On Tuesday afternoon, the Philadelphia Eagles announced that they have released veteran wide receiver Jason Avant, parting ways with their fourth-round pick from 2006.
From a financial standpoint, its certainly understandable why the Eagles made the move. Avant was due to make over $4 million this year, as a fourth receiver. His role in the offense had diminished, and with Jeremy Maclin joining DeSean Jackson and Riley Cooper, Avant’s role on the field would have lessened even more. It would have been very difficult to justify Avant’s salary given what his role would have been destined for in 2014.
However, I don’t believe that it was necessarily the right move.
The Eagles weren’t in any desperate need of cap space. Even after re-signing Riley Cooper and Jeremy Maclin, and handing out new deals to Jason Peters, Jason Kelce, and Cedric Thornton, the Eagles were in no danger of going over the cap.
While Avant might not have the on-field impact that he did several years ago, he was still a capable fourth receiver, still capable of making the tough catch and providing Nick Foles with an additional safety valve to turn to. He was always willing to do whatever it took for the team to succeed. Chip Kelly commented during the season about Avant’s blocking ability, complimenting the veteran’s willingness to block.
Avant’s impact on the locker room can’t be understated.
Over his eight seasons with the Eagles, he had established himself as a leader and one of the team’s most respected veteran voices.
Avant was a mentor for a lot of young players, and also acted as a mediator between DeSean Jackson and wide receiver coach Bob Bicknell. Jackson and Bicknell reportedly had trouble seeing eye-to-eye with each other at times during the season, but Avant was able to help keep things from escalating any higher than they should have.
During the loss to the Minnesota Vikings, Jackson could be seen screaming at Bicknell in frustration. Avant intervened, and got the situation under control.
“When those situations come up, because I have a relationship with everyone, I talk to everyone constantly — when something goes on in their family I want to see about them – because we have a relationship usually I can go and talk to them, maybe not like the coach can or another player because they haven’t established their relationship,” said Avant after the game. “It gives me a voice a lot of times that I can go over and they receive it even when they’re mad because they know who they are talking to.”
“He kind of understands, he’s like a big brother, a voice you can listen to,” said Jackson.
After the video of Riley Cooper’s racial remarks surfaced, Avant played a significant role in helping the team accept Cooper as a teammate again.
“I will say, when I’m around every day, he’s not that way. …I still sat next to him today to let him know I’m there for him. If you followed me around with a camera all day, you’d see my flaws too” said Avant.
The impact of a guy like Avant doesn’t directly show up in boxscores, and its easy to assume that the team won’t miss a beat without him, but losing a high character guy like this is a significant blow to the locker room.
Though his price tag may have been a little high for a fourth receiver, the Eagles had the flexibility to keep him around if they really wanted to. With all that he had done for the organization on the field and in the locker room, I believe Avant had proven he was worth keeping around.
See ya, wouldn’t want to be ya!
you dont pay someone 4 million to be a 2nd WR coach. I like Avant. Id offer him a deal right now for a million but…. bye.
I agree Stevo. Also, this draft is 3-4 rounds deep in WR depth, quality, & upside.
Avant’s are a dime a dozen. $4M was entirely too much $$$$!
DCar, I think you’re completely missing the point of the article. He had intangibles in the locker room and off the field that make it worthwhile to keep him around and guys like that are hard to find.
I ain’t missing anything. You don’t keep around a #4-5 WR, who is slated to make $4M, based on intangibles. What intangibles? He is a nice guy, & well liked in the locker room. Big woop! He has no talent, is old, can’t run, & his hands have been highly overrated. Not to mention his bloated salary. Like I said, he’s a dime a dozen. We need talent, & Maclin, & Cooper are just as good at blocking downfield, as he was.
