They have a modest amount of cap room to spend, and they have a roster they happen to like very much. So what can we expect now that free agency is here?

The Eagles have 10 of their own players on the open market and they have a shopping list in front of them. Here is the way the hours were spent leading up to now, leading up to open shopping season in the NFL ...

Friday, March 1

11:33 AM

David Akers is climbing into his car and it struck me: Why is Akers here?

"I'm spending my off-seasons here now," said Akers.

"For how long?" I asked.

"The last couple of years," said Akers.

Fine with me.

My first visit at the NovaCare Complex was on the players' side of the building. There have been more and more players here the last several days, even though the off-season conditioning program doesn't begin until March 19.

Jamaal Jackson is one of the players here. This is a critical off-season for him. He has his sights set on the top of the profession, and he is on the right path.

"I want to get better in the offense," said Jackson. "I'm studying more and I'm working more on getting better. I want to fine-tune my techniques more. I was talking to Jermane Mayberry and he told me the key is to take something from each off-season and see how you game will change.

"I thought last year was alright. There were times when I made mistakes I should not have made. You can't make those mistakes in this league and expect to get better. I'm learning from that. That's why I'm here, to learn from that.

"I was confident in what I did physically last year. Mentally, you are always learning. You have to know what front is being played. You have to know what blitz is coming. All of that can be worked on."

Jackson has come a long way, and he knows it.

"It's amazing. Coming from the practice squad and then having the chance to show people what I can do ... and what I think is that there is so much more to go. The good thing about it is that I haven't peaked yet. I'm working hard to reach that peak."

I see Sheldon Brown working out. L.J. Smith. William Thomas. Donovan McNabb has been here every day. The sun is shining. The grass is green again and the snow has melted.

Eagles football is in the air.

Ooops ... late for a meeting. Gotta go.

11:55 AM

I hate meetings. I'm no good in them. My mind wanders -- look, the NovaCare Complex fields are being aerated!! It's a sure sign football season is coming -- and I talk too much.

I'm a bad meeting person.

I think I have a very short attention spa ... Did I mention that I don't like meetings?

12:03 PM

I had a nice chat earlier this morning with Mike Dougherty, who is our long-time Video Director. He had just returned from the NFL Combine, and "it's crazy now. This is nothing like the Combine used to be. There is so much more media. Everybody is there."

The thinking in the NFL is that the Combine will be open to the public next year. You will pay an admission fee and go to the workouts and, who knows, maybe some day the Combine will actually involve one-on-one drills and practice drills and fans will actually get something out of the Combine.

Then again, it could just be an excuse to have a weekend together with your buddies and get some of the football kinks out of your system.

"It keeps building and building and building," said Dougherty. "Bizarre. I don't think fans can get enough of this game."

Amen to that.

12:15 PM

Merrill Reese is checking in. We speak often. He is, obviously, part of the Eagles-green-in-his-blood family, and he wants to get a feel for what the Eagles are going to do.

"But I don't know, Merrill," I said.

"Do you think, David, that the Eagles are going to ..." he said.

"Merrill, I don't know," I said. "They aren't saying anything. Doors are closed. Believe me, I've looked. I'm wound up tighter than a super ball today."

"I know they aren't telling you, David, but what do you think? ..."

I love Merrill.

Certainly, he has the same feel as I do. Well, not exactly. He wonders if the Eagles will draft a safety in the first round on April 28 and I happen to think that is not going to be the case at all. The Eagles like Sean Considine a lot, they obviously love Brian Dawkins and they are pleased to have secured the services of Quintin Mikell for four more seasons. They have three players they like at safety.

Is safety really that much of a priority in the draft?

Maybe it is, but it depends on what happens in free agency. I see a need at cornerback, especially if Rod Hood and William James leave. The Eagles would then be a bit short on numbers, with Lito Sheppard, Sheldon Brown, Joselio Hanson and Justin Fox under contract.

We're all looking at the defense right now, but I just don't see a guy out there whom the Eagles would throw big money at in free agency. They don't have big money to spend in free agency, unless they start cutting players or restructuring deals, and that is not consistent with the philosophy here.

I need to get off the computer. I need to go snoop around ...

