No Way

This makes absolutely no sense:

The Daily News reported yesterday that Sheppard's agent, Lamont Smith, was trying to shop the two-time Pro Bowl cornerback to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a package of 2009 draft picks.

Smith, through his receptionist, said he would not comment. Sheppard did not return a phone call. An Eagles source said Smith's attempt to cut a deal with Jacksonville was news to the team. The same source said there were no trade discussions involving Sheppard with any team yesterday.

There are three problems with this:  1)  A "package" of picks means no first-rounder and likely also means conditional picks based on performance, 2)  Jacksonville is a very good team that likely will have poor draft position next season, and most importantly 3)  Why trade Lito now for picks next year when you could instead have Lito play out the season and then trade him for picks next year?  Even if you got a slightly worse deal, that's easily counterbalanced by having him on the field in 2008.

I also don't buy for one minute that the Eagles didn't have a plenty of offers this weekend.  I bet they've talked to 10 different teams about Lito.  The problem is that most of those teams were looking for a fire sale and the Eagles were only interested in two things:

1. A big-time wide receiver
2. A first-round draft pick

Absent one of those two things (or maybe equivalent draft pick value) the Eagles weren't trading Lito.

- - -

I actually think -- and this is pretty amazing -- that the Eagles' chances of getting Chad Johnson in a trade are dramatically improved from where they were last week.  I'm as conflicted as you are on the thought of rooting for another attention hog, but what I'm not conflicted about is how much better he would make this team.

The Bengals didn't do anything crazy, but they definitely came out of the draft better prepared for a future without Chad Johnson than they were before.  And please note in that link that the league's 26th-ranked pass defense didn't draft a cornerback.

The Eagles had the kind of draft that makes you think they're ready to play football right now.  They've got two new pass catchers and a quarterback coming off his first healthy offseason since the Super Bowl.  With that said, they drafted the kind of wide receiver who would be a perfect complement to a guy like Johnson on the outside... 

I'm not at all sure the Eagles are willing to wait until June 1 to make a deal happen, but right now I'd say the Johnsonmeter is sitting at about 30, rather than last week's 10.

Comments

[johnnyshaka]

Personally, I don't find CJ half as bad as TO...in terms of antics. I was physically upset when I heard the Eagles had signed TO but I would be jumping for joy if CJ were on his way to Philly.

[Me]

If we got Chad, I would hope it would happen only after Andy has had the "No Bullshit" talk with him.

But, sadly, he's too much better than what we have now to not try and get him.

[Jeff]

I agree, CJ is a different kind of selfish than TO is. I'm sure he wants to be the sure-fire #1 again and not have TJ steal some of his limelight, but I believe him when he says he just wants to be on a team with a chance to win it all. It'd be like ARod playing for KC Royals...what's the point? Dedicate your entire life to being a great player only to be stuck in a situation where you can't compete for the ultimate honor of winning the title?

Chad would be happy in Philly not because he'd get his numbers and be the #1 again, but because we'd be winning. We'd be owning. We were winning with TO and he still whined, cause he's bleeping mentally challenged. Chad + Donny + Philly = Winning = Everybody's happy.

PS - I've completely convinced myself that we're just patiently playing the waiting game with Cincy. Chad's doing his part (you look bad now, but it's worth it buddy, keep it up) and we'll do what we have to when the time is right.