http://www.yardbarker.com/content/player/3836 Recent articles about Brian Westbrook en-us The rest of the Eagles veterans will report to training camp at Lehigh University today.  The biggest question today is whether running back Brian Westbrook will show up.  Westbrook is upset over his current contract.  He and the Eagles reportedly have been trying to hammer out a new deal.  The agent for cornerback Lito Sheppard, [...] Thu, 24 Jul 2008 06:58:19 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294781 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294781 Well today is the last day that the Eagles will practice alone. Tomorrow on Saturday the fans start rolling in for the first team practice to the public. Were gonna look at how Asante Samuel works with the different playbook of are defense from the Patriots. Were gonna see how McNabb does see if he is doing better. I would like to see a battle of Sheldon Brown and Lito Sheppard just to see who I think is better as left cornerback. Let's see the new wide receiver DeSean Jackson how he does now that he is in the NFL. Last I want to see Westbrook show up for the first team practice. I want to see how the Eagles work together on there defense. I just want to say go out and play your hardest. Thu, 24 Jul 2008 05:29:33 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294756 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294756 Could this be true at all? I don't know what the logic behind this is at all but whatever! Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:25:53 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294636 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294636 Well tomorrow is the BIG day. July 24, 2008. Will Brian Westbrook report to training camp? Will Lito Sheppard report to training camp? Despite each player's unhappiness with their current contract and recent agent changes, reports have each player making the trek up to Lehigh tomorrow. Will new contracts for Sheppard and Westbrook soon follow their arrival? Again if you listen to reports a new deal is unlikely for Sheppard (though he will be having a chat with Reid; a chat with the big guy...priceless!), but that the Eagles are trying to work out additional payment to Westbrook (though not the LT money he seeks). As the contract squabbles have garnered the top headlines, this fan wonders would the Eagles be facing these problems had they not gone out and signed Asante Samuel to such a lucrative deal (6 yrs., $57 million) this off-season? For the sake of team chemistry and morale would the Eagles have been better suited putting some of that money towards players already in their locker room? Westbrook is the MVP of the team, isn't his happiness more important than a new face to the team? The Westbrook situation can't be sitting well with other Eagle veterans who will face similar situations in the upcoming years. Samuel is a stud in the defensive backfield, but again was the secondary really a position that needed upgrading? There are other weaknesses which were far more glaring than cornerback following the 2007 season. No Samuel means no back-up role for Sheppard, no damaged ego. (If there is indeed an open competition for the starting spot opposite Samuel and Sheppard wins out, don't think that Sheldon Brown isn't going to hold back from voicing his displeasure as well). No Samuel could also mean that Sheppard isn't as unhappy with his current contract. His current contract is being constantly compared to the new, lucrative Samuel contract. And it isn't even close! I am not arguing that the Samuel signing was a bad move. When you have a chance to sign the top free agent on the market, you do it. But just wondering now if Samuel's impact will outweigh the current contract drama and any unhappiness that is carried into the 2008 season by his teammates........ Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:15:50 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294515 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294515 Running back has been labeled the most important position in the history of fantasy football, and quite frankly, it is. Never have you seen a fantasy football squad with the likes of Travis Minor and J.J. Arrington manning the backfield. This year's running back class is stacked with both familiar and fresh talent. Here are the Top 25 Running Backs for the upcoming fantasy football season: 1. LaDainian Tomlinson SD 2. Adrian Peterson MIN 3. Brian Westbrook PHI 4. Joseph Addai IND 5. Steven Jackson STL 6. Marshawn Lynch BUF 7. Marion Barber III DAL 8. Frank Gore SF 9. Ryan Grant GB 10. Ronnie Brown MIA 11. Clinton Portis WSH 12. Larry Johnson KC 13. Maurice Jones-Drew JAX 14. Brandon Jacobs NYG 15. Willis Mcgahee BAL 16. Reggie Bush NO 17. Jamal Lewis CLE 18. Laurence Maroney NE 19. Michael Turner ATL 20. Thomas Jones NYJ 21. Willie Parker PIT 22. Earnest Graham TB 23. Darren Mcfadden OAK 24. Matt Forte CHI 25. Fred Taylor JAX Well now you know my answer to the biggest debate in fantasy football this season, LT or AP? I go with LT because of what he has done over the past few seasons and the certainty his name brings to your team. Tomlinson is probably the 2nd best receiving running back behind Westbrook, and finds the end zone more than anyone else. Heck, LT will even throw you a TD this season. AP is a great running back and if i have