Lito Sheppard traded to the Jets

It looks like the Eagles will be losing at least one player from their secondary today. No, there is no confirmation yet that Brian Dawkins has signed with the Broncos. Instead, disgruntled cornerback Lito Sheppard, who has been on the trading block for about a year, is about to be traded to the New York Jets. Sheppard has wanted out of Philly ever since the Birds brought in Asante Samuel, and with the recent signing of Joselio Hansen to a long-term deal, the writing was on the wall that Sheppard was a goner.

There is no word yet on what the Eagles would receive in return for Sheppard. Anything above a third round pick would be a surprise. Sheppard would step right in and be a starter in New York. I guess one team's garbage is another team's gold.

Updated: It's now official. Lito to the Jets for a 2009 5th round pick and a conditional 2010 pick. That's even less than I thought they would get for Lito.

See you later, Lito: Eagles sign Joselio Hanson to 5 year deal

It looks like the Eagles will finally be getting rid of Lito Sheppard. Nickel cornerback Joselio Hanson, who stepped up big time last year as the Birds dealt with the disgruntled Lito, signed a 5 year deal with the Eagles worth 21 million. Hanson is coming off his best season where he had lots of big hits and his first career interception. While this may seem like a lot of money for a third string cornerback, Hanson has proven himself to be a valuable member of the Eagles secondary.

This move should signify the end of Lito Sheppard with the Eagles. With Asante Samuel and Sheldon Brown locked in as starters, there is no room on the team for four cornerbacks making big money, so I would expect the Eagles to trade Lito in the near future. They probably won't get much for Sheppard, but getting anything at this point is a bonus.

The Eagles screwed up in not trading Lito Sheppard when he had more value, but the emergence of Hanson has forced the Eagles hand. Let the speculation for where Lito will end up, and what the Birds will get in return, begin.

Sheldon Brown, Lito Sheppard are co-starters

The Eagles have posted their current depth chart on PhiladelphiaEagles.com. Click here to see it.

Here are some things I noticed:

1. Sheldon Brown and Lito Sheppard are listed as co-starters at right cornerback. Brown is listed first (Brown/Sheppard), so maybe that means he's really the starter and they are just trying to make Sheppard feel better.

2. DeSean Jackson is not listed at WR. Jackson was unable to crack the top six at wide receiver. No, that doesn't mean that Michael Gasperson will make the team ahead of him, but it does mean we should expect more from Jackson in the return game than as a wideout.

3. Shawn Andrews is still listed at starting right gaurd. Max Jean-Gilles is the back-up on paper only at this point. Andrews keeps his starting job out of respect for the situation he is going through, although he will have to earn it when he comes back.

4. Correll Buckhalter is the second string running back. This is a shocker, I thought for sure that Lorenzo Booker would be considered the back-up, although Buckhalter is still more of a "change-of-pace back" when compared to Brian Westbrook.

5. Chris Clemons is listed third at defensive end. Perhaps the dehydration incident has set him back? I thought he was brought in to be a bigger part of the defense.

Lito fails to show up for mini-camp. Should we be surprised?

Perhaps Lito Sheppard isn't enticed with the idea of playing wide receiver?

The Eagles started their voluntary mini-camp today and two players skipped it: DB Lito Sheppard and OL Scott Young. I know, I can't believe Young was a no-show either!

Seriously though, should we be mad at Sheppard for not showing up? He is under contract with the Eagles for four more years but there is nothing in his contract that says he has to go to a voluntary mini-camp. Of course, when 98% of the team shows up and you skip out, he doesn't exactly look like a team player.

It will be a much bigger story if Lito skips training camp. After all, he did show up for the mandatory mini-camp last month. Missing training camp this August would make a much bigger statement about how unhappy Lito really is.

Let's not get too upset about Lito missing time now. There are still plenty of opportunities for both sides to mend fences and figure out how to co-exist. Hopefully this is a situation that can be resolved either through a trade or through a mutual understanding, otherwise this could turn into an off-field distraction of TO proportions. Although Lito could never be that big of a pest, let's hope the Eagles have learned their lesson.

