Contract squabbles dominate Eagles camp

by | Jul 25, 2008 | NFL News

The Philadelphia Eagles probably rate as something of a middling playoff contender in the tough NFC East this season. Like many teams, if their stars stay healthy they’ll have a shot but injuries, the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants could conspire against their quest toward Tampa on Feb. 1.

So it can’t be good news that three of the team’s top players are unhappy with their respective situations heading into training camp. Cornerback Lito Sheppard’s story has been told several times. He’s not happy to be the third cornerback after the Eagles dove into free agency and lured Asante Samuel from New England. He showed up for camp, as did Brian Westbrook, despite his alleged frustration with the team’s unwillingness to give him a new contract.

Westbrook, the team’s best runner and receiver at present, showed up but reportedly wants a new deal worth as much as $10 million per season – a figure most 29-year-old running backs don’t get in this day and age.

Perhaps more worrisome, however, is the alleged-contract-related holdout of Shawn Andrews, one of the top guards in the game. Pro Football Weekly isn’t certain that’s what his issue is, though it’s been reported that way on several Internet sites. Regardless, he did not report to Lehigh College and his absence, if not short, would leave a huge gap in the team’s offensive line.

Perhaps this is being overplayed. But training camp is supposedly a time when teammates grow together and build the chemistry it takes to blend together as a team. To have three top performers from Eagles teams of the recent past all grumbling because of their contract issues can’t help that cohesiveness grow.

Rod Smith retires

by | Jul 25, 2008 | NFL Random Thoughts

This wasn’t a surprise after the announcement that he was going to need another hip replacement surgery, but Denver Broncos wideout Rod Smith announced his retirement Thursday. He entered the league as a free agent with Denver in 1995 and 12 seasons later he leaves with 849 catches and two Super Bowl rings.

With some of the prima donna crap that goes on in pro sports these days Zoneblitz offers a tip of the cap to a player who, by and large, not only played well but did so in a mostly quiet and classy way. I don’t know if he’s a Hall of Famer or not, though coach Mike Shanahan thinks so.

Regardless, he made the most of his ability, he put up some solid, solid years, and he took pride in being a teammate, lining up next to Shannon Sharpe and blocking for Terrell Davis. There’s got to be something said for that. Good luck in your retirement, #80.

Colts add Lorenzen, Gray

by | Jul 24, 2008 | NFL News

Is it for training camp competition or is the injury to Peyton Manning’s knee worse than previously acknowledged by the Indianapolis Colts?

The team remains one of the league’s strongest as long as Manning is able to play most of the season. But if the Colts have to use Jim Sorgi or one of their new signees, Quinn Gray and Jared Lorenzen, for any length of time, the team suddenly looks less imposing.

And in an improving division with Jacksonville, Houston and Tennessee all nipping at Indy’s heels, a couple games could make the difference between a first-round playoff bye and a couple of road games en route to the Super Bowl.

Coach Tony Dungy has expressed his belief that Manning will be back by the time the season starts from
surgery to remove an infected bursa sac. Manning, according to the Associated Press, says he’s not in much pain. But the star QB is expected back anytime from opening day to week three. And it wasn’t until this week that the team decided to upgrade its backup quarterback situation, dropping camp fodder QB Josh Betts to add the new guys. Again, only time will tell.

What are the Consequences of FALSE Tampering Charges?

by | Jul 24, 2008 | Business of Football, NFL News, NFL Random Thoughts

So, unless you’re hiding under a rock, or you’ve wisely already made ZoneBlitz the only Web site you visit each day, you probably already know the latest news in the ongoing Favre-Packers-Vikings love triangle, which is that Favre does NOT, in fact, have a Packers issued cell phone. So, either the tampering charges were apparently based on some other evidence, or the Packers are just on a fishing trip, trying to make life as miserable for the Vikings as it has been for the Pack since Favre decided to “un-retire.”

And that got us to thinking–what are the consequences for the Packers if the Vikings are found NOT to have been tampering? If the Packers suspected that the Vikings might be tampering, since he speaks to his friend Darrell Bevell frequently, and filed the complaint simply believing that the NFL might find something–and if not, then at least the Vikings have had to deal with a problem right before training camp, there has to be some sort of consequence for filing false charges, right?

If there’s no penalty, you can expect this to become a strategy in coming seasons, as teams try to hassle division rivals to try to gain an edge. At least until Roger Goodell steps in and tells them to knock it off (a la the Poison Pill contaract provision), or he comes down hard on some team for doing so (and destroys all the evidence afterward).