Cowboys Want Pacman

As if Eagle fans needed another reason to hate the Cowboys, now Dallas wants to add one of the most controversial football players of the last few seasons. The Cowboys are reportedly in talks with the Tennessee Titans to acquire Pacman Jones for a late round draft pick. The deal is nowhere near official, and Pacman hasn't even been cleared to play by Commissioner Roger Goodell, but Dallas would be one of the few teams that would take in a player like Jones.

While Jones is someone who is in constant trouble with the law and a complete distraction to a team, he is also a great football player who could be a big contributor if he was focused on the game. He was becoming one of the top playmaking corners in the league before his suspension, and he also can return punts with the best of them.

If the Cowboys add Jones, it could either be a shrewd pickup or huge mistake. Jones would fit right in with the already brash Cowboys locker room, but adding another volatile personality to the mix could cause the team to implode.

Eagles fans would love to see T.O. and Pacman go at it and destroy the team, but they should also be worried that Jones might end up being a key ingredient on a strong Cowboys team next year.

Mets "Laugh Off" Idea of Signing Bonds

It would have been the perfect storm of booing. Barry Bonds in a Mets uniform would've been like Christmas for Philly fans, who would have used their creative talents to boo the roided out slugger mercilessly. It also would have been scary, because the man can still swing the bat at an elite level.

The Mets have some serious injury issues in their outfield, with Moises Alou the latest to go down. Buster Olney made the suggestion yesterday that the Mets should sign Bonds, arguing that he is the best talent out there that can be acquired using only money. While Bonds can't play the field very well anymore, the middle of the Mets lineup would be frightening, with Bonds, Beltran and Wright all capable of 30 home runs and 100 RBI's.

Fortunately, the Mets are not interested. Mets GM Omar Minaya quickly dismissed the idea, stating that the team will "go with someone internal" to fill in until Alou comes back. The Mets have reportedly "laughed off" the idea, inferring that it would be foolish to sign someone with the kind of baggage that Bonds brings to a team.

While Bonds would be a pain in the ass, he would make the Mets better. If the Mets have a weakness, it's in the corner outfield positions, where they have two injured veterans, Moises Alou and Ryan Church. If both players miss a significant amount of time, the Mets would be forced to turn to Damon Easley and former Phillie Endy Chavez. It's hard to imagine a team with those two weak hitters in the corner outfield spots.

While Phillies fans would be both scared and excited to see Bonds playing for the Mets, it looks unlikely. The Phillies have a massive advantage over the Mets with their outfield, with Pat Burrell and Geoff Jenkins easily better than anything the Mets will trot out to their corner outfield positions, even if Alou and Church are healthy. Barry Bonds would tip the scales back towards the Mets, but luckily the Mets have decided they don't need yet another aging, injury-prone outfielder.

Eagles to sign Chris Clemons

It looks like the Eagles are making more moves on the defensive side of the ball. The Eagles are reportedly going to sign free agent defensive end/linebacker Chris Clemons. Clemons started his career with the Redskins, and played for the Raiders last season. He had a career year last year, accumulating 8 sacks. It appears that Clemons will be the guy that replaces Jevon Kearse at defensive end.

Also in the article linked to above, it reports that the Eagles have inquired about Larry Fitzgerald, but found the Cardinals asking price to be too high. The Eagles look to be loading up on defense, what will they do to address the offense?

Larry Fitzgerald won't be an Eagle, McNabb will

Two reports from ProFootballtalk.com this morning:

Larry Fitzgerald won't be traded The guy Philly fans want the most is probably not an option. ProFootballtalk.com says that Fitzgerald won't be traded because the Cardinals don't want to and no team would want to take on his huge salary. Even though Garry Cobb is reporting it like it's a fact, I think the dream scenario of trading Lito Sheppard for Fitzgerald is out the window at this point. There is no way the Eagles can afford to take on Fitzgerald's contract if they sign Asante Samuel to a 10 million plus dollar contract.

Donovan McNabb expects to be back We all assumed this by now, but McNabb went on ESPN radio and confirmed that he expects to be back with the Birds next year. McNabb said it "would be a shock" if he didn't play for the Eagles in 2008. I think at this point, with the Eagles getting ready to sign a premium free agent, the Eagles will need McNabb next year. It would make little sense to sign top talent on defense and then go with an unproven quarterback on offense.

