just don’t think cheap howie goes for Byrd if he does it really could mean bye bye mesean
i pray we dont go after raji. the guy is one of the most overrated players in the league.
Raji is on the downward side of his Career, He simply has gotten too big and heavy and his legs can’t sustain his playing weight of 345-355-365lbs..
He’s tought in Run Defense, but not much else and would probably only play 25 snaps a game in Short-yardage/red-zone Defenses and on 1st Downs on Obvious Running Downs.. Not sure spending all that $$$ for him is worth it —
Pryor on film looks like Dawkins if old. It’ll be great to move up to get him if he slips a little. The guy is a tough hitter. No doubt what we’ve been lacking in the secondary. Teams would have to game plan around him. Instant starter. Praying on Pryor. Go Eaglez!
Gloomy how did Desean get into the conversation? Seriously!! What is your problem with him? I thought when Vick left we would get rid of the Vick haters or nut huggers. Now we traded the Vick haters for Desean haters!! LISTEN!! CHIP KELLY IS NOT TRADING 1300 yards and 9 touchdowns with TOP 3 SPEED!!!!!!!!!!
100000000000% agreed prince. gloomy doesnt get that and nobody can convince him either
I tend to agree with you, but if the Eagles have two players on the board they love and DJax gets them another first round pick, I say you have to do it. You could get Evans and Pryor in the first. I’m not really advising or saying this happens. I’m just saying, if they love those guys and can both, they will trade him. And if he gets you another 3rd or so, a deep draft, you may have to.
there is a greater chance that lebron james signs here this offseason than desean not putting on an eagles jersey next year
LOL….in other words, no shot!
Army…it’s no use, gloomy is set in his ways as I’ve tried to get him out of this mind set of trading DJAX…gloomy isn’t trying to hear any of it. I will say he’s been talking about it for a while, now some reporters are talking about it too! I don’t see anything like that happening this year though. This offense would not be as productive or prolific with out him. If I can see that…Chip definitely can.
Mhenski I just don’t get it 4 real. And Deasr I understand what your saying as well. But people forget trading Desean will cause a lot of dead money to the cap. Also you have to find a team willing and that is hard. Plus we will weaken the offense. Desean makes it easier for everybody including Shady. No guarantee a rookie would make up that production.
no guarentee a guy that had 2 acl surgeries (maclin) or riley cooper would make up the production either …
And a rookie like Evans who is a completely different type of WR. Why mess with something that is working?
I can’t wait to see what they do with these 3 WRs on the team. Maclin should enjoy a huge year if they put him in the slot against a 3rd cb.
ive read that while evans was once projected in the 2nd round he is now projected to go in the top 20 of the first round. fuck a WR we are set on offense
D, D, D, time.
I couldn’t agree more.
mh, Evans was never projected to go in the 2nd round. If anything, he’s dropping from top 5-10, to 10-20.
ur right i got matthews and evans mixed up. was keeping an eye on matthews news and thought i was keeping an eye on evans news.
work, toddlers, vacations… got some hamburger brains going most days
I hear ya. 2 jobs, properties to worry about, 4-5 hours sleep daily, 4 kids, 3 in college, give me oatmeal brain too. LOL! Matthews is going to be a stud. I’ve been talking about him, since last year. If he lasts to the 2nd, I’d snatch him in a heartbeat. He probably goes 35-45, possibly higher. Can’t go wrong with a cousin of Jerry Rice, who is 6’3” 215, & runs a 4.4, with great hands.
And prince the reason that mesean got bought up was because of his contract and how cheap howie is they have to much money locked in the wr core right now and if you sign Byrd to a big contract they are shave money from some where to even it out and who’s most likely to get shaved mesean especially if he could also bring you a 1st rd pick where, then you could get a Pryor to play with Byrd and draft a wr like Benjamin or cooks even Odell beckem. It’s nothing against me Sean it’s a money thing they may have the money to sign Byrd right now but keep in mind they are gonna need money to sign these players to extensions next season. Kendrick’s, cox , Boykin, foles & Maclin so they are gonna need money.
Smitty they’re 26 million under the cap, they are not concerned with the cap, nor are they interested in trading DeSean.
