SALARY CAP NUMBERS AS OF AUGUST 25

Posted by Mike Florio on August 25, 2008, 8:41 a.m. EDT

Kansas City Chiefs $31.9 million

Tampa Bay Buccaneers $27.8 million

Green Bay Packers $24.7 million

Buffalo Bills $20.9 million

Philadelphia Eagles $19.0 million

New Orleans Saints $17.7 million

Miami Dolphins $16.2 million

Jacksonville Jaguars $13.3 million

New York Giants $12.3 million

Tennessee Titans $11.8 million

Dallas Cowboys $9.6 million

Cleveland Browns $9.4 million

Chicago Bears $9.2 million

San Diego Chargers $9.2 million

Seattle Seahawks $8.8 million

Atlanta Falcons $8.2 million

St. Louis Rams, $8.1 million

Carolina Panthers $8.0 million

Indianapolis Colts $7.5 million

Baltimore Ravens $7.0 million

San Francisco 49ers $7.0 million

New England Patriots $6.9 million

Cincinnati Bengals $6.4 million

Denver Broncos $5.9 million

Minnesota Vikings $5.0 million

Houston Texans $4.9 million

Oakland Raiders $4.2 million

Detroit Lions $4.0 million

Arizona Cardinals $3.5 million

New York Jets $1.9 million

Washington Redskins $1.8 million

Pittsburgh Steelers $1.7 million

my question is this if we have all this cap room then why are we holding it we need a reciever spend some of that money and maybe a pick or two and do some thing already. opions please

wow he's here good man let your agent do the work and you do what you do (westy) take it to the field.

come on guys westbrook yes is verry well one of the top 3 running backs in the league in my opion and he should get PAID but look at brian dawkins he is with out a doubt one of the best safties if not the best safty in the league and the eagles screwed him as well i hope they both can get paid the kinda money they both deserve eagles front office needs to open there eyes and start paying our men that produce for us and stop letting them get away from us because of money HEY LURIE get up off your million dollar butt and do whats right period. GO EAGLES ps........ opions please

once a joke always a joke i hope the patriots fall flat on there faces and go 0-16 this year cheaters and that coach needs to be fired.

it may have verry well been for more money but when he steps up and picks apart the patriots offence then i guess the answer will be answered and all the questions will come to an end thats my take-------opions please

come on now blood awareness i'm a long time eagles fan mr. mcnabb just do us all a favor and do as you are paid to do and not get hurt this year keep your self heathy and stop doing stupid things to mess us up

Head Coach: Andy Reid

Pro Career: Reid has earned NFL coach of the year honors twice, compiled the highest win total (77) and winning percentage (.621) in team history, captured four consecutive division titles and four trips to the NFC Championship game (2001-04) for the first time in franchise history, and registered the most playoff wins (7) in club history.

In his 14-year NFL coaching career, Reid's teams have made the playoffs 11 times (16-10 record in those games). He has coached in the Super Bowl three times, in the NFC Championship game seven times, and in the Pro Bowl four times.

Reid became the 20th head coach in franchise history on Jan. 11, 1999, and was promoted to head coach/executive vice president of football operations in 2001. He was named NFL coach of the year in 2000 and 2002.

He joined the Eagles after a seven-year stint as an assistant coach with Green Bay (1992-98) under Mike Holmgren. With Green Bay, Reid helped the Packers earn a Super Bowl XXXI victory over the New England Patriots.

Background: Coached at Brigham Young (1982), San Francisco State (1983-85), Northern Arizona (1986), Texas-El Paso (1987-88), and Missouri (1989-1991). Reid first met Holmgren, who was a member of BYU's coaching staff, when Reid was an offensive tackle and guard on three Cougar Holiday Bowl teams. Reid graduated with a bachelor's degree in physical education. He also received a master's degree in professional leadership in physical education and athletics.

Personal: Born in Los Angeles on March 19, 1958, Reid and his wife Tammy have five childrenâ€"Garrett, Britt, Crosby, Drew Ann, and Spencer.





Head Coach | Assistant Coaches

Juan Castillo

Offensive Line; born October 8, 1959, Port Isabel, Texas. Linebacker Texas A&I (now Texas A&M-Kingsville) 1978-1980. Pro linebacker San Antonio Gunslingers (USFL) 1984-85. College coach: Texas A&I/Texas A&M-Kingsville 1982-85, 1990-94. Pro coach: Joined Eagles in 1995.

David Culley

Wide Receivers; born September 17, 1955, Sparta, Tenn. Quarterback Vanderbilt 1973-77. No pro playing experience. College coach: Austin Peay 1978, Vanderbilt 1979-1981, Middle Tennessee State 1982, Tennessee-Chattanooga 1983, Western Kentucky 1984, Southwestern Louisiana 1985-88, Texas-El Paso 1989-1990, Texas A&M 1991-93. Pro coach: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1994-95, Pittsburgh Steelers 1996-1998, joined Eagles in 1999.

Pete Jenkins

Defensive Line; born August 27, 1941, Macon, Ga. Linebacker/nose tackle Western Carolina 1963-64. No pro playing experience. College coach: Troy State 1968-1970, South Carolina 1971-74, Southern Mississippi 1975-77, Oklahoma State 1978, Florida 1979, Louisiana State 1980-1990, 2000-02, Mississippi State 1991-94, Auburn 1995-1999. Pro coach: Joined Eagles in 2006.

