Colts Trade Draft Pick For Eagles T

[bavanlan]

The man was injured and then lost his job, ironically because the fourth round pick they moved over from guard to replace him outperformed him. Ironically the presence of Howard Mudd was a factor. The man is being paid like a starter, and the Eagles weren't about to pay him that much to not play. And this for a team whose oline was a problem all year.

So the question remains, what do the Colts want him for, and why would they want the contract? If Winston had been drafted by the Colts we would be screaming about him being a draft bust. Why the enthusiasm for getting him, and what does it say about Ijalana? They fact that they can dump him without paying him can't be viewed as the justification for signing him. That's simply a matter of minimizing the loss if he doesn't pan out. And anyone who says "Grigson knows what he can do because he helped draft him" should remember all the arguments about Polian seemingly hanging onto his "busts" too long. I never really saw it that way, but it is a little hard to be confident in this case. Either the guy is a starting caliber tackle worthy of a second round pick and a $3.2 million dollar salary - in which case he wouldn't have lost his job in the first place - or he isn't - in which case we are either overpaying him to be a backup or Grigson thinks he knows something that the Eagles don't. I sure hope that he's right.

That's exactly the point. We gave up 10 draft spots in the sixth round (so effectively nothing) to get to try him out all offseason and preseason and see if a new environment/system/coaching staff can make him worth it. He's experienced camp fodder who has a chance to earn his salary and roster spot.

[swifty1812]

_{Also who is to say he just wasn't made for Mudd's style of play, and won't work better under our new style of Offense?}

[Superman]

The man was injured and then lost his job, ironically because the fourth round pick they moved over from guard to replace him outperformed him. Ironically the presence of Howard Mudd was a factor. The man is being paid like a starter, and the Eagles weren't about to pay him that much to not play. And this for a team whose oline was a problem all year.

So the question remains, what do the Colts want him for, and why would they want the contract? If Winston had been drafted by the Colts we would be screaming about him being a draft bust. Why the enthusiasm for getting him, and what does it say about Ijalana? They fact that they can dump him without paying him can't be viewed as the justification for signing him. That's simply a matter of minimizing the loss if he doesn't pan out. And anyone who says "Grigson knows what he can do because he helped draft him" should remember all the arguments about Polian seemingly hanging onto his "busts" too long. I never really saw it that way, but it is a little hard to be confident in this case. Either the guy is a starting caliber tackle worthy of a second round pick and a $3.2 million dollar salary - in which case he wouldn't have lost his job in the first place - or he isn't - in which case we are either overpaying him to be a backup or Grigson thinks he knows something that the Eagles don't. I sure hope that he's right.

If he doesn't make it out of camp, he costs us 16 draft spots in the 6th round. It's virtually zero risk. But if he does work out and plays well for us at any spot along the line (where we're woefully thin, and don't have the cap space to sign one of the good free agents available), then great work.