Here is a look at the Eagles players who are scheduled to become eligible for free agency in the 2009 offseason ...
Unrestricted - A player who has accrued four or more seasons and whose contract has expired. The player is free to sign with any club with no compensation owed to the player's previous club.
RB Correll Buckhalter (Signed a four-year deal with Denver on Feb. 27)
Buckhalter realizes he'll never be the Eagles' No. 1 running back as long as Brian Westbrook is here, but he also knows he complements Westbrook and his abilities well. Buckhalter has missed three seasons due to various knee injuries over the course of his career, but this past season he was healthy enough to set career highs in receptions (26), yards (324) and receiving touchdowns (2).
S Sean Considine (Signed a two-year deal with Jacksonville on Feb. 27)
After losing his starting spot to Quintin Mikell, Considine could have pouted. Instead, Considine provided depth at the safety position while becoming a demon on special teams. A fourth-round pick in the 2005 draft, Considine led the team with 32 special teams tackles and was named one of the team captains for the 2008 postseason.
FS Brian Dawkins
The 35-year-old Dawkins earned his seventh trip to the Pro Bowl after another phenomenal season. He became the franchise's all-time leader in games played (183) and he finished the year tied for the all-time lead with 34 interceptions. The longest-tenured athlete in Philadelphia said after the Eagles' NFC Championship Game that he would like to return to the only organization for which he's ever played.
CB Joselio Hanson (Agreed to terms with the Eagles on a five-year deal on Feb. 20)
After three seasons as a reserve on the depth chart, Hanson passed Lito Sheppard on the depth chart as the Eagles' nickel cornerback. The highlight of season was undoubtedly when he returned a Marion Barber fumble 96 yards for his first career touchdown. He also recorded his first career interception on Thanksgiving night against Arizona. Hanson has appeared in 61 games over the course of his four-year career.
T Jon RunyanRunyan has an ironman-like 192 consecutive regular-season games played streak, but he was clearly battling through injuries to play in the postseason. Runyan ranks second only to Jets' quarterback Brett Favre for most postseason games played by active players (21). The 35-year-old Runyan has stated that he will definitely play somewhere next season and he would prefer for it to be with the Eagles.
T Tra ThomasA first-round pick in 1998, Thomas has protected quarterback Donovan McNabb's blindside for more than a decade. He's only missed eight games due to injury over the course of his career and he's ranked second for most games played by an offensive lineman (166). He and fellow free-agent tackle Jon Runyan have started 134 games together, the most for a tackle tandem in Eagles history.
TE L.J. SmithSmith suffered through back spasms, shoulder injuries and also nursed a concussion during the 2008 season. Smith has seen his production drop from a career-high 61 catches for 682 yards in 2005 to just 27 catches for 321 yards this season. Considering that Brent Celek started the NFC Championship Game and had a career-high 10 catches for 83 yards and two touchdowns, the Eagles will have to evaluate whether Smith should return.
Restricted - A player who has completed three seasons and whose contract has expired. If the player is tendered a qualifying offer, other teams can sign to an offer sheet but the original team has the option to match it. If the original team does not match the offer sheet then it receives compensation in the form of draft pick(s).
WR Hank Baskett (Tendered a one-year contract on Feb. 26)
Baskett set career highs with 33 catches and three touchdowns this season and his size and leaping ability make him a valuable commodity. Baskett ups his value by contributing on special teams and he was named the squad's special teams MVP in 2007. Baskett is also a big-play threat; he's just the sixth player in NFL history with three career catches of 85 yards or more.
G Nick Cole (Tendered a one-year contract on Feb. 26)
A rookie free agent signee in 2006, Cole has been buried on the depth chart for most of his three seasons with the team. But injuries to Shawn Andrews and Max Jean-Gilles opened the door for Cole, who played very well down the stretch to help the Eagles qualify for the postseason. Cole has seen action either on the offense or on special teams in all 53 regular and postseason games in his career.
Exclusive Rights - A player whose contract expires at a time when he has less than three accrued seasons. If offered a tender, these players cannot sign with a new team.
LB Tank Daniels (Tendered a one-year contract on Feb. 26)
This season was Daniels' second stint with the Eagles and he contributed mostly on special teams. Last season Daniels was claimed off waivers by the Giants and he went on to play in eight games for New York, including its win in Super Bowl XLII. Daniels recorded a career-high 18 tackles on special teams in 2008.
