Heckert: Things are being ‘blown out of proportion’

By Bob Grotz, Of The Times Staff

The second the Eagles selected a quarterback with their first draft pick, they realized everything else thought it was more than just a pick.

When a telephone call to franchise quarterback Donovan McNabb went unreturned, the impression was his long-term future was in jeopardy.

Some even speculated a smear campaign was under way although the only smear, if you will, was the selection of Houston’s Kevin Kolb in the second round.

“That thing has been blown so far out of proportion,” Eagles general manager Tom Heckert said. “It’s not like we took Kolb with a top-five pick. I don’t think Donovan McNabb feels threatened. If we had taken Tony Hunt with that pick in the second round, would it have been Brian Westbrook who felt threatened? If you were a Pro Bowl quarterback and someone took a quarterback in the second round, would you feel threatened?”

In the week leading up to the draft Heckert pointedly said the Eagles would draft a franchise quarterback if one became available. Even McNabb conceded recently he was aware of the interest in Kolb. Those words have all but been forgotten.

Heckert obviously knew more about his craft than reporters and draft gurus for quarterback Brady Quinn, widely considered a top-five pick drifted all the way to 22. Kolb also moved all the way up to No. 36 overall in a lottery where four quarterbacks came off the board in the first couple of rounds.

“I don’t know why everybody is surprised,” Heckert said. “We’ve always said if the guy is the best available player, why not take him?”

Heckert reiterated that the Eagles at this stage aren’t married to Kolb. If McNabb bounces back from a knee injury and continues to play well, there’s a chance Kolb could be dealt a la Matt Schaub, the third-round pick the Atlanta Falcons by way of West Chester East High school who was traded to the Houston Texans.
— BOB GROTZ

Rayburn Cut

Eagles release Rayburn

The Eagles released backup defensive tackle Sam Rayburn one day before the start of mini-camp, which begins Friday morning at the NovaCare Complex.

Signed as a rookie free agent in 2003, Rayburn recorded 101 tackles and nine sacks in a 52-game career slowed by injury and inconsistency.

The acquisition of free agent tackles Montae Reagor and Ian Scott in recent weeks paved the way for Rayburn's departure.

http://blog.nj.com/timesupdates/2007/05/eagles_release_rayburn_dawkins.html


Too bad for the Truck Driver. He did pretty well in 2004, and since then has really not produced enough. The Eagles DTs have taken a complete overhaul since 2004 now. Hollis Thomas, Corey Simon, Rayburn, and Darwin Walker are all gone. Looks like a good group with Bunkley, Patterson, Reagor, Ramsey, and Scott. Let's hope it is anyways.

Walker Wants More $$$

Walker wants new contract

By Allen Wilson

Updated: 05/11/07 7:47 AM

http://www.buffalonews.com/213/story/73300.html

The Buffalo Bills could be facing a holdout from recently acquired defensive tackle Darwin Walker.

Walker wants a new contract, and he won’t report to the club until he gets it, his New Jersey-based agent, Albert Irby, said Thursday.

Walker has two years left on his current contract he signed with Philadelphia, which granted his request for a trade after contract talks reached an impasse. In late March, the Bills sent linebacker Takeo Spikes and quarterback Kelly Holcomb to the Eagles in exchange for Walker and a conditional 2008 draft pick.

Irby said the Bills knew his client wanted a new contract when they traded for him.
“They understood the conditions of the trade,” Irby said. “We spoke to the Bills prior to the trade, explained what we were looking for and it was their decision to make the trade or not make the trade. They decided to make the trade, so I can only assume they are going to give Darwin a new deal.

“They don’t have to do it. But if they don’t, they probably won’t see Darwin around there.”
There is no immediate urgency for Walker to be in Buffalo. The Bills are in the midst of their offseason conditioning program, which is voluntary. Besides this weekend’s rookie orientation, the team will have three minicamps (also known as organized team activities), but only the June 11-13 session is mandatory. The Bills open training camp in late July.