Lito Sheppard could line up at wide receiver?

This one comes via 950 ESPN and the700level:

Apparently Lito Sheppard might be lining up at wide receiver next season. That's right, according to Brian Seltzer of 950 ESPN, instead of trying to trade Sheppard for a receiver they might simply convert him into one for certain packages next season. As odd as it sounds, apparently Sheppard has been wanting to play receiver ever since he started playing for the Eagles, so this could be part of an effort to keep him happy. While Lito has never played receiver in the NFL, he apparently experimented with it when he was at Florida.

This news definitely comes at a shock. The Eagles must not feel like they aren't being offered enough from other teams for Lito so they want to appease him so he will stick around. How much of a threat he could really be is unknown, but I haven't seen anything in his game that indicates he would make a good wideout, although he seems to have decent hands.

This certainly isn't the wide receiver that we hoped the Eagles would be adding, but this now has become a very interesting story.

Hear Brian Seltzer discuss the situation with Mike Missanelli here.

Eagles minicamp kicks off today!

Football season is still a long way off, but with minicamps starting up this weekend it's hard to not start looking forward to the coming season. The Eagles will begin their minicamp today and there are a few intriguing stories that are already developing as we look to the new season.

*Lito Sheppard He's still on the roster, so Lito will be coming to minicamp. There is some discussion that if the Eagles are still trying to trade him, they are taking a risk in having him participate in minicamp. An injury right now would kill his trade value, so let's hope he stays healthy.

*New faces By my count, the Eagles are bringing in 26 new players to minicamp. This includes free agents, players acquired through trades, drafted rookies and free agent rookies. Here is a complete list of new players by position:

Running backs:
Lorenzo Booker

Fullbacks:
Jed Collins
Dan Klecko

Wide Receviers:
Bam Childress
Terrell Golden
Frantz Hardy
DeSean Jackson
Jamal Jones
Shaheer McBride

Tight Ends:
Kris Wilson

Offensive Tackles:
Franklin Dunbar
King Dunlap
Mike Gibson

Guards:
Mike McGlynn

Defensive Tackles:
Trevor Laws

Defensive Ends:
Chris Clemons
A.J. Schable
Bryan Smith

Linebackers:
Rocky Boiman
Joe Mays
Justin Roland
Andy Studebaker

Cornerbacks:
Kyle Arrington
Asante Samuel

Safety:
Quintin Demps

Punter:
Richmond McGee

It's interesting to look at the positions where they only got a few players, like safety and defensive tackle. Clearly the Eagles feel comfortable with the players they have returning from last years squad at those positions. The one position not represented in the list above: QB.

*Position battles Yes, it's early, but position battles start now. Dan Klecko is being brought in to battle with Jason Davis for the starting fullback spot. L.J. Smith will still be the starting tight end, but there are three players vying for playing time behind him: Brent Celek, Kris Wilson and Matt Schobel. My guess is the signing of Wilson will mark the end of Schobel's Eagle career. There will also be an interesting battle at running back where the acquisition of Lorenzo Booker will likely push out either Tony Hunt or Ryan Moats.

There is a lot going on already, and we still have four months until the season starts!

Next Eagle Rumor: Lito for Jared Allen

As the draft approaches, the rumors continue to fly in regards to moves the Eagles might make. This next one involves Chiefs defensive end Jared Allen, who led the NFL in sacks last year. According to an article at DelcoTimes.com, the Eagles have offered up Lito Sheppard and draft picks for Allen, but the Chiefs aren't interested. The Chiefs are more inclined to take draft picks than a player in return. Allen has a ton of talent, but he wants a new contract, so that is why the Chiefs are shopping him. He would make a great addition to the Eagles defensive line rotation, although I would doubt the Eagles would fork over the type of cash that Allen is looking for. The Vikings and Buccaneers are also interested in Allen.