Yes he is an exceptional person, a great team mate and a true professional…. At 31 even if they restructured his contract he doesn’t fit the speed of this offense..he can’t play special teams which you need from a 4th WR… By Jason and thank you.. When you retire come back as a WR coach… Maybe work your way up to HC eventually
Denny, the answer is yes! You answered the question yourself, from a money point he was paid too much, with Chip getting more comfortable towards the end of the season and using more two TE sets it didn’t make a fourth receiver that important on the field, when it’s time it’s time, the draft is full of recievers that can come in and learn the system without being pressured to start right away since we’re set with our top three. I expect him to get picked right up from the Chiefs or Jets especially if the Jets pick up Vick
Man if avant had the speed of mesean he would be in the hall of fame he does everything you want out of a wr only thing that was wrong is his lack of speed we will miss your clutch 3rd down grabs if only you could’ve handed down some of your personality down to mesean.
I wonder what the eagles do now that there aren’t any olb’s in the draft worth the 22nd pick or in fa that is a difference maker
I’m sure your next post will talk about trading desman to fill that need
gloomy, did you eat paint chips as a kid, or are snorting bath salts? You are completely clueless. My God!
AHAHAHAHAHAHhahhahahahahahahahahhahahah…pwnbawahahahahah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dcar I’m glad you think I’m clueless sorry buddy everybody isn’t gonna think you in the world were not all in love with desean like you get over it so what I would rather a 6’3 or 6’5 wr who cares it just my opinion I don’t think the world would end if they got rid of him. Maybe you guys are just afraid of change that’s all y’all act like he the Dawkins of the offense when in reality it’s McCoy who is in the role I can name 10wr’s who are better than him and who I would rather have than him. He is not the best in the league and yes you can upgrade. Lol these people are funny damn the way y’all act on here I would think he is jerry rice in his prime
In love with Desean? I’ve been one of his biggest detractors! But, you don’t trade your best receiver, coming off his best season, no matter how much of a dick he is! So who would be your WR corps? Cooper, Maclin (Who should have been let go), Avant, & a draft pick? You have eaten way too paint chips! Your trade scenarios, & delusional comments, scream I’m out to lunch! You don’t know $#!T!
Dcar is the Albert Einstein of gcobb.com lol it would be Maclin, cooper , brad smith and either Benjamin or cooks and another wr in the draft and ertz will have a bigger role on the team and I argue and tell you the best all around wr on the team is Maclin and desean is the fastest but not the best on the team.
Best route runner on the team- avant
Best hands – avant
Best speed – desean
Best all around – Maclin
Brad Smith???? BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! Like I said, f^#@ing clueless!!!! Albert Einstein, maybe not, but I know I’m not stupid, like some of you dipshits!
bwahahahahahahahahahahhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!
#message
The bottom like is if I was 5’8 175 pounds and could dominate like Desean I would be a dick too. Look at Steve Smith. That is what makes them great. They are tired of people thinking because the is not 6’4 they can’t play. YOU DONT TRADE YOUR BEST WR COMING OFF THEY BEST YEAR PERIOD!! It’s not about being scared of change. I loves Vick but Foles was better. I love the name in the front of the jersey not the back. And far as leader on the offensive side Foles will have to step up along with CELEK. And maybe now Desean will mature a little and take other guys under his wing. This team and coach is looking special. Let’s just enjoy the ride.
The reasons to move on from Avant.
Too much pay for production on field.
It is Time for Foles to be the unquestioned LEADER on the offense – so Avant’s role is diminished- (Desean yells at coach NOW FOLES should intervene.)
4th receivers must play special teams.
Also leaving town should be Brad Smith, Demaris Johnson, and A. Benn (unless he beasts during camp and is willing to play special Teams)
Add Maehl to the gone list if we can add a couple receivers during draft/Rookie FA
Jeff Maehl will be our wr 4. Look for your wr 5 to be a pr/Kr drafted in round 3 or later. Look for Bryce brown to be gone to in place of a rb3 with punt or kick return abilities
Dcar I was just making a joke about brad smith and chip believes his offense makes the wr’s not the other way around and there are plenty of other options they go with for your third wr if it’s Benjamin or cooks chip wants to do more two te sets anyway so the third wr might not even see the field that much. There is also Sidney rice , golden Tate, the guy from titans,Julian eldeman & the list goes on and on who can play in the slot. You people think small I love desean for his big plays but if I trade him to make my team better I would do it.
Gloomy you have tried very hard to make your point but you have not acknowledged it’s impossibility based on the cap hit that he birds would take.
