Dumped by Jags, DE Douglas happily rejoins Eagles

Trotter returning to Phily

by Nick

Trotter agrees to one-year deal with Eagles

PHILADELPHIA - Former Pro Bowl middle linebacker Jeremiah Trotter returned to the Philadelphia Eagles on Wednesday, agreeing to a one-year contract.

Trotter's deal, believed to be worth less than $1 million, is contingent upon his passing a physical on Thursday.

Trotter, 27, spent the last two seasons with the Washington Redskins after playing four years for the Eagles and making the Pro Bowl twice. He left Philadelphia following a bitter contract dispute in 2002, but never lived up to the seven-year, $35 million contract he received from the Redskins.

Trotter's role is uncertain. Mark Simoneau is listed as Philadelphia's starting middle linebacker, with Dhani Jones and Nate Wayne at the other two starting spots.

Trotter led Washington with 129 tackles in 16 games last season. He had 104 tackles in 12 games in 2002, before going down with a knee injury.

Trotter has 774 tackles, 10{ sacks and four forced fumbles in his six-year career.

A third-round draft choice from Stephen F. Austin in 1998, Trotter established himself as one of the premier middle linebackers in the NFL during his time in Philadelphia, going to the Pro Bowl in 2000 and 2001.

He led the Eagles in tackles from 1999-2001, including a career-best 202 in his first season as a starter in 1999. Trotter strongly protested being designated Philadelphia's franchise player after the 2001 season, and signed with the Redskins soon after the Eagles removed the tag, making him an unrestricted free agent.

The Eagles, runners-up in the NFC championship the last three years, have had a busy offseason, acquiring four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Terrell Owens, signing three-time Pro Bowl defensive end Jevon Kearse and Jones.

They also have lost cornerbacks Troy Vincent and Bobby Taylor and running back Duce Staley to free agency.
- Channel: NFL TALK
-07-14-2004, 04:01 PM
Eagles give coach Reid four-year extension; OT Sciullo signs

by DJRamFan

Sept. 8, 2004
SportsLine.com wire reports

PHILADELPHIA -- Andy Reid received a four-year contract extension from the Philadelphia Eagles on Wednesday that will take him through the 2010 season. Also Wednesday, offensive lineman Steve Sciullo signed with the Eagles after being waived by Indianapolis.

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Reid, entering his sixth season in Philadelphia, has led the Eagles to three consecutive losses in the NFC championship game. He is in the third year of a $15 million, six-year contract signed in June 2001. His extension reportedly is worth more than $4.2 million per season.

"Andy Reid is an excellent leader of our football team," Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said. "I think he is outstanding in every capacity: as a coach, as a person, as a leader, as somebody who makes cool decisions and who is willing to make the unpopular decision, which to me is absolutely crucial if you want to win big."

Reid's .638 winning percentage in the regular season (51-29) and his five playoff victories are the best in team history. He's just the third coach in franchise history to last more than five seasons, joining Greasy Neale (1941-50) and Dick Vermeil (1976-82).

"I'm humbled," Reid said.

Reid, 46, joined the Eagles in 1999 as a little-known assistant who worked under Mike Holmgren for seven seasons in Green Bay. He took over a team coming off a 3-13 season that was considered a laughingstock in the NFL.

One of Reid's first and most important decisions was unpopular at the time, but turned out to be a brilliant move. He selected quarterback Donovan McNabb with the second overall pick of the '99 draft -- Eagles fans wanted recently retired running back Ricky Williams.

McNabb quickly developed into one of the best quarterbacks in the league, and has been to the Pro Bowl four consecutive years.

"It's exciting to know he will be here," McNabb said. "Now we can put this behind us and move forward."

The Eagles finished 5-11 in Reid's first season. They went 11-5 and won a playoff game in 2000, before winning three consecutive NFC East titles.

"Nobody could be more deserving," Lurie said. "It was tough even getting him to attend this news conference. He doesn't like talking about himself. This man has led this franchise in a spectacular way over the last several years."

Reid earned the NFL Coach of the Year award in 2002 after leading the Eagles to a 12-4 record, despite losing McNabb for the regular season after the 10th game and backup quarterback Koy Detmer the following week.

But the Eagles lost the NFC title game 27-10 to Tampa Bay in the final football game at Veterans Stadium.

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Reid...
- Channel: NFL TALK
-09-08-2004, 12:12 PM
To those who want Trotter in St. Louis next season...

by Nick

Trotter: I plan on being back
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
By MARK ECKEL
Staff Writer

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. - Jeremiah Trotter smiled that big grin he flashes when he knows something you don't know.

Trotter, whose one-year contract with the Eagles expires March 1, was talking about that impending free agency, when he grinned the grin.

"Let me just say it like this," he said. "I plan on being back here. I'm very confident I'll be back."

Trotter and the Eagles broke up once and it was ugly.

Somehow, some way through the grace of the NFL, they got back together again this year and it was good, for both of them.

If they don't keep this together this time, they're both crazy.

