In fact, they're technically not filling the position of director of player personnel, which had been held by Ryan Grigson before he became general manager of the Indianapolis Colts this offseason.

The biggest move, which most addresses the loss of Grigson, is the hiring of Tom Donahoe as a "senior football advisor."

The other hires: Ed Marynowitz (assistant director of pro scouting), Jake Hallum (senior scout), John Middlekauff (West Coast area scout), Dan Hatman (pro scout), Alec Halaby (special assistant to the general manager) and Jake Rosenberg (manager of football administration).

Donahoe was the Pittsburgh Steelers' director of football operations for most of the 1990s and general manager of the Buffalo Bills from 2001 through 2005.

The Steelers, under Donahoe, drafted 12 players who went on to qualify for 31 Pro Bowl berths.

"Last year, my involvement with the protections was just to get us started," Kelce explained after practice today at the first of the team's organized team activities (OTAs). "Whatever the rule was for the week, whatever the rule was for the protection for a given opponent, I would get us started. It was [quarterback Michael Vick's] job to make the corrections, make the audibles, if that first initial play was off.

"Now they're giving me a little bit more leeway to make those corrections right off the bat, so we're not eating as much time off the clock, we're not having me make a call that Mike has to change. We're trying to eliminate as much of that as we can."

In other words, now that Kelce is no longer a rookie, he can be treated like a veteran center -- to an extent.

"No matter how old I get, it's never going to be totally on the center," Kelce said. That's not how [offensive line coach] Howard [Mudd] works, that's not the way most of the league works now. ... but as you get older, you get trusted with more responsibility along the way.

No matter who's making the calls, the goal, as always, is to keep the quarterback cleaner than the year before.

Even without All-Pro left tackle Jason Peters, who likely will miss all of 2012 while recovering from two surgeries to repair a torn Achilles tendon, they would seem to be in position to accomplish that.

His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, who apparently has gone from outcast to best friend of the Eagles' front office over the span of the last few months, revealed yesterday that Bell would sign with a "mystery team" today. Since Rosenhaus spent all day in Philadelphia yesterday finalizing running back LeSean McCoy's extension, naturally the Eagles were labeled as a potential landing spot, especially because they're so thin at that position.

But Bell didn't seem to be a great fit for the Eagles anyway, and the sense here is that they'll be glad they lost out on this sweepstakes.

Why?

Well, he's 34 ... and not exactly a great cover guy ... and comes from the same team that produced Ronnie Brown and Lorenzo Booker.

The last thing the Eagles need is another recycled Dolphin caught in the tuna net.

They tried to spin it the best they could and, truth be told, they could have been much more ruthless, since the latest collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the players union (NFLPA) allows teams to withold all salary from players injured under any circumstance while away from the team in the offseason.

The Eagles aren't doing that. In fact, they say they've had nothing but an amicable relationship with Peters and his agent, Eugene Parker, since the decision was made.

Peters was working out at his home in Texas in March when he ruptured an Achilles tendon, likely ending his 2012 season before it even begins. Earlier this week, it was revealed that he tore the same tendon again and had to have a second surgery after the device he was using to move around collapsed, causing him to fall.

But the decision to cut Peters' pay -- he was due to make $7.9 million this coming season -- was made even before they signed his presumed replacement, free agent Demetress Bell.

Bell is due to make $3.25 million this season between salary and roster/workout bonuses. That's the amount that will be deducted from Peters' salary.

The reason, the club contends, is to keep its salary cap situation fluid, allowing it to remain in prime position to lock in some players whose contracts expire at the end of 2012 (such as RB LeSean McCoy) or 2013 (such as WR Jeremy Maclin).

Still, the Eagles are expected to have well over $16 million in cap space for 2012 -- way more than enough to take care of McCoy and any other veterans they might want to target this year -- even after getting all their draft picks signed. There is no question they can afford to pay Peters his full salary and still have enough cap flexibility this year and beyond.

So there's only one reason the Eagles are doing this. It's because they can.

Thanks to another owner-friendly CBA, an even better deal for the owners than they had before, this practice has become standard around the league.

