So close, yet so far. That’s where the current labor negotiations are right now.
The owners may have approved the CBA Thursday evening, but that means nothing if the player’s trade association refuses to recertify as a union and do the same.
I would like to think that the NFLPA and NFL will get the last few issues resolved soon so football will officially be back.
Once that’s done, each team will have time to make decisions on their own pending free agents. The Philadelphia Eagles have 17 players schedule to be out of a contract when the new league year starts.
Fortunately, none of the free agents to be are considered core player who must be re-signed no matter what. Honestly, I wouldn’t lose sleep if the all of these guys departed.
While the emotions get back under control with hopes to end courtroom football, let’s look at current Eagles schedule to hit the market……
1. Quintin Mikell-SS: It’s not because he’s 30 that the Eagles won’t resign Mikell. It’s because he’s 30 and wants a deal longer than Philly is likely willing to give him. Mikell will be in a different uniform under a 3-4 year deal.
2. Reggie Wells-OG: Wells was traded right before the start of the regular season with hopes that he could earn time at right 
guard. Never happened. Lack of training camp could’ve been the issue. Wells likely will be retained with a one year deal.
3. Victor Abiamiri-DE: The Eagles can’t afford to keep holding on to players with constant injury issues. This is especially true on a defensive line that has worn down towards the end of the past few seasons. Abiamiri should be let go.
4. Nick Cole-G/C: The Eagles have chosen to go with Howard Mudd’s philosophy of smaller, athletic O-linemen. It’s been rumored that Cole may end up in Dallas, he definitely won’t be back in Philly.
5. Ernie Sims-OLB: Sims may have been the biggest disappointment on the Eagles last season. Sims looked lost the entire season 
and came nowhere close to being a playmaker. He may have trouble signing with anyone when free agency starts.
6. Omar Gaither-LB: Remember when Gaither was supposed to be the Eagles starting middle linebacker?? It seems like eons ago. I’d be shocked if Gaither is re-signed.
7. Ellis Hobbs-CB: The Eagles traded for Hobbs to prove a point to Sheldon Brown when it comes to contracts disputes. Unfortunately, that move backfired. Even before his neck injury, opponents were eager to throw to Hobbs side of the field. He should retire while right cornerback is one of the Eagles biggest holes to fill currently.
8. Antoine Harris-S: Harris didn’t make it past the preseason opener last year. Even when healthy he was a long shot to make the team. I think his brief NFL career will come to an end.
9. Bobby McCray-DE: McCray signed late in the season to provide depth when Brandon Graham was injured. If he were to come back it would be in December 2011 when another defensive end gets hurt. There’s no way he’s signed when free agency starts.
10. Akeem Jordan-LB: I could see the Eagle signing Jordan to a one year deal. He’s excellent on special teams and he’s been a starter on this defense. Guys like Keenan Clayton and Casey Matthews likely won’t be ready to take over just yet.
11. David Akers-K: He turned down a contract offer. He refused to sign his transition tag tender. The Eagles drafted Alex Henery in the 4th round. The writing’s on the wall. Thanks for the memories.
12. Dimitri Patterson-CB: I’m not as low on Patterson as a lot of fans are. I do agree that he should be nobody’s starter. But, before he was put into that role he was decent in dime packages. I doubt he gets re-signed but I’d rather they keep him and get rid of the overpaid Joselio Hanson.
13. Sav Rocca-P: Rocca is an okay punter, but nobody to get excited about. Even at the age 38, I see the Eagles keeping him around. I also think a veteran punter will be brought in for competition when training camp starts as well.
14. James Harrison-HB: Harrison was definitely an improvement over Mike Bell. He likely will sign with a team that will utilize him more as well as give him a longer term deal than the Eagles potential offer.
15. Eldra Buckley-HB: Buckley is a huge asset on special teams, but he provides no depth to the running back position because his style of play doesn’t fit the Eagles offense. He likely will receive a one year offer.
16. Max Jean-Giles-OG: Even with the lap band surgery slimming him down immensely, I think we’ve seen the last of Jean-Giles as an Eagle. Like Nick Cole, he’s not a Howard Mudd type of lineman.
