Eagles key on Oregon State's Jackson
By REUBEN FRANK
phillyBurbs.com
NFL DRAFT - The Eagles have targeted Stephen Jackson as their top priority in next weekend's draft and hope to trade up high enough in the first round to land the highly regarded Oregon State running back, according to a high-level NFL source.
According to a report on ESPN.com, the 49ers may be willing to deal with the Eagles. The report said the 49ers are interested in shipping their first-round pick, No. 16 overall, to the Eagles for guard John Welbourn; the Eagles' first-round pick, No. 28 overall; and an additional draft pick.
The league source said that is just one of several scenarios the Eagles are exploring, and the 49ers are just one of many teams they are talking with. However, that deal certainly makes sense.
The Eagles on Friday signed offensive lineman Artis Hicks to a four-year, $5 million contract extension with a $1.2 million signing bonus, even though Hicks has only started four NFL games. If the Eagles ship Welbourn, Hicks steps right in at his left guard spot.
The 49ers, meanwhile, are rebuilding their offensive line and need a left guard, and Welbourn is a good one.
Some draft experts project Jackson as a top-10 pick, but no running back has gone in the top 10 since LaDainian Tomlinson was the fifth choice in 2001, and that trend is likely to continue.
Could Jackson drop to the Eagles if they move up 12 spots to No. 16? The teams picking 11 through 15 - the Steelers, Jets, Bills, Bears and Buccaneers - are either set at running back or have other more pressing priorities.
It was believed that after letting Duce Staley go to Pittsburgh, the Eagles would go with Correll Buckhalter and Brian Westbrook, who both put up good numbers in part-time duty last year. Since head coach Andy Reid likes to throw two-thirds of the time anyway, conventional wisdom said the Eagles wouldn't go after an every-down running back.
However, Jackson is a stud. He's a 6-2, 240-pound specimen who ran for 1,690 yards as a junior and 1,545 as a senior. Jackson, a junior eligible, is also a capable receiver, critical in the West Coast Offense. He caught 44 passes for 470 yards a year ago.
The Eagles haven't drafted a running back in the first round since they made Keith Byars the 10th pick in the 1986 draft out of Ohio State.
Meanwhile, Hicks' contract means he'll likely be starting somewhere on the line next season. He played one game at left tackle last year and started three others in place of Welbourn at left guard.
"Whatever they decide to do, I'm willing to play that role," Hicks said Friday. "If I'm going to be a backup, I'll be the best backup I can be."
Hicks was entering the third year of his minimum-wage rookie contract and would have been a restricted free agent after the 2004 season. His deal is worth $5 million over the next four years, including a $1.2 million signing bonus.
Hicks, 6-4, 300 pounds, played college football at Memphis, where he was a four-year starter. He was scheduled to earn $380,000 in 2004 on the final year of his three-year, $923,700 rookie contract.
"It says a lot," Hicks said of the contract extension. "They really like me, and they really wanted me. It wasn't even the end of my original contract, and they came to me. That speaks volumes about the Eagles and how they feel about me."
Buckhalter to remain an Eagle
The Eagles regained exclusive bargaining rights with Buckhalter at midnight Friday night when the NFL's deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets passed.
Buckhalter, who ran for 542 yards and scored nine touchdowns last year, could have signed an offer sheet during the last seven weeks, and the Eagles would have had the chance to match it.
But Buckhalter did not draw any interest during the restricted free agent signing period. Now, the Eagles will owe Buckhalter only $627,869 in 2004. If they don't re-sign him before next season ends, he will become an unrestricted free agent after the season.
Reuben Frank can be reached at eagleswriter@yahoo.com.
April 18, 2004 7:17 AM
By REUBEN FRANK
phillyBurbs.com
NFL DRAFT - The Eagles have targeted Stephen Jackson as their top priority in next weekend's draft and hope to trade up high enough in the first round to land the highly regarded Oregon State running back, according to a high-level NFL source.
According to a report on ESPN.com, the 49ers may be willing to deal with the Eagles. The report said the 49ers are interested in shipping their first-round pick, No. 16 overall, to the Eagles for guard John Welbourn; the Eagles' first-round pick, No. 28 overall; and an additional draft pick.
The league source said that is just one of several scenarios the Eagles are exploring, and the 49ers are just one of many teams they are talking with. However, that deal certainly makes sense.
The Eagles on Friday signed offensive lineman Artis Hicks to a four-year, $5 million contract extension with a $1.2 million signing bonus, even though Hicks has only started four NFL games. If the Eagles ship Welbourn, Hicks steps right in at his left guard spot.
The 49ers, meanwhile, are rebuilding their offensive line and need a left guard, and Welbourn is a good one.
Some draft experts project Jackson as a top-10 pick, but no running back has gone in the top 10 since LaDainian Tomlinson was the fifth choice in 2001, and that trend is likely to continue.
Could Jackson drop to the Eagles if they move up 12 spots to No. 16? The teams picking 11 through 15 - the Steelers, Jets, Bills, Bears and Buccaneers - are either set at running back or have other more pressing priorities.
It was believed that after letting Duce Staley go to Pittsburgh, the Eagles would go with Correll Buckhalter and Brian Westbrook, who both put up good numbers in part-time duty last year. Since head coach Andy Reid likes to throw two-thirds of the time anyway, conventional wisdom said the Eagles wouldn't go after an every-down running back.
However, Jackson is a stud. He's a 6-2, 240-pound specimen who ran for 1,690 yards as a junior and 1,545 as a senior. Jackson, a junior eligible, is also a capable receiver, critical in the West Coast Offense. He caught 44 passes for 470 yards a year ago.
The Eagles haven't drafted a running back in the first round since they made Keith Byars the 10th pick in the 1986 draft out of Ohio State.
Meanwhile, Hicks' contract means he'll likely be starting somewhere on the line next season. He played one game at left tackle last year and started three others in place of Welbourn at left guard.
"Whatever they decide to do, I'm willing to play that role," Hicks said Friday. "If I'm going to be a backup, I'll be the best backup I can be."
Hicks was entering the third year of his minimum-wage rookie contract and would have been a restricted free agent after the 2004 season. His deal is worth $5 million over the next four years, including a $1.2 million signing bonus.
Hicks, 6-4, 300 pounds, played college football at Memphis, where he was a four-year starter. He was scheduled to earn $380,000 in 2004 on the final year of his three-year, $923,700 rookie contract.
"It says a lot," Hicks said of the contract extension. "They really like me, and they really wanted me. It wasn't even the end of my original contract, and they came to me. That speaks volumes about the Eagles and how they feel about me."
Buckhalter to remain an Eagle
The Eagles regained exclusive bargaining rights with Buckhalter at midnight Friday night when the NFL's deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets passed.
Buckhalter, who ran for 542 yards and scored nine touchdowns last year, could have signed an offer sheet during the last seven weeks, and the Eagles would have had the chance to match it.
But Buckhalter did not draw any interest during the restricted free agent signing period. Now, the Eagles will owe Buckhalter only $627,869 in 2004. If they don't re-sign him before next season ends, he will become an unrestricted free agent after the season.
Reuben Frank can be reached at eagleswriter@yahoo.com.
April 18, 2004 7:17 AM