As stated earlier, the Eagles didn't have to pay Peters at all after his injury. Never mind that it happened while he was legally attempting to make himself a better player. The flawed CBA doesn't allow for any exceptions. It treats accidental shootings with illegal firearms (Plaxico Burress) the same way as no-fault accidents by players totally committed to their craft.

This stinks out loud, and it is the latest example of how weak the players union really is in the grand scheme of things.

Peters is a victim who's being treated as a perpetrator, thanks to the CBA.

The only way for the team to be truly better and have a championship-level defense is for some of the returning veterans to play better, specifically cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, defensive end Brandon Graham and safeties Jaiquawn Jarrett and Kurt Coleman.

Asomugha did nothing during the 2011 season to confirm the notion that he still is an elite player. While it is true he was thrust into unfamiliar zone coverages by then new defensive coordinator Juan Castillo, he failed just as often in his more familiar bump-and-run role in single coverage.

If he has a bounce-back year, the signing is justified. If not, don't look for him to be starting very much longer.

Graham is a player coach Andy Reid and general manager Howie Roseman have done nothing but rave about in this offseason, saying how much better he looks compared to last season, when he was still supposedly feeling the effects of a knee injury the year before.

As Reid likes to say, we'll see.

Graham insisted right up to the end last season that his knee was not an issue, but the Eagles rarely threw him into the rotation.

We'll know this year what was really up.

Jarrett was a rookie who really seemed lost without the benefit of minicamps because of the lockout and could not come close to taking a job that was open for him.

Reid admitted earlier this month that Jarrett was "thinking too much."

That, or not enough.

Again, we'll know a lot better by the end of this summer.

Coleman had tremendous production at times but too often whiffed on tackles. The good news is that it wasn't because of fear. The bad news is that it might have been due to limited ability.

One final, unrelated thought:

Tackle Jason Peters probably wasn't going to play in 2012 anyway after rupturing his Achilles tendon. But now that he's torn it again after falling off the contraption he was using to get around when it allegedly malfunctioned, it's all but a done deal.

According to a Comcast report, he plans to sue the manufacturer.

Fortunately, the Eagles were able to snag Demetress Bell in free agency.

Although they will still feel the loss of Peters, who might have had his best season ever, the offensive line won't be an issue for the Eagles this year.

The defense? With all the question marks about some of the returning players as well as two possible new starters (Ryans and Mychal Kendricks) at linebacker, there is plenty this unit has to prove.

After coach Andy Reid spent around five minutes addressing the players following the final practice today, he huddled with the media and explained as much.

"It's a good foundation," Reid said. "It's a good introduction, and we threw a lot at them and it looked like they digested it pretty well. ... I thought it was a great introduction that these guys could build on. When they get together for the veterans and have that extra pressure and everything is a little bit faster, at least they have a good foundation they can bank on."

Although Reid was hesitant to identify the best of the non-contract players who were in on a tryout basis, we'll all know soon enough which ones they like the best, because they'll be signed long before the team's first full minicamp later this month.

In fact, they could be signed by the end of the day.

"Right when I leave here, I'm going to go up and have a staff meeting and I have it all set up," Reid said, "because these kids have to get out of here. So if there are any that we like, we'll end up keeping them. There were a couple that stood out. ... The safeties that were in there, I thought they did a pretty good job, and really they all busted their tails."

Reid also confirmed that 29-year-old journeyman defensive end Maurice Fountain is likely done for the year after rupturing a patellar tendon on Sunday afternoon.

Wide receiver DeSean Jackson apparently was hassled by a state trooper, who pulled him over on Saturday, while Jackson was on his way to a charity event at the Triumph Baptist Church in Philadelphia.

At around 9 a.m., the trooper supposedly performed field sobriety tests on Jackson before letting him go without a ticket.

The Web site TMZ.com has all the details, including photos of the stop, right here.

Then today, New York Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora made sure his running feud with Eagles running back LeSean McCoy wouldn't die by Tweeting "Happy Mothers Day Lesean Mccoy (sic)! Enjoy your special day!!”

Read more about it here.

Minor incidents, I know, but worth noting, especially the Jackson episode. Can't believe there hasn't been more fallout from this yet.