Gibril Wilson Set to be a Raider

Looks like the lure of going home might drive free agent Safety Gibril Wilson back to the Bay Area. Wilson, who was born in San Jose, is close to signing a deal with the Oakland Raiders. The deal is reportedly worth around 6 million per year.

Wilson had been closely linked with the Eagles for the past several days, but with the Eagles prepared to break the bank with Asante Samuel, there wouldn't be room for both in the same secondary. Of course, I would have preferred the Eagles save a little money and sign Wilson, who is nearly as good as Samuel. They could have saved around 4 million a year if they signed Wilson, and that money could have gone to a playmaker on offense or a defensive end to replace the recently released Jevon Kearse.

Nothing is official yet, so we will have to wait and see what happens next.

Asante Samuel to Visit Eagles on Friday

We are about an hour into the NFL free agency period, and there have been no Eagle signings announced as of yet. However, ProFootballtalk.com and Fox Sports are reporting that the Eagles will meet with Asante Samuel in Philadelphia on Friday. My guess is if the Eagles really want him, he won't be leaving town without a contract.

I'll Believe it When it Happens: Asante Samuel an Eagle?

A few days ago, the Eagles appeared to have the inside track to sign free agent Asante Samuel. Then, the Saints were the rumored destination for the Pro Bowler. Now, as free agency is about to begin, the Eagles appear to have the inside track again.

According to GCobb.com, whose site has crashed, the Eagles have a verbal deal in place to sign Samuel. ProFootballtalk.com confirms the story, however they warn that nothing is set in stone until Samuel actually signs the contract. The site reminds us of LeCharles Bentley back in 2006, who the Eagles thought they had a verbal deal with, only to watch him sign with the Browns.

We should get word within a few hours that will confirm or deny this report. Part of me hopes that the Eagles don't shell out the dough for Samuel, and instead use it wisely on a few other solid players.

Eagles sign J.R. Reed, tender Joselio Hanson

The Eagles made two minor moves as they prepare themselves for free agency. Safety and kick returner J.R. Reed was re-signed to a one year contract, and corner Joselio Hanson was tendered an offer sheet worth 1.47 million for next year. Other teams have seven days to make an offer to Hanson, which the Eagles can match. If the Eagles choose not to match an offer, they would receive a second round pick as compensation.

The moves are small, but somewhat significant. J.R. Reed will be trying to make the club as a returner again next year. The Eagles should be looking to bring in some competition for him, and I had heard the name Andre Davis brought up as a possibility, although he just re-signed with the Texans. Bringing Hanson back would provide some depth in the secondary. Hanson finished last season as the third (nickel) cornerback, but hopefully he is being planned on as nothing more than a fourth next year.

It's worth noting that if the Eagles pay Hanson 1.47 million, that is already more than half of the money the saved from cutting Kearse.

Eagles Pursuing Javon Walker

We are almost ready to move out of speculation mode and into some real signings, but here is another rumor courtesy of Derrick Gunn of Comcast Sportsnet. The Broncos are likely to release oft-injured Javon Walker, and the Eagles are looking into signing the veteran wide receiver. Other teams who might be interested in Walker are two division rivals, the Cowboys and Redskins.

Walker is not a big time receiver along the lines of a Larry Fitzgerald or Randy Moss, but he would be just the type of moderately priced talent with lots of upside that the Eagles could bring in. Walker has a history of injuries, with ACL and knee problems causing him to miss numerous games in the last few years. Walker played in eight games last year, and only had 26 catches. In his last full season in 2006, Walker had 69 catches for 1,084 yards. In 2005, Walker only played in one game.

The Eagles better bring Walker in for a full physical before they consider signing him. If healthy, he would be a great option for Donovan McNabb. However, he is just as likely to get hurt again and miss significant time.

Free agency finally starts Friday, so the time for talk and speculation is about to be over. The Eagles have room under the cap to make a couple of moves, but they should proceed with caution. Just because they have money to spend, doesn't mean they should spend it recklessly on whatever talent is out there. I am sure the Eagles are evaluating their needs, and they have identified several options that can be had at reasonable prices. Let's hope they have more success in free agency this year than they have in the past few offseasons.

Flyers News and Notes

A couple of quick news items about the Flyers as they gear up for tomorrow's game with the Ottawa Senators, who surprisingly just fired their coach.