the number 2 pick on my fantasy draft I know that he is going to be mine. But he hasn't earned the right to take over that number 1 spot from Tomlinson, even if Peterson thinks he already has. At the end of the top 10 I have Ryan Grant and Ronnie Brown. WIth Brett Favre out of Lambeau, Aaron Rodgers will be leaning on Grant all season long, whether it be running the ball or dumping it off to him. Expect Grant to see a lot more touches near the red zone because of the lack of trust in Rodgers not to turn the ball over on that part of the field. Ronnie Brown was one of the best running backs before he got hurt last year. In fact, Brown was the number 1 ranked RB on Yahoo! for quite some time. This season, Brown says he feels healthy and he's running behind a better offensive line with 1st overall NFL Draft pick Jake Long leading the way. And if Bill Parcells has any say in it, Brown will be getting a lot of red zone carries, so that comeback story Ricky WIlliams can focus on beating down the clock late in games. (Also, can we really expect Ricky Williams to not have some sort of relapse at some point. You know, wake up late for practice once or twice, forget his helmet when going into a game, one of those could happen). At number 16 i put Saints RB Reggie Bush. This is a bit of a reach because of how loaded the Saints ground-game is this year with Deuce McAllister and Pierre Thomas. I have some Reggie Bush bias in me because of his jaw-dropping ability he displayed in college and somewhat in the pros, but i wouldn't be shocked to see Bush either have a breakout year, or be relegated to mop up duty. This may be the year Bush needs to step up on New Orleans, especially if Pierre Thomas has a solid season. Try and get your hands on 2 of these 3 running backs if you are going to take any of them. Two more players I want to talk about are Willie Parker and rookie Matt Forte. Parker has put up solid numbers throughout his career and in The Steel City, there should be more handoffs than Home Runs over at PNC Ballpark. Though Parker may be sharing with rookie RB Rashard Mendenhall. Mendenhall has really impressed Steeler coaches with his ability and combination of speed and power, perfect for the Steelers offense. Expect a dip in touches for Parker and take Mendenhall late in your draft. Matt Forte has been put into a solid situation in Chicago. The Bears have no real answer at QB and we could see another season of the Rex Grossman Show. Forte will get the touches, it's just a matter of what he can do with them. The O-Line in Chicago is solid, but aging, but an inspired Forte can rejuvenate some magic in The Windy City. Here are 3 players who may surprise you: Jonathan Stewart CAR- Carolina Panther running backs have always disappointed their fantasy owners in the past couple of years. Stewart, rated by some as the 2nd best running back of this year's draft class, brings versatilely to John Fox's offense. Stewart is a very good receiving back and can burst through a hole better than any of his predecessors in Carolina. I wouldn't be too surprised to see him finish the season as a top 20 running back on a Panthers team contending for a division title. Julius Jones SEA- Written off by many in Dallas, Jones (who was replaced by Felix Jones, who should be owned by Marion Barber owners across the world) brings very good speed as a replacement to former MVP and Madden cover model Shaun Alexander. Jones can handle a lot of carries and is playing for an offense that better suits his running style. Jones likes to run downhill and sneak through the O-linemen, unlike in Dallas where they pound the ball inside behind the guards. Jones has been complaining for the last few years that he hasn't been able to run like he wants to, and this year he will get his chance to show us what he means exactly. Kevin Smith DET- The pride of the University of Central Florida, Smith is one of the best running backs in the history of college football, statistically. He takes over in Detroit, where they have vowed to start having a more balanced offensive attack. Smith almost broke the total yards record in college with Central Florida and wowed scouts with his speed and ability to break tackles. Smith is surrounded by a lot of talent in Detroit and has been given a great chance to succeed and show his skills to the stubborn Lion's fans. Let's just hope they treat Smith better than they treat their owner. Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:56:50 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294393 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294393 Quarterback Donovan McNabb reported to training camp Tuesday and spoke with the media after practice.  The 31-year-old McNabb said his sore shoulder is feeling fine and he is ready to go.  