NFC East holdouts/contract problems
 

I took a little bit of solace in this statistic.

Redskins - no holdouts, all rookies signed, no outstanding grievances.

Eagles - Brian Westbrook a no-show, Corey Simon refuses to sign Franchise tender, Terrell Owens wants a new contract despite making $9.16 million last year (including bonuses), starting DE Jerome McDougle out at least 4 weeks with a gunshot wound to the stomach.

Giants - Top draft pick Corey Webster unsigned.

Cowboys - Starting guard Larry Allen barred from practicing with team due to conditioning.

It seems nearly every Super Bowl participant ends up with contract headaches the next year. Even the Patriots are not immune. The Eagles are getting it bad this year, though.

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that's nice. but when did carlos rogers sign?

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[QUOTE=mooby]that's nice. but when did carlos rogers sign?[/QUOTE]

[URL=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/02/AR2005080200839.html]This morning[/URL]

Re: NFC East holdouts/contract problems
 

I love seeing Westbrook bitching about his contract. You guys think they'll be able to afford to lock him up long term?

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ah cool. well at least we don't have any problems right now, except for that arrington grievance.

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Did I not read correctly because I thought it was?

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[QUOTE=mooby]ah cool. well at least we don't have any problems right now, except for that arrington grievance.[/QUOTE]
we're done with the arrington grievance

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[QUOTE=steveo395]we're done with the arrington grievance[/QUOTE]
The official grievance has been dropped. The team and Arrington's agents are in discussions as to if there will be any adjustments made to his signed deal.

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That's at least a good "personal" move...

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The Times is saying the grievance hasn't been settled.

Sounds like the Post jumped the gun again and got the team into some hot water.

[url="http://washingtontimes.com/sports/20050731-121541-8904r.htm"]http://washingtontimes.com/sports/20050731-121541-8904r.htm[/url]

Re: NFC East holdouts/contract problems
 

I think the Eagles are going to be on the decline this year. Regardless of whether TO plays (and plays with heart), I don't think McNabb will be able to push their spat out of his subconcious - their team chemistry is kaput and they will lose games that they would have won in previous years. Dallas is the scary team for me... don't know why, but Bledsoe and Parcells (teamed up again) gets my blood up. I can't wait for the Dallas games.

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I'm always scared of Dallas games if the past few years have been any indication... :mad:

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[QUOTE=crlesh]I think the Eagles are going to be on the decline this year. Regardless of whether TO plays (and plays with heart), I don't think McNabb will be able to push their spat out of his subconcious - their team chemistry is kaput and they will lose games that they would have won in previous years. Dallas is the scary team for me... don't know why, but Bledsoe and Parcells (teamed up again) gets my blood up. I can't wait for the Dallas games.[/QUOTE]
I want to agree with you, but I'm going to abstain from predicting the demise of Philly. For the past four years, I've said they couldn't keep it up, and I'm proven wrong each time.

On the other hand, if Owens and McNabb can't be friendly, T.O. will blame all kinds of things on Donovan (anyone remember how the Owens/Garcia rift played out?). AND with the top TE receiving threat retired (bye-bye, Chad Lewis) and the top RB threat, receiving or otherwise, holding out ([i]you get yours[/i], Brian Westbrook, McNabb's offense could very well sputter. I know if Patrick Ramsey's top receiving targets were LJ Smith (34 catches for 377 yards in 2004) and Todd Pinkston (36 catches for 676 yards - in 2004, his fifth season!!)and his top RB was a holdout, I'd be worried indeed.

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I'm with you, BL.

Seems like people have been quick to predict the demise of the Eagles for the past 3-4 years, and each year they have managed to be the top dog in the NFC.

While they're facing more difficulties than usual so far this preseason, I still expect them to be a 10 or 11 win team this year and the team to beat in the NFC East.

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But WE'VE always been quick to predict the rise of the Redskins each year. :)

Again I'll repeat, I just have a feeling about this year. Of course I've said "This is gonna' be the year." but I really feel like this year WILL be.

My guts never lie...

...because I play them out each game.

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[QUOTE=Mattyk72], I still expect [the Eagles] to be a 10 or 11 win team this year and the team to beat in the NFC East.[/QUOTE]

No way... they may still be the team to beat in the NFC East, but I predict they finish no better than 3rd in the division this year. Towards the end of October, two things will be obvious:

1) TO does not guarantee wins; and
2) McNabb, while a very good QB, is not as good as he looked last year. He will revert to his 2003 stats.