Jim Johnson

Defensive Coordinator; born May 26, 1941, Maywood, Ill. Quarterback Missouri 1959-1962. Pro tight end Buffalo Bills 1963-64. College coach: Missouri Southern 1967-68 (head coach), Drake 1969-1972, Indiana 1973-76, Notre Dame 1977-1980. Pro coach: Oklahoma Outlaws (USFL) 1984, Jacksonville Bulls (USFL) 1985, Phoenix Cardinals 1986-1993, Indianapolis Colts 1994-97, Seattle Seahawks 1998, joined Eagles in 1999.

Sean McDermott

Secondary/Safeties; born March 21, 1974, Omaha, Neb. Safety William & Mary 1994-97. No pro playing experience. College coach: William & Mary 1998. Pro coach: Joined Eagles in 1998.

Tom Melvin

Tight Ends; born October 1, 1961, Redwood City, Calif. Offensive lineman San Francisco State 1982-83. No pro playing experience. College coach: San Francisco State 1984-85, Northern Arizona 1986-87, California-Santa Barbara 1988-1990, Occidental College 1991-98. Pro coach: Joined Eagles in 1999.

Marty Mornhinweg

Asst. Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator; born March 29, 1962, Edmond, Okla.. Quarterback Montana 1981-84. Pro quarterback Denver Dynamite (AFL) 1987. College coach: Montana 1985, Texas-El Paso 1986-87, Northern Arizona 1988, 1994, Southeast Missouri State 1989-1990, Missouri 1991-93. Pro coach: Green Bay Packers 1995-96, San Francisco 49ers 1997-2000, Detroit Lions 2001-02 (head coach), joined Eagles in 2003.

Jeff Nixon

Special Teams quality control; born October 16, 1974, Rochester, Pa. Running back West Virginia 1993-94, Penn State 1996. No pro playing experience. College coach: Penn State 1997, Princeton 1998, Shippensburg 1999-2002, Tennessee-Chattanooga 2003-05, Temple 2006. Pro coach: Joined Eagles in 2007.

Rory Segrest

Special Teams Quality Control; born May 20, 1973, Waycross, Ga. Tackle Alabama 1991-93. No pro playing experience. College coach: Alabama 1994-97, Auburn 1997-98, Southeast Missouri State 1999-2001, Samford 2002-05. Pro coach: Joined Eagles in 2006.

Bill Shuey

Offensive Assistant/Quality Control; born October 5, 1974, Bethlehem, Pa. Attended Slippery Rock. No college or pro playing experience. Pro coach: Joined Eagles in 2003.

Pat Shurmur

Quarterbacks; born April 14, 1965, Dearborn Heights, Mich. Center Michigan State 1983-87. No pro playing experience. College coach: Michigan State 1988-1997, Stanford 1998. Pro coach: Joined Eagles in 1999.

James Urban

Offensive Assistant/Quality Control; born December 1, 1973, Mechanicsburg, Pa. Wide receiver Washington and Lee 1993-96. No pro playing experience. College coach: Clarion 1997-98, Pennsylvania 1999-2004. Pro coach: Joined Eagles in 2007.

Trent Walters

Secondary; born November 20. 1943, Knoxville, Tenn. Defensive back Indiana 1963-65. Pro defensive back Edmonton Eskimos (CFL) 1966-67. College coach: Indiana 1968-1971, Louisville 1972, 1986-1990, Indiana 1973-1980, Washington 1981-83, Pittsburgh 1985, Texas A&M 1991-93, Notre Dame 2002-03. Pro coach: Cincinnati Bengals 1984, Minnesota Vikings 1994-2001, joined Eagles in 2004.

Ted Williams

Running Backs; born November 17, 1943, Lyons, Texas. Attended Cal Poly-Pomona. No college or pro playing experience. College coach: UCLA 1980-89, Washington State 1991-93, Arizona 1994. Pro coach: Joined Eagles in 1995.

Mike Wolf

Strength And Conditioning; born May 15, 1965, Allentown, Pa. Center Penn State 1983-87. No pro playing experience. College coach: Vanderbilt 1988-89, Lehigh 1990, Penn State 1991. Pro coach: Minnesota Vikings 1992-94, joined Eagles in 1995.



these where our numbers this past year and ranks:



offence

PTS

21.0

(17th)

YDS

358.1

(6th)

PASS YDS

234.7

(10th)

RUSH YDS

123.4

(8th)

defence

PTS.

18.8

(9th)

YDS.

311.4

(10th)

PASS YDS.

215.6

(18th)

RUSH YDS.

95.8

(7th)

so in my opion we don't have bad coaches we just have some bad players both on offence and defence not saying all the players just some we have to get better period.

The track record for the offseason started on January 2, just a couple of days after the Eagles' 2007 campaign ended. A series of signings, a flurry of coaching moves, a franchise tag applied and the Eagles then started free agency. Time will tell on all of these moves, but let's take a look back at the moves and see what they could mean in the near future for this football team.

January 2: Releasing A Mistake; Re-Signing Prospects

When the Eagles signed Ian Scott, they thought they added a tough, physical defensive tackle who could play in a rotation and give the defense some quality snaps. Didn't happen. Scott practiced only one or two days all year and was almost literally a ghost around the NovaCare Complex. He was officially released on January 2.

On the same day, the Eagles signed players from their practice squad to future contracts, including Jason Davis, who is now the leading candidate to start at fullback this season. Davis is in line, should he make the grade, to replace Thomas Tapeh in the backfield, although it is expected that Davis will have some competition come camp time.

The Eagles also re-signed wide receivers Michael Gasperson and Billy Sampy, both of whom are going to make a real roster run this year, defensive tackle Jeremy Clark, who could push for a spot in the rotation, and cornerback Therrian Fontenot, who needs to make a positive impression every day to stick around.