“Obviously, Darwin is the property of the Buffalo Bills due to the trade,” said Scott Berchtold, the team’s vice president/communications. “We have been in contact with the agent and we look forward to Darwin’s participation in the mandatory camp in June.”

Irby is hopeful an agreement will be reached soon, but added Walker is prepared to sit out the June minicamp if a new deal isn’t in place.

The Bills obtained Walker to add experienced depth at defensive tackle. The seven-year veteran started the last five seasons in Philadelphia and is a good fit in the Bills’ defensive scheme because of his quickness and ability to disrupt plays in the backfield.

Walker made 36 tackles in 15 starts last season, and he had more sacks (six) than all of the Bills’ defensive tackles combined. He added two more sacks in an NFC second-round playoff loss at New Orleans.

“He brings so much to the table for the Bills in terms of his production, experience and leadership,” Irby said. “For them to not do this deal does not make much sense to me. The trade was made because of need. They got what they wanted. I’m assuming they are going to do the deal, but they are dragging their feet a little bit.”
awilson@buffnews.com

No wonder the Birds traded this clown. Not only can he not stop the run if his life depended on it, but he thinks he should be paid more for the crappy job he does. Good riddance. I hope Buffalo takes a hard line approach with him, and fines him every day he does not show up. I'm sick of players holding out. You signed the contract, now be a man, and honor it!

McNabb "Shocked"

QB Insists He's Not Upset

May 8, 2007 - Donovan McNabb had the same reaction most fans had when the Eagles selected quarterback Kevin Kolb in the N-F-L draft.

"It was shocking," McNabb said Tuesday in an interview on WIP-AM radio.
Speaking publicly for the first time since the draft on April 28-29, McNabb downplayed the perception he's upset the Eagles selected his eventual successor.
The five-time Pro Bowl quarterback also said his rehab is going well following surgery for a torn knee ligament and he expects to play in the preseason.
"When you draft somebody at the position you're in, of course you have questions of 'What does that mean?"' McNabb said. "The most important thing for me is to make sure I'm healthy and 100 percent and get back out there competing and do the right thing on the field."
McNabb met with coach Andy Reid soon after the draft, but wouldn't reveal details of their conversation. He doesn't have to worry about his starting job, especially since backup Jeff Garcia signed with Tampa Bay after leading the Eagles to the NFC East title and a playoff victory last season.
"If I'm healthy, it's my job," said McNabb, who sustained a season-ending knee injury in Week 11 last season.
The 30-year-old McNabb has led the Eagles to four NFC championship games and a Super Bowl loss in eight seasons in Philadelphia. He's finished the regular season on the sidelines three of the past five years.
"I don't think I'm close to the end of my career," McNabb said. "People say when you hit 30, it goes down hill. I think it gets better after that. It's unfortunate I've been hurt the last few years, but things happen."
The Eagles traded out of the first round and chose Kolb in the second round with the 36th overall pick. Kolb threw for 12,964 yards, 85 touchdowns and 31 interceptions in four years at Houston. He passed for 3,808 yards, 30 TDs and only four picks last season.
"I think Kevin Kolb is going to do an excellent job for us," McNabb said. "I'm going to try and help him as much as I can. I'm sure he's going to do great. I look forward to working with him this weekend."
The Eagles open their first minicamp on Friday. McNabb won't participate in practices, but will be working out at the practice facility. He said he isn't sure if he'll play in the preseason opener on Aug. 13, but expects to be ready for the second or third game.

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=eagles&id=5285663

I know I'm late on this one, but I was on vacation for the last week. McNabb can't win no matter he does. If he stays silent, then people say that shows he is angry, and then when he speaks his mind, people say he is a baby. Leave the guy alone! He's the best QB the Eagles have ever had, and everybody wants to rip him to shreds. Most fans probably wont realize this, until after five is no longer here.

Eagles Acquire Defensive Tackle Ian Scott

(AP) PHILADELPHIA Free agent defensive tackle Ian Scott signed a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday, three months after starting in the Super Bowl for the Chicago Bears.Scott, a fourth-round pick by the Bears in 2003, recorded 41 tackles in 18 games last year, including the playoffs. In four seasons with the Bears, he had 155 tackles and two sacks.Scott is the second veteran defensive tackle signed by the Eagles this offseason. Former Indianapolis Colt Montae Reagor signed a three-year deal in March.