1:02 PM

Nice lunch. Turkey sandwich on rye bread with cole slaw and thousand-island dressing, a Mountain Dew and a cookie. It's OK. I work out a lot ...

I grill one coach, but it's all about his position and his players. Outstanding coach who has a very good group of players. I think Juan Castillo is one of the most underrated coaches in this league. He is high on his line, and I know he will push them in the off-season.

There isn't much going on. The televisions in the cafeteria are on and there are a few dozen people eating, but the talk is not of free agency and football at my table. We've all known each other for years. We talk about family and vacation plans and, yes, for a moment Anna Nicole Smith.

It's sickening, I know.

I am going to start calling some national reporters to find out what the buzz is out there. I think the Eagles are going to go into free agency pretty slowly here. I don't anticipate a slam-bang start, which is going to be tough for Eagles fans. You know other teams are going to spend early dollars. And Eagles fans are going to wonder why it isn't this team spending the money.

Remember the off-season message from the Eagles: They like this team and this roster. They are going to continue to build from within. They have invested in their young core. I can see the Eagles signing a free agent or two, but not a headliner.

Then again, you never know.

1:22 PM

I am hunting the big game right now. Joe Banner has finished his lunch and I am strategically lurking behind him as he deposits his trash -- including the reycyling bin -- and I approach.

"Hi, Joe!" I say.

"By the tone of your voice I can tell you are probably going to ask me something now, right?" he said.

Indeed.

I ask him what it is like right now for him. I imagine it's crazy. There are all of these players getting cut. The Eagles have anticipated these moves, of course, and they have grades on every player in the league and they know instantly if they are interested in a player. Truth is, the teams see the cut list long before the cuts are made public, so the teams are far ahead of the public knowing what is going on.

"It's a busy, busy time," he said. "We're having a lot of internal conversations, a lot of going back and forth discussing where we are at and what we want to do. The picture literally changes constantly, so we have to monitor things."

Thanks, Joe. We part ways -- he heads to his office and I head to mine. I know you are reading this asking WHY DIDN'T YOU ASK HIM WHAT THE EAGLES ARE GOING TO DO, YOU DUMMY!!!

My answer: Because, A) It isn't professional to do that knowing he won't answer and because B) I kind of did but just left that part out of the blog because all I got from Joe was a laugh.

Moving on ...

1:41 PM

Denver acquired cornerback Dre' Bly, in a deal that sent offensive lineman George Foster and running back Tatum Bell to the Lions. Interesting. Bly is a talented guy who has an expiring contract and he and Champ Bailey should be good togther.

On the surface, it doesn't seem like the Broncos gave up much at all. Foster isn't anything special as a lineman and Bell is OK, but not great. Obviously, the Lions have a lot of worries about the health of injured running back Kevin Jones, who may miss the entire season with a knee injury.

Denver is going to have to sign Bly, which could be challenging. The money it takes to sign players is extraordinary.

What I'm most interested in is the ripple effect. According to reports, Washington, the Giants and New Orleans were also in the running to acquire Bly. Does that mean those three NFC teams will also go after a high-profile cornerback in free agency? Nate Clements, maybe?

Washington is clearing some cap space, and maybe we'll find out later today that cornerback Shawn Springs will be one of the players whacked. The Redskins are shedding their free-agent mistakes almost as fast as they've signed them ... And I wonder how the presence of defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo impacts the Giants. Does he go after Rod Hood or Michael Lewis, both of whom know the scheme Spagnuolo is teaching?

See, every move means many things on a lot of levels. Denver just became a better team this season, while the Lions continue to re-shape their roster and try to rebuild with character players, players who march to the tune of head coach Rod Marinelli.

1:55 PM

I'm flipping around the television in my office. Nothing much on, to be honest. I tend to enjoy a good HBO movie to look at while I'm hard at work ... (Hey, don't accuse me of not working hard. You are the one surfing the Internet ...)

I can't stomach Million Dollar Baby right now. And, oh geez, The NFL Network is playing more NFL Combine coverage. Is this on a loop, or what? I just heard Dick Vermeil talk about some player's hips. And I just heard Mike Mayock say about a defensive lineman, "He has hands just like feet," meaning, I think that the kid can't catch the ball very smoothly.

I am sick of the NFL Combine.

ENOUGH ALREADY!!!