Maybe the Eagles will get one or two lucky breaks from this group. The signings were not exactly a formality, but they were pretty much expected. All of these players have a year in the system under their belts. Each one of them has a shot.

January 8: Diamonds In The Rough?

Maybe, maybe not. Wide receiver Jamal Jones has played in the NFL, in a regular season game, and he knows he has another chance, and maybe his last, with the Eagles now. Jones was one of three players signed on this day. Another player with NFL experience, defensive end A.J. Schable, played as a fullback in Arizona. Defensive lineman Xzavie Jackson is an athletic body who will vie at a crowded position in the spring and in the summer.

Who are these guys? They are players the Eagles watched, studied and graded. They are all longshots to make the team, but longshots sometimes come through. What they have to do is provide quality competition and make the coaches sweat the 53-man process throughout the summer.

January 28: A Coaching Staff Shuffle

With John Harbaugh in Baltimore as the head coach, Andy Reid took a few weeks to consider his options for replacing Harbaugh in the secondary. When the decision came down, Reid promoted from within. He moved Sean McDermott from linebackers coach to secondary coach, promoted Otis Smith to assistant secondary coach, moved Bill Shuey from quality control coach to linebackers coach and brought in former linebacker Mike Caldwell as the defensive quality control coach.

Reid has a young, energetic group working with the back seven for Jim Johnson to go along with a young group of players. The result is that you are likely to see an extremely aggressive situation every week there.

Additionally, Reid hired former college head coach and NFL assistant (Steelers) Mark Whipple to help with the offense as an offensive assistant coach. Whipple adds another set of eyes, ears and ideas to the offensive mix. He comes from a varied offensive background and should be a positive influence for the coaching staff.

February 7: TE Smith Is Tagged

In retrospect, it should not have come as a surprise. The Eagles used their franchise tag on tight end L.J. Smith, retaining his rights for the 2008 season, and it made every bit of sense. Now that we have seen the lunacy that is NFL free agency, the Eagles were spot on in keeping Smith. He is a quality tight end, completely healthy and he should be a huge part of the offense this year.

Had Smith become a free agent, he would have likely signed a new deal elsewhere for gigantic dollars and the Eagles would have had a hole that they would have had trouble filling any time soon.

So having Smith in the fold is the right thing for the Eagles. If Smith stays healthy, he is going to be a target everywhere in the passing game, especially in the red zone where the Eagles struggled so much last year.

February 13 and February 20: Training Time

The Eagles promoted Jay Merlino to assistant strength and conditioning coach and then named Barry Rubin the team's strength and conditioning assistant. Bob Rogucki signed on with Harbaugh in Baltimore, so the Eagles promoted Merlino and added Rubin and hope for a seamless transition working with Mike Wolf.

The team's offseason conditioning program begins on Monday.

February 22: Bringing In Bam

What it means in the long run remains to be seen, but the Eagles signed young wide receiver/kick returner Brandon "Bam" Childress after he spent time on New England's practice squad and, well, we'll see. No promises. Childress has some speed, some quickness but he is not accomplished at this level and comes in as an unknown.

Childress is going to get a look on special teams in the return game as the Eagles look to be more explosive there.

February 28: Saying Goodbye To Kearse

During the course of a long, painful 2007 season, Jevon Kearse lost more and more playing time every week. It was tough to see. He was a shell of his superstar self, and after great consideration and thoughts of keeping Kearse, the Eagles made the decision to release him.

Kearse, who has since signed with Tennessee, was a popular player in the locker room and was an enormously talented player. But the knee injury suffered in 2006 robbed him of his quickness and burst, something he needs to get back to help the Titans.

Kearse faded from the defensive picture on the field. But he added a spirit and a presence off the field that will be missed.

February 28: Young DBs Retained

A formality, yes, the Eagles tendered cornerback Joselio Hanson as was their right to the restricted free agent. Hanson was tendered at a second-round draft pick level, a show of faith that the Eagles really like Hanson as one of their cornerbacks who plays in the nickel and dime and also on special teams.

On the same day, the Eagles signed safety J.R. Reed to a one-year contract. They could have tendered him, basically guaranteeing him a spot on the roster this year. Instead, the team signed Reed, and both sides understand that Reed has no guarantee to make the team. Still, he played very well late last year and is on the most solid footing he's had since before his injury after his rookie season.

February 29: Bringing In The Big Catch

Yeah, it's a play on words, but cornerback Asante Samuel really was the big prize in free agency. The Eagles were aggressive right from the time the whistle blew in free agency and signed Samuel to a six-year contract. He is expected to be an instant-impact player who helps create turnovers and make big plays the other way for a defense lacking in such plays last year.

Samuel should fit in perfectly. He plays the ball exceptionally well, has great instincts and is fearless. Samuel has a knack that makes him one of the game's true big-play cornerbacks.

The Eagles made the perfect play for a player they think is going to help turn the defense around in the right direction. Samuel is a Pro Bowl player who adds so much to the secondary.

March 1: Up And Coming ... Off The Edge

Raise your hand if you knew much of anything about Chris Clemons. Go ahead. I see one hand ... maybe two. Fact is, Clemons had been kind of an NFL nobody until his breakout season in Oakland last year. Clemons had eight sacks, playing just 37 percent of the defensive snaps, and he showed the Eagles the kind of quickness, high motor and production that made him the team's second target in free agency.

