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Eagles Training Camp Full of Drama

First off, let me apologize for the ridiculous lack of posts on this site in the last two months. I, personally, am the only writer for the Phillies page here on MVN, so I have been pretty busy. I apologize to those of you who enjoy and expect news here at Eagles Eye.

That said, a lot has been going on during the Eagles first few days of training camp in Lehigh. There appears to be more drama occurring than usual, vaguely reminiscent of the T.O. nonsense that went on pre-2005. Let’s take a look:

Donovan McNabb

#5 is back for his 10th season with coach Andy Reid and the Eagles, and is yet again making bold predictions for the season. To paraphrase what McNabb said, “the Eagles are in a very good position to win the NFC, and those who picked them have a good reason to. They are only a few years removed from representing the NFC in the Super Bowl, and still have many of the same key components.”

It seems like Donovan makes a comment like this every season. It’s good to have your team leader exude confidence and put himself and his team on the line like this, but at the same time, it seems a bit unrealistic. The Eagles honestly look like a 9-7 or 10-6 team this season, and that’s coming from a writer who is also a die-hard fan. Sure, if the Eagles get lucky this year or things go their way unlike in 2007, anything could happen. But it appears unlikely that the Eagles are the “favorites” in the NFC.

Brian Westbrook

The man wants to get paid. He wants his money, but he also wants the respect that comes with being one of the highest paid running backs. He has outperformed his current contract, and wants a raise as well as an extension. The Eagles are willing to give him more money, but have been hesitant to give him a big extension.

Westbrook’s POV: He is small, but does a good job of avoiding long-term injuries. He is arguably the best running back in the NFL not named Tomlinson. He wants to be compensated fairly in comparison to other running backs. He wants $30 million guaranteed, compared to the $21 million LT has guaranteed in his current deal. Westbrook is citing inflation as the basis for the increased numbers.

The Eagles’ POV: Westbrook is small, and often misses practice during the week from being too banged up. He is extremely valuable, which is why they are willing to pay him. But if they extend him, they would be extending him into his 30’s, which is very old for a running back.

The verdict: The Eagles won’t be going anywhere in the near future without Brian Westbrook. It may turn out to be a bad investment, but it’s a chance the Eagles need to take. Westbrook is too valuable to let walk, and no matter how strict the Eagles front office is, an exception needs to be made. This is more than just a business. This is a football team in a championship-starved city. Make Brian Westbrook happy. Give him whatever he wants.

Lito Sheppard

The Eagles cornerback situation has been a hot topic since day one of free agency. Asante Samuel will be starting. His huge contract cements the already likely observation. The other cornerback position will likely go to Lito Sheppard, but he is competing with Sheldon Brown for it. Lito is also unhappy with his contract situation, and has hired the infamous Drew Rosenhaus to help him get it. When asked why he hired Rosenhaus, Lito cited the fact that although he has a questionable reputation, he gets the job done. Next question.

The Eagles will likely use all three corners on the field often during the season, but this is a sensitive situation for Lito, as he is upset about his role and contract.

Shawn Andrews

“The Big Kid” is the only Eagle who has yet to report to training camp. He is not unhappy with the team or his contract, which runs through 2015. He is citing personal reasons for his absence. Andy Reid was quiet decline to comment on the situation when asked about it.

This entry was posted on Friday, July 25th, 2008 at 11:32 pm and is filed under Eagles Eye. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.