motife
04-26-2006, 05:45 PM
http://cbs.sportsline.com/nfl/story/9399093
If Pack won't back off demands, Eagles will pass on Walker
April 26, 2006
By Clark Judge
CBS SportsLine.com Senior Writer
I'm not sure what, if any, effect Brett Favre's decision to return has on Green Bay's attempts to trade wide receiver Javon Walker.
I am sure that unless the Packers change their demands for Walker, you can scratch Philadelphia from the list of suitors.
The Eagles are supposed to be one of the front-runners in a trade for Walker, but not at Green Bay's price. The Packers want a first-round choice for the unhappy wide receiver, a league source said, and that's too high for Philadelphia.
The Eagles have the 14th pick in this year's draft, and they intend to use it. They might spend it on someone like Florida State linebacker Ernie Sims, USC tackle Winston Justice or FSU's Brodrick Bunkley.
Javon Walker missed most of last season, but caught 89 passes for 1,382 yards and 12 TDs in 2004. (Getty Images)
What they won't spend it on is Walker.
Oh, sure, the Eagles talked to Green Bay about him. You would, too, if you're looking at Reggie Brown, Todd Pinkston and Jabar Gaffney as your leading wide receivers. But they backed off, said a source close to the talks, after Green Bay insisted on a first-rounder.
It's not only that Walker is coming off a serious knee injury and is unhappy with his contract; it's that the Eagles' history under coach Andy Reid is not to swap first-round picks for veterans. Since Reid arrived in Philadelphia in 1999, the club traded draft picks for veteran players three times, and none of the choices was significant.
In 2004, it sent a fifth-round pick to Baltimore and defensive end Brandon Whiting to San Francisco for wide receiver Terrell Owens. When Whiting couldn't play, the Eagles threw in a sixth-rounder to the 49ers.
In 2003, it sent fourth and sixth-round picks to Atlanta for linebacker Mark Simoneau.
In 1999, it sent a seventh-round choice to Carolina for tight end Luther Broughton.
Nowhere in there is there a first-round draft pick, and, yes, that's by design. Reid doesn't trade them for veterans. He uses them, with the Eagles adept at replacing aging veterans with players acquired through the draft.
Four years ago they spent their first three draft choices on defensive backs when they seemed loaded in that area. But two seasons later they let cornerbacks Bobby Taylor and Troy Vincent walk and plugged 2002 draft picks Sheldon Brown and Lito Sheppard into the starting lineup.
They wound up in the Super Bowl.
The question here isn't whether Javon Walker is worth the 14th pick in this year's draft; it's whether the Eagles are willing to part with that choice. And more than one league source said they are not.
That, then, would leave Denver as a leading contender. But the Broncos aren't alone. Sources said that New England is fishing. Kansas City may be, too. And there are rumors that Miami is involved, which would make sense. All of them need wide receivers, and some -- like Kansas City -- need them more than others.
The question is: Which is willing to bite? And if no one does, then what? Do the Packers lower their demands? Do they remove Walker from the trading block? I don't know, either, but don't expect the Eagles to be involved. Not at today's market price.
Remember, this isn't the first time Philadelphia had a chance to add a veteran wide receiver. The Eagles could have acquired three-time Pro Bowl choice Eric Moulds earlier this month, and they didn't have to surrender a first or second-round pick.
They passed.
If Pack won't back off demands, Eagles will pass on Walker
April 26, 2006
By Clark Judge
CBS SportsLine.com Senior Writer
I'm not sure what, if any, effect Brett Favre's decision to return has on Green Bay's attempts to trade wide receiver Javon Walker.
I am sure that unless the Packers change their demands for Walker, you can scratch Philadelphia from the list of suitors.
The Eagles are supposed to be one of the front-runners in a trade for Walker, but not at Green Bay's price. The Packers want a first-round choice for the unhappy wide receiver, a league source said, and that's too high for Philadelphia.
The Eagles have the 14th pick in this year's draft, and they intend to use it. They might spend it on someone like Florida State linebacker Ernie Sims, USC tackle Winston Justice or FSU's Brodrick Bunkley.
Javon Walker missed most of last season, but caught 89 passes for 1,382 yards and 12 TDs in 2004. (Getty Images)
What they won't spend it on is Walker.
Oh, sure, the Eagles talked to Green Bay about him. You would, too, if you're looking at Reggie Brown, Todd Pinkston and Jabar Gaffney as your leading wide receivers. But they backed off, said a source close to the talks, after Green Bay insisted on a first-rounder.
It's not only that Walker is coming off a serious knee injury and is unhappy with his contract; it's that the Eagles' history under coach Andy Reid is not to swap first-round picks for veterans. Since Reid arrived in Philadelphia in 1999, the club traded draft picks for veteran players three times, and none of the choices was significant.
In 2004, it sent a fifth-round pick to Baltimore and defensive end Brandon Whiting to San Francisco for wide receiver Terrell Owens. When Whiting couldn't play, the Eagles threw in a sixth-rounder to the 49ers.
In 2003, it sent fourth and sixth-round picks to Atlanta for linebacker Mark Simoneau.
In 1999, it sent a seventh-round choice to Carolina for tight end Luther Broughton.
Nowhere in there is there a first-round draft pick, and, yes, that's by design. Reid doesn't trade them for veterans. He uses them, with the Eagles adept at replacing aging veterans with players acquired through the draft.
Four years ago they spent their first three draft choices on defensive backs when they seemed loaded in that area. But two seasons later they let cornerbacks Bobby Taylor and Troy Vincent walk and plugged 2002 draft picks Sheldon Brown and Lito Sheppard into the starting lineup.
They wound up in the Super Bowl.
The question here isn't whether Javon Walker is worth the 14th pick in this year's draft; it's whether the Eagles are willing to part with that choice. And more than one league source said they are not.
That, then, would leave Denver as a leading contender. But the Broncos aren't alone. Sources said that New England is fishing. Kansas City may be, too. And there are rumors that Miami is involved, which would make sense. All of them need wide receivers, and some -- like Kansas City -- need them more than others.
The question is: Which is willing to bite? And if no one does, then what? Do the Packers lower their demands? Do they remove Walker from the trading block? I don't know, either, but don't expect the Eagles to be involved. Not at today's market price.
Remember, this isn't the first time Philadelphia had a chance to add a veteran wide receiver. The Eagles could have acquired three-time Pro Bowl choice Eric Moulds earlier this month, and they didn't have to surrender a first or second-round pick.
They passed.