* The Eagles are down to the wire in free agency. In the next 24 hours the Birds will see many of their players stay or go. They restructured the contract of tackle Lane Johnson this morning, clearing over $ 7 million in cap space. GM Howie Rossman is a genius when it comes to maneuvering the NFL salary cap.I would look for him to make trades as well, as he loves having draft picks and as of now, the Birds are without picks in the second and third rounds.
Again, I hope they keep LB Nigel Bradham and Jason Peters. Realistically, they will lose TE Trey Burton. They are working to retain CB Patrick Robinson. DE Vinny Curry will go. TE Brent Celek may be asked to rework his contract as well.
Expect short-term deals, surprise free agent signings and unexpected deals. Cuts after June 1st saves even more money. What happens to QB Nick Foles will remain the focal point of the off-season.
The next day or so will go a long way to determining not only the Eagles' fate this season, but for the long-term future as well.
* Despite being Super Bowl champs, I think when the dust clears, the Birds will be an even better team this season. Think about the injured players who will return, including QB Carson Wentz. CB Sidney Jones is like having another first-round draft pick, as he should be healthy and ready to start in the secondary. The draft and free agency show yield depth, as I'm sure players will want to come to Philadelphia for a chance to win.
The schedule will be tougher and the Eagles will have a bulls-eye on their back as the team to beat. Luck, injuries and the unknown will all play into the Eagles' fate.But on paper, this team may be even better than the world champions of last season.
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The Phillies shut-out the Braves last night, 3-0, but the game wasn't the big story. P Jake Arrieta passed his physical, signed his contract and officially became a Phillie. No word on when Arrieta will pitch in a spring training game. The regular season starts two weeks from Thursday.
Tommy Joseph was designated for assignment, which means the Pihllies have seven days to trade him. If not, the team can release him or send him to the minors. I would expect Joseph to be dealt soon, maybe to an American League club that needs a designated hitter.
I like Joseph. He's an above-average hitter, with power and adequate defense. But he is a man without a position. he can only really play first base.The team tried him in left field and at third base, but it seems clear he lacks the athleticism and flexibility to play anywhere else other than first base.
Hopefully Klentak can get something for Joseph. But if he hasn't traded him so far during the winter, plus teams know he may be released soon anyway, it may be tough to get anything back in return.
The Phils play the Rays again in Clearwater this afternoon.
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Transactions are happening rapidly in the NFL. Of the notable moves, former Vikings QB Case Keenum is close to signing with the Broncos. I'm not a big Keenum guy. he choked under pressure on the road in the NFC Championship Game.
Drew Brees signed a contract extension with the Saints. Buffalo swapped first round picks with the Bengals. The Bills now have picks 12 and 22 in the first round. Plus they have two picks in the second round and two in the third round. Buffalo needs a quarterback after trading Tyrod Taylor. Would they package their draft picks for Nick Foles or try to trade up in the draft to grab a young QB?
Have the Eagles over-ranked Foles? He was brilliant in the playoffs and Super Bowl. But he is a back-up guy. Should the Birds take an offer for Foles, leaving them vulnerable this season if Nate Sudfeld needs to play a few games in case Wentz isn't ready to start the season?
Is Foles a product of his system? Doug Pederson and Frank Reich, both former back-up quarterbacks, coached him up after Wentz got hurt and designed the play book and the game plan to Foles' strengths. Could he do the same for Sudfeld?
Would they let Foles walk after this season and get nothing for him/ Or should they take an offer form Arizona or Buffalo now, knowing that Wentz will be back in time? Accepting a deal would shave money off the salary cap and add much-needed draft picks. Is the risk of losing the insurance of Foles worth the price?
Is Foles satisfied with being a back-up again after being the Super bowl MVP? Or does he want to play elsewhere and earn much more money while he can?
Would the Eagles wait until the season starts, knowing for sure if/when Wentz is healthy, then trade Foles for possibly a lower return? Or would the Birds extend Foles before his contract expires. knowing what he can do in case Wentz gets hurt again?
Either way, Foles will get his money,either with a contract extension form Pihlly or if/when he departs for free agency after this season.
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The Flyers lost again last night at home, this time to the Vegas Golden Knights, 3-2. The expansion Vegas squad leads the Pacific division and is one of the top teams in the NHL. The slumping flyers should make the playoffs but they have struggled lately and are limping into the postseason.
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