*Holmgren hints more was in the works Flyers GM Paul Holmgren was on WIP yesterday and hinted that on Deadline Day the Flyers had a more significant deal on the table that fell through. Holmgren would not confirm who he was after, but he did say it was an option he will look to revisit in the offseason. It is possible that Holmgren was working on a deal for Olli Jokinen, Brian Campbell or Brad Richards, and he will try to sign or acquire them in the offseason.

*Modry Out It didn't take long for Jaroslav Modry to fit in with the rest of this banged up club. He will be out for 1 to 2 weeks with a rotator cuff strain.

*Denis Gauthier Up? There is talk that defenseman Denis Gauthier will be called up to replace Modry. This is a tricky move because Gauthier would have to clear waivers before re-joining the Flyers. He could easily be claimed and the Flyers would have to look to someone else to fill in on the blueline.

*Brian Boucher Era Ends, Again Former playoff hero Brian Boucher, who had been playing with the Phantoms, was given away to the San Jose Sharks, who have guaranteed him an NHL contract. The Flyers want to give the goaltender a chance to play for an NHL team again, so they didn't ask for anything in return. Boucher played for the Flyers from 1999 to 2002. He was originally traded in 2002 to the Phoenix Coyotes for Michael Handzus and Robert Esche. That turned out to be quite a deal for the Flyers.

Flyers Quiet as Deadline Passes

The NHL trade deadline is always a crazy day filled with numerous swaps of big name talent, and today was no exception. There were 25 total trades, with 45 players changing teams. Some big names were moved, including Brian Campbell, Brad Richards and Marian Hossa.

The Flyers were not one of the teams that made a big splash. After acquiring Vinny Prospal last night, the Flyers were not a participant on deadline day. It wasn't for a lack of effort, however, as GM Paul Holmgren said the team looked for a top defenseman, but after Brian Campbell was moved to the Sharks, there weren't any left. The Flyers also were looking into dealing for another former player, Ruslan Fedotenko, but nothing got done there.

I would say it is a slight disappointment that the Flyers were unable to land another defenseman, especially given the health issues they are having now that Jaroslav Modry suffered an injury against Buffalo yesterday. It isn't a huge shock that the Flyers stood pat, because it made very little sense to make any move that would hurt the Flyers in the long run. This team is a few years away from playing its best hockey, so there was no reason to go for broke this year. Jeff Carter was the player that every team wanted, and with the way he stepped up in the Buffalo game, now was not the time to move him.

So who were the big winners of the day? With the exception of the Flyers, every other team within the Atlantic Division made a deal, with the Penguins making by far the biggest move. The Penguins got Marian Hossa, but had to give up a ton of young talent and a first round pick. The Penguins also acquired defenseman Hal Gill. The Devils made the first move of the day, which turned out to be their last, acquiring defenseman Bryce Salvador from the Blues. The Rangers made two minor deals, picking up Christian Backman in a deal with the Blues, and picking up three young guys, Fredrik Sjostrom, David Leneveu and Josh Gratton from the Coyotes. The Rangers gave up their former goalie of the future, the 6th overall pick in the 2004 draft, Al Montoya. The Islanders did a bit of selling, giving up Chris Simon and Marc-Andre Bergeron for draft picks. They also picked up Rob Davison from the Sharks.

The Penguins pickup of Hossa makes them the favorite in the Atlantic Division, and maybe even in the entire Eastern Conference. He is a tremendous talent, and putting him with Malkin and Crosby makes for a scary offensive punch in Pittsburgh. None of the rest of the moves the Atlantic Division teams made will have a major impact. Across the rest of the league, the Sharks and Stars made the other two impact moves, with the Sharks getting Brian Campbell and the Stars acquiring Brad Richards.

The Flyers sat back while a flurry of moves were made today. In the short term, the team may continue to struggle, but in the long term, not giving up their youth or draft picks will be a great benefit to Flyers teams for years to come.

Brad Richards to Stars

The trade deadline is starting to kick into high gear. The Flyers had been rumored to be interested in Brad Richards, but the Dallas Stars have jumped in an acquired him.

