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Quintin Mikell signs; Garcia confused

As an update to the story below... the NFL Network is reporting that special teams MVP Quintin Mikell has signed a new 4 year deal to remain with the Eagles. Thanks to reader Andrew for the links.

Eagles Website
Eagles sign Mikell to four-year deal(Inky)

As for Jeff Garcia... well, as we all learned yesterday he won't be back. The problem is, he can't figure out why!

JEFF GARCIA said last night that he and agent Steve Baker got a letter from the Eagles last Thursday informing them that the Eagles "feel they've allotted me enough time to come up with a contract proposal, and that they're heading in a different direction, pursuing a contract extension with A.J. Feeley."

Garcia said he had been wondering when the Birds would sit down with Baker and talk money. The news that they weren't going to do so "hit me like a ton of bricks," Garcia told the Daily News, the quarterback speaking the day after the team announced a 3-year contract extension with Feeley that precludes bringing back Garcia.

He also said "I thought we at least would have an opportunity to sit down and talk numbers." Well Jeff, you do know that your agent asked for a 5 day grace period after free agency started to look for another team? Garcia and Baker also admitted that the Eagles asked them to present a contract they felt was fair, but the two didn't think it was a good idea.

Pro Football Talk had an interesting take on the situation.

And, as a practical matter, the request for a five-day window by Baker is naïve to the point of stüpid.  Though the notion that an agent is prepared to not solicit offers in violation of the tampering rules is sort of quaint, the reality is that agents routinely gauge the market before a player officially is in a position to field offers.

The Eagles understand this.  Every franchise does.  So if Baker had another team ready to pay X to Garcia, then Baker could have used that wink-nod offer as the basis for requesting Y from the Eagles.  Baker never would have said that another team had put X on the table, but a team like the Eagles -- which has as much business savvy as any in the NFL -- would know that Baker's number is based on Baker's homework as to what a hypothetical quarterback of Garcia's age, abilities, and experience might be able to get from one or more hypothetical teams.

The reality?  Either Baker bungled the pre-free agency process, or no one is interested in Garcia.

They also have Garcia quoted on the 5 day grace period as "something I personally didn't ask for."

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