Draft Review

The Eagles were expected to use this weekend's draft to fortify their defensive secondary.

Instead, they brought in a possible successor to Donovan McNabb's quarterback throne.

In a move that raised more than a few eyebrows, the Eagles traded out of the first round and selected University of Houston quarterback Kevin Kolb with the fourth pick in the second round.

McNabb, 30, is a five-time Pro Bowler, but has missed significant chunks of three of the last five seasons with injuries.

He tore his ACL last November, but is expected to be ready for the start of training camp.

Eagles head coach Andy Reid insisted that the Eagles' decision to draft Kolb had nothing to do with McNabb or his knee injury, and that he expects McNabb to be the team's starting quarterback for several more years.

But considering that the Eagles recently signed backup A.J. Feeley to a three-year extension and also acquired veteran Kelly Holcomb in a trade with Buffalo, the decision to draft Kolb was curious.

"I'd like to make it very clear that this is not about Donovan and his
progress," Reid said. "He's doing great. He's going to have a heck of a year and
years to come."This was strictly sticking to what we had on the (draft) board
and taking the best player at the time."

McNabb has four years left on his current contract with the Eagles.The Eagles did get some secondary help in the draft, but not until the second day, selecting Clemson defensive back C.J. Gaddis in the fifth round and Albany cornerback Rashad Barksdale in the sixth.

Pro Bowl free safety Brian Dawkins will turn 34 in October. While he still played at a high level last season, it's not known how long that will be the case.

The Eagles, who initially had the 26th pick in the first round, had eyed University of Miami safety Brandon Meriweather in the first round. But he was taken by the New England Patriots two picks before the Eagles went on the clock and traded down.

"We went in (to the draft) and said, `Let's stay very disciplined in picking the
best players available," Reid said. "There were a group of guys we were looking
at (in the first round). There were safeties involved there and some other guys.
We just felt we could trade down and still have the players we considered the
best players."

The Eagles selected eight players in the draft. Few of them are expected to make much of an immediate impact next season. The lone exception might be Penn State running back Tony Hunt, who the Eagles took in the third round.

The 6-1, 233-pound Hunt is a power back who could be used in short-yardage and goal line situations as an alternative to Brian Westbrook and Correll Buckhalter.

BEST PICK:
RB Tony Hunt. At long last, the Eagles addressed their need for a bigger back to complement Brian Westbrook, selecting the 6-1 1/2, 233-pound Hunt in the third round. Hunt is a much more powerful runner than Westbrook's backup, Correll Buckhalter, who has had 3 knee operations, and likely will be used a lot in short-yardage and goal-line situations.

COULD SURPRISE:
DE Victor Abiamiri. The Eagles' roster is well-stocked with bodies at defensive end, and their four-man rotation for '07 appears set. But veteran Darren Howard is coming off a poor season and their other starter Jevon Kearse is coming off an ACL injury. With a solid training camp and preseason, Abiamiri could play his way into the rotation.

A closer look at the Eagles' picks:

Round 2/36 — Kevin Kolb, QB, 6-3, 218, Houston
The Eagles traded out of the first round, then shocked everyone by taking Kolb four picks into the second round. The Eagles insist taking Kolb has nothing to do with the future of Donovan McNabb. They say Kolb simply was their highest rated player on the board at the time.

Round 2/57 — Victor Abiamiri, DE, 6-4, 267, Notre Dame
Abiamiri led the Irish with 10.5 sacks last season. With Darren Howard coming off a sub-par season and Jevon Kearse returning from a torn ACL, Abiamiri could force his way into the end picture this summer.

Round 3/87 — Stewart Bradley, LB, 6-4, 254, Nebraska
Bradley becomes the latest entrant in a crowded strong-side linebacker derby. Undersized Dhani Jones has been the starter the last two seasons, but was released the day after the draft. Bradley also can play the MIKE position.

