Trying to get a feel for what the Eagles are going to do next week after the official start of Free Agent season, I’ve come upon some real brain-teasers… Although they say the camel is a horse designed by committee, I’m turning to the Bored for help.
Darryl Tapp is not technically a free agent…yet…but he would need to have a breakout year at DE to justify my keeping him at $3.75 milz…just one of the puzzling situations for me, especially since you cannot just release Darryl without incurrring a $1 milz “dead money” hit against the cap.
Don’t worry, I like Darryl Tapp in the DE rotation…a lot…and he’s been a model citizen in the local community. Great guy.
But with Phil Hunt and Cedric Thornton in the wings at $1 milz each, maybe it’s time to seek a restructuring of Tapp’s contract if he wishes to remain a member of the 2012 Eagles?
See, these are the kinds of variables in which I am trapped as I try to mock out what the Eagles are going to look like going into the Draft and beyond.
I’m not even sure what to do with all of our own current Free Agents… and our Franchise Tag guy has not yet signed his Franchise tender.
So tonight I’ll just throw out to you what I’ve got so far, and then accept all your fine-tuning ideas as to what should or could change if it’s even possible to get into Andy’s and Howie’s heads…
DT Antonio Dixon— I think the Eagles will re-sign Dixon at a $2 milz hit to the 2012 cap…
DT Derek Landri— I think he should be re-signed at a $4 milz hit to 2012 cap…
OT King Dunlap— re-sign him at a $2.5 milz hit…
LG Evan Mathis— re-sign him at $5 milz hit in 2012…
Here’s where it gets tricky:
DT Trevor Laws— release, but first offer to re-sign and restructure at $2 milz, if possible…
OT Winston Justice—offer to re-sign and restructure him at $2.5 milz, if possible (careful, there’s a $2 milz “dead money” hit against the cap if you release him outright)…
C Jamaal Jackson— release him and give him a chance to compete to start with another team…
DE Juqua Parker—release him and his $3 milz cap hit…maybe he’ll come back later to restructure?
FB Owen Schmitt— this is a tough one, man…We need a traditional fullback to lead block and pass protect, don’t we? As for Stanley Havili (who’s more athletic), the jury is not convinced of his blocking abilities. So I’m guessing Eagles will re-sign Schmitt at $2 milz against the 2012 cap, at least going into Training Camp…
Now here are my “no-brainers”… and I’m uniquely qualified to work without a brain…
QB Vince Young— release him… but you better have another veteran lined up in camp just to provide competition and an extra throwing arm in TC…
RB Ronnie Brown—release him… too bad it didn’t work out here, it looked good on paper last preseason… but you better find another vet RB who can back up and pass protect, ’cause young Dion Lewis ain’t ready yet (imo)…
WR Steve Smith— release him…again, it looked so good on paper…
DE Vic Abiamiri–— release him… it’s over… and I actually loved the guy’s potential. So get out there, Vic, and prove me wrong and catch on with another team. As Jason Babin has proven, you can come home again…
Now the really difficult cases:
CB Asante Samuel— Try to trade him to the highest bidder and don’t look back. Be happy with a 3rd or 4th round pick as your compensation. Be glad you got that much. If you can’t trade him, then release him… first offering to restructure his contract if Asante is up to it…
WR DeSean Jackson— Oy vay… tough one… but I’m ready to pull the trigger on a trade of Jackson (with his $9.4 milz cap value) for a 2nd round pick…and if there are no takers (or if Jackson refuses to sign his tender), I’m sorry, but I think the Eagles would let him walk.
Wooooh! That’s enough for one night, class! A lot of variables up there will be cleared up by this time next week, for sure. Most of all, maybe DJax and his agent will make their employment situation a lot easier for the Eagles than the darker picture I have painted.
We’ve got so much more to cover in future committee design meetings. We haven’t even got to the linebackers or safeties, yet. But that’s a beginning up there. I await your input and will be taking notes…
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