McNabb boldly said the Eagles should be a team to look out for this season, not only in the tough NFC East but the [...] Wed, 23 Jul 2008 10:09:36 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294306 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294306 Brian Westbrook Has Hired Todd France To Be His Agent Because Todd France Is The Best Agent Out There That Can Get What Brian Westbrook Wants Or Close To It. I Hope A New Deal Is Made For Brian Westbrook Because I Don't Want To See Him Holding Out Of Camp Because He Is The Best Player On The Team. Todd France And The Eagles Have To Work A New Deal Out With Westbrook Because It Is Not Looking To Good. Wed, 23 Jul 2008 08:26:17 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294264 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294264 Andy Reid And Donovan Mcnabb Are Confident That He Will Show But I Think That He Will Shock Everyone And Not Come Until A New Deal Is Worked Out. Brian Westbrook Wants 30 Million Over Three Years But I Don't Think He Will Get That Much. Maybee Around 27 or 28 Million. I Want Westbrook To Come And His New Agent Todd France And The Eagles Need To Work Something Out Because The Situation Is Getting Out Of Hands And We Don't Want Our Best Player Hanging Out Of Camp. Wed, 23 Jul 2008 08:22:42 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294257 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294257 Reuben Frank reports of an impending holdout by Philadelphia Eagles running back Brian Westbrook. Andy Reid says he is confident that Westbrook will show up at training camp in Roob's piece. A holdout would be typical for the Pro Bowl back who held out a few years ago. As an Eagles fan, I am going to be real upset if Westbrook pulls this crap again at a crucial period in the Reid/McNabb tenure. Wed, 23 Jul 2008 06:01:01 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294208 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294208 WESTBROOK WANTS $10 MILLION PER YEAR Posted by Mike Florio on July 22, 2008, 10:45 p.m. EDT Question. Which NFL team has a 29-year-old running back who thinks he's worth $10 million per year? (Sorry. Watching The Office reruns tonight.) Answer. The Eagles. Per a league source, Brian Westbrook is looking for a new deal that pays him $30 million over the first three years. We're told that Westbrook picked his new agent, Todd France, based on the fact that France was the only one who would guarantee that he could get Westbrook a certain level of compensation. Per a league source, multiple other agents withdrew from the running once it became clear that Westbrook was treating the process like a hand of high-stakes Texas Hold 'Em. It's unknown whether France committed to getting $30 million over three. All we know is that France's bid was the highest. Tue, 22 Jul 2008 22:19:49 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294112 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294112 Brian Westbrook has hired a new agent to handle the negotiations after a stand still with his previous agent. Why did the negotiations stall? What is the hold up? B-West is a beast and deserves to be compensated, but will the Eagles pay? Im wondering if the Eagles realize his worth.? We had the same issues last year when there were talks of B-West not coming to training camp and wanting more money, etc... Lets not go through the same thing this year... Lets not risk going through a long and drawn out "holdout"...Give him his money and lets have a great season!!! Tue, 22 Jul 2008 22:17:24 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294110 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294110 Picking an elite wide receiver like Terrell Owens in the second round is one of FOX Sports writer Roger Rotter's top-10 tips to a winning draft. Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:28:31 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293991 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293991 Is Tom Brady worth a first-round draft choice, or should you opt for a running back instead? John Juhasz examines the decision. Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:56:30 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293976 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293976 Most of the premier players/starters on the Eagles' 2008 roster are scheduled to report to training camp at Lehigh University on Thursday July 24th.  One familiar face's (Brian Westbrook) arrival is uncertain.  As of early this morning Westbrook and his new agent have been in talks with the Eagle front office in attempts to get the 29-year old Pro-Bowler and team leader a new deal that would bring him more money upfront along with more years on his current contract.  Eagle management has offered to give B-West more money upfront, but are hesitant to give the disgruntled runningback a contract extention.  As a result, rumors have started to circulate around camp that Westbrook will be a no-show on Thursday, and will possibly hold-out the rest of camp until a new deal is reached. In other news, CB Lito Sheppard is expected to arrive at Lehigh as scheduled on Thursday and will battle his friend Sheldon Brown for the other cornerback position opposite Asante Samuel, who was named a starter the day he signed with Philadelphia in the off season. --- Jay Vaidya Tue, 22 Jul 2008 08:53:52 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293727 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293727 Twenty-seven rookies and selected veterans reported to Eagles training camp Monday at Lehigh University.  On the same day rookies arrived in Bethlehem, the Eagles also announced they had signed their first draft pick, defensive end Trevor Laws.  Picked 47th overall, Laws was the last of the team's selections to sign.  The rest of the team [...] Tue, 22 Jul 2008 06:57:51 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293681 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293681