It is still not certain exactly where and how much Clemons will play, but it's safe to assume that he will be on the field for as many pass-rushing situations as Johnson feels works. The Eagles now have a very promising foursome of ends: Pro Bowl player Trent Cole, Juqua Thomas, Clemons and second-year man Victor Abiamiri. Veteran Darren Howard is the fifth end at the moment, but he played more tackle than end last year and could factor more inside this year, too.

Clemons has a history of injuries and that is something to watch, but there is no denying that he offers some real promise. In the world of free agency, Clemons is a rare player who appears to be an up-and-coming player, a late bloomer in the world of football. The Eagles hope his best days are ahead.

March 6: Takeo Spikes Released

It was a surprise, no question about it. Takeo Spikes played one year with the Eagles and played pretty well at the WILL linebacker position. But the Eagles just couldn't ignore what they saw from their group of young linebackers last season and deemed Spikes expendable.

As a result, the Eagles have one of the youngest linebacking corps they -- or any team -- have ever had. Omar Gaither is in his third season, Chris Gocong is in his third season (his second playing after a year on Injured Reserve), and Stewart Bradley, Akeem Jordan and Pago Togafau are in their second NFL campaigns.

Johnson knows what he is doing with his defense. After years of shuffling linebackers in and out, Johnson has an opportunity to groom a young, extremely talented group of players. He hasn't set a starting lineup, and Johnson is likely to move players around quite a bit in the spring and summer, but there are exciting possibilities here.

And so there you go. Judge the moves later, when the smoke has cleared and we see how it all works. Every move means something in the NFL. The Eagles have made plenty of them since the calendar year began. We'll know in due time how successful the moves are for the Eagles.

A rented sports utility vehicle is apparently involved in the November shooting of Washington Redskins star Sean Taylor at his Miami home.

Court documents released Monday say the mother of a teenage girl rented a black Toyota Highlander, thinking the girl and a friend planned to attend a football game in Orlando. The mother told prosecutors she didn't know the girls would allow young men they knew to use the vehicle.

Her daughter, identified as R.L. in the documents, said Charles Wardlow and Eric Rivera drove the vehicle. It was later left at a Fort Myers school parking lot. Wardlow, Rivera and two other men are charged with fatally shooting Taylor.

Inside Slant

Andy Reid has insisted that his wide receiving corps is plenty good enough to win a Super Bowl with. But that didn't prevent the Eagles from making a play for Randy Moss earlier this week.

In the hours before the Patriots re-signed the All-Pro wideout to a three-year, $27 million deal, the Eagles offered Moss more money to sign with them. According to reports, Reid spent more than an hour on the phone with Moss.

"Randy made it very clear from the get-go he wanted to be a New England Patriot," Reid said. "We knew it was a long-shot. But there was a little bit of a door open there and we took a shot.

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"He was always going to go back to the Patriots. He made that clear. I just inquired about it and took a shot at it. I understand why (he re-signed with the Patriots). Life is good for him right now. It's the best it's ever been in his career."

Reid insisted the Eagles' pursuit of Moss was "a one-time thing." He said they are not actively trying to add another wideout. To be sure, they have expressed no interest in the remaining unsigned wideouts on the free market, including Seattle's D.J. Hackett and Arizona's Bryant Johnson. And they insist, contrary to reports, that they have not contacted the Arizona Cardinals about a trade for Larry Fitzgerald.

"We like the guys we have," Reid said of a group that includes starters Kevin Curtis and Reggie Brown and slot receiver Jason Avant. "We're happy with this group and can win with them."

Notes, Quotes

• Before becoming the Eagles' head coach, Andy Reid was an assistant on Mike Holmgren's staff in Green Bay for seven years, including two years as quarterbacks coach. On coaching Brett Favre, who announced his retirement this week: "Brett always said not to watch him if you wanted to see how you're supposed to throw the football. Technically, he's not very good. But the end result was a little bit like Arnold Palmer—it's not the prettiest swing in the world, but when the club head hit the ball, it was the best. That's kind of how (Favre) was. When the ball came out of his hand, it was the best."

• Asante Samuel doesn't think he'll have a hard time getting acclimated to Jim Johnson's defensive scheme, even though it requires the corners to play a lot more press and man-to-man coverage than he played with the Patriots. "What I know the most is that it's an aggressive defense and they like to get after the quarterback," he said. "(Last year), our offense played against them and they gave us some trouble. They were pressuring and getting after the quarterback and playing an aggressive style of defense. I think I'll fit right in."

• Reid on signing Samuel: "When you have an opportunity to get the best cornerback in the business, then you need to look at that. Jim Johnson has great plans for Asante. I could easily see him doing what we do on defense when he was on the Patriots."

Quote To Note: "I'm going to bring a winning attitude here. I'm going to come here and be a role model, work hard, give it my all, and give them what they deserve."—CB Asante Samuel.

Strategy And Personnel

FRANCHISE PLAYER

• TE L.J. Smith. Tendered at $4.522 million.

TRANSITION PLAYER: None.

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

• CB Will James was a guy the Eagles had high hopes for last offseason, but he played poorly when given the opportunity. Won't be re-signed.

• RB/Return man Reno Mahe wasn't signed until just before the season when Eagles found themselves without a punt returner. If he's still the team's PR in September, they're in trouble. Won't be re-signed.

• DT Ian Scott signed with the Eagles as a free agent last off-season, but got hurt early in training camp. Blue-collar run-stopper who might be back if he doesn't get a better offer elsewhere.

• DT Kimo von Oelhoffen was claimed off the waiver wire last September. Got a lot of playing time down the stretch as a run-stuffer and played well. If he doesn't retire, Eagles might be interested in re-signing him.

RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

• CB Joselio Hanson (tendered at $1.417M with 2nd-round picks as compensation) is an NFL Europe alum who has been quietly efficient for the Eagles in his two seasons with the team. Spent most of last year as their nickel back and did a solid job. Eagles want him back.

EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS: None.

PLAYERS ACQUIRED

• DE Chris Clemons: UFA Raiders; $13.585M/5 yrs, SB unknown.

• CB Asante Samuel: UFA Patriots; $59.475M/6 yrs, $20M guaranteed; 2008 cap: $9.145M.

PLAYERS RE-SIGNED

• S J.R. Reed: Potential RFA; 1 yr, terms unknown.

PLAYERS LOST

• DE Jevon Kearse (released).

• LB Takeo Spikes (released/failed physical).

• FB Thomas Tapeh: UFA Vikings; $6M/5 yrs, $1.2M guaranteed.

The Larry Fitzgerald-to-the- Eagles trade scenario takes on new intrigue daily, with a report surfacing Friday that the Eagles have submitted a trade offer to Arizona to obtain the Pro Bowl wide receiver.

The Cardinals and Fitzgerald have hit an impasse in contract renegotiations, according to The Arizona Republic, which also reported that the Eagles have offered cornerback Lito Sheppard and wide receiver Reggie Brown as trade bait with hopes of forcing the Cardinals to deal away the wideout if they can't reach an agreement to restructure his contract.

A league source confirmed to The News Journal that the Eagles have proposed a trade to Arizona, but the source couldn't elaborate on the details of the proposal.

The Cardinals still hold out hope of reaching a new deal with Fitzgerald or having him play out the rest of his contract, according to The Arizona Republic report.

Fitzgerald, 24, is scheduled to make $14.6 million in 2008 and $17.4 million in 2009, the final year of his contract. Cardinals general manager Rod Graves has adamantly stated that Fitzgerald will remain with the Cardinals.

Eagles release veteran linebacker Spikes

Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA -- Two-time Pro Bowl linebacker Takeo Spikes was released by the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday, the second high-profile player cut by the Eagles in a week.

Takeo Spikes, LB

Height: 6-2

Weight: 242

College: Auburn

Experience: 10

» 2008 free agent tracker

» Around The Web: free agent news Defensive end Jevon Kearse was released last Thursday after four seasons in Philadelphia. Releasing Spikes saves the Eagles $5 million under the salary cap.

Spikes finished second on the team with 139 tackles in his only season with the Eagles. The 10-year veteran missed the final two games after having shoulder surgery in December.

The 31-year-old Spikes was acquired in a trade with Buffalo last March. Known for being a playmaker throughout his career, Spikes had no interceptions or forced fumbles in Philly.

The move likely means second-year pro Stewart Bradley will take over as the starting middle linebacker, while Omar Gaither moves to the weakside spot to replace Spikes. Chris Gocong is the strongside linebacker, giving the Eagles a young group of starters. Akeem Jordan is fourth on the depth chart.

"Takeo did a really good job for us last year," Eagles coach Andy Reid said in a statement. "But we are excited about the young linebackers that have developed over the last year. We wish Takeo all the best. He's a true team player on and off the field."

A first-round pick by Cincinnati in 1998, Spikes had at least 100 tackles in each of his five seasons with the Bengals. But it wasn't until he went to Buffalo in 2003 that he got widespread recognition. Spikes had 144 tackles in '03 and 111 tackles with five interceptions in '04, making the Pro Bowl both years.

Injuries slowed Spikes in 2005 and 2006.

The Eagles have focused on improving their defense in the offseason. Philadelphia signed All-Pro cornerback Asante Samuel when the NFL's free-agency period opened last Friday, luring him away from New England with a six-year deal worth $57 million. A day later, they signed defensive end Chris Clemons.

The team made a run at All-Pro wide receiver Randy Moss earlier this week, offering more money than he got to return to the Patriots. If the Eagles end up satisfying Donovan McNabb's request for an offensive playmaker, it'll probably have to come through a trade. The addition of Samuel makes two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Lito Sheppard expendable, so he can be used as trade bait for a top receiver.

As the NFL pays a well-deserved tribute to retired quarterback Brett Favre, his departure has me thinking about a lot of things has they relate to the Eagles. One, how does Favre's absence affect the Packers and, thus, the balance of power in the NFC.

And two, are you prepared for the day when those players you love the most say goodbye to the game?

Let's talk about the first part now. Favre had one of his best seasons in 2007, leading the Packers to the NFC North title and a home position in the NFC Championship Game. He cut down on the wild plays and unforced errors that had marred his most recent seasons. He was a terrific leader for a young team. When needed, Favre showed he had every bit the arm strength and the guts to deliver a throw down the field for a big play.

It was an incredible season for Favre and for the Packers. Without Favre, of course, life goes on. The Packers have had Aaron Rodgers in the system since 2005 and have groomed him for this very moment. But he has thrown just 59 passes in three seasons and doesn't have the intangibles Favre brought to the team every day. Nobody knows if Rodgers has the skill set, either, but you can be sure all eyes will be focused on him this season.

That Green Bay has a strong offensive line, good receivers and a powerful running game will help, along with an outstanding defense. But the game of football is not that easy to predict, and so for now it's safe to say Green Bay won't be as good without Favre as they were with him.

Which means what for the NFC?

Time will tell, of course, and this is just food for thought in the early stages of March, but don't you consider the conference as wide open as it has been in years and years? Do you see a dominating team? I think it is there for the taking.