I need to get a workout in later today. I'm eating too much junk today.

Phone calls. Phone calls. None of my national hot-shot buddies are answering their cell phones right now.

2:02 PM

John Clayton from ESPN.com picks up his cell phone.

"What's up, Dave?" he asks.

"Well, I just wanted to do a piece on what today is like for you," I said.

"It's bad. Bad," he said.

"Do you like it?" I asked.

"Yeah," said Clayton, "but it's bad. Non-stop. On the phone all day (Phone rings on cue.) I've gotta go."

Here is what Clayton wrote about Donte' Stallworth, which I was kind of surprised to read: "Stallworth is a great deep threat, but he can't seem to shake injuries. The Eagles thought they picked up a No. 1 receiver when they traded for him last season. He showed only flashes. Paying $5 million a year for him might not net a No. 1 receiver."

Hmmm ...

Thanks, John. I can only imagine trying to stay on top of this. Me? I'm just Type A'ing my way through the day.

Ahhhh ... relief. The Harlem Globetrotters with Mickey Mouse on Cold Pizza. I can watch this for a few minutes.

I swear Cold Pizza is on for, like, six hours every day.

2:26 PM

I am becoming a health hazard, not to mention a work hazard. For the last 10 minutes I convinced two co-workers to stand at the other end of the hall so we could roll a ball back and forth and try to hit targets, which turned out to be a "V" created by our feet. Great fun. I could do that for hours ...

What do I really think is going to happen in free agency? Well, not much here. I will rely on the earlier-in-the-week reports that said the Eagles will sign defensive end Juqua Thomas early in free agency. I would love for that to happen. If it does, I see a rotation with Thomas, Trent Cole, Jevon Kearse and Darren Howard. Where would Jerome McDougle fit in? I think he would be a longshot to make this team.

Would the Eagles use a high draft pick on an end? Maybe. There are supposed to be some good ones in the draft.

Howver, the truth is I don't know what the Eagles are going to do in free agency. I think I have a feel for what they might do, but I really don't know. So I'm not going to speculate. That could get me into trouble.

I will tell you that I want the Eagles to be a much-improved football team this year. I think by having 21 of 22 starters back, they are going to be better. They need their young core to improve. They need their injured players from a year ago to come back healthy. They need some luck and some good health.

I know this, though: There aren't many teams as stable as this Eagles squad, so I have a lot of confidence that the Eagles are ready to take a step forward.

I also acknowledge that the team has some deficiencies and must address some of those in free agency and in the draft.

3:03 PM

Tom Heckert is in his office watching film, keeping an eye on the NFL Combine coverage (I guess he ISN'T ALLOWED to get tired of it) and talking on the telephone.

What is today like for him?

"I'm used to it," he said. "There is a lot of talk among the teams, players being shopped around. You take the calls and consider all the possibilities. We know what is going on out there. There are so many names being thrown around, it's crazy."

The Eagles aren't going to jump into the craziness. They are in a position of strength here. They have some room under the salary cap. They have a stable roster with a lot of good, young players. They have a bunch of their core players signed to long-term contracts.

"I'm keeping an eye on everything, but I have to also keep working toward the draft," said Heckert, who spent a week in Indianapolis at the Combine. "You can't lose focus."

Again, no clues. I don't think there is a secret plan the Eagles are going to hatch at 12:01 AM.

3:37 PM

My day is hitting a lull, to the point where I actually wheeled around in my chair and changed the channel on TV and saw Ellen and stopped. Ellen is arm-wrestling Desperate Housewives star Nicollette Sheridan and Sheridan looks gooood. I haven't seen her since the Terrell Owens commercial back in 2004. You remember, I'm sure.

This confirms my thinking that the world is Six Degrees Of Separation from the Eagles. It just seems that everything relates to the Eagles in some way, shape or form.

I have a new perspective after talking to a league observer about the Bly trade: "I read what you wrote, Dave," this person said. "I think it's a lot to give up for Bly -- a starting running back, a starting offensive tackle and a fifth-round pick for a player the Lions were going to cut."

Makes sense. Good perspective. As Fonzi said, "I was wrrr ..."

I'm actually smiling and enjoying this Ellen show as she is talking to a 10-year-old girl about buying Girl Scout cookies. I have a problem ...