17. Stewart Bradley-LB: A few weeks ago, I thought Bradley would be the Eagles pending free agent most likely to return. If he’s looking for a long term deal as reported, he might not receive that offer with his injury history.
With the pending free agents across the league, the Eagles could easily find an upgrade over any of these players. They’ve already addressed potentially some of the guys in April’s draft.
Hopefully, we’ll find out next week who stays and who goes.
Bradley & Rocca will be the only one’s retained. I would have said Jordan too, but his off season trouble with the law, ended his tenure. Hanson, M. Patterson, Justice & M. Jackson are goners too. See ya, wouldn’t want to be ya.
Good Stuff Haran and I agree with your asessments. I’ve stated many times that players like Mikell & Bradley are looking for long-term deals and that the Eagles are not going to go for that.. I really see Bradley ending up with the Rams/Chiefs or perhaps the Vikings, where he gets a bigger/longer deal and heads back out to the Mid-West which is where he is from and possible re-unite with Rams coach Spags who coahed him in Philly when he first came up..
I see the Eagles signing 1 of the 3 OL (MJG,Cole,Wells) and my $$ is on MJG who is a little more versatile, younger and a former 3rd Round Draft Pick over the other 2//
I see the Eaglers offering J HArrison a 1 year deal, but he will pursue other options and I do not see E Buckley in the Eagles picture any longer (Draft Pick Dione Lewis can fill that role as 3rd RB and SPecial Teams player)
No Go on Abriami/Jordan as they well be cut loose, D Paterson is a 40/60 %chane that they offer a 1year deal, If the Eagles fail to land a proven CB (Asmo,Taylor,Rogers,MArshall in Free-Agency or obtain DRC from a Kolb Trade), then they made need Paterson for a 1 year stop gap measure until younger players like LIndley/Marsh are ready.
Rocca is resigned and a young Punter is brought in to give him competition
Paulman your way to sober on this FA period. This year, like no other, has been presented to us by management, in their words, monumental.Last night Banner was on and stated they have 4 people, with FA lists, ready to do contracts. All 4 have relationships with the agents they will be contacting. Not many teams can do this. Roseman and Lurie have told you that this FA period is gonna be special. I truley believe, especially with the Phillies succcess and Reids tenure winding down and the fact that the Eagles even with a terrible defense were 1 play away from beating GB last year are going for it all. For 4 months EVERYONE in the Eagles organization has stated that they have a special plan for FA. Very aggressive and cant wait to execute this plan. No other year have the emphacized this much on a FA period. Cant wait!
Wasn’t Bradley touted as an up and coming star? What potential!!!!!!
Get his ass outta here with the rest of these stiffs on the list.
Clean house and get players with attitudes and grit.
Keep Jordan..Harrison.I like…Sav Rocca shown improvement..But Cole is a revolving door on the line and I would love him to be lined up with Dallas.
Remember how excited the Eagles were with the acquisiton of Ernie Simms? There were better impact players available last off season yet they claimed they didn’t wat to go top tier not knowing how an un capped year leading into a possible lock out would fair in the future. Any reason to go on the cheap. Now when the lockout is over…What will be the excuse not to sign a top player for our position of need? stay tuned..They’ll spin it for you
LB Bradley is a good player, but not a game changer and was another “Great White Hope”.. Remember when he was playing well 2-3 Years ago, the other LB’s on the Eagles were very average at best (Gogong,Gaither,Jordan,T White,T Daniels..) Bradley led the team with 86 Tackles in 2008, but if you look at that Eagle LB Corps i just listed above as his LB Mates, who else was there to make plays)
I was critical of the Sims acquisition for the very same reasons that he won’t be offered a deal from the Eagles.. Poor play recognition, inability to shed tacklers, and just a very undisciplined player… Many Football observors have said the same thing his entire career, so that was no real surprise to see him play like he did… He was in the end, what I/we thought he was….(a very average player)
wtf paulman, “great White hope”, i never encountered this kind of race talk/baiting as an eagles fan until i visited gcobb, stifle it and talk about other nonsense you are an expert at
He was ordained the face of the Defense after Dawkins was let go…
His clean, All American Boy next-door look was plastered everywhere and this was before he accomplished much on the Field.. Another hype job by the Eagles Organaization and local media and many of you fans bought into it..I will continue to call them as a I see them…What S Bradley ever done on a consistent basis to be considered a franchise player for this Eagle Defense
I can care less about the people on this list. Mikell isn’t as good as he thinks he is. Bradley isn’t as good as anyone thinks he is. I’d like to see Jordan return because he is solid on special teams and does a decent job playing LB. He could be good depth but I won’t cry if he left. Rocca is ok. Not sure what the other options are for a punter. And Akers probably bought his ticket out of town when he rejected the stuff last year. And honestly, I don’t care much because he’s missed a lot of field goals in big games over the past couple years.
