On My (chopping) Block

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Things are getting completely out of hand in the NFL as I write, and it looks like half the league is about to purge their rosters to get under the $95 million cap ($10-$15 million lower than expected). More than a few huge names are expected to be shown the door as clubs scramble to field squads for '06. Further complicating matters is the looming '07 uncapped year, which has the counterintuitive effect of NOT allowing teams to sign players (especially rookies), because no one has any idea how things will look if and when the cap is restored.

Although this is terrible news for approximately half the league, the Eagles should be able to tread water and pick up a few stragglers here and there. They are reportedly $14 million under the new cap, although no one actually knows what their cap status is because it is impossible to find out. Every now and then it seems like ESPN's John Clayton has an in, but he seems to be only slightly more educated with his guesses. As I recall, the Eagles made a few contract extensions during the year (Westbrook, Akers) which used up most if not all of their available space. This has been their normal course of action and one of the happenings most often misunderstood by fans screaming about our wasted cap dollars.

What is always an important day for big-name players to be released should take on a monumental stature this year with the cap far lower than expected, resulting in talented and maybe even young players up for grabs. Rumor mills, which are about as accurate as a weather forecast, have the Eagles targeting a handful of top-notch o-linemen, including the Jets' Kevin Mawae and New Orleans' LeCharles Bentley.

Get out your umbrellas and ponchos, because the chopping block is out and heads are gonna fly. If you've got one of those Gordon's fisherman costumes put that on too, and don't forget the hat.