Round 3/90 — Tony Hunt, RB, 6-2, 233, Penn State
Hunt was viewed as a possible second-round pick until he ran a 4.6 forty at his Pro Day workout. Rushed for 1,228 yards last year at Penn State. Gives the Eagles a much-needed power-back option to starter Brian Westbrook.

Round 5/159 — C.J. Gaddis, CB, 5-11, 203, Clemson
Gaddis is a strong, physical defensive back who benched-pressed 225 pounds 20 times at the scouting combine. His appeal to the Eagles is that he can play both corner and safety. Should be able to contribute on special teams.

Round 5/162 — Brent Celek, TE, 6-4, 248, Cincinnati
Celek doesn't have the kind of seam-stretching speed that Eagles starter L.J. Smith has. He's a pretty good blocker and a solid possession receiver who caught 35 passes and averaged 13.7 yards per catch last season. He should be able to make an immediate contribution on special teams.

Round 6/201 — Rashad Barksdale, CB, 6-2, 210, Albany
Barksdale's size and speed — he ran a 4.38 in a pre-draft workout for scouts — prompted the Eagles to draft him. He admitted to being "shocked" that the Eagles drafted him, figuring his best shot would come as an undrafted free agent.

Round 7/236 — Nate Ilaoa, RB, 5-9, 250, Hawaii
Shaped like a bowling ball, Ilaoa is a former wideout with decent speed who averaged 7.6 yards per carry. He is a load to tackle and could be used as both a halfback and fullback.

NOTES, QUOTES—Eagles owner Jeff Lurie said he doesn't think the window of opportunity is close to closing on the Eagles, who have won 5 of the last 6 NFC East titles, but have been to just one Super Bowl during that time.

"We have a franchise quarterback, a terrific nucleus and terrific veteran
leadership," Lurie said. "I always try to analyze where we're at compared to
the other teams. I don't think we're anywhere close to closing that window."

Lurie said the thought that coach Andy Reid might quit earlier this year after his two oldest sons were arrested on drug and weapons charges did cross his mind. "You just don't know," he said.

"When someone's having a family crisis, you don't know how that will continue. He's a terrific coach, a terrific guy to work with. You always want to give as much support and be as flexible as you can so that he can attack those problems."

Reid took a five-week leave of absence. He returned to the team in
mid-March.—Reid said he still hasn't decided where linebacker Takeo Spikes,
who was acquired in a trade with Buffalo last month, will play. "No, we'll just
see," he said. "He's been very open to me. He played WILL the majority of his
career, but he also played MIKE. The position he wouldn't be quite as
familiar with is the SAM linebacker position. I don't really care about all
of that part. I just want good players in there that do their thing. I want good competition that will bring out the best in guys. You can't have enough good players."

QUOTE TO NOTE:

"I'm anxious to get behind those older guys and get to learn from them over the next however long. I want to learn the ropes and get them to teach me and soak up everything I can. Be a sponge for however long it takes to get my turn and then get in there and win ball games when I get the chance." — Second-round QB Kevin Kolb.

Meshawn?

Keyshawn Johnson might have to put his television career on hold. Word is there might be a pretty good market for him. The Eagles, Chargers, Giants and Titans are rumored to be among the teams that are at least thinking about pursuing Johnson.

http://blogs.charlotte.com/panthers/2007/05/keyshawn_still_.html

I hope that is false. I can't stand this guy. He is exactly the type of personality, the Eagles don't need around the team. After all these years of him being the enemy, I can't see myself rooting for this jerk.

Demotions for Trotter, S. Brown?

THE OFFSEASON addition of Takeo Spikes and the subtractions of Dhani Jones and Darwin Walker means the Eagles will open the season with at least three new defensive starters.
Spikes has been penciled in at weakside linebacker. Chris

Gocong is the front-runner to replace Jones on the strong side, and assuming he doesn't get lost on the way to Lehigh, 2006 first-round pick Brodrick Bunkley will be Walker's starting replacement at right defensive tackle.

But don't discount the possibility of that list of new starters growing by two before the Eagles check into their hotel in Green Bay for the Sept. 9 season opener against the Packers.

