Philadelphia Eagles sign Jason Avant to 5 year deal
by JasonB on Mar 8, 2010 10:29 AM EST
in News
54 comments
The question you hear on sports radio and in the local media is "What are the Eagles doing?! What is their plan?! Sign someone!!"
So we look to answer those questions, what does appear to be the Eagles plan? Well, so far one clear component of the plan has been to lock up their young talent. Both Leonard Weaver and Jason Avant were restricted free agents and could have returned on one year deals, but the Eagles clearly have made it a priority to lock up them long term. Today, Jason Avant agreed to a new 5 year deal. With DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, & Jason Avant all locked up long term the Eagles' WR corps is set.
It was a very thin free agent crop and the Eagles elected not to really get involved. Whether or not that's a strategy you agree with is a matter of opinion, but I think anyone would find it hard to criticize the team for locking up their good young players. If you add in the Celek extension from earlier last season, the Eagles have extended 3 of their good young players. In an offseason where fans are clamoring for something positive to feel good about, this is one.
0 recs |
54 comments
|
Email
Print
Comments
OK..now DEFENSE defense defense!!!!
We don’t improve on defense this season, then..well u know! Just outta curiosity, does anyone else think that the Birds will rely on the draft to “improve” defense? If so, how do u feel about that?
I only think this becuz the defensive FA talent pool is very very Very thin now.
"... You play to win the game. Hello? You play to win the game. You don't play it to just play it. That's the great thing about sports: you play to win..."
Desaun will want a new contract still this offseason
Hopefully it doesn’t effect his play, but thats a situation still to watch.
Very Glad Avant is signed long term and emerged from that group of mediocre WRs we had for so long.
Smart, smart move
Avant will continue to be a key piece of the offense for many years to come. Good to see the guy get his payday.
by Bob_Q on Mar 8, 2010 10:44 AM EST via mobile reply actions
Great to see Avantomovethechains get re-signed.
I wonder if they might sign any other of the RFAs to an extension? Only one that I can think of off the top of my head is Hobbs but that might piss off Sheldon since he wants one.
Desean locked up long term???????
Correct me if im wrong seriously im not being a wise guy but wasnt there just some whispers about him wanting a new deal???/
think he's locked-up for another 2-3 seasons
but he does want a new deal based on he outplayed his current deal
Well of coarse Desean wants a new deal
Hes coming into his contract year and he’s making way less than Maclin who is a year younger than Jackson and only put up half the numbers last year. Im positive the eagles will resign him. As long as he can put up the same numbers as last year and keep his mouth shut when it comes to the press, the eagles will more than likely try to extend him next offseason.
nice.
Weaver and Avant locked up > then any free agent for the price teams are signing them for
by 5 plus 10 equals 6 on Mar 8, 2010 11:23 AM EST reply actions
WIN
love this guy. great, greattt player and an huge contributor to the offense. awesome signing
In 20 We Trust
Excellent
With Weave and Avant locked up – they’ve hammered out items #1 and #2 on my offseason wishlist. Great stuff.
by andyreidswaistline on Mar 8, 2010 11:24 AM EST reply actions
I’d also argue that number of “slot receivers” better than Avant in this league can be counted on one hand.
by andyreidswaistline on Mar 8, 2010 11:36 AM EST up reply actions
You could’ve made an argument for Brandon Stokley back in the day, and maybe Steve Breaston. Stokley’s too old now and Breaston’s a starter. Who would you say may be ahead now?
I am the people's troll :3™
Me personally, not putting anyone over him (except for Welker who still lines up in the slot frequently).
Last year, you can make arguments for Breaston, Harvin and Collie.
by andyreidswaistline on Mar 8, 2010 1:50 PM EST up reply actions
In this day and age
five year contracts are not worth the paper they are written on.
If any player underperforms he is gone and if he overperforms he holds out for a new contract.!
All the contract does is set some numbers in case there is a salary cap.
That said it is always good to lock up your key players so they never hit the FA market.
by G Fan in England on Mar 8, 2010 11:25 AM EST reply actions
Expected
Nice to see Weaver/Avant get done. I am more curious though to see who else gets resigned because it was pretty much a foregone conclusion these two guys were going to be resigned.
Solid move, solid receiver. Maybe this becomes our version of “The Posse”!
by 92-74-99-96 on Mar 8, 2010 11:30 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Nice move
Glad we don’t have to worry about this anymore. Also, Winston Justice got extended recently too (after he decided to not suck).
Justice
Almost got too much credit and he really struggled the last couple of weeks especially after Jackson went down/Cole got shifted over to C. Justice flat out stunk the last week of the season in Dallas and wasn’t much better the following week in the WC game either.
Im guessing the defense will be fixed during the draft?
The defensive players left in FA are all average. I didnt even like the ones available from the start. I did like Dunta Robinson though. Peppers is slightly overrated in my opinion. This draft i hope we get the following in order: S,DE,LB,OL,CB,LB, and RB. But of course i can see us trading picks and/or players. Im just afraid we have too many holes and not enough chances to fill them.