At this point it is safe to assume that the Eagles are offering up Lito Sheppard for any available player, trying to drum up interest for him. These types of rumors always intensify as the draft approaches and teams are looking to make moves. The chances of any of them happening are slim.

UPDATE: Another rumor shot down, Jared Allen is now a Viking. With the price Minnesota had to pay to get him, both in draft picks and in salary, they can have him!

ProFootballTalk.com: Lito Deal Likely to Happen

This certainly doesn't seem like new information, but ProFootballTalk.com put a post up today reminding everyone that Lito Sheppard is still likely to be traded in the near future. There is speculation that the reason the deal hasn't gone down yet is because the Eagles want more for Lito than teams are offering. Shutdown corner Deangelo Hall was traded from the Falcons to the Raiders, and the Falcons received a 2nd and 5th round draft picks. The Eagles would likely use that compensation as a starting point for Lito. We can likely forget about getting an impact receiver in any trade involving Lito.

With the way the Eagles shelled out the huge money to bring in Asante Samuel, it has appeared Lito Sheppard's days with the Eagles have been numbered. Hopefully the Eagles are holding out for a good deal, and they won't just unload him for whatever they can get. If the Eagles can't find what they want, then I hope they hold on to Lito, because if he teams up with Samuel and Sheldon Brown it would make for a scary-good secondary. I would still bet that a deal happens sometime between now and the draft.

Joe Banner Discusses Eagles Moves

Here is a short but interesting interview of Eagles Team President Joe Banner discussing the Birds offseason so far. He talks about going after Randy Moss, and how they will deal with the Lito Sheppard situation and trades in the future.

Sifting Through the Eagles Rumors

There are a ton of Eagles rumors flying around the internet. There are any number of trade scenarios and free agent signings that have been "sure to happen" according to a number of different sources. The Eagles have been linked to nearly every available wide receiver, and Lito Sheppard has been traded to about ten different teams already. So what are we to believe? What are the Eagles really going to do? I am not going to pretend like I know what's going to happen, but I want to run down what we know and try to figure out what rumors might actually have some merit.

What we know:
*The Eagles want a top flight receiver The Eagles went after Randy Moss. That's a fact. Going after Moss proves that the Eagles want a number one receiver. Andy Reid knows that if the Eagles go through next season with a receiving group led by a pair of number two receivers, Reggie Brown and Kevin Curtis, their offense will remain stagnant. They need a true number one receiver who can either help to stretch the field or draw a double team as he goes across the middle. Going after Moss was a declaration to the league that the Eagles want a number one receiver, and they are willing to do what it takes to get one.

*The Eagles are willing to trade Lito As good as the Eagles secondary would be next year with Asante Samuel, Sheldon Brown and Lito Sheppard, one of them is likely to go. While keeping three starting caliber corners would help them shut down opposing teams who like to run spread offenses, there are potential issues that could arise. The main problem is that all three think they are starting corners, so whoever plays nickel corner will be upset. Reportedly, the Eagles are willing to move Lito Sheppard, and have already begun fielding offers from other teams. Rumors are swirling as to possible trading partners, with the Redskins, Lions and Cardinals as the rumored suitors. What they might get for the oft-injured former Pro Bowler is another story. I have heard everything from draft picks to star receivers. Of course, the Eagles can't overplay their hand and show other teams they are desperate to move Lito, so they won't let it be known that they want to dump him. If other teams know the Eagles can't wait to get rid of him, they won't get anything good in return.

The rumored moves:
*Free Agent Receivers There isn't much left in the free agent market. Bryant Johnson and D. J. Hackett are the best available, but they wouldn't be an upgrade over what the Eagles currently have. They would be more of the same. A receiver would have to be acquired through a trade.