From an Eagles perspective, the immediate challenge is the mighty NFC East. For two years running now, the division has sent three teams to the postseason, an amazing feat. It doesn't look like the teams in the NFC East are regressing at all in this offseason, either, although there is a long way to go between now and September.

What we can't calculate now is the psychological effect Favre's retirement will have on the Packers. What happens late in a game when things are going poorly for Green Bay and they turn and look for No. 4 to create a play and bail out the team? He isn't there. Somebody has to step up and replace that leadership, that knack for the big play.

I'll remember Favre fondly, for he was a great player and one who openly showed his joy for the game and that is something I appreciated every time I watched him play. Frankly, I always thought Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson matched up well with Favre and understood Favre's strengths and weaknesses as well as anyone.

In the end, Favre's leaving changes things in the NFC. You don't see a player like that, a true icon, walk away without some kind of major impact.

Which leads me to the fan inside. Has it crossed your mind how you will react the day Eagles icons like Brian Dawkins and Donovan McNabb stop playing? Hey, we all hope they continue for many years with many more wins and a ton of success, but you never know. It struck me standing in front of offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg and head coach Andy Reid on Tuesday among a pack of reporters asking them what they will remember about Favre and the time they spent together coaching him in Green Bay. Coaches by nature are not sentimental men, but both Mornhinweg and Reid could have gone on for hours talking about Favre. They know him well. They shared so much together.

Same with the fans. You invest a great deal of your heart and soul into this football team. For some of you, there is almost nothing more important than the Eagles, and how fortunate you have been – we have all been – to see players like Dawkins and McNabb and all the other veterans who have touched our lives for so long and with so many great moments.

What happens to the fans when the players leave the game? How difficult is it to pick up and move on and continue with the same passion and intensity while not feeling the pain and disappointment of a favorite player saying goodbye?

We experienced a bit of it last year when the Eagles released linebacker Jeremiah Trotter. It was tough to imagine the Eagles without No. 54 in the middle and to envision a game when we wouldn't see the axe swinging triumphantly after a big play. But in that instance, the preseason was in full flight and the next day brought more football and more intrigue and Trotter's departure was quickly replaced by the reality of the season.

And while Trotter was and remains beloved for his years as an Eagle, he wasn't and isn't at the same level as Dawkins and McNabb. Sometimes, you think these good times are going to last forever, and you can count on the same players coming back year after year after year. That is one of the very many great things the Eagles have done over the years – keeping so much of the core together for as long as possible, allowing the fans to bond so intimately with so many players.

The NFL is not a league in which a team can remain intact for too long, or suddenly you are staring at a too-old team. Change is the only constant in this league.

And when you see players like Favre leave, the meaning is much deeper than the impact for Green Bay on the football field. When a player like that goes off into the sunset, a piece of your heart and your head goes with him, for no matter if you liked Brett Favre or if you rooted against him on the field, he meant something to you. When he is no longer here, what is a fan to do?

Just like that, two days in, and the Eagles have added pieces to the defense and depth up front and in the secondary that they just not have a year ago. Say what you want about the defense from 2007, but the fact is that Jim Johnson deserves a ton of credit for keeping the Eagles in games with a defense that missed so many opportunities to make plays and force turnovers and, in short, win games.

Johnson, then, is receiving his reward for a job well done now. In a span of 23 hours -- from about 5 p.m. Friday to 3 p.m. on Saturday -- the Eagles signed two players in free agency that they think will make a huge, huge difference in 2008. First it was Asante Samuel, regarded as the premier player in free agency, who signed on the dotted line and instantly made the Eagles a much better secondary. Then it was unheralded Chris Clemons on Saturday who came aboard. A speed rusher off the edge, Clemons gives Johnson another option to use in a defensive end rotation that, at this point, looks like it includes Trent Cole, Juqua Thomas and Victor Abiamiri.

The defense, which overhauled its front seven a year ago, looks pretty complete at the moment. The Eagles added a big-time playmaker in Samuel, who has the most interceptions of any player in the NFL over the last two seasons, and then they brought in Clemons, who is hopefully on the career path headed in the right direction after a terrific 2007 season in Oakland.

Speed. Play-making ability. More depth. More good players.

The overhaul continues. The Eagles did it right last year with their moves to change around the pieces along the front seven, and they made great strides. Now, they've taken even more impressive ones in the first two days of free agency.

You can just imagine Johnson in his office, drawing up some new blitzes, moving his personnel around, having enough depth to give offensive coaches and players different looks from one series to the next.

It's exciting, it really is. The Eagles are two for two in free agency. They are on target to do the things they set out to do -- and we are only a couple of days into the proceedings. There are many moves ahead -- still more free agency, potential trades, the draft, acquisitions made between now and the start of the regular season.

Saturday was Clemons' day to understand how he fits. He met with the coaching staff and took his time smiling that perfect smile and checking out the digs at the NovaCare Complex. It was a beautiful day at the NovaCare Complex, made better by another piece to help bolster the defense.

Head coach Andy Reid said that Clemons will be part of the rotation at defensive end -- the Eagles want to move them all around -- and that speed, speed, speed is the reason to be excited. Thomas, retained during the free-agency period a year ago, is still a huge factor, along with Abiamiri, whom the Eagles hope will make a nice step forward in his second NFL season.

Bringing in Clemons was not a reflection on Thomas, Reid said, who disputed the idea that Thomas played too many snaps a year ago.

