Well, if anyone had any delusions that there is actually such a thing as loyalty in the NFL, it all went out the window when the Eagles allowed arguably the most popular player in their team’s history walk to the Denver Broncos. Here are my first thoughts…
- It’s hard to blame the Eagles for not matching the 5-year, $17 million deal that Dawkins got from the Broncos, but it’s very easy to blame them, and even be angry with them, that they even let Dawkins hit the open market. It’s hard to imagine that Dawkins wouldn’t have taken a lesser deal unless the Broncos tampered and he knew he would get this ridiculous offer. Perhaps the Eagles were arrogant (never!) and thought that Dawkins would sign for much less that he was worth, or perhaps Dawkins was looking for a deal like this all along. Either way, the result is the worst-case scenario for Eagles fans.
- I’m not going to focus on the loyalty aspect of this. Not because I don’t think it’s important, but because it’s like getting mad that players make more than $100,000. It’s a reality and it’s not gonna change. Sure, it would be nice, but it doesn’t exist in the NFL (See Derrick Brooks, Marvin Harrison and Fred Taylor this year). There is a salary cap that you have to manage meticulously. In baseball, you can spend as much as you want, so you can tack on $2-3 million to get a guy to stay if you want. In football, that can screw up your whole cap number. People expecting loyalty in the NFL will never get it. Every single year, players are released from every single team that had long, successful careers with a team.
- That being said, the Eagles should have re-signed Dawkins because he was great last year as a player and is irreplacable as a leader. Marvin Harrison has been a ghost for 2 years, but Dawkins was the leader of the defense (again) and had some fantastic games down the stretch. He made the Pro Bowl. He would have been an asset to the team, and that’s why they should have re-signed him. Furthermore, if they don’t spend the vast majority of their money under the cap this season, it won’t make much sense why they didn’t throw a little more at Dawk.
- Uh, where do we from here at Safety? Dawkins was the best FA safety. The second best, Yeremiah Bell, has re-signed with the Dolphins, as did Gibril Wilson. The only other two decent starters are Dawan Landry and Jarrad Page, both downgrades from Dawkins. Everyone else (no thanks, Jim Leonhard) is a big time downgrade. Todd McShay only has 1 safety, Louis Delmas, going in the first round (at #24) of his most recent mock draft. 2 other safeties, Patrick Chung and Rashad Johnson are fringe first rounders. Quentin Demps looked horrible against the Cardinals, but would be the starter if the season started tomorrow. Essentially, there is no way we aren’t going to see a downgrade at safety next year.
- On the bright side, can anyone name an older defensive player that the Eagles (under Reid) have let go that didn’t decline at a rapid pace? Hugh Douglas? Troy Vincent? Jeremiah Trotter? Carlos Emmons?
- Dawkins will be very much missed. He is one of my favorite Eagles of all time, and I think most people would tab him as their favorite. He is one of the top-5 Eagles players, at any position, of all time. He ranks 1st in INTs, Forced Fumbles, and Games. He’s 5th in tackles, and 17th in sacks out of safety position. He helped revolutionize the position and was a 7-time pro bowler, 5-time all-pro a very possibly a future hall-of-famer. We loved him because he cared as much as we do, because he was a leader, and because he wore his emotions on his sleeve. I don’t think we’ll ever see someone with his combination of skill, passion and charisma again in an Eagles uniform.
- For those looking for a great highlight reel of Dawkins hits, this will give you goosebumps.
I am still in shock from this signing or lack there of on the Eagles part. I get the theory of letting aging veterans go for younger/cheaper replacements. That is great and has worked for 10 years with this team. But there has to be exceptions to the rule, especially when a guy is your biggest play maker on defense and is coming off a pro bowl season (not to mention captain and fan favorite). They certainly could have given Dawkins a 2 year deal, let him retire an Eagle, and possibly even worked him into the defensive coaching staff. The $$ is there, what is the problem? We don’t have some stud safety sitting the bench, chomping at the bit to get in there and hit someone (a la Jim Thome/Ryan Howard). We actually have nothing worth noting as far as a replacement here. Demps may be a decent fill in right now, but he is certainly not a starter, especially for a defense that carried this team to the NFC championship last year.
The real problem here in my opinion is the Eagles upper management. We can bitch and complain all we want about letting our favorite Eagles go, but until we do something about it, management doesn’t care. The Link will still be sold out 8+ games this year and the revenue will be flowing as usual. Until they feel any impact on their wallets, the fans opinion is meaningless. They don’t care who our favorite players are, its a business to them. Put out a product that will generate the most revenue at the least cost. That is why they are so proud to be under the salary cap year after year. Where does that money go?? Certainly not to cheaper ticket prices and back in our pockets. Business is business and I understand that, but business can be 99% of the game, and this is the 1% I believe is the exception, the human emotion that drives fans hundreds of miles to spend hundreds of dollars on their favorite team. You will be missed #20.