Richards is likely the biggest name that will get traded at the deadline. With Mats Sundin, Tomas Kaberle and Alex Tanguay all refusing to be moved, and Dan Boyle signing an extension with the Lightning, there are few other superstar talents out there to be had. I will be happy if the Flyers can get one more defenseman with some solid upside, like Ryan Suter.

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.

Sundin won't waive his no trade clause

Not that he was going to be a Flyer anyway, but the hottest commodity at the NHL trade deadline is now off the table. Mats Sundin of the Toronto Maple Leafs refused to waive his no trade clause, meaning he will stay with Toronto for the remainder of the season. It was widely speculated that Sundin, who will be a free agent after this year, would be traded to a contender and then re-sign with the Maple Leafs for next season. I actually really respect Sundin for this decision, he is showing an old school attitude in that he wants to finish his career with the team he started with.

This means little to the Flyers, because they were never interested in him. What it does mean is that all the teams in the Sundin sweepstakes will turn their attention to Brad Richards, who the Flyers were rumored to have an interest in. This will drive up his price, making it even more unlikely that he will end up in Philly.

This is shaping up to be a crazy trade deadline in the NHL. We know the Flyers will make some kind of move, but what will it be?

Richards Injury Opens Door for Forsberg?

So Mike Richards went down, he'll be out three weeks with a torn hamstring. These are the types of kick-us-when-we're-down injuries that seem to only happen in Philadelphia. Well, as soon as Richards was knocked out, Hockeybuzz re-started our favorite rumor: Peter Forsberg is coming to Philly. From Hockeybuzz.com:

Forsberg: The Flyers, Sens, Wild, and Rangers are all in Peter, however I was told again today that a team may very well have already worked out a deal with Peter and that team may very well be Philadelphia.

It actually might make some sense now. The Flyers need another center after losing Richards. They also have lots of cap space now that Simon Gagne is off the books. The only thing that might keep Forsberg from coming here is that the Flyers aren't really a Stanley Cup contender, one of Foppa's original demands. Maybe now he is willing to come here and be a savior, the guy that breaks the losing streak and leads the Flyers back into the playoffs.

The only other question is, do we want all of the drama that Peter Forsberg brings to the team? It actually could be a good thing for all of the young guys who are feeling the pressure to win. Forsberg could deflect a lot of that pressure onto himself. Or, he could just end up causing more trouble. Forsberg has only two more days to decide if he is coming back. Let's hope the Flyers know what they are doing.

3 Days Until Deadline: Flyers Trade Rumors

In the hockey world, at this time of year, trade rumors swirl around every team. Things are starting to heat up with the trade deadline right around the corner: next Tuesday, February 26th. Unlike most other sports, the NHL does come through with dozens of trades leading up to the deadline, so look for nearly every team in contention to make a move.

What will the Flyers do? A few weeks ago, when they sat near the top of the Eastern Conference, they figured to make a couple of small moves to gear up for the home stretch. Now, as they slip out of playoff contention, they could either go for broke and make some big moves, or do absolutely nothing. I would bet the Flyers do the latter. They have plenty of developing players who will be even better down the road, so there is no reason to think this year will be their best shot. They should have no motivation to unload a truckload of players and prospects to get a star player who will only help them get a round or two into the playoffs.

Regardless of what the Flyers should and shouldn't do, here are the names that are being rumored to come to Philly, and the odds of them being a Flyer:

*Tomas Kaberle, D, Toronto Maple Leafs This one is not going to happen. Apparently Flyers GM Paul Holmgren had a trade in place that would have sent Jeff Carter and a draft pick to the Maple Leafs for Kaberle, but Kaberle refused to waive his no-trade clause, so this deal is dead. Odds: Off

*Ryan Suter, D, Nashville Predators The Flyers are interested in this young defenseman with the great lineage. No word on what it would take to get him, but it probably would involve Jeff Carter. Odds: 8-1

*Dan Boyle, D, Tampa Bay Lightning Boyle has also been rumored for weeks, but there has been no indication of what the Flyers would have to give up. Odds: 25-1

*Brad Richards, C, Tampa Bay Lightning The Philadelphia Inquirer says there is no chance he is a Flyer, while Hockeybuzz.com says they are still in the running. The Flyers would have to give up Carter and several other young players and picks to get this superstar. Odds: 100-1