Polk, who had a second-round grade by most experts, did more than slip down. He slipped completely out.

Not until then did the University of Washington graduate's phone begin ringing. And only after listening to all the offers did he choose the Eagles' contract offer as an undrafted free agent late last month.

Polk admits to a shoulder problem in the past, but insists it did not hinder him at all in his college career, in which he never missed a start.

Not being drafted "put everything into perspective for me," Polk said. "You know, God can take it away at any point in time, but you've got to make it last and make every day count.

"I actually hurt my shoulder in my first year, my redshirt year, and I played my entire college career with it. ... In three years and over 800 carries I never missed a game."

However, Polk does not come in with a chip on (or in) his shoulder.

"They obviously know what they're doing," he said of the NFL's personnel experts. "They've had great success to be in the positions they are because they know what's right and what's wrong. I'm just blessed to be a part of this organization."

Here's a short video clip of him talking about it after the first practice at rookie camp today:

Download Polk-conv.

He's in Philadelphia to today to focus on two primary goals in his first season: nailing down the top slot corner spot on the defense and becoming a force on special teams as a returner.

Boykin is listed as only 5-9, 182, but he looks taller and heavier and he's slapped together like a three-year pro, not a typical rookie.

Boykin and a bunch of other rookies and selected vets start work tomorrow in a three-day rookie camp.

Here's some video from his arrival today:

Download VIDEO0019

Among them were center Jamaal Jackson, safety Quintin Mikell, linebacker Akeem Jordan, guard Artis Hicks, wide receiver Greg Lewis and cornerback Rod Hood.

This year, it almost a certainty that at least one of the players from the impressive crop the Eagles plucked after the draft will do the same.

Running back Chris Polk, fullback Emil Igwenagu and safety Phillip Thomas are among more than a handful who have decent chances and know they won't be short-changed because of how thorough the team traditionally is with its evaluations.

So who's next?

In the coming days during rookie camp this weekend, we'll try to get a fix on who have been the quickest to emerge or who might be too far buried to have a realistic chance when they start hitting for real this summer in training camp.

Should be an interesting three days.

Vick spent a good part of his Tuesday playing against some children at the Eagles Youth Partnership’s annual chess tournament, then said he thought the game helps with his decision-making.

Can that translate into better decisions on Sundays or Mondays or Thursdays or whenever the Eagles play their games this coming season?

Doubtful, according to Vick.

"I liked going head to head, mano-a-mano,” Vick said. “I don’t think it helped me as a football player. It’s helped me make good decisions. That's what it’s done for me."

Still, it can't hurt. Anything that can help Vick prevent a repeat of 2011 should be explored at this point. Any mechanism that can get him to think a little bit more before he runs or throws should be embraced.

Read more about the whole experience here.

Now he's gone too far. The harsh suspensions for the four Saints players involved in their bounty program is over the top, and I believe no court in the land will conclude otherwise.

A whole season for Jonathan Vilma? Seriously? Half a season for Anthony Hargrove, one of the most engaging players in Eagles' training camp last year? You've got to be kidding.

For what? Trying to be good teammates and doing what their coaches tell them?

Goodell obviously must have forgotten what it was like to play the game and must have little or no feel for what professionals go through daily.

It was Gregg Williams and Sean Payton and the Saints' staff that put these players in these compromised positions in the first place. All of the supposedly guilty players believed then, as they believe now, that standing up to something they might have believed was wrong would carry far greater consequences than going along with the program and maybe just not carrying out explicit instructions.

That's what they seemed to do.

Until Goodell can roll out evidence of specific take-out hits by any of these four players, he needs to stop poking this thing with a stick, because it will eventually blow up on him.

My advice to Vilma, Hargrove, Will Smith and Scott Fujita? Don't even bother with what will no doubt be a sham of an appeals process. Just hire the best lawyers they can find and start suing anybody and everybody that put them in this position, and especially the NFL and Goodell for taking massive amounts of money from them for failing to publicly stand up to their bosses.

Hope it happens, too. Because the justice system I believe will work in this case.

Goodell has become known for serving prohibitive penalties with little or no mercy. In most cases, he's right.