3:45 PM

Jeff Garcia is on ESPN. He looks good. He looks refreshed, and the more I hear him speak, it sounds like he is going to think long and hard about signing with the Raiders.

"Having a chance to win is the most important thing for me," he said, and then he talks about how he thinks he can help turn the Raiders around if given the chance.

For his sake, I hope not. Boy, is that a lousy situation. Then again, Garcia is a local guy and maybe it would be a dream come true to finish his career in Oakland.

I think Garcia will end up in either Oakland or Tampa Bay. I think Rod Hood will sign with the Giants. I think Michael Lewis will sign with a team -- for big dollars -- that will play him in the box and keep him out of coverage. I think Stallworth will not sign on Friday and will be the second wide receiver off the board after Kevin Curtis.

These are things I think, but I'm only guessing.

One thing about free agency: I wish every soon-to-be-former Eagle the best of luck. All of these players helped the Eagles win in years past, and they were all so cooperative and so professional. The NFL is a hard, cold business. The Eagles run their business as efficiently as possible, and they are lauded for their model.

But it's also hard to say goodbye, at least for me. I enjoyed working with this group of free agents tremendously. Best of luck.

4:34 PM

I expect the flood of "Sign Joey Porter" messages on Ask Dave Spadaro on our Discussion Boards to start ... now. Do you really think that would be a good fit? Porter has played his entire career in a 3-4 defense. The Eagles don't play that kind of defense. I don't see the fit. If they can do it, great. If not, I just don't see how it would work.

Let's talk about the linebackers, shall we? Chris Gocong and Omar Gaither are two young players the Eagles are very high on. I actually take exception to the idea that the Eagles don't value linebackers. They have used many second-round picks on linebackers, most of whom have not been successful. The jury remains out on Matt McCoy.

Gocong is a third-round pick. Gaither is a fifth-round pick. Jeremiah Trotter was a third-round pick who was re-signed in free agency last year. Maybe the Eagles haven't gone out there and smashed the bank for a linebacker. I have no problem with that, because I don't believe in free agency all that much, anyway.

I agree the linebackers must be better than they were last year. A lot is riding on Gocong, who has tremendous athletic skills. Gaither showed in emergency action at the WILL position that he is a playmaker. Trotter must be improved at the MIKE spot.

I don't see it as a disaster position, as some critics do. I see the need to improve, but I don't see a disaster.

5:45 PM

More meetings. Hate 'em. We're re-designing the web site and I am going through some ideas and some concepts and ugh ... We are also set to launch a free agency section later tonight, so I have to catch up with that as well. And I turned in my Business Plan today, on time, and I'm proud ...

I digress, because you don't care.

Minnesota is blowing it up!! All of those free-agency signings and kaput! The Vikings, I would imagine, are going to be major players this weekend.

I hear Garcia is going to visit the Raiders on Friday. No shocker there, and I hope it works out for Jeff.

No to Joe Horn, thank you very much. I would consider Fred Smoot, but I'm not sure if he is a good locker room guy. What is Jacksonville doing extending Fred Taylor's contract? Is that to get salary-cap relief this year?

Night is here. The office is emtying. I have to call the wifey and let her know I will be late. And the wording is so critical ...

6:02 PM

Let's play pretend. What happens if the Eagles don't draft a quarterback to play the role of No. 3 guy. And they get to the post-draft camp and they still need a No. 3 quarterback. And players like Aaron Brooks, Koy Detmer, Brad Johnson and Drew Bledsoe are still out there.

Would you sign one of them? And if so, which one?

I would probably go with Johnson for a year. Why not? As a No. 3 guy, he would be an emergency, emergency quarterback. He has played in a West Coast offense. He has won a Super Bowl. He is a good guy in the locker room.

I'm not suggesting it is going to happen. The Eagles need a third quarterback, and they can either draft one, trade for one, sign one in free agency or develop Jeff Mroz. I have no idea which way the team is leaning. I am just thinking out loud. This is the kind of thinking the Eagles have done for weeks and months now.

It always jolts me when teams just shed players like they are today. These are teams with cap room shedding players, kissing them goodbye. There are plenty of big names, but I wonder how many of them are still good players.

6:46 PM

Let's go to the Discussion Boards, shall we?