Re: NFC East holdouts/contract problems
 

[QUOTE=TheMalcolmConnection]But WE'VE always been quick to predict the rise of the Redskins each year. :)

Again I'll repeat, I just have a feeling about this year. Of course I've said "This is gonna' be the year." but I really feel like this year WILL be.

My guts never lie...

...because I play them out each game.[/QUOTE]

I agree with you, I have a really good feeling for the Skins this year....I had the same feeling with the Spurs.

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What would happen to the Eagles if McNabb went down for the season?

I don't wish it on anyone, but he is due for an injury.

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Yeah, it would suck for them...I hate wishing bad things on people but yeah, he is due for an injury. That'd give other teams a slight edge on them.

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[QUOTE=GoSkins!]What would happen to the Eagles if McNabb went down for the season?

I don't wish it on anyone, but he is due for an injury.[/QUOTE]

Well, it wasn't the whole season, but in 2002 he went down for 6 games and the Eagles finished with a 12-4 record and went to the NFC Championship game.

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[QUOTE=crlesh]No way... they may still be the team to beat in the NFC East, but I predict they finish no better than 3rd in the division this year. Towards the end of October, two things will be obvious:

1) TO does not guarantee wins; and
2) McNabb, while a very good QB, is not as good as he looked last year. He will revert to his 2003 stats.[/QUOTE]

Trust me when I say I hate the Eagles as much as anyone possibly can. I have to deal with their annoying fans every day living here in Philly. But I really don't see any way the Eagles don't win at least 10-11 games.
1) I'm not sure I understand your point about TO not guaranteeing wins. The Eagles have been the class of the NFC for years before him, and they were again last year with him. Certainly having him on the team doesn't make them any worse.
2) If McNabb returns to 2003 form, the Eagles would potentially be looking at 12-4 and another NFC Championship game, wouldn't they? That's what they accomplished in 2003. Nevermind the fact that now McNabb has T.O. and in 2003 McNabb had, basically, zero receivers.......I just don't see McNabb falling that far that fast.......and even if he does, the Eagles have won with him playing mediocre in the past.

Again, I hate the Eagles with a passion, but I don't think any amout of off-season controversey takes them off of the NFC East pedistal (sp?). They are clearly the team to beat in the NFC East and I fully expect them to win at least 10-11 games (as much as I hate to say it).

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[QUOTE=crlesh]No way... they may still be the team to beat in the NFC East, but I predict they finish no better than 3rd in the division this year. Towards the end of October, two things will be obvious:

1) TO does not guarantee wins; and
2) McNabb, while a very good QB, is not as good as he looked last year. He will revert to his 2003 stats.[/QUOTE]

No better than 3rd?

I really wish that would happen but I just don't see them dropping off that much.

The TO and McNabb combo was deadly last year, as long as they can iron out their differences on the field, which I think they will, I don't see how they won't have as good of a connection this year if not better.

Even if McNabb's numbers fall off a bit which they just may, he's still one of the top QBs in the league. Even before TO he was taking the Eagles to NFC Championship games.

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I think that a bigger deal than T.O. (I know, it's hard to believe) are the absences of Brian Westbrook (holdout) and Corey Simon (refuses to sign franchise tender). There isn't an every down back on the Eagles roster (including Westbrook, come to think of it) and the absence of the prohibitive starter has to be a concern. Simon may not be the lynchpin of the Eagles D, but they think enough of him to pay him the average of the top three at his position. It's hard to believe that they don't have plans for him.\

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I definitely think that the absence of Westbrook is a much bigger problem. He and Owens fed off each other because they both drew coverage. Say Westbrook isn't there, other teams only have one receiver to cover.

Good post

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I thought Westbrook signed a one year deal back in the spring?

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[QUOTE=Mattyk72]I thought Westbrook signed a one year deal back in the spring?[/QUOTE]
He did, Adam Schefter said today on NFL Total Access that if Westbrook does not show up by Aug. 8 that due to the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, Westbrook must show up in camp 30 days before the NFL's first game -- otherwise he will lose an accrued season and could not become an unrestricted free agent after this season.