And honestly, if Shawn Andrews OR Stacy Andrews comes back 100% (with Stacy more likely to be healthy but Shawn more likely to actually remain an Eagle), we’re really fine.
Either can play right guard or right tackle, and right guard is our need right now.
Peters, Herremans, Cole, Andrews (either), and Justice is a pretty solid line. Then, all we would need is one good backup guard and we’re fine. Oh, wait, we have that! Nick Cole. But he’s our starting center, you say! So we sign a center. Hank Fraley will do. But then we have no backup tackles! Sure we do. Herremans can play left and either Andrews can play right. Cole would fill in for whichever one had to shift out.
So really, all we need is Fraley and either one of the Andrews brothers to return healthy, or Fraley and a rookie. I think what’s going to happen is we’ll sign Fraley, draft a tackle, and hope for the Andrews brothers to return. If either (or even better, both) return, we’ll have no problems at depth.
I am the people's troll :3™
Wondering that too
Just how much the Eagles are counting on either one of the Andrews brothers to come back and help this club next year.
They still need a C though because Cole showed in the last couple of weeks he isn’t capable of starting 16 games there either.
God
I really hope Shawn comes back next year. That would be an awesome, unexpected bonus to our roster.
Could Shawn ever get back into playing shape?
It would be incredible if we could get the ‘old’ Shawn back – but without playing a snap for 2 1/2 years, is there any possibility, even if 100% healthy, that he would ever make it back into top-notch playing shape? I can’t think of any player that spent that much time away from the game that ever came close to reaching their original form (Vick obviously included here). Even harder as an O-lineman given the trunk strength and quickness you need. Anyone have any examples to give us a reason to keep even a glimmer of this possibility alive??
by PrincetonGreen on Mar 8, 2010 7:45 PM EST up reply actions
So now that we have such a talented young core of offensive skill position players, lets trade McNabb. Then Kolb will be able to have the best available players to build chemistry and trust with. Then the eagles will finally win a SB.
child please
by worldphuckinchamps on Mar 8, 2010 12:30 PM EST reply actions
WIN
Totally agree, glad Avant is locked up now lets trade McNabb while they can still get something for him and then lock up some defensive players
Leadership
We can’t also discount that as far as these moves are concerned. BY all reports, both Avant & Weaver emerged as big locker room leaders last year. Esp Avant.
Good move for the offense
Avant is a good possesion WR that doesn’t have moody hands. I like that, especially when we throw the ball 98% of the time.
What is this that I am hearing about Fraley? Are you guys forgetting something? I think you might be. We got rid of him because of what happened in the Superbowl, if I remember correctly. Something about the Pats attacking the A gap(very frequent blitizing) because Fraley wasn’t good enough. That is why we switched to Jamal Jackson. I know he was a draft pick but he is(was, because of the injury), better that Fraley.
If they sign Fraley, I will be disappointed.
Uh, nope? He got injured in 2005. Jackson filled in. He was good enough the Eagles saw fit to get something for Fraley and traded him to the Browns. Fraley could come back and fill in nicely at C and G while everyone else gets healthy. Aside from the shoulder injury in 2005, Fraley has been very durable.
I am the people's troll :3™
Not saying Jackson isn’t better, but Fraley is a capable starter. He didn’t get run out of Philadelphia. Now, he DID get run out of Cleveland. They drafted a center in the first round.
I am the people's troll :3™
You really think Fraley?
Could hack it as a starter for 16 weeks as a starter when he was supposedly on of the weaker starters at C in the league?
He is probably a better option than trying to plug Cole as the starter at C but I have a bad feeling this is going to linger as a real weakness.
He doesn't have to go 16 weeks necessarily
Just until Jackson can start. And if it doesn’t work, Cole can play C.
Still waiting for the Eagles to Bring It Home For Jerome
Remember when everyone would complain that we had no offensive weapons?
Seems like so long ago now…
Brent Celek > Chuck Norris
Yeah, problem is we lack defensive weapons now
Arggh.
I like the idea of drafting a bunch of ’em though. The offense is pretty close to all set.
Definitely not gonna judge this offseason until Lehigh. Could still bring a lot of positive change.
Still waiting for the Eagles to Bring It Home For Jerome
The Eagles just can't make a mistake like drafting a Vernon Gholston or Aaron Maybin
Two players who have yet to live up to the hype…
I think Darren Howard needs to step up or he might be out of a job next year…
by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Mar 8, 2010 8:44 PM EST up reply actions
I guess the “we don’t have a #1 receiver” talk is pretty much over now. What a difference from last year…
I can’t see a better trio of WRs in the NFL right now than the one the Eagles have in DJax, Maclin, and Avant (I used to consider Fitzgerald, Boldin, and Breaston a little better trio until Boldin left Arizona). Hopefully they’ll be around for years to come.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
Related FanPosts on Bleeding Green Nation
Related FanShots on Bleeding Green Nation
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2010 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
