Eagles football blog

RB McCoy sighns 4 yr deal

LeSean McCoy agreed to a four-year contract with the Eagles yesterday, ensuring that Brian Westbrook's projected backup will be in training camp. The terms were not disclosed.

A second-round draft pick, the elusive running back from Pittsburgh is seen as an insurance policy for Westbrook, who underwent ankle surgery June 5.

"I think he can do the same types of things that Brian can do," general manager Tom Heckert told the Eagles' Web site. "We think he's an all-around player, and we think he can step right in and help us out. He's a great receiver out of the backfield." Continue

One Eagle in in one top 50 list

Before we know it, Super Bowl predictions are going to start emerging from publications across the country.

And judging by the national reaction to the Eagles' offseason moves, several of those are going to have the Birds going to Miami.

But one national writer doesn't seem to think too much of the Eagles' individual talent. CBSSports.com's Pete Prisco put together a list of the top fifty in the league, and no Birds player is listed among the top 48. Donovan McNabb squeezes in at 49. Continue

WR Curtis healthy

Eagles wide receiver Kevin Curtis returned to his home state of Utah for a charity golf tournament and proclaimed himself fully healthy to play this season.

Curtis missed the beginning of last season following sports hernia surgery and then missed the post-draft minicamp because of a followup surgery in April. He was a limited participant in the last group of OTAs, saying he felt strong at the start of practices but the area would get fatigued. Continue

McNabb earns more coin

 His second-half benching last season in Baltimore highlighted the question: How long will Donovan McNabb be the guy for the Eagles? Yesterday's formal announcement of an improved deal for the final two years of McNabb's current contract provided an answer of sorts: At least for the next two years.

McNabb's contract was not extended. But the Eagles quarterback will earn more money, some of it guaranteed. McNabb's agent, Fletcher Smith, said that McNabb was due to make $19.2 million over the next two years, and that the renegotiated deal is worth $24.5 million with another $1 million in incentives.

Smith said the deal made McNabb one of the top three or four quarterbacks in the NFL in terms of pay.

"This is very warranted and earned and everything else - every other term you can add to that," said Eagles coach Andy Reid. Continue

Westbrook could be ready for regular season opener

Running back Brian Westbrook had successful surgery on his right ankle Friday, according to the Eagles and the doctor who performed the operation.

Both the team and the doctor said they expect him to be ready for the regular-season opener on Sept. 13, but probably not for exhibition games.

The procedure was complicated.

"It was a very difficult surgery because of the location of the problem in the back of his ankle," the doctor, Mark Myerson, told The Inquirer. Continue

Westbrook injures right ankle

Neither cornerback Sheldon Brown nor running back Brian Westbrook was on the field for the Eagles' almost-full-squad workout yesterday at the NovaCare Complex.

Brown's ongoing ailment was his contract.

Westbrook's injury was to his right ankle, and was a new and potentially important development.

"I wish I could tell you more, but I don't know more right this minute," coach Andy Reid said of Westbrook. "But we'll know more as we go on here the next couple of days." Continue

Reid connections no guarantee for ex-Harriton player

 On Monday evening, Eugene Bright walked into his former high school as a Philadelphia Eagle.

There were high-fives and back slaps for the one-time Harriton Ram. Bright was being inducted into the Lower Merion school's Hall of Fame, but the praise had more to do with his suiting up for the local football team than it did for that night's honor.

"Gene had all these people coming up to him and congratulating him on making it this far," said Hal Smith, Bright's high school coach. "But he's too humble for that. And he's not the type of guy that's going to get ahead of himself. He knows he has a lot of work left." Continue

Kolb looking for a shot

The Eagles drafted Kevin Kolb in the second round and, well, he is a competitor. He wants to play quarterback. He had a chance to play quarterback last year for one tantalizing half, 30 minutes that could have changed everything if they had gone well (Andy Reid's denials notwithstanding). But they did not go well, and Kolb waits.

Donovan McNabb is the quarterback. He has 2 years left on his contract and wants an extension. This will be the third year for Kolb on the bench and, if McNabb were to get that extension, it could be 4 years or more. Continue

Eagles offered Brown and pick for Boldin

A source told the Arizona Republic that the Eagles offered the Cardinals a third-round pick and starting cornerback Sheldon Brown in exchange for receiver Anquan Boldin. The Cardinals quickly rejected the offer, according to the Phoenix-based newspaper.

Obviously none of this matters much now, except that the Eagles said they would not trade Brown when he asked to be traded the week before the draft. If the report is true, the Eagles must be less opposed to trading Brown than they have indicated. Continue

Eagles open camp July 26th

Eagles rookies and some veterans are scheduled to report for training camp at Lehigh University on July 26, with the rest of the squad due in July 29. The Eagles will break camp at Lehigh on Aug. 12.

The Eagles' first exhibition game will be Aug. 13 against New England at Lincoln Financial Field. The game time has changed. The contest will start at 7:30 p.m., not 7 p.m. as originally announced.

The Eagles will begin the regular season Sept. 13 at Carolina.