What do you mean, “You people?” No you weren’t joking about Brad Smith! Liar!!!!
Don’t be surprised to see Avant back on the Eagles
Come late May under a NFL Veteran Minimum Contract
But I do believe Coach AR & the Chiefs will offer him a 2Year Deal
And he will have to decide on whether to take..
Watch for the Detroit Lions/Indy Colts/NY Jets
to all talk to Avant
Once again gloomy you don’t get it. There is no slot receivers I’m Chip Kelly offense. He wants all the receivers to know each position. That’s why he demoted Jackson last year early in camp. He had to earn his spot and prove he knew different spots. Each wr and TE spent time in the slot. So there are no pure slot receivers. Nobody gonna take descant contract he is ours. DEAL WITH IT. This team will get players without trading a key piece. Believe in Howie
When I say slot I mean somebody that’s good there like if u put cooper there he doesn’t have enough moves to be there Jackson is scared to take a hit so you can’t put him there Maclin will be there 80% of the with ertz there for another 10% and Jackson and cooper with the remaining 10. I could care less if we keep Jackson I just think we can improve if we traded him that’s all.
Except for the financial implications
and the fact replacing him is easier said than done….and we would be kicking ourselves, if we ever thought that Kelvin Benjamin, Donte Moncrief, Jarvis Landry, or any other prospect in the draft, and they failed as I expect them to….
DeSean isn’t going anywhere…..We spent half of the Summer two years ago, proving that…give it a rest – as well as replacing Foles….
And when he benched Jackson that was all for show do really think they would keep a player on the bench that was making 10million dollars your real gullible if u believe that.
When was he benched?, and what for?……
Regardless, doesn’t mean he wants to trade him……
Right there with you gloomy, great head name by the way
These fantasy gms do not live in the real world
Djax is on the chopping block, and his punk ads should. Be
How are you paying for it?please let us know
Jake dog they just don’t see it howie even said you don’t wanna put to much money into one position and they offered Maclin a 5yr deal they didn’t offer him that for nothing and Maclin said they might work out a long term deal during the season. Like I said only way howie doesn’t trade him is if they don’t get what they want in return
are you retarded? please address the signing bonus and how cutting him will impact the salary cap?????they can’t cut him!
Numbnuts, if they cut, or trade DJax, $6.25M counts as dead $$$$ against our cap. $4M next year, & $2M the next. He ain’t going anywhere, for at least 2 years. Since when do the Birds eat that kind of $$$$? Dumb@$$!
thanks for putting dollar amounts to it… i’ve been trying to tell him that for 3 days but never got around to looking up exactly how much money that we were talking… even still i don’t think his OCD will let him drop it.
it doesnt matter if the eagles had no dead money involved, they still wouldnt trade desean…
can help peeps that refuse to see reality
DCar, I don’t know why you, army, Cliff, and HAC keep going back and forth with gloomy. His unreasonable and irrational dislike for Desean does not allow him to see the big picture, i.e., production on the field and the cap hit the Eagles would take if he was traded or cut. I gave up trying to explain this a couple of weeks ago. You just can’t get through to him. You guys have more patience than I do.
Eagles, I know, you’re right! I just can’t help myself, but to argue with stupidity, because I have no tolerance for it! I don’t know who is more stupid, unreasonable, & irrational, gloomy, or Lil Bron-Bron Jon? No you are wrong, you are the one that has the patience, you ain’t commenting back to him. LOL!
Yawn… McNabb became vick and vick becomes desean.
I told you vick was staying and he did. Djax wasnt benched and hes not going anywhere. Deal with it.
If you want 4.3 speed you have to deal with DJax’s diva attitude. Peyton Manning is a pain in the ass to teammates. Bill Belichick is a curmudgeon to reporters. Richard Sherman is a sore winner. Trent Cole is going to shoot bambi. Shady McCoy embarrasses the team on twitter repeatably.
I never said he was benched what I was talking about was in the spring at ota’s desean even said they demoted him but that was for show that’s all and I would never release him I said trade him he’s not that bad to point where you need to release him he has value so trade him.