*Larry Fitzgerald As I said before, the Eagles are going after a top receiver, and there have been grumblings that the Cardinals won't be able to pay Larry Fitzgerald, so they want to move him to another team. Obviously, if Fitzgerald is available, he has to be someone the Eagles are pursuing. If they would really trade Fitzgerald, which is very unlikely, what would the Cardinals want for him? They could use help in the secondary, so Lito Sheppard could be an option. The Eagles would also need to throw in a few first day draft picks as well. If Lito isn't a part of the deal, I don't think the Eagles have enough to offer to get it done.

The other problem with the Eagles acquiring Larry Fitzgerald is the same problem the Cardinals are having: his contract. Fitzgerald is set to make a total of 31 million over the next two seasons. The Eagles already spent a ton of money on Samuel so they are no going to be happy having two guys taking up a huge chunk of their salary cap. The Eagles would likely try to get Fitzgerald to restructure his contract, but if he is willing to do that, the Cardinals would be able to keep him.

*Roy Williams The Lions receiver has been rumored to be on the trading block, so again, you can bet the Eagles are showing interest. While Williams is not on the level of a Larry Fitzgerald or Randy Moss, he's in the next tier of receivers and would be a definite number one option on the Eagles. So if the Lions are willing to trade, does Philly have anything they want? They have an awful defense, and need help at corner and on the defensive line. They would certainly want Lito, but the Eagles don't have any tradeable pieces along the D-line. While it would be great to get rid of Darren Howard, even Matt Millen isn't dumb enough to pay Howard's contract for his minor contributions. A deal for Roy Williams seems more likely than for Fitzgerald, but it would also take Lito and a high draft pick.

*Chad Johnson I am not sure why he keeps popping up in trade possibilities. Even if he wants to get out of town, the Bengals have no interest in trading him. If they did, they would ask for way more than the Eagles would be willing to give up. Johnson has more of a chance of going to a team with a top 5 pick in the draft.

To sum it up, we know the Eagles want a top flight receiver, and that receiver has to come through a trade. Their best trading chip is Lito Sheppard, but he alone will not get them a great receiver. A package of draft picks with Lito included might get it done. So, what will the Eagles do? The Eagles have let a lot of information leak recently, which has allowed fans to be in on their pursuit of Asante Samuel and their attempts to bring in Randy Moss. I have a feeling they will work under the radar on the next move.

You can get excited that the Eagles are working hard to improve their club, but don't get too excited by every rumor you hear. If you hear about a trade that is too good to be true, it is, because if the Eagles had an offer like that, they would have already accepted it. By the time many of these things become rumors, they are no longer possible. We just have to trust that the Eagles will be able to pull something off, because if they don't get another playmaker on offense, we may be looking at another season out of the playoffs.

Lito Sheppard on the Trading Block

With the signing of Asante Samuel, the Eagles have a full secondary. They have three quality cornerbacks, and only two can be starters. Lito Sheppard may be the odd one out, according to NFL Network. Rumors are circulating that the Eagles are fielding calls for Sheppard, although there is no word on what teams are interested, and what they would have to offer.

Don't count on Larry Fitzgerald, but the Eagles could get quite a haul for the two-time Pro Bowler. I wouldn't mind seeing Lito stay, as that would give the Eagles the best secondary in the league. He would only make 2 million next year, so moving him wouldn't free much money up. If the Eagles are blown away with a deal, of course, they should pull the trigger.

Eagles Rumor Roundup: The Latest on Samuel, Wilson, Sheppard, Walker

With the NFL free agency period beginning Thursday, the rumors continue to fly. It seems like nearly every big name player who might be available has been linked with the Eagles at some point. Let's sort through the latest rumors:

*Asante Samuel ready to sign? Definitely the hottest name out there, a number of sources are reporting that the Eagles will sign Samuel, with Peter King of Sports Illustrated reporting the deal will be around 5 years, 55 million. King warns that the Eagles might be making a mistake signing Samuel to such a large deal, however. He points out that Samuel is a finesse corner who doesn't like contact. King also says he was exposed by the Giants in the Superbowl when the Patriots couldn't get pressure on Eli Manning. The Jets have reportedly dropped out of the running, so besides the Eagles, the only other team rumored to be willing to spend the money it would take to get Samuel is the Saints.