Not here. This time, he needs to look at it from the other side, which would probably have to involve him getting a taste of his own medicine.

At first thought, the logic sounds more than a little twisted. Why would Reid want to take the ball out of the hands of a man who just enjoyed his best and most productive season? Shouldn't McCoy (1309 rushing yards, 48 receptions, league-high 20 touchdowns) get more touches?

But Reid is trying to stay ahead of the curve with his thinking here. Right or wrong, he looks at McCoy and sees the point of diminishing returns fast approaching if the Eagles keep calling his number as often as they do.

When you look at the percentages, McCoy already has beaten the odds by making it through three seasons without a major injury. The average NFL career is just 3.3 years. For running backs, the number drops to 2.57, according to the NFLPA. Of course, careers don't always end due to injuries alone, but health almost always play a part in determining the end.

Reid simply wants to get more in the long run out of McCoy than less, and his thinking is all the more admirable when you consider that he might not be invited back for 2013 if he doesn't win the final playoff game of 2012.

More food for thought: Reid and the Eagles were successful with this kind of approach before, when they were able to get eight seasons out of Brian Westbrook.

When you break down Westbrook's career, he was never the same after 2007, in which he had career highs in carries, rushing yards, receptions and receiving yards and led the league with 2,104 yards from scrimmage. The next season, he averaged a career-low 4.0 yards per rushing attempt, and finished with just 1,338 yards from scrimmage. His career was basically over.

McCoy's total touches and yards last year fell short of Westbrook's 2007 totals, and Reid seems hell-bent on keeping it that way.

Might not be the worst thought he ever had.

Players like defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, who became the newest member of the team when the Eagles traded up in the first round of the NFL Draft to make sure they could get him, are Washburn's personal favorites.

"I've coached Fletcher Cox my whole life," Washburn said. "I've coached him a million times. I've been in his house hundreds of times. I've coached Southern black kids my whole life. That's what my life's work has been.

"So we hit it off. I knew exactly what he was, where he's from. That's what I do. And I really like him. He's a soft-spoken, shy country guy. Took him out to eat and we talked about deer-hunting and guns for the first couple hours and then we spent around 15 minutes on football."

Clearly, Washburn was ecstatic about the way things unfolded for the Eagles in the first round of a three-day marathon that continues tonight and wraps up on Saturday.

"He’s an exploder and he’s tough," Washburn said. "He can’t explode, I don’t want him. If they don’t love football, I don’t have any use for him. He explodes, he can play, he’s passionate, and he likes it. He loves football."

Washburn went on to say that even though Cox's college program, Mississippi State, ran a different system, he'll fit in just fine with the Eagles.

"When God made him, he made him to be in this system right here," Washburn raved. "... He’s so athletic he can play as a defensive end. He moves like a guy who is 260 pounds."

More on Cox later today, but it certainly sounds as if the Eagles have started the draft off in the best possible way.

I say that in a good way. Samuel was a good teammate and generally a good presence in the Eagles' locker room. Sure, he would say a lot of things that would get him in trouble. Who can forget the most recent tirade, in which he accused Roseman and president Joe Banner of playing "fantasy football" with owner Jeffrey Lurie's money?

But in the end, he was just yapping and not seemingly holding grudges. Samuel was mostly a happy-go-lucky personality who liked to hear himself talk and was always keenly aware of both reality and perception, and knew the difference between the two.

Why the Eagles were so hell-bent on getting rid of him I'm not sure I understand. I mean, I understand how important the cornerback position is to them and how they thought they were upgrading and getting younger at the same time last season when they acquired Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

But my feeling, after watching Nnamdi play last year, is that they've traded the best of the bunch, not the worst.

Samuel is even a better tackler than the other two, for cripes sake. It's not even close!

That said, I think Rodgers-Cromartie will do well on the outside this season, He's especially good at using outside leverage and keeping receivers from breaking to the sideline on him, and his closing speed is excellent.

Asomugha is the real mystery here. He's either lost a lot off his fastball or he had a bad season in 2011 trying to adjust to a new system. I suspect it's the former, but will be more than willing to admit it's the latter if he rebounds and plays the way he's expected to this season.