I offended doctorfeit yesterday when he asked about Eric Moulds, so I apologize, Doc. It's just that, geez .. the guy wasn't much of anything in Houston last year, David Carr or no David Carr. I don't think he can run and I don't think he is a fit here in the locker room. My bad on making you mad.

Anyway, Doc wants to talk about the third quarterback position. Earlier, I mentioned veterans Brad Johnson and Drew Bledsoe, etc. and played a little What If? game.

Doc points out that those quarterbacks want to be No. 2 players, not No. 3 quarterbacks. My response: Yeah, but they may not get that chance. My point is this with them: What happens if no other team wants them and they are out there in the post-draft period? I would.

Are we cool, Doc?

eagles nut and IndyEagle05 are beating me up because I don't think Joey Porter is a good fit here. Writes IndyEagle05: Nahhh, he cant possibly be as good as GoCong He is only a three time pro bowler with a fat SB ring who could have been the MVP of that game!

Nahhh, why would we want a guy like that....lets stick with Gaither and GoCong who has never played an NFL snap....better yet...lets just bank on McCoy

Lets just cut to the chase...and tell the truth...Porter is awesome...an immediate impact player at a needed position.

(Editor's note: We don't worry too much about grammar in the Discussion Boards)

My response: Um, OK, well, Porter was a great player and he isn't one any longer. Maybe if all he has to do is rush the quarterback, yeah. He had seven sacks last year on an absolutely terrible defense. The Steelers are going to a 4-3 scheme this year and they don't think Porter can fit the bill.

Let's not dump on Gocong, OK? You haven't seen him play. I have only seen him briefly. But I talk to the coaches and they think very highly of him. He and Dhani Jones and, I think, Torrance Daniels, will compete at the SAM position.

And no, Operator 7, Porter can't play middle linebacker.

I love you guys. Don't hate on me.

7 p.m.

It's time to go home. There are still some football people here, and I know they will be burning the midnight oil. The phone lines don't stop ringing at this time of the year. Teams are calling teams dangling carrots out there and it's up to the teams to make the decisions.

Is there contact with agents? There isn't supposed to be, but who knows what happens behind closed doors? All of these teams that strike deals right away in free agency, it makes you suspicious, doesn't it?

I know I have exhausted my lines of communication with the Eagles in the office. I will go home, hang with the family and then get back online and morph back into Mr. Football Geek.

Talk to you soon.

8:28 PM

I don't believe the Eagles are truly interested in any of the players who have been cut today. I believe the Eagles anticipated that these players would be cut, then performed their due diligence and are, at the very least, going to wait for the dust to settle in free agency.

The feeling I get from talking to people all day is that some players will have deals in place in the morning on Friday. When the Eagles signed Jevon Kearse in 2004, they spoke with agent Drew Rosenhaus just after midnight and he was deep into working the phones. The Eagles started with numbers. Rosenhaus countered.

A deal was done around 9 a.m., the first morning of free agency.

I would be shocked if the Eagles had something going like that now. It just wouldn't fit what the team has been saying these last several weeks.

9:07 PM

What do you think is happening around the NovaCare Complex now? To tell you the truth, nothing much at all. I am at home, secure, wearing down after a busy day. It is time for the kids to get to bed (sshhh ... I need to type quietly so wifey doesn't bust me with this update) and then I need a workout to get the junk out of my system ... and I don't think anybody in personnel or football operations is still working.

The Eagles aren't feverishly negotiating contract talks with soon-to-be free agents. A total of 10 players will go into free agency at 12:01 AM, and some of them will get calls right away to start talking contract with another team.

Maybe the Eagles will call an agent or two shortly after midnight to discuss their interest in some players, but I don't think we will wake up on Friday reading headlines.

In other words, nobody is asking me to hop aboard a private jet to make a sales pitch (Boy, I would love that some day).

I'm searching the Internet for stories, and I can't tell you how disappointed I am that Adam Schefter on NFL.com hasn't updated his cuts list. Tsk, tsk.

Wifey is coming ... see ya!

10:02 PM

I'm good. I'm really good. Since I last wrote, I put the kids to bed, kissed the wifey and told her I was planning to A) Re-hang the door to the downstairs bathroom; B) Paint the trim to the detached garage and; C) Fix and caulk a window.