The Eagles can fine him like $6,000.00 a day until he comes to camp. The funny thing is that Westbrook agreed to the terms listed above when he signed his contract... :biggthump

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[QUOTE=Redskins8588]He did, Adam Schefter said today on NFL Total Access that if Westbrook does not show up by Aug. 8 that due to the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, Westbrook must show up in camp 30 days before the NFL's first game -- otherwise he will lose an accrued season and could not become an unrestricted free agent after this season.

The Eagles can fine him like $6,000.00 a day until he comes to camp. The funny thing is that Westbrook agreed to the terms listed above when he signed his contract... :biggthump[/QUOTE]
Almost a quote from Schefter's [URL=http://nfl.com/nflnetwork/story/8698928]NFL.com article[/URL]:
[QUOTE]BETHLEHEM, Pa. (Aug. 2, 2005) -- Mark this one down: Eagles holdout running back Brian Westbrook will end his holdout by Aug. 8.

He has to. Under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, Westbrook must show up in camp 30 days before the NFL's first game -- otherwise he will lose an accrued season and could not become an unrestricted free agent after this season.

Westbrook subjected himself to this rule when he signed his one-year tender during the offseason. Now that he is under contract, the Eagles can fine Westbrook $6,000 for every day of training camp he misses. Assuming he is out of camp until Aug. 8, Westbrook faces losing another $42,000 in fines in what is an ill-advised holdout. And he risks losing a lot more if he is not in camp anytime soon.
[/QUOTE]

It appears that Westbrook was under the (mistaken?) impression that he was signing his RFA offer to guarantee his staying with the Eagles, and wanted to negotiate a long-term contract thereafter.

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I think the difference between McNabb's stats in the following areas are directly related to TO being added to their roster last year:

2003:
PCT: 57.5
TD: 16
Rate: 79.6

2004:
PCT: 64.0
TD: 31
Rate: 104.7

I know, I know... the Eagles have made it to the NFC Championship for four straight... I know there's more to being a Championship caliber team than simply the McNabb/TO chemistry. However, I think a big part of their success last year was due to that chemistry, and the fact that defenders had to account for TO, giving Westbrook good production.

My assertion is that the chemistry between McNabb and TO is gone now, and McNabb's numbers will be closer to his 2003 stats, leaving the NFC East open to more competive teams now.

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[QUOTE=crlesh]I know, I know... the Eagles have made it to the NFC Championship for four straight... I know there's more to being a Championship caliber team than simply the McNabb/TO chemistry. However, I think a big part of their success last year was due to that chemistry, and the fact that defenders had to account for TO, giving Westbrook good production.

My assertion is that the chemistry between McNabb and TO is gone now, and McNabb's numbers will be closer to his 2003 stats, leaving the NFC East open to more competive teams now.[/QUOTE]
The other thing about those 2003 numbers is that the supporting cast was much deeper then. Staley, Buckhalter, and Westbrook all had productive seasons, combining for 20 rushing TDs. The top receivers on the team were Thrash, Westbrook, Pinkston, Staley, Mitchell, LJ Smith, and Chad Lewis. Two of those players are on this team, one of which is in a holdout.

I'm sure there are players ready to step up and be weapons. I'm obviously not counting the Eagles out. I'm just saying their path to success is not guaranteed.

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[QUOTE=Mattyk72]
The TO and McNabb combo was deadly last year [/QUOTE]

was it that deadly against us? i think i remember in one of the eagles games against us last year t.o. only put up 2 catches for 20 yards. then the other game he had like six catches for sixty yards. that's not very deadly. i think westbrook did have good games against us last year though, but if he holds out this season, then the eagles will only have t.o. to use against us.

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Defintiely. I'm not worried about TO one bit if Westbrook isn't there.

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[QUOTE=mooby]was it that deadly against us? i think i remember in one of the eagles games against us last year t.o. only put up 2 catches for 20 yards. then the other game he had like six catches for sixty yards. that's not very deadly. i think westbrook did have good games against us last year though, but if he holds out this season, then the eagles will only have t.o. to use against us.[/QUOTE]

I'm saying against the league as a whole they were a deadly combo.

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One of the funny things about the Cryboy's Larry Allen..........the media was raving about Allen's workouts in the offseason.........his change in attitude, supposedly being at the Cryboys workout center all the time...... Yet the guy couldn't practice because he failed the conditioning test :laughing-