*Phil Kessel, RW, Boston Bruins Holmgren turned down a deal that would have sent Jeff Carter to Boston for Kessel. Kessel is only 20 years old, and I have no idea why the Bruins would even look to trade him. Odds: 50-1

*Mats Sundin, C, Toronto Maple Leafs Just throwing it out there, because it isn't going to happen. The chances that Sundin actually gets moved are remote, and the chances he waives his no trade clause to come to Philly are even more remote. Odds: 10,000-1

You'll notice that all rumors begin and end with whether the Flyers will give up Jeff Carter. He definitely seems to be on the trading block, and for the right return, I wouldn't mind the Flyers shipping him out. Truthfully, though, the Flyers are probably more likely to bring Peter Forsberg back than they are to acquire any of these guys.

According to Rotoworld, Eagles will sign no top Receivers

Not the best source of information, but Rotoworld has been putting up Free Agency Primers the last few days. Today, they previewed the top free agent wide receivers, and speculated where each one will sign. Surprisingly, the Eagles were not projected to sign any of them. Here are the top 5 free agent receivers, and who Rotoworld says they will sign with:

D. J. Hackett: Redskins
Bernard Berrian: Raiders
Jerry Porter: Vikings
Donte' Stallworth: Titans
Bryant Johnson: Bears

So what to take from this? Absolutely nothing. Rotoworld is a decent source, but they are just throwing darts here. I can see the Redskins signing one of these players, but I haven't heard that the Raiders are in the market for a receiver.

Flyers Claim Thoreson from Oilers

This isn't the big acquisition we have been waiting for. In another minor roster move, the Flyers claimed forward Patrick Thoreson off waivers from the Edmonton Oilers. Thoreson is small, but he is a playmaker that can play on the wings or at center. He's 24, and according to TSN he has the potential to be a top-six forward some day. He has played 85 career NHL games, and scored 6 goals and added 13 assists.

With Claude Giroux going back to his junior team, the Flyers had to make a move to ensure they would have enough healthy bodies. This is not an earth shattering move, but it had to be done, and at least the guy is young and has some upside. It's not the move for Michael Peca that is making the rounds on the internet, but it's still something. As the losses mount for the Flyers, it's looking more and more like they will just stand pat.

NBA Trade Deadline Day: Expect No Sixers Moves

Today at 3 pm Eastern is the NBA trade deadline. The Sixers currently are the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference. The Atlanta Hawks, the 9th seed, made a move for Mike Bibby that will help their playoff cause. So, will the Sixers, fresh off their 40 point thrashing of the Knicks, make any moves today? Ron Artest, Jermaine O'Neal, Shawn Marion and Nene are all names that are rumored to be on the move. Andre Miller's name has been thrown out there as someone the contenders, like the Cavaliers, are interested in.

However, Sixers GM Ed Stefanski came out and downplayed any potential moves yesterday, saying "There's no deal on the table now that anyone should get excited about and think we're going to make". He said that the Sixers have no plans to move Miller, or anyone else.

Hopefully Stefanski sticks to his word. This team isn't going anywhere this season, so it would make very little sense for them to deal their future away for an Artest or O'Neal, knowing they won't be winning a title with those guys anyway. Moving Miller for some draft picks and youth would be an acceptable move, but Miller has been an integral part in teaching the Sixers youngsters the right way to play.

Making no moves might be the right move for the Sixers.

The Forsberg Comeback Story Just Won't Die

I hope everyone else is getting as sick of this story as I am. After Peter Forsberg's agent came out yesterday and said it looks "unlikely" that Forsberg will be healthy enough to play, Forsberg said today that he isn't ruling out the possibility of a return. Forsberg said the following in a Swedish television interview:

"The foot doesn't feel 100 (percent), but there is still one week left until the deadline"

Hockeybuzz has confirmed that Forsberg hasn't completely ruled out a return.

This all sounds like a guy who hasn't given up hope that he might come back. The only question I have is whether the Flyers can afford to sign him, what with the acquisition of Jaroslav Modry. Would that put them too close to the cap, and unable to sign Forsberg? And, at this point, does anybody really care anymore?

Flyers GM Paul Holmgren added his thoughts on the flip-flopping Foppa:

"He didn't close the door completely. It's still open a crack......we'll all have a definite answer in a week"

After yesterday, I thought we had closure. It looks like this story won't go away until the trade deadline, which thankfully is only 7 days away.