Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Three Teams Want Kolb, Westbrook Wants to Return

As expected, the NFL and the NFL Players Association has agreed to a one-week extension to the collective bargaining agreement. The extension adds to the already murky future of the NFL's labor relations. Progress must be made by March 11 for another extension to be put into place, according to the mediator assigned to the case. This promises to be a very long process, and I don't really see the sides coming to any further of an understanding.

The Kevin Kolb sweepstakes are alive and well, according to Adam Schefter. It's unlikely that there will be a deal before the CBA is finalized, but it depends on the Eagles management. While there are definite upsides to keeping Kolb, it may be better to send him elsewhere (just not in the division this time, ok fellas?) once the new CBA takes effect. I've championed the idea of having Kolb and Vick develop Mike Kafka as Kolb's replacement, and I still believe this will be the best way to approach the situation. The lockout could also work in the Eagles' favor, because the longer the labor dispute goes into season prep, the more desperate teams like the Cardinals will be for a quarterback. If this happens, the Eagles could get some really good compensation.

And in former Eagle news, Brian Westbrook has said that he wants to return to Philly. For the eight seasons Westbrook played for the Eagles, he was one of the most consistent players and dangerous weapons. It wasn't until his final season, in which he suffered two concussions, that he began to falter. He was traded to the San Francisco 49ers to sit on the bench for most of the season, until Frank Gore was injured in a game against the Arizona Cardinals. While Westbrook can obviously still move the ball, the biggest worry for Philly (or any other team that considers taking him) is the fact that he had those two, close-together concussions. It would be sad to see his career end in a third, debilitating concussion, a scenario Westbrook must take into account. Westbrook did a lot for the Eagles, but if he returned, he must know he would be backing-up LeSean McCoy, just as he did for Gore in San Fran. Probably not the best situation for him.

1 comment:

  1. Maybe he was wanting to be a backup knowing that he would have a lower chance of getting a concussion. Would love to see him retire where he grew up(College and Pro)... Philly

    ReplyDelete