If there is going to be a reasonable pace to the preseason as a lead in to the regular season, the NFL and the players need to get a deal done in the next four or five days. I'm not sure what to think, honestly. I'm optimistic about a full season, of course. That hasn't changed.
But my interests go far beyond 16 games of the regular season. I want a full training camp and a full preseason. I want to put the work stoppage in the past and get to free agency. I am going out of my mind wondering what the Eagles' intentions are for the year ahead.
What can we do, though? We can wait. We can plan. We can wonder. We can speculate and hope for the best.
As the negotiations heat up for yet another week, we've got some items on the docket to discuss ...
- DeSean Jackson learned a lesson about losing his cool during a radio interview, and now he is the subject of national news. Players understand that everything they say matters, even in a hostile situation. Jackson made a mistake and he has owned up to it. The matter, as I see it, is over.
- I was on Sirius/XM NFL radio on Sunday morning and was asked about a bunch of things, including tight end Brent Celek's productivity. Will he be more involved this season in the passing game? Maybe. He certainly is a reliable target. It all depends on the offensive line and how often the Eagles are able to release Celek into his routes. Last season, Celek did a fine job as an in-line blocker as the line juggled some injuries and inconsistency. With new coach Howard Mudd on board and three draft picks expected to immediately compete for playing time, Celek could be more of a receiver as he was in 2009.
- Of course, the topic of Plaxico Burress was discussed in the interview and, well, what can I say? He would help any team, assuming he is in shape and is good to go. Using Burress in the red zone means a defense has to give safety help over the top. But I don't know how the Eagles feel about Burress and I don't know what he is looking for in his next team. I would love to have him, sure ...
- I flipped on the NFL Network and their Top 100 Countdown of players in 2010 and couldn't stop watching just to watch football. Hard to believe we are at this point, isn't it?
- How does a team proceed with players recovering from injury? There won't be a lot of practice time ahead, and players aren't going to have the luxury of missing time on the field. I really wonder, and I've said this before, about the safety positions. Will Nate Allen be ready? Can a rookie help in the secondary with so little time in the system? Do the Eagles add a veteran in free agency? Is Marlin Jackson a candidate for real? Questions, questions ...