Trotter is the perfect middle linebacker for coordinator Jim Johnson's defense, and Johnson's defense is the perfect system for Trotter.

Now if that little issue called money can be worked out, then you can expect an announcement of a new deal in the next couple of weeks.

"They have had some talks with my agent," Trotter of Jim Sexton, who was in Jacksonville this week for the Super Bowl. "I really haven't thought about it much. I'm still in a whirlwind from the season. I'm going to go to the Pro Bowl, bring my family to Hawaii for a week, relax and when I get back hopefully we'll get started with it then."

Trotter left for money the first time when Washington gave him a $7 million signing bonus that nearly doubled what the Eagles had offered.

He came back for the worst possible deal a player could get, then again it was the only offer he got. He signed a one-year deal, with no signing bonus at all for the minimum of $535,000 and signed an injury waiver that if he re-injured his knee, the team was not responsible.

So they both kind of owe each other a little bit.

The Eagles have room under the cap. Trotter wants to stay here and does not have to break the bank to do it. He just wants fair market value for a player of his stature.

"There's no reason it can't get done," said one of the Eagles assistant coaches. "We know he wants to be here, and he knows we want him here. I don't see any problems."

There really shouldn't be.

"Like I said, I'm confident," Trotter said. "I think the Eagles organization wants me. Coach Reid said he wants me. Coach Johnson said he wants me. I'd love to retire as an Eagle. I'm comfortable here. So when you factor all of that in, I think it should work out."

-- -- --

Trotter is one of 13 key unrestricted free agents to be on the Eagles.

He also campaigned for his buddy, backup linebacker Keith Adams, who may be testing the market in a couple of weeks.
...
- Channel: NFL TALK
-02-08-2005, 05:04 PM
Jeff Blake signs with Philly

by Nick

Eagles sign QB Blake to one-year deal
NFL.com wire reports

PHILADELPHIA (May 28, 2004) -- Quarterback Jeff Blake signed a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Blake, who was released by Arizona in February, gives the Eagles insurance should starter Donovan McNabb or backup Koy Detmer get injured. He replaces A.J. Feeley, who was traded to Miami for a second-round pick in next year's draft.

"We're looking forward to bringing in Jeff for his experience and his quarterbacking ability he has displayed over the last 12 years," coach Andy Reid said.

In his only season with the Cardinals, Blake completed 208 of 367 passes for 2,247 yards, 13 TDs and 15 interceptions -- the first time in his career he had more interceptions than touchdowns.

Blake spent 1992-93 with the New York Jets and also played for Cincinnati (1994-99), New Orleans (2000-01) and Baltimore (2002).

A sixth-round pick from East Carolina by the Jets in 1992, Blake, 33, has started 100 NFL games, throwing for 21,530 yards and 132 TDs. His most productive season came with Cincinnati in 1995, when he threw for 3,822 yards and 28 TDs and earned a berth in the Pro Bowl.

The Eagles drafted Delaware's Andy Hall in the sixth round of last month's draft, hoping he could develop into the No. 3 quarterback. The decision to sign Blake comes at the end of a three-day rookie camp for Philadelphia.

AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service
Copyright 2004, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved
- Channel: NFL TALK
-05-28-2004, 08:26 PM
Eagles' Rayburn (DT) is cut...

by Varg6

The subject of trade rumors the past several offseasons, defensive tackle Sam Rayburn is suddenly available on the open market after the Philadelphia Eagles released the four-year veteran Friday, making him able to sign with another team

Rayburn became the odd-man out on a crowded tackle depth chart and the move, which was not totally unexpected, came as the Eagles prepared to start a weekend minicamp.

Not many NFL teams enjoy the kind of surplus at tackle that the Eagles have, and Rayburn should merit solid interest as a free agent, given the difficulty most clubs experience in filling the position. It will not be surprising if Rayburn has multiple suitors.

Philadelphia plans to start a pair of former first-round choices, Broderick Bunkley and Mike Patterson, at tackle in 2007. The Eagles signed unrestricted free agents Montae Reagor and Ian Scott this spring and the coaches are also high on second-year veteran LaJuan Ramsey, who reported to work this spring 20 pounds heavier than a year ago.

The Eagles traded starting tackle Darwin Walker to Buffalo in a deal that brought Pro Bowl linebacker Takeo Spikes to Philadelphia, but still were overstocked at the position.

A former Tulsa standout, Rayburn, 26, earned a spot on the Eagles' roster as an undrafted college free agent in 2003. In four seasons, he notched 98 tackles, nine sacks, two forced fumbles, one recovery and one pass defensed in 52 games, including four starts.

His best season was in 2004, when Rayburn had 46 tackles and six sacks, despite playing mostly in a backup role.

Rayburn had five years remaining on his contract, at base salaries of $650,000 (2007), $700,000 (2008), $800,000 (2009), $850,000 (2010) and $950,000 (2011).

Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com.
- Channel: NFL TALK
-05-12-2007, 07:12 PM

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Dumped by Jags, DE Douglas happily rejoins Eagles

Dumped by Jags, DE Douglas happily rejoins Eagles

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