While defensive coordinator Jim Johnson said the other day that Jeremiah Trotter still is the team's starting middle linebacker, his inclusion of the words "right now" made it clear the four-time Pro Bowler is going to have to prove this summer that he still deserves the job.

With Spikes taking over at WILL, second-year man Omar Gaither, who did a solid job there after replacing Matt McCoy in early December, will move back to the middle. Johnson said
Gaither will be the team's MIKE linebacker in its nickel package, but also will be given a shot at beating Trotter out for the starting job.

Then there's the right cornerback position. Right now, that job belongs to Sheldon Brown, who has been the starter there the last three seasons. But keep your eye on William James, who is gaining ground on the outside.

Johnson is very high on James, a former Giant who was one of the league's better young corners before injuring his back 2 years ago. He called him the key to his secondary the other day. Not "a" key. "The" key.

Right now, James, who signed with the Eagles last November but played in just four of 10 games because of injuries, is listed as the team's third corner behind Brown and Lito Sheppard.
But Johnson has told both Brown and James, who signed a new 1-year deal with the Eagles in March, that this is going to be a may-the-best-man-win situation this year.

"William is a guy who can start," Johnson said. "When he played last year, he played well. We just didn't get enough out of him as far as being healthy on the field."

Asked whether James will be given an opportunity to beat out Brown this summer, Johnson said,

"I think [James] is a
starting [quality] cornerback. Anytime you get that
kind of
competition, sure, he's going to push the other guy.
"But
Sheldon's a good corner. We expect Sheldon to have a good year. But the best
players are going to play.''

Brown has had his ups and downs the last two seasons. Johnson moves him inside on passing downs and he has been very effective in that role, but he doesn't seem to be nearly as confident on the outside.

There has been speculation that the Eagles might consider moving him to safety at some point in the future, perhaps after Brian Dawkins retires. Last year, Johnson often had him playing deep in some of his coverage schemes. While he's only 5-10, Brown is solidly built and can
deliver a good blow, as Saints

running back Reggie Bush found out in the playoffs.

"I haven't thought that far down the road," Johnson said.

"I still think he has good corner ability right now. He might not be able to make that transition.

A year down the road, maybe I'll think about it. Right now, I'm not thinking about it."

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/columnists/20070502_Paul_Domowitch___Demotions_for_Trotter__S__Brown_.html

Reid, McNabb finally catch up

By LES BOWEN
bowenl@phillynews.com
Donovan McNabb and Andy Reid finally caught up with one another yesterday at the NovaCare Complex, an Eagles spokesman confirmed last night.

Details of their discussion were not available. Attempts to speak with McNabb through the Eagles have been declined by the quarterback, who has told the spokesman he wants to concentrate on his rehab right now and doesn't want to be distracted. Of course, one could argue that McNabb could minimize the distraction by commenting, however briefly, on the Eagles' surprise drafting of Houston quarterback Kevin Kolb with their first selection, 36th overall, last weekend.

On Saturday evening, Reid said he had tried to speak with McNabb and had left a message telling him not to worry, that the selection did not herald the beginning of the end for the 30-year-old player Reid selected with his first Eagles draft pick, second overall, in 1999.

McNabb's agent, Fletcher Smith, told the Daily News on Saturday that the selection "caught me off-guard." Smith said then that he had not spoken with McNabb and added, "I don't know what to make of it."

Subsequent attempts to contact Smith have been unsuccessful. Sunday evening, when the draft was complete, Reid acknowledged that he still had not spoken with McNabb, who will sit out minicamps as he completes his recovery from ACL surgery. Reid has said McNabb should be OK for training camp, which opens July 27.

On Monday, McNabb reportedly came to the practice facility for rehab but did not speak with Reid, amid speculation that McNabb was not happy about the pick. His father, Sam McNabb, told the Daily News that he was not concerned, and that "my son works for the Philadelphia Eagles right now and when he doesn't any longer, there are 31 other NFL teams he can play for." *

Bye Bowtie Guy

STRUM THE "AIR BANJO" slowly in mourning.

