It still hasn’t completely sunk in that Brian Dawkins will be wearing a uniform that is not Eagles green for this coming season. If you read my post leading into free agency, you know that I felt very strongly that the Eagles needed to do whatever it took to keep Brian Dawkins. I will readily admit that I have had a hard time being rational about this particular issue, but we have to take a look at who’s to blame.
On one hand, the Eagles let a future hall of famer and the heart of their defense leave their team. However, Dawkins is the one that left the team when the Eagles had made him an offer. He had the opportunity, if he wanted, to stay with the team that drafted him 14 years ago. Instead, he chose to leave a playoff team for a non-playoff team for the money. There’s no way around the fact that the main reason Dawkins left was the money.
However, when I look at everything, I have to say that the blame for this debacle clearly lies with the Eagles front office. First of all, they let it get to this point in the first place. Why not give Dawkins a very lucrative offer in February before the free agency period began? Second, they should have ponied up the extra money to match Denver’s offer. I know there is a lot being said about the fact that he got a 5 year deal and he will turn 36 years old during this coming season. But the money is only guaranteed for the first two years. Over the first two years of the deal, the Broncos are paying Dawkins $9Million and $7.2Million is guaranteed. According to Howard Eskin, who, let’s face it, is a lap dog for Andy Reid and the front office, the Eagles were willing to guarantee Dawkins $5Million. Why not just throw in the extra $2.2Million? It makes no sense.
Granted Dawkins clearly has lost a step, but Jim Johnson had figured out an effective way to use him in taking him out of one on one coverage and bringing him up closer to the line of scrimmage to cause havoc with the other team’s schemes. Additionally, Dawkins was clearly the heart and soul of the defense and in that respect, he will be irreplaceable.
There is one other reason I place the blame for this on the Eagles: they have continually operated by letting their veteran players go when they felt they were getting too old. Think about the following names: Jeremiah Trotter, Hugh Douglas, Duce Staley, Brian Mitchell. The Eagles almost placed pride in the fact that they let these players go a year too early rather than a year too late. For the most part, this approach has worked well for the Eagles. The problem is that the other players take notice which makes them less likely to stay if they don’t feel they will be appreciated. So if you do have someone who would cause you to rethink this rule, it becomes a much more difficult proposition than it needs to be. Given this history, which now includes Brian Dawkins, it makes me wonder how much more difficult it will make things with Donovan McNabb when and if they try to extend his contract.
As for now, I will continue to root for the Eagles, but part of me will be rooting for Denver this year as well. Someone asked me if I would be trashing my Dawkins jersey now. An interesting point to this coming season is that the Denver Broncos will be playing the Eagles in Philadelphia this season. I told him that, no I would be keeping the jersey and in fact, I plan on wearing it to the Eagles/Broncos game as a sign of my disapproval with the organization letting him go.
On one hand, the Eagles let a future hall of famer and the heart of their defense leave their team. However, Dawkins is the one that left the team when the Eagles had made him an offer. He had the opportunity, if he wanted, to stay with the team that drafted him 14 years ago. Instead, he chose to leave a playoff team for a non-playoff team for the money. There’s no way around the fact that the main reason Dawkins left was the money.
However, when I look at everything, I have to say that the blame for this debacle clearly lies with the Eagles front office. First of all, they let it get to this point in the first place. Why not give Dawkins a very lucrative offer in February before the free agency period began? Second, they should have ponied up the extra money to match Denver’s offer. I know there is a lot being said about the fact that he got a 5 year deal and he will turn 36 years old during this coming season. But the money is only guaranteed for the first two years. Over the first two years of the deal, the Broncos are paying Dawkins $9Million and $7.2Million is guaranteed. According to Howard Eskin, who, let’s face it, is a lap dog for Andy Reid and the front office, the Eagles were willing to guarantee Dawkins $5Million. Why not just throw in the extra $2.2Million? It makes no sense.
Granted Dawkins clearly has lost a step, but Jim Johnson had figured out an effective way to use him in taking him out of one on one coverage and bringing him up closer to the line of scrimmage to cause havoc with the other team’s schemes. Additionally, Dawkins was clearly the heart and soul of the defense and in that respect, he will be irreplaceable.
There is one other reason I place the blame for this on the Eagles: they have continually operated by letting their veteran players go when they felt they were getting too old. Think about the following names: Jeremiah Trotter, Hugh Douglas, Duce Staley, Brian Mitchell. The Eagles almost placed pride in the fact that they let these players go a year too early rather than a year too late. For the most part, this approach has worked well for the Eagles. The problem is that the other players take notice which makes them less likely to stay if they don’t feel they will be appreciated. So if you do have someone who would cause you to rethink this rule, it becomes a much more difficult proposition than it needs to be. Given this history, which now includes Brian Dawkins, it makes me wonder how much more difficult it will make things with Donovan McNabb when and if they try to extend his contract.
As for now, I will continue to root for the Eagles, but part of me will be rooting for Denver this year as well. Someone asked me if I would be trashing my Dawkins jersey now. An interesting point to this coming season is that the Denver Broncos will be playing the Eagles in Philadelphia this season. I told him that, no I would be keeping the jersey and in fact, I plan on wearing it to the Eagles/Broncos game as a sign of my disapproval with the organization letting him go.
I AGREE!!!!
ReplyDeleteSo at the Denver?Philly game I'll have to root for Philly O and Denver D. It's real shame to see Dawkins go...IMHO some others should have gone instead!!!
Dee-Dee - What does IMHO mean?
ReplyDeleteKarl - Who do you think will lead the team this year now that Dawkins is gone? It should be Mcnabb, but I just don't think he has the capability to be a good leader. It's going to be stupid seeing Dawins in a Broncos uniform like it was stupid seeing Reggie White in a Packers uniform. Was it intentional that you said the Eagles should have "ponied" up to the Broncos?
LOL - no pun was intended by the "pony" remark. I think it's going to be harder to see Dawkins in a Broncos jersey than Reggie becoming a Packer. With Reggie, you saw that coming that he was going to leave the team since Norman Braman was never going to pay him and the fans knew that. Also Reggie wasn't here near as long (8 years v. 13 years for Dawkins).
ReplyDeleteAs for a new leader: offense & defense typically have their own "leaders." Who will replace Dawkins on defense? I have no idea! Hopefully, one of the young guns like Quintin Mikell or Stewart Bradley will. We shall see.