"What did you say?" she asked. "Look, here are some good parenting tips ..."

"I'm going to the gym," I said.

I zipped down the street, worked my back, abs and shoulders and here I am. One hour later.

Just for giggles, as I write and turn my television on at the same time, mindful that the bird in the basement is chirping and needs to be covered, I am going to see what is on The NFL Network and ... Oh, thank goodness. No Combine coverage. The special on America's Game.

Now it's time to talk free agency on The NFL Network. I'm going to hang around here a little while and see what is hot. Darn ... it's a taped show. Nothing new, I'm sure.

Or is it. They are leading with the news of the day, so maybe it is up to date ... Cell phone rings. College roommate. I have to blow him off for now.

Time to surf the Internet ...

10:11 PM

This is something that drives me crazy. This very attractive talking head on The NFL Network is good on the air (sorry, I don't remember her name, oh, there it is: Mary Strong) and she delivers the news well. But she referred to New Orleans wide receiver Joe Horn as an "All-Pro receiver" and said he "wants to test his market."

Hey, Mary. Joe Horn hasn't been an All-Pro in a long time -- has he ever? -- and in fact has not been in the Pro Bowl since 2004. Anyway ... Horn will find that his market value isn't that high. He was basically banished to the bench by the Saints late in the season and in the playoffs. I don't think teams are going to go wild for an aging wide receiver like Horn, although I still think he has talent.

Just my pet peeve.

Adam Schefter, obviously spending more time on the TV set today than updating his cuts story on NFL.com, predicts a lot of trades in the off-season. I hope so. I love trades.

10:33 PM

According to reports, Hank Fraley has re-signed with Cleveland, which is great for Hank. He has always been a good guy and I admire his career. I played basketball in a South Jersey league against Hank on Tuesday night and we talked about his situation. He was negotiating with Cleveland and knew he had some leverage with the injury to LeCharles Bentley. Now Fraley has what is likely to be his final contract, and he will be able to retire a very wealthy man. Good for him.

There are all kinds of reports -- Nate Clements to San Francisco maybe, the Browns signing Eric Steinbach, linebacker Napoleon Harris going to Kansas City.

From what I've been told, the market is not super hot for Donte' Stallworth. Not yet, anyway. I know what you are thinking: Maybe nobody will bid for Stallworth and he will come back to the Eagles.

It's not going to happen. The word I hear is that Stallworth and agent Drew Rosenhaus want $12 million to start, and that if Kevin Curtis signs first, which is expected in league circles, then Stallworth will work off of that contract and look for more dollars.

Why won't the Eagles go to any length to keep Stallworth? Because they put a value on the guy and it is not that high. I know you want him to stay. I would love him to stay. But the Eagles are disciplined in their approach to free agency. They like their young receivers very, very much. They're going to go with Reggie Brown and Greg Lewis and Hank Baskett and Jason Avant and somebody else. That somebody else is the intriguing part.

Will the Eagles sign anybody in free agency? I'm sure they will, once the smoke clears a bit. Can you stay patient through the first few days of free agency?

10:58 PM

My telephone is not ringing. I've given up on sports and now I'm watching Mississippi Burning and I am very into this movie. I'm surfing, drinking water, thinking about eating something and watching this movie all at once.

And I want like crazy for my phone to ring and have Derek Boyko from the Eagles Media Relations Department to be on the other end telling me to "Get ready for a big story ..."

I am holding out hope until the end. My phone is going to ring. My phone is going to ring. My phone is going to ring ...

11:22 PM

Let's face some facts here, Eagles fans. This team is going to lose some players to whom you have become very attached over the years. It is going to hurt you when they sign elsewhere. I hope you trust the Eagles' front office and coaching staff that they will make the right decisions and that they will have answers for the players lost.

So as we get into the reality of what is, let's talk about what the Eagles need moving forward:

Defensive tackle. So much depends on Brodrick Bunkley and his development. Can the Eagles find a player in free agency to challenge the defensive tackle rotation? Would they dare address the position in the draft again?

Running back. Correll Buckhalter could return and I would be OK with that -- I admit, though, a little nervous about his health -- but if he doesn't return, who is the second man behind Brian Westbrook?