Even if they signed Byrd, it would have zero bearing on DeSean…Just stop man…..ridiculous
Wow the eagles just released avant you had run here maybe you and djack will be playing together next year again.
The eagles will have two or three new wr’s next year unless they keep brad smith
the eagles have to have two young WR next year for spec. teams… whats the biggie? every team has 5/6– eagles have their 3 starters and then scrubs…
They can have 26mill all they want but if they sign Byrd it’s gonna take that money down I’m just saying howie never likes to have so much money locked up into one position and they always like to have saved also I see some of you don’t see the puzzle. The only way they don’t trade desean is they don’t get what they want in the trade package.
gloomy….obsese much?
OCD!
Of course it will knock it down Brother, but not to the point where it becomes critical to trade your best WR – besides his signing bonus would be part of his salary, and more than likely it will be prorated over a period of time, so they would still have about 20 million –
That being said, It’s still stupid to talk about trading DeSean
D-Jax is going nowhere.. He just had his Best Season as a Eagle,
also his Contract makes him unattractive for 75% of the NFL which pays him $34.5 Million over the next 3 Years…
D-Jax will remain an Eagles for the duration of his Contract, now after that,
who knows
far cry from what you have said year after year… “this is his last year”.
That’s what I would have done Stevo, but obviously not what the Eagles think about him..
I would never have Drafted him in the 1st place, but that’s just me, but once he was, then he wa an Eagle and I rooted for him
util he quit on his team and whined about his Contract both in 2011 and 2012 in which I would have gotten rid of him after 2012
I would never put up with any no primma-donna’s who are not good Teammates and quit on their Teams & Fans, no matter how Talented, but again, that’s me and not Owner Lurie/GM Roseman & Coach AR or now Kelly..
Now a Player who likes to showboat and bring attention to himself from time to tim but is a good ovreall Team Guy, keeps Team News, Salary & Contract Information to himself and the Front Office and out of the media and public is fine with me… but D-jax has not really shown to be like this and tends to be selfish, and looking out for himself which is fine and dandy, I just don’t like those type of players on my Favorite Team, let him go play for the Cowboys,Raiders, 49ers or whomever…
It really makes no DIfference to me.. Athletes are a Dime a Dozen
I want good guys to root for who want to Win and who are not Selfish dweebs who only care about themselves and their own Personal Stats,etc ..
gloomy, you are as obsessed with DJax, than Vinnie is with Vick. LMMFBO! Bruh, as much as I don’t like DJax, & think he isn’t a true #1 WR, he ain’t going nowhere. Dude did just had his best season.
There will not be much of a Market for Avant with lots of WR’s in Free-Agency availalbe along with a Strong WR Rookie/Draft Class..
Expect him to still be out there looking for a Deal and the Eagles could bring him back on a NFL Minimum come June just before Camp Time..
I could see Chiefs/Jets taking a run at Avant for his leadership skills to help with those Teams younger WR’s .. but he won’t earn more than a $1.5 Deal from any Team if he wants to continue playing in the NFL..
Avant’s a great guy, adn teammate, but you can cover him with LB’s, he plays no SPecial Teams and as a 4th/5th option on most Good Teams, he’s relegated to the playing the mentor role for a Team with Young WR Corps
like the Jaguars,Ravens,maybe the Panthers, but at a minimum NFL Veteran wage.. .
i agree, I was thinking a fringe playoff team at best … give a young QB a professional set of 3rd down hands… tough ass business! Turn 30 and see ya later!
Paulman, the Jets are in dire need of WRs, Marty M is going to scoop him up, you watch, the Chiefs also need help, I see Reid and Marty making a strong run at him, he won’t be on the market long.
The Market for Veteran Slot/Possesion Receivers who are basically 3rd/4th Wr’s optins on most Teams will be very low and quiet..
I believe Avant is still on the streets until June as Teams have OTA’s/Draft Picks in and then when some injurues occur, than a Player like Avant becomes attractive for a Team to Pick-up, but very unlikely that this occurs before then ..
