Nice spin the Eagles Dave Spadaro is trying to put on this crap:

On Fowler, Free Agency And Much, Much More


March 11, 2007

They like the kid. They like the kid a lot. They like a player by the name of Ryan Fowler so much that the Eagles signed him to an offer sheet on Sunday evening and now we play the waiting game some more: Dallas has seven days to match the offer sheet once it is officially submitted to the league office.

Who is Fowler? How would he fit in as an Eagle? Let's talk about that and much, much more on an emotional, and busy Sunday here.

First, let's talk about Fowler. He enters his fourth season and clearly is out of favor in Dallas. Will they match the offer sheet he signed? That remains to be seen. In the meantime, we can discuss what he might here.

The Eagles researched the kid and found a player who is a hard worker, who is a physical player, who has a lot of smarts and desire and hustle and athletic ability.

He has made a career from nothing, and he has worked his way from the bottom up. Fowler was not drafted out of Duke. He made the Cowboys by working his butt off and by learning the Cowboys' scheme.

In three starts in 2005, Fowler contributed a total of 16 tackles, three for loss. The Eagles liked what they saw when they studied him and made an offer. Fowler signed with the Eagles rather than with Tennessee. He wants to be here. Fowler made that clear in his Friday press conference.

How would he fit in? Well, at 250 pounds, Fowler is likely a middle linebacker or a SAM linebacker. He would have a chance right away to be a core member of special teams. And he would have a chance to earn substantial playing time at linebacker, a position the Eagles want to improve.

So ... we have to wait a little bit longer to see if he actually becomes an Eagle, but Fowler might be the most disappointed guy in the state of Texas if he stays a Cowboy.

The Eagles want to upgrade the linebacker spots. Fine with me. They weren't good enough last year, none of them. So the upgrade begins with a young player you may not know much about, but one you may learn about very, very quickly.

Elsewhere ....

STALLWORTH MAKES HIS MOVE

I spent hours on the Discussion Boards with Eagles fans who were very emotional about the departure of wide receiver Donte' Stallworth. Why did he leave if he is only receiving $3.6 million guaranteed from the Patriots? The numbers, certainly, did not appear daunting.

As I said over and over again, I don't have the answer. I don't know the reason for Stallworth's decision. I was not in the room negotiating. The Eagles expressed an interest in retaining him, but obviously did not go far enough to keep Stallworth.

So where do the Eagles go from here at wide receiver? They like what they have, first and foremost. I have said that over and over again. Reggie Brown is ready to be the go-to receiver. Hank Baskett and Jason Avant are going to have to step up and contribute a lot. Greg Lewis is going to have to be a key factor, and maybe Bethel Johnson gets the opportunities and responds well to the challenge.

But ...

It wouldn't surprise me to see the Eagles continue to add to the mix. They are still very much in the game with free agent Kevin Curtis. They are going to have chances in the draft.

Wide receiver never leaves the center stage around here. It remains there now.

IN OTHER FREE AGENCY NEWS ...

The Eagles still need to add a second running back to work in with Brian Westbrook, somebody with size. Ryan Moats has to factor in here somewhere, but not as a big back. Free agency? Maybe. The return of Correll Buckhalter? Possibly. The draft? There are candidates out there to be had.

Safety Mike Doss was on sports radio in Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon, talking about the Eagles' interest in him and his interest in joining the Eagles. Doss played well with the Colts and is a good player, but I have no idea if the team is interested in adding him and I have no idea what the plans are at safety.

I do know I like the safeties on this team. I recognize the need for a fourth safety, however.

Anything else out there? There always is something brewing in free agency. This is going to be an off-season in which you must stay on your toes. Trades are possible. Trades, in fact, are probable. There are a lot of moves ahead.

The first order of business is Fowler. Done deal on the Eagles' side, and now the team waits to see how the Cowboys respond. Next move? Your guess is as good as mine.

ARE EAGLES BETTER NOW?

They have lost a starting wide receiver, and now need somebody to step up and fill that void. They return some key players, including Donovan McNabb and Jevon Kearse. They retained some depth on defense with Juqua Thomas, Quintin Mikell and William James.

There is plenty of time to keep working at things in this off-season. Better now than at the end of the year? With McNabb and Kearse back, yes. Stallworth's speed and his deep ability must be replaced, however.

__________________

An unwavering defender of those I see worth protecting.

"promote the general welfare, not provide the general welfare"

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.