Westbrook fires agent aswell

By Bob Brookover

INQUIRER STAFF WRITER

Now Brian Westbrook has a new agent, too.

One day after Eagles cornerback Lito Sheppard fired his agent and hired Drew Rosenhaus, The Inquirer has learned that Westbrook, the team's superstar running back, has fired agent Fletcher Smith, who also represents quarterback Donovan McNabb.

Smith and the Eagles had been in negotiations for the last nine months in an attempt to upgrade the running back's current contract, which has three years remaining. It is believed Westbrook fired Smith Monday, which means he cannot officially hire a new agent until Saturday.

A source close to the situation indicated that Westbrook may end up hiring All Pro Sports & Entertainment Inc., the group that includes agents Peter Schaffer and Lamont Smith. That is the same group that represented Sheppard before he hired Rosenhaus earlier this week. Agent John Rickert is also part of the All Pro group and represents Eagles running back Correll Buckhalter, another former client of Fletcher Smith.

Westbrook, in a recent interview with The Inquirer, made some strong comments about how dissatisfied he was with his current deal.

"When I signed my contract with the Eagles 2½ years ago, they paid me for the level of play I was playing at the time," Westbrook said. "I'm not at that level no more. I'm at a higher level of play. There's no question about that. The numbers don't lie. My numbers have steadily increased from that point until now. Now, I'm at the point where I'm one of the elite backs in the NFL, and I should be compensated that way."

It's difficult to argue that point. In the two full seasons since Westbrook signed his extension, he has compiled 4,020 yards from scrimmage, including a team record 2,104 last season when he led the NFL. Only San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson has more yards from scrimmage (4,272) in the last two seasons. Westbrook wants to be paid like Tomlinson, who received an eight-year extension worth $60 million, including $21 million guaranteed, before the 2004 season.

A team source said the Eagles agree that Westbrook should be better compensated for his services over the final three years of his current deal and that they initiated the contract talks with the running back late last season.

Fletcher Smith, during an interview yesterday, confirmed that he was in negotiations with the Eagles, but he did not reveal that he had been fired by Westbrook.

"We haven't been able to come to a meeting of the minds," Smith said.

And now, another agent will take a shot at getting something done with the Eagles.

All Pro Sports & Entertainment will be the third agent representing Westbrook during his seven-year career. Anthony Agnone and Eastern Athletic Services of Hunt Valley, Md., negotiated Westbrook's rookie contract but were fired by the running back and replaced by Smith in 2005. Smith negotiated a five-year, $24.9 million contract extension for Westbrook during the 2005 season but only after the running back staged a holdout from training camp.

Asked last week if he would consider holding out from this year's training camp, Westbrook said, "to be honest with you, I don't know. I don't foresee me holding out of this training camp, but . . ."

Fletcher Smith said he didn't think it would be a wise move for Westbrook to hold out of camp, but he, of course, is no longer the running back's agent.

Westbrook and most of the Eagles veterans are scheduled to report to training camp a week from today.