In the meantime, Samuel will keep doing what he's been doing -- intercepting passes, running his mouth and entertaining us all.

His no-nonsense, hard-hitting style made him a favorite, and his personality was that of a leader who held the defense together by sheer will at times.

In a sense, the Eagles still haven't recovered from his departure following the 2008 season for a better contract offer in Denver, having not won a playoff game since and not even qualifying last year.

Now the long-time safety is a free agent again and won't be signing with anyone else except the Eagles for one day so he can retire the only way he should: with an appropriate ceremony down at the NovaCare Complex soon and a follow-up tribute during one of the home games this season.

The Eagles today announced a preliminary plan to honor him when the Eagles host the Giants on Sept. 30. More details as they become available.

In the meantime, here's a salute to the most popular player of his time, who announced today on Twitter that his playing days are over.

He contributed 34 interceptions, 21 sacks and infinite memories during his 13 seasons in Philadelphia.

Now, let the Hall of Fame debate begin.

Sometimes it doesn't work out that way, such as when it gets to spots where there are multiple players with almost identical ratings. In those cases, he said, they look to address current needs.

Other than that, the plan is to stick to the formula next week when the Eagles head to the NFL Draft in better position than most other years -- with four of the top 88 picks and nine overall to supplement a team that's loaded with talent already.

Obviously, he couldn't talk much about individuals or even hint which way the Eagles are leaning in the first round, but he did have a number of interesting points. Among them:

*"You are betting against the odds" if you count on getting a franchise quarterback in the middle or later rounds.

*He and the organization are still very high on quarterback Michael Vick, despite the giant step backward in his player evolution a year ago.

*He cited the availability to them of wide receiver Jeremy Maclin in the 2009 draft as an example of how things can change when drafting later in the first round. "That wasn't in the realm (going in)," he said.

*There is generally a lot more offensive talent than defensive talent in the draft because more skill-position players want the ball in their hands than trying to prevent it from getting in someone else's.

*They's always on the lookout for three-down defensive linemen and linebackers, even though they haven't drafted any since the ice age. Honest.

*Defensive tackle is the deepest position in this year's draft.

It's an exciting time for Roseman, who seems locked and loaded for this year's event and is in the middle of a very productive offseason.

More in tomorrow's print and online editions of the Morning Call.

Although past success is no guarantee of future performance, the Eagles figure to have a full plate in 2012, with games against eight teams who are coming off playoff appearances. Two of them, of course, will be against the Super Bowl champion New York Giants.

In addition to their division rivals, the Eagles will play home games against the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals and Detroit Lions. They will go on the road to face the New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Bucs, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals.

Atlanta, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Detroit, New Orleans and Pittsburgh made the playoffs last season.

The Eagles, who have never missed the playoffs two years in a row under coach Andy Reid, did not qualify.

Should be interesting -- and exciting for fans who like to travel. New Orleans, Tampa and Phoenix could be great trips, depending on the time of year.

He did a good job, especially on the subject of what his role might be when Jason Peters (torn Achilles tendon) is ready to come back. Peters' injury is the only reason the Eagles signed him in the first place.

"I’m just taking it one day at a time and listening to [head] coach [Andy] Reid and [offensive line] coach [Howard] Mudd and what they want to me to do," he said. "Whatever they want me to do, I’ll do. I haven’t given any thought as to down the road and where I want to be. I have a five-year deal and I’ll take it one day at a time.

"... It won’t be awkward at all [when Peters comes back]. This is a business and I understand that. I know that he understands that. Whatever happens on the back side, I’m sure we’ll be friends at the end of the day."

In fact, it was Peters who talked Bell into coming here.

But Bell, in a sense, is yesterday's news.

Defensive tackle Dontari Poe might have emerged as the most intriguing Eagles story of the day. The massive draft prospect out of Memphis was spotted walking in the hallway outside the auditorium with defensive line coach Jim Washburn.

Washburn tried to identify the popular Poe as another player. But Poe said: "I'm Poe," as he walked by.

Judging by the way he performed at the NFL Scouting Combine, he won't be "Poe" much longer.

The massive and talented lineman is projected as a high first-round pick, which means he'll be getting PAID!