"No, I just want to make sure that we have enough guys who can get out there and play," said Reid. "If it's equal opportunity between all of them, then that's what I would like; to maintain that speed throughout the game. JT's a heck of a football player. You picture this, with Chris in the mix here, and all of the sudden you've got a nice group of defensive ends."

Is the defense set? Probably not. The Eagles are always looking for more defensive linemen. They won't overlook much of anything, in fact, having so many draft picks to work with and with some room to move under the salary cap remaining.

It could be that the offense gets some attention now, but who knows what direction the team will take. All I know is that the Eagles are off to a tremendous, exciting, perfect start. When you target two players, invite both in and then sign them, well, you feel good.

But there is a long way to go in the offseason and there are a lot of things still to be accomplished. The Eagles have their agenda. They have their list of goals and targets, and they have just started the implementation. Really, the Eagles are three for three in what they could do in terms of big moves -- starting with the use of the franchise tag on tight end L.J. Smith.

Rarely has there been an offseason that has started with such a positive bang. The Eagles are making all the right moves, with more bound to come.

NEWS AND NOTES AND THIS AND THAT

There is no word of any scheduled visits for the Eagles as I write this on Saturday night. We'll let you know if anything is scheduled.

I liked Clemons' answer when he was asked about holding up, at 240-245 pounds, to the force of a running game: "That all comes down to toughness," he said.

Just to clarify questions that have come in, the Eagles have draft picks in rounds one through five, and their own in round seven. They also have a sixth-round draft pick from Cleveland (from the Hank Fraley trade) and a seventh-round draft pick from Seattle (from the Josh Parry trade). That gives them a total of eight draft picks right now. The team should also receive anywhere from two to four compensatory picks awarded by the NFL (these picks cannot be traded) when the league announces those picks in late March/early April.

Of the Eagles' unrestricted free agents, only fullback Thomas Tapeh has signed elsewhere (Minnesota). Jason Davis, then, is the team's lone fullback on the roster at the moment.

Reid was asked Saturday if the addition of the "smallish" Clemons to go along with players like Chris Gocong indicates the Eagles might try more of a 3-4 defense at times. His answer: "Not necessarily that, but it allows Jim to have the opportunity to throw fastballs at the quarterbacks. We've always talked about pressure here, and how important it was. With Chris in there, it gives you another defensive end who can rush the passer. Most of the quarterbacks in this league, without pressure, can do some pretty good things. If you put a little pressure on them, it makes it a little bit tougher for them."

Owner Jeffrey Lurie's opening remarks: "To say the least, the Philadelphia Eagles are extremely proud to announce that we have signed Asante Samuel. For our organization, we regarded Asante as the number one available free agent in the NFL, and we are very, very fortunate to be able to acquire him. This is a very increasingly difficult period, I think, for teams to acquire free agents, because we all have cap room and needs at certain key, premium positions, like cornerback. (President) Joe Banner and (Vice President of Football Administration) Howie Roseman on behalf of the Eagles, and Alonzo Shavers on behalf of Asante (had) completely professional negotiations. They really deserve the credit. In the days we would be able to sign a player away from another team as a restricted free agent, and we were one of the three or four teams with cap room, that took creativity in cap planning, but this takes creativity and aggressiveness in deal making. (I give) Joe, Howie and Alonzo great credit. I couldn't be happier."

Head Coach Andy Reid's opening remarks: "I'm not going to repeat what Jeffrey just said, but I feel all those same things. One thing I would like to reiterate to everybody is that this is Asante's day. I want to make that very clear, that we don't go out of bounds and talk about other players other than Asante. If you guys could help us out with that, I would appreciate it."

CB Asante Samuel's opening remarks: "First of all, I would like to thank the Lord for the blessings he has bestowed upon me and my family. Today is an exciting day for my family and me. I want to thank the whole Eagles staff for getting this done, my agent, Alonzo Shavers, for getting it done. I'm happy to be an Eagle, and I'm ready to get it rolling."

On why this was his first visit: "My agent and I wrote down a number of teams that we would be interested in. The Philadelphia Eagles were definitely one of them at the top of our list. It has always been a winning organization and they've had a lot of history here. The fans have always been supportive of their team. I just want a chance to be able to win and get back to the Super Bowl. That's why I picked the Philadelphia Eagles."

On what he knows about the Eagles scheme and how he will fit in: "What I know the most is that it's an aggressive defense and they like to get after the quarterback. (Last year), our offense played against them first hand, when we played them in the regular season. They gave us some trouble on offense. They were pressuring and getting after the quarterback and playing an aggressive style of defense. I think I fit right in."

On whether he felt like the Eagles weren't going to let him leave without signing: "That's what the rumor is. This is my first time being a free agent. They say that your first visit, they normally don't let you leave. That's what ended up happening and it's a great situation."

On whether he came here with the intention of not leaving: "No, I came here with an open mind. Everybody was great. Everybody treated me like I belong here and like I'm wanted. I'm really happy with that. I'm just happy and excited."

On what his impression of the Eagles was before he came here: "It's a winning organization, and I always knew that. That was my first impression. As I watched them on defense, it looked like they were having a lot of fun out there. I am going to fit right in and make plays and do what I do."

On the leadership that he will bring to Philadelphia: "I'm going to bring a winning attitude, coming from my first five seasons in the NFL that have always been winning situations. I'm going to come here and be a role model, work hard, give it my all, and give them what they deserve."

On whether he considered staying in New England for less money: "I definitely considered that, but I understand that this is a business. Everybody handles their business in their own way. I just had to go with what I felt was best for my family and me. Everybody is happy, and hopefully I made my mama proud."

