Former Seahawks DE Tapp will compete for starting job in Philadelphia

25-year-old defensive end Darryl Tapp officially said goodbye to free agency two days after a trade between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Seattle Seahawks. A three-year contract will keep him in the Eagles jersey through the 2012 season and he will have a chance to compete for the starting job at left defensive end.




“I think a change of scenery will be good,” Tapp said. “I guess last year I had 2 1/2 sacks, but honestly in my eyes, I feel like it was my best year. I had 2 1/2 sacks and 18 quarterback hits. Last year was just a difficult situation with the circumstances that we had in Seattle. So, stats don’t always tell the story. It’s what you see on the surface.”

During the four seasons with the Seahawks, Tapp totally had 18 sacks, two interceptions, eight forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries in 64 games. And his competitors for the starting job include Victor Vbiamiri and Juqua Parker. If he wins the job, he will co-work with Pro Bowl right end Trent Cole on defensive line.

Former Eagles RB Westbrook confirmed Eagles won’t keep QB Vick

Now running back Brian Westbrook was a free agent after being released by the Philadelphia Eagles. He began to understand more about NFL business and believes that the Eagles will not keep quarterback Michael Vick.

Westbrook seemed a bit disappointed with the decision made by the Eagles, who drafted him but released him after nine seasons.

"I was a little bit surprised. Thinking they maybe would give me an opportunity to renegotiate things," Westbrook said. "For [the Eagles], it’s always business, it’s always money. … We left it on good terms. I wouldn’t say they were bad terms at all."

As they did not hesitate to release a nine-year Eagle, it is almost sure that the Eagles will think less in getting rid of a one-year guy, who did not show much value during the only season in Philadelphia. So Westbrook said “definitely” Vick will put on another team’s NFL jerseys and predicted that the quarterback would be traded as that could not only save the Eagles a lot of money but also could bring them some wanted player as the price for Vick.

Becoming free agent again, WR Owens becomes friends with QB McNabb

It had been known for years that there are feuds between wide receiver Terrell Owens and Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb. But recently Owens, becoming an unrestricted free agent this offseason, said that he is friends with McNabb now.

"I can honestly say I appreciate those years and Donovan and I are friends and, actually we were just hanging out last night as a matter of fact," McNabb said. "So it was one of those things where, again, it started off well, it didn’t end well. Sometimes, I wish it could have ended on a positive note."




During the two seasons Owen played in Eagles jerseys, he was unhappy with his contract, with management, coaches and former Eagles defensive end Hugh Douglas and eventually chose to leave the City of Brotherly Love. Well, after three seasons with the Dallas Cowboys and one uneventful, unproductive season with the Buffalo Bills, he becomes a free agent again and need to get along well with any possible chance to a new deal. Possibly he could be an Eagle again, and then good terms with the team’s star quarterback are absolutely necessary.

Eagles may lose both WR Jackson and RB Westbrook to concussions

While it was originally considered that wide receiver DeSean Jackson could help the Philadelphia Eagles overcome losing running back Brian Westbrook to concussion with his playmaking skills, it was now worried that whether the Eagles could play a good game this weekend against the Atlanta Falcons as Jackson has also been suffering a concussion.




Jackson’s playing status remains uncertain. Sustaining a concussion in last Sunday’s 27-24 win over the Washington Redskins while running a short crossing pattern in the third quarter, Jackson did not lose consciousness and left the field on his own without taking off his Eagles jersey. But missing the rest of the game itself has already showed some bad signs.

Jason Avant and rookie Jeremy Maclin filled in with Jackson’s absence. And the Eagles signed wide receiver Jordan Norwood off their practice squad Tuesday, another sign indicating that Jackson may not be available for this Sunday’s game.

Westbrook will be re-examined this week after missing the last two games with his second concussion of the season, and it is likely that rookie running back LeSean McCoy and veteran fullback Leonard Weaver will continue to fill at the position of running back in the backfield.

Michael Vick can still have $16 million roster bonus from Falcons

The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed Tuesday that Michael Vick, currently a quarterback in the Philadelphia Eagles, can still keep the more than $16 million roster bonuses he earned while playing in the Atlanta Falcons jersey.

The Court’s decision backed Judge David Doty’s rule, which said the money was not subject to forfeiture since Vick had already earned the bonuses before his dogfighting conviction. After the ruling, the NFL accused Doty, who has long handled matters arising from the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement, of bias and sought to end his oversight of its contract with the players union.

However, the court backed Doty’s ruling on Vick’s bonus case because it found the contract’s forfeiture language ambiguous. So Doty has not done anything wrong and can still keep oversight of contract.

Vick’s current contract with the Eagles can pay him $1.6 million for 2009 season, and even the team decides to keep him in Philadelphia for next season, he won’t earn more than $5.2 million, so to keep the Falcons’ $16 million means quite a lot for Vick’s life.

Eagles lost to Jets by 38-27 on Thursday night

Hours after the NFL commissioner Roger Goodell decided to fully reinstate Michael Vick in Week 3, the controversial quarterback failed to help the Philadelphia Eagles win over the New York Jets in Thursday night’s preseason finale.




He was 7 for 11 for 26 yards and ran for a 2-yard touchdown, but was sacked four times, lost a fumble and was intercepted, while Jets rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez completed all five of his passes and capped his only series with a touchdown pass. And during the game, Vick was booed each time he ran onto the field.

The disgraced quarterback was released from federal custody July 20 after serving 18 months of a 23-month sentence for his role in operating a dogfighting ring, and he has been allowed by the league to play Sept. 27 against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Kolb will start at quarter back at Eagles final preseason game

The Philadelphia Eagles will play their final preseason game on Thursday night against the New York Jets at the Meadowlands, and Coach Andy Reid said on Monday that the team will have Kevin Kolb starting at quarterback, with Michael Vick also playing in the first half.




Reid released the decision on his weekly radio show Monday evening, saying that Vick would play in the first half and start the second half. The team will keep quarterback Donovan McNabb, running back Brian Westbrook and many other starters out of the game as preparation for the season opener in two weeks.

Vick made his Eagles debut last week in the preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, playing six snaps with 4 for 4 for 19 yards. The first four Eagles drives he participated in netted only three points. After the game, it was reported that starting quarterback McNabb was unhappy with Vick’s playing because it interrupted the offense.

Eagles OL Herremans could miss rest of preseason

Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman Todd Herremans could not be able to take part in the rest of the preseason because of a injured foot.

Herremans is the Eagles starting left guard for season. According to coach Andy Reid, Herremans has a stress reaction in a bone in his foot just above the arch.


Since right tackle Shawn Andrews has been staying on sideline after his back was injured, and right guard Stacy Andrews' knee surgery will keep him out of Thursday night’s preseason opener, the Eagles just lost their projected starting offensive line to play together before the season opens Sept. 13 if Herremans will not be able to play by the season opener. But they will arrange Nick Cole to tart in Herremans’ place against the Patriots.