*Gibril Wilson in the mix I posted on him earlier in the day, and if the Eagles want a cheaper option that will be productive in their system, Wilson is their guy.

*Lito Sheppard to the Patriots? With the parting of Asante Samuel, the Patriots will need some secondary help, and rumors are floating that the Pats want Lito Sheppard. This doesn't make much sense to me, because Lito wants a new deal, and if the Patriots aren't willing to pay Samuel, why would they want to give Lito a big contract?

*Guard Alan Faneca a possibility? Although not a playmaker, I am sure Donovan McNabb would welcome this guy to the Eagles. According to SI.com, the Eagles might be interested in signing the top guard on the market, Alan Faneca. If they signed him, Jon Runyan would probably be released, and Shawn Andrews would move to tackle. Although I would hate to see Runyan go, this makes sense if the Eagles need to clear up more cap space.

*Javon Walker to the 'Boys? He was rumored to be a trade possibility for the Eagles, but it looks like a division rival might snatch him up. The Cowboys are working on a deal that will bring Walker to Dallas, costing them only a fifth round pick.

*Chad Johnson to the 'Skins? Another division rival, the Redskins, are looking to swing a trade for Johnson. Of course, the Bengals have been denying that they will trade him at all.

So, it looks like the Eagles will get some secondary help, possibly signing either Samuel or Wilson. But, what receivers will they go after? It might take a trade to get a player of any significance, as the free agent options are pretty slim. Expect rumors to continue to swirl right up until the start of free agency.

Lito Sheppard Rumor a Joke?

This is why we can't believe everything ESPN is spewing out. Derrick Gunn of Comcast Sportsnet asked Lito Sheppard about the rumor that he was being shopped by the Eagles, and Lito thought Gunn was joking with him. Sheppard's contract runs through 2011, and according to Gunn he has every intention of making things work in Philly. A team spokesman went on to say that "any reports that suggest we have allowed Lito or his agent to seek a trade are absolutely and undeniably false".

Another interesting part to the article is that Lito feels like he has outplayed his contract, and he will ask the Eagles for a new contract. We know the Eagles won't give him a new deal, so that could lead to Lito requesting a trade.

The only way the Eagles would consider moving Lito would be if they were guaranteed to land a defensive back like Asante Samuel in free agency. There is no way they would be able to know if Samuel would sign with them until free agency starts, which is 11 days away.

The rumors concerning the Eagles are flying. One thing is for sure, we know that the Birds are looking to improve this team one way or another. They should be looking into all of the available options, hoping that one of them pans out. The front office should be doing its due diligence to ensure they can acquire whatever talent they can to help the team. Moving a guy like Lito Sheppard, while probably a bad idea, would be a move that would help free up money for another player. I can't wait to see what other crazy rumors come out in the next few days.

Lito Sheppard on his way out?

ESPN just continues to fuel the Philadelphia Eagles rumor mill. The latest news comes out of their show NFL Live, where John Clayton reported that the Eagles have given Lito Sheppard permission to seek a trade. Sheppard is currently in the midst of an 8 year deal that he signed in 2004. It looks like Sheppard wants to cash in with a new deal, something that the Eagles will not do. They never restructure a players deal, especially when it is only 2 years into an 8 year pact.

This news certainly gives some credence to all the rumors that the Eagles are looking to pick up one of the top free agent defensive backs available, like Asante Samuel or Marcus Trufant. If they don't plan on picking up one of those big names, then this move makes no sense. Yes, Lito is injury prone, but he is a two-time Pro Bowler, and when paired with Sheldon Brown they make one of the best cornerback duos in the league.

Just like the rest of the rumors that ESPN has been spouting out about the Eagles this off season, let's wait and see what happens. Teams would be interested in Lito, and they might be willing to give up a couple of high draft picks for him. Free agency starts in eleven days, so hopefully this cloud of rumors will begin to dissipate then.