Whether that's by the Eagles would depend on them improving their position to be able to take him, because he doesn't figure to still be around when they're first due to pick at No. 15 overall.

The knock on Poe (6-foot-3, 346 pounds) was that he underperformed at times in college, took some plays off.

But he exploded, Mike Mamula-style, at the Combine, where he established himself as the most skilled interior lineman in the draft, running the 40 in under 5 seconds and making a super impression in the weight room and on the field with the way he performed in drills.

You would have to think with Washburn riding him hard the whole time, Poe could be a super fit for the Eagles.

Stay tuned.

And no doubt a few of them -- Demetrius Bell, Marcus McNeill and Kareem McKenzie, to name a few -- can help. But at what cost and for how long?

This is where things get complicated for both the Eagles and any established free agent who may consider jumping aboard this season, and it's likely the reason Demetrius Bell left town Sunday without a contract, despite reportedly being impressed with the entire Eagles' operation.

Unless someone is willing to come in on a one-year contract, as guard Evan Mathis did last year, or accept the fact that he could move to the bench and be trade bait in which the Eagles would not be in a position of strength after Peters is ready to come back, the Eagles are going to have a hard time convincing anyone to sign.

Having three great tackles is not quite the same thing as having three great cornerbacks. Only two of them will play. That's just the way it works with the offensive line.

And guess what? The one who sits (likely the newcomer) will be forced to take a pay cut, much like Winston Justice did after losing his job going into the 2011 season.

What this means is that the solution to their left tackle puzzle likely will come from some other means -- either through the upcoming NFL Draft or from another tweak such as moving Evan Mathis outside and moving second-year man Julian Vandervelde in to fill Mathis' spot at left guard.

Mathis, who took some reps at tackle in camp last summer, wrote in an email today: "I have experience at every position on the line but have not spoken with the team about it yet."

In the meantime, Eagles fans shouldn't be holding their breaths for a major free agent. The chances of that happening just aren't very good, even if the Eagles are willing to bite the bullet and overpay with a healthy amount of guaranteed money, which his highly unlikely anyway.

So pay attention over these next few weeks, folks. The draft should be interesting. Will the Eagles now consider moving up to take USC's Matt Kalil?

You can bet they're already talking about it.

Heck, they already have a nice bargaining chip.

His name is Asante Samuel.

None of the remaining money he's due is guaranteed, either, so there's no signing bonus which could complicate their salary cap in future years.

But there is another side. There's always another side, and Eagles fans should realize that this is far from a slam dunk.

Although Ryans displayed extraordinary skills as the Houston Texans' middle linebacker from 2006 through the first six games of 2010, he missed the final 10 games of that season with an Achilles injury. Upon his return -- to a new 3-4 alignment and a new defensive coordinator in Wade Phillips in 2011 -- he was never the same.

The glass half-full version: Ryans did not fit Phillips' 3-4 as well, and there was an adjustment period. Plus, his lack of production can be traced to playing much fewer snaps, less than 60 percent.

The glass half-empty version: Ryans didn't fit Phillips' system because he never returned to 100 percent physically after his injury, which could be the main reason for his diminished role in the revamped defense.

The skeptic in me leans toward the latter. I mean, under Phillips, the Texans became a Super Bowl-caliber defense. Heck, they might have won it all this past year if they weren't down to their third-string quarterback by the start of the playoffs.

That Ryans was no longer a big part of that defense should raise a huge red flag.

Furthermore, even if Ryans should step in and have a monster year for the Eagles, there is virtually no chance they'd still be willing to pay him what his contract calls for in 2013 and beyond ($6.6 million in 2013 and $6.8 million in both 2014 and 2015). He soon will have an ultimatum to restructure or be gone.

So just like so many other Eagles linebackers who have come and gone in this regime, Ryans could well be a one-and-done guy.

OK, now for Tim Tebow. Should the Eagles have gone after him or shouldn't they?

Now that he's been traded to the New York Jets, it really doesn't matter.

But despite the recommendation of Tony Dungy, who forgot more football than any of us bloggers will ever know, I never saw him being a fit with the Eagles.