Desean also isn’t the only wr with 4.3 speed
he is the only one on the eagles with a signed contract and a major signing bonus that reflects a prorated cap hit to the eagles….
***NFL News**+
The NFL has Reinstated former Seahawk CB Brandon Browner who now becomes eligible in Free-Agency.. He has baggage and 2 Strikes against him by the NFL
But with his size and play, will get interest around the NFL
Do the Eagles talk to him ???
paul, I would on a 1 year contract.
Gloomy. Desean was not benched. When Kelly came in he said nobody was guaranteed jobs. And he wanted Desean to know all the wideout spots the XYZ spots. And once he showed Kelly which was fast that he knew the spots he was inserted to #1. Stop reaching. And
Paulman a incentive madden contract would not hurt to take a look on Browner.
Prince I know that’s what it was all for show chip had to pull the biggest asshole and prove a point
If the locker room falls apart because of the loss of one guy, then it was in trouble to begin with. They have so much money in their WR, that they couldn’t afford to pay him that much money.
Agreed Bugsy love Avant but his time is done here and I really don’t see any team paying significant dollars for him.
Jason Avant had 12 touchdowns in 8 years, he is a no body who should have been replaced by Cooper years ago. Head Coach Reid obviously did not have his 3 best WR on the field.
That’s easy to say, now…Don’t act as if Cooper didn’t get his opportunities early on…In fact the only reason Cooper got a chance this season was due to Maclin’s injury…Had Maclin not gotten hurt Cooper would be a “nobody” just like Avant, but with far less important catches! Same ol same on this site I see…only players that matter are those who score and throw TD’s…forget about the players that help the chains move….anyway…
Its business, its a good move for the Eagles money wise…
Nice to see you back Real….
Good to be back Cliff…unfortunately back to the same ole same, dealing with the football undeducated football public that frequents this site..
That just comes with being knowledgeable Brother. There are always going to be critics that say that doesn’t make sense – because they have no insight.
Don’t sweat it…play your game…
same ole Realtalk supporting losers who can’t play –
I can see your appreciation for Jason Avant coming through with your comments Real….
But being Real, you also understand the business side of things which you have already stated, “Its business, its a good move for the Eagles money wise”
I don’t think that Avant was a bad player at all. He was what he was, but I do think that his contract dictated that they expected more. Whether they gave him the opp to do those things is another conversation. He did a lot of things for the Eagles, but there are going in another direction.
welcome back real and guys I feel a trade for dion jordan very soon I have a friend who is really in touch with the dolphins organization and he said the eagles are trying hard to get dion soon
WIP reported last week that he wasn’t available. Even if he was they would get no more than a 3rd, or 4th from me..
What has he done to warrant a high draft pick so far in his career?
His hype hasn’t matched his production, so I wouldn’t spend too much time courting Dion Jordan coming to Philly. Right now all he would do is back up Connor Barwin, and he isn’t strong enough to seal the edge like an old Trent Cole. So what do you want him for?
Z, I said it 3 weeks ago. My Bro lives in Jacksonville, & is hearing the same things. Also. there his been articles written about how Gamble & Chip love the guy. If we can get him & the Dolphins 2nd rounder, for Graham, or Curry & #22, as rumored, I’d do it. Jordon still is raw, & has a very high ceiling as a ROLB, in the 3-4. He doesn’t fit in a 4-3, with the Dolphins. They had him as a DE & WILL last year. He’s got to get a little bigger, & stronger though, but I think a year rotating with Cole, & Barwin, can do him nothing but good, in Davis’s scheme. He’s versatile, just what we need. All this is why I said you don’t draft a reclamation project, with the #3 pick. It was a stupid pick, even worse than Lane Johnson.
If dolphins trade Jordan they have a 12m cap hit. Not happening. Everyone needs to get over him.
Mim, I actually don’t want him, but I’m just relaying information I have heard. This is a new GM, & regime, & the owner is on board as saying he would swallow the dead money. BTW, it’s $16,831,880 in dead $$$, that counts against their cap. That’s alot of lettuce!
