Has the Lito smear campaign begun?

But again, there really is no decision to make. Sheppard, who isn't taking part in the team's offseason conditioning program, repeatedly has declined to respond to requests for comment, as has his agent group, headed by Peter Schaffer. Sheppard is said to be convinced he will be traded during the draft, at the latest. If Sheppard really thought the Birds might just decide to keep him and force him to play under his current deal, he would almost certainly be commenting - loudly and at length.

Looking back, the trade of the most successful defensive draft pick of Reid's tenure probably was set in motion at least as far back as the Dec. 2 loss to Seattle on a sloppy, resodded Lincoln Financial Field. Sheppard, still feeling the effects of an MCL injury suffered in the season opener, seemed to be having even more trouble than most players planting and cutting. Eventually he was removed from the game, and ended up in an animated sideline exchange with defensive coordinator Jim Johnson.

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More than 4 months later, it has become plain that the team and Sheppard differed in their assessments of his injury; there are people in the organization who say Sheppard's displeasure over his contract was bothering him at least as much as his knee.