On how he has been able to be such a playmaker on defense: "Aren't you guys supposed to tell me that? I just go out and play my technique. I've had a lot of good coaches over the years. It started in college with Gene Chizik, (who is now) the head coach of Iowa State. I just play technique, I play sound football, I read my keys, I play with a rhythm, which helps me out, and I like to read the quarterback. That's just my style."

Andy Reid

On what made Samuel his number one priority: "Obviously, I think the cornerback position is very important. When you have an opportunity to get the best one in the business, then you need to look at that. I welcome him aboard, and I know (defensive coordinator) Jim Johnson has great plans for Asante. I could easily see him doing what we do on defense when he was on the Patriots."

On how Samuel will fit into the secondary: "He will be the starting left cornerback, and then we'll work things out from there."

Asante Samuel

On whether he was concerned about the fact that the Eagles already have two cornerbacks signed to long-term contracts: "No, that didn't affect me at all. If they're bringing me in, I figure they're bringing me in to help the team out. I'm not looking forward to anybody leaving or anything like that; I'm just looking forward to playing and having one of the best secondaries in the NFL."

On whether he knows, or has talked to, Eagles CBs Lito Sheppard or Sheldon Brown: "I've talked to Lito before. I don't think Sheldon and I have met, or anything like that. Like I said, I think whoever is out there, we will do a good job. This organization has a history of having good defensive backs. I just want to be a part of that."

On what made him decide to sign with the Eagles: "Just the welcome they gave me. From the time that I entered the limo from off the plane, I just felt good about the situation. I prayed about it, the business side of it got done and I'm happy; I'm ready to get it rolling."

On whether the treatment was more than he expected: "I didn't really know what to expect. I just came in with an open mind and I felt good about it and I made my decision and we talked about it, me and my agent, and we prayed about it and the job was done."

On why he didn't visit any other teams: "When you come to one that makes you happy, why wait around?"

On what he did today: "How did the day go? We did a lot of running around; physicals and things of that nature. A lot of busy work, basically, meeting everybody, touring the facility, riding around town. It was a good day."

On whether he felt underappreciated in New England: "No comment."

Jeff Lurie

On what this move shows the fans of the team's approach to 2008: "I think it's the same approach that we always take. We hope in free agency that there's a player that's very special that's available at a position we need or regard as a premium position. Sometimes it happens, and sometimes you have a market where you don't have those premium players and you have to make a decision to go after somebody and pay them a tremendous amount of money for not very much production. The aggressiveness is always there, it's just a question of the marketplace sometimes. That's why we focused on Asante, because this was a relatively small group of very valuable free agents. The tendency increasingly is to re-sign your best young players. You see that across the league so it's rare and there weren't very many that we had an option to go for. I hope it does show that we're aggressive and that all we care about is winning."

Andy Reid

On how close the team is to having a dominant defense again: "I think Asante will be a big part of that. We take a lot of pride in how we play defense here; the aggressive, reckless approach that we take. (Defensive coordinator) Jim (Johnson) does a heck of a job coordinating the defense and, obviously, the more great defensive players that you add into the mix the better you'll be. Asante is a great player and he'll make great plays for us."

Asante Samuel

On whether playing under the franchise tag last season affected him: "Playing under the franchise tag, it is what it is. You just have to try to block it out of your mind. Just go out and play and let the business part take care of itself. And it will, eventually it will and it has. You just have to go out there with faith and believe and everything should be alright."

On whether he has recovered from the Super Bowl loss: "It's pretty hard. We didn't get it done, the (New York) Giants did. It is what it is. Life goes on. I'm an Eagle now, and hopefully we can get to a championship."

Andy Reid: "He'll have a chance to recover from it twice this year" (jokingly, that the Eagles will play the N.Y. Giants twice in 2008).

Jeff Lurie

On the similarities between this offseason and the 2004 offseason: "I think we enter every free agency period hoping to make a big impact. It's not to make a splash, it's to try and find the most productive players; and there's such a scarcity of them. When we did that four years ago with (WR Terrell) Owens and (DE Jevon) Kearse, we regarded them as terrific players that could make a big impact. I think sometimes people will say that it's hit or miss at times when you make an impactful signing. I never want to be the type of organization, or owner, that doesn't keep reloading and going for it because, to me, you're always going to have a chance to make mistake by taking risks. Keep going for it, be aggressive. If you miss on a draft choice don't be hesitant to take that position again. Be very aggressive and read the marketplace right, such that you can get the players who are that scarce on the marketplace."

Andy Reid

On whether Samuel was the one player the team just had to have: "We're obviously trying to strengthen the defense. (General Manager) Tom (Heckert) and his crew work like crazy to make sure that Jim's given the players that he needs to be successful, and that the team needs to be successful. Tom had targeted Asante and that allowed us to review all the film - which we didn't have to go all that far to do, since we played him and he had a couple interceptions against us - and we decided that if he does stay available, and we get to this date then we are going to go after him. (Vice President of Football Administration) Howie (Roseman) and (President) Joe (Banner) did a great job in the negotiations today and (Samuel's agent) Alonzo (Shavers) was aggressive and Joe was aggressive and it worked out. It was an awesome thing to watch in a very short period of time. We're fired up to have him."

Asante Samuel

On whether he has earned respect at the cornerback position: "There is no doubt about it, in my mind. Just going out and working hard every day, being a fourth rounder, you're not going to be given anything in this league. I just worked my way up and kept working hard and I'm finally getting the respect that I deserve."

On how many teams were on his list: "About four."

On whether New England made him an offer: "I'm not going to get into that."