As we get back to what matters most here on Revenge of the Birds, it is time to bring up the lockout and quarterbacks. Kevin Kolb is among the favorite topics (or not). I just found where at some point Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid sent Kolb a text message (it is unclear as to when this happened based on what I read) telling him, "I'll do what's best for you," implying that the Eagles would in fact make a move to trade him to a team to be a starter. According to many reports, that will likely be the Arizona Cardinals.
However, there is at least one former Eagle that warns that Reid is going to watch out for the team more than for the individual player. Freddie Mitchell, former Philadelphia Eagle receiver, shared his thoughts on the text message report and other things in a radio interview with WIP Philadelphia.
Mitchell recalled a similar situation he experienced with Reid. Mitchell said this:
"Yeah okay [laughing]. Believe that if you want Kevin (referring to the reported text message). Believe that if you want. Hey. I'll tell you what Andy Reid. ..I love him to death. He's like my father and whatever else, but I'm gonna keep it real. Andy is going to do what is best for the Philadelphia Eagles. I tried when I was going on after we lost the Super Bowl [XXXIX] or whatever else...I went in there and I did not want to go to the media or whatever else I said ‘Hey Coach Reid I had problems with Donovan McNabb. You know I can't eat off of 12 catches a year. I need more catches. I'm doing all the things with the blocking and whatever else to make it happen. I need more catches. Donovan will not throw me the ball.
Andy Reid was like ‘Okay Fred well just don't tell nobody. You don't have to come to this next mini-camp. We're going to try to...I know a couple of teams and we're going to try to trade you.' At the end of the day what he tried to do was he tried to put a price tag on me that nobody was even going to touch.
When they found out that they wasn't going to touch me, he released me, and then the blackball began with all kinds of dirt saying I was a cancer to the team. I talk too much and everything else. It's funny because you never heard a teammate complain about me. You never heard that or whatever else, but he put the cancer [comment] on.
Kevin Kolb do not think them guys or anybody in the NFL is your friend. The only friend that you have is your agent and if you're a left or right-handed quarterback is your arm. That's it. Them guys at the end of the day they are going to go and save their job, save their butt, and go out and do what's best for the Philadelphia Eagles. You need to do what you need to do."
I know many of us in the community get a "used car salesman" feel (with all due respect to robloosi -- we know some are not shady) from Reid and don't really believe a word he says. The more I think about it, unless the Eagles can pull off a trade for picks and a player that will contribute this year, I can totally see them waiting until next offseason.
Assuming there will be a "franchise" tag, they could do what the Patriots did with Matt Cassell. They could tag him and then trade him. Of course, the risk is that his value might not be as high.
With the comments by Mitchell, I have the seeds of doubt whether Kolb will get moved at all, and if he does, the price will likely be pick and player. I don't really want to part with a player, especially if it is the rumored Greg Toler.
As always, we are left with the "lockout" caveat. It all depends on whether or not the lockout ends, when it ends and so on and so forth.