On the other hand, he is left-handed, extremely mobile and extremely durable. At 6-3, 250, Tebow is bigger than Ryans, for cripes sake. He's a linebacker playing quarterback and a guy a lot of defensive backs are not too anxious to step up and hit when he breaks through to the second level, which is quite often.

At the very least, it would have been very intriguing to see him step in and start three straight games instead of Vince Young when Michael Vick went down last season.

But you have to ask yourself: Would the Eagles have somehow won two of those games instead of one (which they did under Young) and therefore made the playoffs?

I say no.

Now he's with Rex. Wonder how that's going to work out.

That's anyone's guess, but as we've expected all along, they will have a large amount of very good to excellent players available to them in free agency.

We start with wide receiver because, despite the franchise tag they utilized themselves on DeSean Jackson, this saga is not over.

First, he has yet to sign, although all indications are that he will. Second, he still could be traded after he signs, despite all that positivity generated by the prepared statement from general manager Howie Roseman last week.

If the Eagles are moving in that direction, Marques Colston of the Saints jumps out most. He's a better receiver than Jackson, though not a better player. A veteran of six seasons, the only year he finished below 1,000 receiving yards was 2008, when he was limited to 11 games because of injury. He's big (6-4, 225), consistent and a productive scorer (48 career touchdowns).

I still say the Eagles would be crazy not to stick with Jackson, whose punt-return ability and pure speed make him a better option -- especially for the Eagles -- than any free agent out there. But we're talking about an organization and a coach in Andy Reid who once actually thought the team would be better off with Jeremy Bloom, Greg Lewis and even J.R. Reed (among around a half-dozen others) returning punts instead of Brian Westbrook. So there's no way to know how they're going to go here.

Even if they retain Jackson, there's no reason not to still be afraid ... very afraid. Because at $9.4 million, they might deem him too valuable to risk getting hurt remaining as a punt returner. Ridiculous, I know, but true.

Anyway, linebacker is next, and here's where it gets intriguing. Although there's little doubt the Eagles will be active in the draft at this position, the draft likely won't be a good enough vehicle, especially when taking into account the team's track record.

But there's a reason why they've never landed a big-time linebacker in the draft under this regime, and it has very little to do with faulty talent evaluation. It has everything to do with how they value the position. They just don't believe in paying linebackers. Period.

So they hope to find bargains in the lower rounds and never sign or acquire Pro Bowl-caliber veterans who often command a higher salary than what the Eagles often pay their entire linebacking corps in a season.

Just as an example, the Super Bowl-champion New York Giants last season re-signed former first-round pick Mathias Kiwanuka, who's a health risk with a herniated disk in his neck, to a very reasonable two-year deal worth $8.6 million. He's due to make $4 million in 2012, with a projected cap hit of $5.55 million, according to Mike Garafolo of The Star-Ledger.

Now compare that to the salaries ($3.79 million) and cap figures ($4.07 million) of all seven current Eagles linebackers combined for 2012.

So just because Curtis Lofton, Stephen Tulloch and David Hawthorne are now out there for the taking, it doesn't mean the Eagles are even remotely interested.

For that matter, the same thing could be said of how they value safeties, so don't hold your breaths on  LaRon Landry, Dwight Lowery or Thomas DeCoud either.

All of them are projected to be there when the signing period begins next week. None of them will come as cheap as the guys they have in those spots now.

The moral of the story is that the Eagles can do themselves some good over these next few weeks if they just made an exception to their usual rigid standards and showed some deserving players the money.

With Andy Reid breaking a nearly month-long silence today and admitting to offering recently fired St. Louis Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo a job, he was careful to say that "we never talked about titles" and never indicated that Castillo would be totally out of the picture if Spags had accepted.

But after an unsually long press conference with Reid that lasted 49 minutes and then another 15 minutes or so with Castillo in the hallway afterward, we're no further enlightened about what went down in this last month than we were before.

My take? Castillo was never in danger of being fired, but his job as defensive coordinator would have been changed had Spagnuolo, who decided to accept an offer from New Orleans instead, took Reid up on his offer.

But judge for yourself. Here's the main part of the audio from today's conversation with Castillo:

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