Fly your bow tie at half-staff.

Dhani Jones will be doing his "renaissance man" thing in another NFL city this fall, assuming someone signs him in the wake of the linebacker's release yesterday by the Eagles, who apparently were unable to get anything for him in last weekend's entry draft.

Fans often felt Jones' penchant for celebration - complete with "air banjo" playing - exceeded his level of play during his 3 years with the Birds, which followed four seasons with the Giants. The release clears the way for 2006 third-round pick Chris Gocong to start at strongside linebacker.

"I guess I am the starter on paper, but you still have to do it on the field," said Gocong, who was slow to transition from defensive end at Cal Poly to pro linebacker, then missed his rookie season with a neck injury. "It's good to know Jim [Johnson, the defensive coordinator] and Andy [Reid, the head coach] have the confidence in me."

Gocong ranks first on the depth chart, ahead of Stewart Bradley, the Nebraska linebacker the Eagles selected in the third round Saturday, and 2006 practice-squad linebacker Tank Daniels. If Gocong were to falter, the team could always move veteran newcomer Takeo Spikes from the weakside and start Omar Gaither or Matt McCoy there. Right now, Gaither seems set to split time with Jeremiah Trotter in the middle, and McCoy will back up Spikes.

"It's a little added pressure, but we're professionals, and we're taught to deal with that," Gocong said.

Gocong recently acknowledged he would watch the Eagles' draft to see whether they took a strongside linebacker high; there had been talk of moving Gocong back to defensive end. But the Birds took a DE (Victor Abiamiri, in the second round, 57th overall) before they drafted Bradley, 87th overall.

Jones had 2 years remaining on his contract; the Eagles will take about an $800,000 cap hit from releasing him. From his perspective, the timing could have been better, but it could have been worse, too. Veterans generally prefer being released when free agency starts in March. (Obviously, the Birds couldn't say for sure back then they would be able to draft a strongside linebacker.) But getting cut loose at the end of April is better than looking for a new home in early September, after training camp and the final roster cutdown.

Contacted by the Daily News, Jones referred all questions to his agent, Donald Yee. Yee said he expects to be able to place Jones with another team before training camp.

"Dhani enjoyed his time with the Eagles. He feels fortunate to have had the opportunity to play for the organization and go to the Super Bowl. He's looking forward to pursuing other opportunities," Yee said.

Rookie free agents

As expected, the Eagles yesterday announced the names of 11 undrafted rookie free agents they signed. The list includes Moorestown, N.J., High's Dereck Faulkner, a 6-3, 228-pound wideout from Hampton; and BYU wideout Zac Collie (5-11, 187), whose father, Scott, played at BYU from 1979-82, along with Andy Reid. The rest of the list: Jeremy Clark, DT, Alabama, 6-3, 309; Nick Graham, CB, Tulsa, 5-10, 191; Jacob Hobbs, G, Albany, 6-3, 303; Akeem Jordan, LB, James Madison, 6-1, 226; Marques Murrell, DE, Appalachian State, 6-2, 246; Jonathan Palmer, OT, Auburn, 6-4, 336; Marcus Paschal, S, Iowa, 6-0, 201; Chris Smith, S, Florida International, 5-10, 215; and Chris White, G, South Carolina, 6-3, 321.

Birdseed

Backup quarterback A.J. Feeley said on the Eagles' Web site yesterday he welcomes second-round quarterback Kevin Kolb to the team. Asked about starter Donovan McNabb's reaction, Feeley said: "Don right now is worried about getting himself back, and not [in] getting caught up in all this other stuff. I'm sure it shocked Donovan like it did a lot of guys, but Donovan can't worry about that. None of us can. It is what it is and you just have to move forward" . . . Clarifying something written yesterday: The Saturday trade with the Cowboys was not the first with Dallas since 1997; the Birds sent a fourth- and a sixth-rounder to the Cowboys on draft day 2 years ago, getting back a fourth and a fifth in 2006. *

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/eagles/20070501_Dhani__unplugged__Jones_sent_packing.html