Paulman it’s funny how you refer to football observers to make your point about Simms, but don’t refer to them when talking about Bradley. I don’t think it would hurt the eagles to cut Bradley, but I would’nt dismiss his play. He was on his way to becoming a very good lb. and it had nothing to do with what color he was .
calling him “The Great White Hope” suggests the Eagles drafted him/hyped him to pander to the white eagles fans, that is bs, most eagles fans are colorblind, we didn’t like mcnabb for the same reason bhopkins doesn’t like him, nothing to do with color, just stop this color bs, again, never encountered talk of color of our athletes except here,
Bradley has substantial playing time in 4 of his last 7 years of playing Football when you go back to his College Days at Nebraska…He has had multiple surgeries on his Knees and now the Elbow.. The Eagles will most likely offer a token 1 year deal where Bradley is looking for some security and a 3-4 Year deal and I am here to state the Eagles are not going to do that to a player who has the amount of injuries in his past as he does..
I probably could have used a better choice of words instead of referring him as the next “great white hope” and maybe a better way of describing is the typical overrating/overhyping of the Eagles Organaization for a player who really hasn’t accomplished all that much and make him one of the faces of the Franchise which is just a marketing tool by the Eagles to reach as femals fans and kids as possible since Bradley is a very well spoken,likeable and good looking guy… Bottom line is that he’s an average Football player…
Should have been “Bradly has missed substantial playing time”..
Ray didinger thought he was a steal out of the draft, had promise, his injuries have hurt him, he is not a bust, still can be a very good player once and if he stays healthy
Tell my old friend Ray, that Bradley will never be as good as he was from 2-3 years ago,that he’s peaked and on his way down due to injuries..
Just heard from a good friend out in the Bay Area that the 49ers are going after CB Amso with the kitchen sink, 49ers will release CB N Clemens which will free up $$$ to sign Asmo.. Per my source, it’s a done deal…
Yeah Paulman, bad choice of words. Now Kolb was the “great white hope”. And I don’t care which of you doesn’t like that because last year we had an idiot on the site that said this organization should stay away from black QBs. From Cunningham, to Rodney Peete, to McNabb to Vick. Kolb was his (and many others) “great white hope”.
I think this year, the title of “great white hope” will probably apply to new kicker
Alex Henerey… (not to add any pressure on the kid..)
Scorp very few eagles fans root on the basis of color except you songs and a handful of other s on this site
The only color I care about is red, white and blue. Also the Eagles Green and White.
My bad!
Jake, I agree, the race/ color card has to stop being thrown around. It’s 2011, for God’s sake. Our civilization needs to move on. Within the next generation, there is going to be nothing but mixed races anyway. Move on, life’s too short. Live, love, enjoy!
Yikes! Sorry for sounding like a hippie… 😀
COUNT ME OUT. REID WILL DO AS HE DOES EVERY YEAR. NOT WIN A SB. HOW MUCH MORE CAN THIS OWNER GIVE TO REID. 14 YRS DIFFERENT COACHES, PLAYERS. SCOUTS, GM’S. IT WON’T CHANGE UNTIL REID IS GONE. HE MUST HAVE PICTURES ON THIS OWNER BECAUSE HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN GONE 5 YRS AGO.