justinevans
03/04/06, 01:38 PM
6-10 season with so many holes and this is what they want to do and it only means they will be drafting O-Line. He won't sign Barber and draft one of the great LBs.
After a wretched 2005 season, the Eagles know major changes are in order, and it appears they’re not going to waste any time making them.
Free agency, originally scheduled to begin at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, will now begin at 12:01 a.m. Monday. According to Comcast SportsNet’s Derrick Gunn, the Eagles are poised to make the following moves in the near future:
●They are expected to sign Saints center LeCharles Bentley by Monday. The four-year veteran moved to center in 2004 after playing his first two seasons at guard. He was selected to his first Pro Bowl in 2003 and was an alternate in 2004.
●They also will bring back linebacker Shawn Barber and add quarterback Jeff Garcia, possibly by Monday as well. Barber spent his first four NFL seasons with the Redskins before signing with the Eagles in 2002. He parlayed an excellent season into a big money deal from Kansas City, where he has spent the last three years. However, injuries have limited the 31-year-old Barber to only a combined 11 games in the last two seasons.
After starting for his first six NFL seasons (five with the 49ers and one with the Browns), Garcia spent last season as Joey Harrington’s backup in Detroit. Garcia started five of the six games he played and completed 59 percent of his passes for 937 yards with three touchdowns and six interceptions.
●Nevertheless, Garcia, 35, should significantly upgrade the backup quarterback position. Expect the Eagles to release both Koy Detmer and Mike McMahon by the time the draft arrives on April 29.
The Eagles drafted Detmer in the seventh round in 1997. In nine years with the Eagles, all as a backup, Detmer, who turns 33 in July, was known more for his engaging personality, amusing celebrations and skills as David Akers’ holder on special teams than his play as a quarterback.
Still, the highlight of Detmer’s career as a quarterback came in 2002, when he started for Donovan McNabb against the 49ers on Monday Night Football. Detmer threw two touchdown passes and ran for one before suffering a dislocated elbow in the third quarter.
As he was carted off the field, Detmer was congratulated by members of both teams. A.J. Feeley replaced Detmer and finished off the Eagles’ 38-17 victory.
Detmer’s most memorable celebration came in his first career start. In 1998 against the Packers, Detmer’s ribald reaction following a touchdown infuriated Brett Favre, who immediately led the two-time defending NFC champs downfield for a go-ahead touchdown, foiling the Eagles’ upset bid.
The Eagles signed McMahon last off-season to replace Jeff Blake. Although he played with a litany of reserves, McMahon’s performance was disappointing nonetheless. In nine games (seven starts), he completed 45.4 percent of his passes for 1,158 yards, five touchdowns and eight interceptions, all of which translated to a 55.2 quarterback rating.
After a wretched 2005 season, the Eagles know major changes are in order, and it appears they’re not going to waste any time making them.
Free agency, originally scheduled to begin at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, will now begin at 12:01 a.m. Monday. According to Comcast SportsNet’s Derrick Gunn, the Eagles are poised to make the following moves in the near future:
●They are expected to sign Saints center LeCharles Bentley by Monday. The four-year veteran moved to center in 2004 after playing his first two seasons at guard. He was selected to his first Pro Bowl in 2003 and was an alternate in 2004.
●They also will bring back linebacker Shawn Barber and add quarterback Jeff Garcia, possibly by Monday as well. Barber spent his first four NFL seasons with the Redskins before signing with the Eagles in 2002. He parlayed an excellent season into a big money deal from Kansas City, where he has spent the last three years. However, injuries have limited the 31-year-old Barber to only a combined 11 games in the last two seasons.
After starting for his first six NFL seasons (five with the 49ers and one with the Browns), Garcia spent last season as Joey Harrington’s backup in Detroit. Garcia started five of the six games he played and completed 59 percent of his passes for 937 yards with three touchdowns and six interceptions.
●Nevertheless, Garcia, 35, should significantly upgrade the backup quarterback position. Expect the Eagles to release both Koy Detmer and Mike McMahon by the time the draft arrives on April 29.
The Eagles drafted Detmer in the seventh round in 1997. In nine years with the Eagles, all as a backup, Detmer, who turns 33 in July, was known more for his engaging personality, amusing celebrations and skills as David Akers’ holder on special teams than his play as a quarterback.
Still, the highlight of Detmer’s career as a quarterback came in 2002, when he started for Donovan McNabb against the 49ers on Monday Night Football. Detmer threw two touchdown passes and ran for one before suffering a dislocated elbow in the third quarter.
As he was carted off the field, Detmer was congratulated by members of both teams. A.J. Feeley replaced Detmer and finished off the Eagles’ 38-17 victory.
Detmer’s most memorable celebration came in his first career start. In 1998 against the Packers, Detmer’s ribald reaction following a touchdown infuriated Brett Favre, who immediately led the two-time defending NFC champs downfield for a go-ahead touchdown, foiling the Eagles’ upset bid.
The Eagles signed McMahon last off-season to replace Jeff Blake. Although he played with a litany of reserves, McMahon’s performance was disappointing nonetheless. In nine games (seven starts), he completed 45.4 percent of his passes for 1,158 yards, five touchdowns and eight interceptions, all of which translated to a 55.2 quarterback rating.