The Eagles are signing one of those guys period! Forget all that cap talk, the Eagles are so far ahead of the game it’s scary, with Avant cut n Chung being next it’s going to put us over $30 million, they have to spend I believe 89% of that, next year the cap goes to $140 million plus the cuts to Ryans, herremans ect will leave us with over $40 million next year, you have Foles, Boykins. Kendrick’s , Cox, those cuts next year will go towards those guys just like the the cuts this year is going towards last weeks signings, were in very good shape, again, were getting one of these big name safety’s and its not going to put a dent in our cap
nice finance info, thumbs up
eagles need young energetic defensive players to keep up with the tempo of the offence….meaning need players to play fast becasue they will be on the field alot. my guess is draft to build the d.
Don’t be surprised if Eagles Reach out for Safety Quentin Mikell for a 1 Year Deal to be that Veteran Player to mentor the Young Safeties that they will Draft which I believe will be 2 of them…
No they won’t Paul
Eagles also rumored to be signing LB Moses Fokou for Depth
and Mike McGlynn too
Early reports are that the Eagles are kicking the tires on Matt McCoy and Shaun Andrews.
I agree. Draft for BPA but defensive wise…we have 7 picks..i hope that 5 is defense and 2 offensive players…we will build thru draft but i honestly feel we need to go for byrd..this almost has the same feeling when we got TO and the Freak…we know what happened that year. The cap is going up almost 20 by in two years. When we get Byrd for 8-10 million it will look like a great deal in 2 years when safeties will probably be making Cb money when the likes of berry and earl are due their contracts. IMO
Byrd is going to ask and receive a lot more than $8-$10 Million per year deal..
Look at Dashon Gholston’s Deal last Year…, what did he get a $50-$60 Million Deal with $30 Million in Guarantted $$ and he played like a putz last Season …
too much money for a safety imo and with our corners being a major liability i dont think signing byrd would be the best investment. i would be happy as hell if we do sign him, im just not certain that this is our move this year
Pay the Mega Dollars and finally do B-Dawk some justice. Obviously, we need to spend at that position. Teams have proven that they will pick you apart without a fear commanding safety over the top.
I think it makes more sense for the Eagles to pursue Ward because he is healthier and cheaper. You have to be leery of anyone who wants to be ‘the Highest Paid Safety in the League.” Thats a guy who values dollars over love of the game and winning. I don’t want Byrd. Also, Ward is a thumper and Byrd is a center field ball hawk. If you take Byrd, Clinton-Dix is not a fit because they are the same player. Pryor can play FS or SS. But Pryor is the only option if you take Byrd. If you take Ward, both Pryor and Clinton-Dix are in play.
I would laugh if we signed both, then drafted a wr in the first. Then OLB and corner with 2nd and 3rd picks. Howie will do something tricky. I can feel it.
It makes much more sense to Sign TJ Ward for there are more Free-Safeties out there in this Draft than there are Strong Safety’s..
Strong Safety is a much more difficult Position to Play & Learn than
a Free-Safety.. You want a Veteran calling the Secondary Signals/Formations./Coverages and not relay on a Rookie to do so
I would be very surprised if the Eagles have any serious talks to Byrd and actually see him ending up with the Washington Redskins, Denver Broncos,the Chicago Bears or possibly the Detroit Lions…
hard not to agree with PMan’s safety education today
No news is good news especially the dead silence from the agents of Nate Allen, Kurt Coleman and Colt Anderson who are free agents.
I believe it’s common knowledge that The Eagles Front Office has no plans to talk to or pursue resigning any of these 3 Players and heard that GM Roseman & Fron Office have already discussed this with all 3 of them and wishing them Good Luck for Future and thanking them for their time as Eagles Players
Did you confirm with Jon’s sources?
Hey Paulman for all that I would rather them sign Malcolm Jenkins & Clemons and have them as a trio with Earl Wolfe
Since there are no good olb in the draft or fa I wonder if the eagles would go for the cb from the titans and a safety like Malcolm Jenkins.
Normally I would say to stay away from high priced free agents..but…
Is there a way to put both Byrd and Ward as a tandem in our secondary at Between 14 and 18 mil / year? Cause If you do that you can get your pass rusher and add corners through the Draft.
Why would we be surprised if the Eagles pursue them? I expect the Eagles FO to at least inquire about ALL of the top level FA’s, and anything less would be disappointing and “surprising”.