But, if we can get him, he’s a better long term fit than the bust Graham, or Curry.
the draft is thin at OLB and so is FA. A guy like DJ would be solid. They will need to upgrade this spot either this year or next.
Dion Jordan did very little last Season as a Rookie,
What makes many Posters think he’s a long-term answer at OLB for the Eagles .. The Hype and Overrating still continue about Dion Jordan…
Right Paul. I asked the same question.
I don’t think posters that say that are really thinking things out.
what rookie is going to set the edge and I look at his rookie year as a wash due to all the dysfunction in miami, with a yr under bill davias and chip i think he will be a probowl player yr two with us
how wonderful Eagles offseason playing out just as I thought it would so far on offense. Maclin and Cooper returning Avant gone. Avants work ethic and leadership will be missed, but last season he was not a major part in the offense besides in the run game and he will never create enough separation to be a reliable threat. You can’t lead from the bench and that exactly where he would be this year. You add his price tag and he is gone fishing. Any lessons or wise tips he had should be absorbed by now from players on the team and if you aren’t producing it becomes just talk anyway.
Just because they weren’t in desperate need of cap doesn’t mean you keep overplayed players on the team and limit yourself when FA starts.
Also, he had one of his worst years statistically, despite playing more snaps than he has any other year of his career.
Also, keeping him on the roster means the inevitable WR we draft would have to play 5th WR. Or Celek and Ertz get utilised less. In that situation, we would end up paying 4m to a guy who likely would end up 5th-7th on the team in targets.
“If you followed me around with a camera all day, you’d see my flaws too”
That may be the deepest, wisest thing a football player ever said.
$4M is too much for Avant, though. Maybe they can bring him back cheaper after he’s had a chance on the market. Don’t forget that the new CBA lets you stockpile money from year to year. $4M saved this year will look pretty good when we use it to resign Foles, Boykin, Kendricks, etc
Paulman Trade Rumors
Eagles Trade DE Brandon Graham To the Dallas Cowboys for their
4th around Pick (#111th Overall)
Eagles Trade RB Bryce Brown & their 7th Round Pick to the Cleveland Browns
For the Browns 5th around Pick (#134th Overall)
On Draft Day, Eagles announce a Trade of their #22ns Pick
To their Oakland Raiders for their 2nd Rd (#37th) and 4th Rd (101st)
Eagles now have the following Draft Selelections
2nd – #36th – Guard – Xavier Su’a-Filo (UCLA 6-3 305lbs)
2nd – #54th – Safety – Deone Buchannon (Wash State)
3rd – #86th – DE – Kareem Martin (UNC 6-6′ 272lbs)
4th – #101 – CB – Stanley Jean-Baptiste (Nebraska 6-3 215lbs)
4th – #111 – OLB – Jordan Zumwalt (UCLA 6-4 240lbs)
4th – #118 – WR – Donte Moncrief (Miss 6-2- 225lbs)
5th – #134 – TE – Crockett Gillmore (Colo St 6-6-253lbs)
5th – #150 – QB – Taj Boyd (Clemson 6-1 225lbs)
No 6th
No 7th
Roseman/Kelky Kay another solid Foundation
Of good young Propects to improve Depth & competition
Only Safety Bucahanon Plays significant Time in 2014
at Strong Safety for Maragos and takes the Starters spot by
Mid-Season
Guard Su’a-Filo takes over for Herramans in 2015
DE Martin becomes a Rotational Pass-Rusher
LB Zumwalt replaces LB Znatthews and learns all LB Positions
And plays Special Teams
CB Baptiste becomes the 5th CB and also learns the Free-Safety
Position and becomes Malcolm Jenkins back-up by 2015
and passes Earl Wolff on the Depth Chart
TE Crockett shines all Summer/Preaeason making the Eagles
Trade Celek late in the Summer for a 2015 Round Pick
WR Moncrief also plays well in the Summer earning him the
4th/5th WR Position that Avant played but has Speed along with his
Physical Play & Blocking & Soecial Teams
QB Boyd comes in to learn and give Kelky an athletic QB
To compete for Back-Up QB causing the Eaglez to attempt
To Trade Barkley next off-Season
All in all, a solid Draft