Living around Philadelphia is a crazy thing when it comes to football. Whenever something happens, everybody has an opinion on it, and it is usually a negative one. This has held true for every off-season for the Philadelphia Eagles that I can remember, and it is no different this season. I’m hear to tell Philadelphia to pull those hands back, and to leave the panic button alone for now, because while the Eagles will lose some talent this season, they are still going to be a contender for next season and many after that as well.

The number one thing people in Philadelphia are complaining about right now is the departure of their late season hero Jeff Garcia. The Birds re-signed backup quarterback A.J. Feeley to a contract extension, signaling they will let Garcia walk elsewhere. Living in the Philly area, you would think that this move alone would doom for the Eagles next season, and nothing could be further from the truth. Before complaining, let’s all take a look at what exactly Philly just let walk out of the door. It is a backup quarterback, a position that the Eagles trusted in the hands of Koy Detmer for years upon years. Whether he stayed or not, Jeff Garcia was more than likely not going to impact the season for the Birds. Sure, Donovan McNabb has had some injuries recently, but it’s very doubtful that a quarterback will have 3 straight season ending injuries, and even if McNabb does go down, AJ Feeley has shown he can thrive in Philadelphia’s offensive system. Also, had they kept Garcia, the cries for #7 would have been thrown around Lincoln Financial Field the minute Donovan McNabb threw a bad pass or fumbled the football. It’s almost like you dumped your girlfriend. You may like her and respect her, but if she keeps talking to you and calling you, the girl that you are currently dating may get upset. The Eagles already got a taste of what drama can do to a team, and they want no part of that again. I’m not suggesting Jeff would be a team cancer, but the fact that Eagle fans know they have a very good quarterback on the bench would make them a lot tougher on Donovan McNabb, a guy that has gotten too much criticism already from those fans. It’s not worth presenting the team with a possible quarterback contriversory just to keep a backup quarterback who won some fans over the previous season.

The possible departure of Donte’ Stallworth has Eagle fans pulling out their hair as well. And I hate to say that it’s no big deal if he leaves, but honestly, it’s no big deal. Stallworth is a terrific receiver, and it would be great for Philly if he comes back, but for the money that he’s going to sign for, it may not even be worth it. There are really only a handful of good receivers out there in free agency, and I believe Stallworth is probably the best one. Like everybody else, I’m predicting he gets Antwaan Randle El money from a team with a lot of cash to spare, and if the price tag for Stallworth comes at 40-plus million, then it would be wise for the Eagles to let him walk. Yes, he was a great deep threat and locker room presence for the Birds last season, but he is not a top receiver in this league, and does not deserve to be paid as such. I believe that the Eagles have enough offensive weapons to thrive without him.

One weapon is Brian Westbrook. Westbrook rushed for over 1200 yards last season and had nearly 700 yards receiving. As long as the Birds stick with the running game all next season like they did near the end of last year, they will beat a lot of teams up physically with that mammoth offensive line they have. LJ Smith is also a guy that has very quietly become an elite tight end in the NFL, and has improved his blocking steadily since entering the league 5 years ago. Then there is “Downtown” Reggie Brown, a guy that has all the potential in the world and caught 8 touchdown passes last year to go along with 816 receiving yards. Next season with be his 3^rd year, and anytime now he should be ready to break out and become a number one receiver in the league.

Why bring back expensive players and players who will sit on the bench all year when you have a couple of guys that you need to lock up yourself? The Eagles have done a great job with this, locking up guys like Shawn Andrews, Trent Cole, and just recently Jaqua Thomas. They have to save some of those pennies for next season when LJ Smith becomes an unrestricted free agent. They have the habit of locking up good, young draft picks that establish themselves as players early. By going out and signing Stallworth to a mega deal in order to keep him, that money may not be there when a great player that they really need hits the market. Can you imagine the uproar in Philly if Shawn Andrews, in the prime of his career, became a free agent and signed with the New York Giants, or how about if Trent Cole’s contract ran up, and he decided that he wanted to be a Washington Redskin?  Philadelphia would be in a state of chaos, and people would

be blaming the front office for not re-signing these players when they had the chance. By passing on an overpriced player like Stallworth, and noticing that Jeff Garcia is not essential to their success right now, they are saving that money for a player that really deserves it.

In Philadelphia, there is absolutely no reason to panic at this point. The Eagles are a team on the way up. They’ve got one of the best quarterbacks in the league under center in Donovan McNabb, a mammoth offensive line, and Brian Westbrook. Pair those 3 together and you’ve got yourself a lethal offense, and it doesn’t matter who the wide receivers are. The draft this year is pretty high on defensive talent, and the Birds can improve there, and maybe add a cheap free agent or two. The fact of the matter is that 21 of the Eagles 22 starters from last year’s NFC East champion team are returning to a watered down NFC. They have a legitimate shot at the Superbowl whether they sign a big name free agent or not. There’s nothing to be worried about Philly, because as of now, I don’t think any team in the NFC is that much better than you.