dargonking999 said:
Sorry man i dont wanna suscribe for another news site, can you post the full story?
Je suis a votre service!
Agent, Simon dig in their heels: DT won't sign offer, won't report
By LES BOWEN
bowenl@phillynews.com
IT HAS BEEN MORE than 3 months since agent Roosevelt Barnes said Corey Simon wouldn't sign the Eagles' 1-year, $5.13 million franchise tender any time soon, and wouldn't attend minicamps or training camp.
Well, the minicamps are far behind us, the tender remains unsigned, and training camp starts for rookies on Friday, for veterans such as Simon on Monday. Barnes reiterated yesterday that fans shouldn't expect to see the Eagles' standout defensive tackle at Lehigh.
"No," Barnes said, when asked whether anything had changed since he told the Daily News in April that Simon wouldn't report to camp. That was around the time a trade with Baltimore fell through, because the Ravens, like the Eagles, were unable to reach agreement with Simon on a contract. Barnes asked the Eagles to release his client, and was refused. Barnes indicated he hadn't spoken with team officials recently.
"You know as much as I know, right now," Barnes said.
Simon said yesterday he had "no comment" on the situation. Last year, while unsuccessfully trying to wrangle a long-term deal from the Birds, Simon sat out minicamps, showed up for training camp out of shape, battled injuries, and took about half the season to round into form. He managed only half a sack through the first 10 games, before notching four the next 2 weeks.
"Nope," Simon said yesterday, when asked whether he worried about a similar slow start this season.
Barnes has left open the question of whether Simon will sign the tender at all, even when the season begins. If he sat out the year, Simon, drafted sixth overall in 2000, would remain the Eagles' property and forfeit the $5.13 million.
But if Simon isn't planning on checking into Lehigh, at least one former teammate would jump at the chance, should he be asked.
Punter Sean Landeta said yesterday he hadn't talked to the Eagles about subbing for Dirk Johnson, who is expected to miss most of training camp after undergoing surgery for a sports hernia (a disruption of the inguinal canal that doesn't feature a clinically detectable hernia). Landeta, 43, the Eagles' punter from 1999 to 2002, said he talks frequently with Eagles special-teams coordinator John Harbaugh, and hopes to talk with him this week - about a job.
"Nothing's happened yet," Landeta said. "I'm sure I'll find out this week, if they are interested in signing me."
Other than Johnson, the Eagles have one punter under contract, Mark Mariscal. Mariscal won the Ray Guy Award in 2002 as the nation's top collegiate punter, at Colorado. The Birds would seem likely to look for veteran help, and Landeta has the best resume of any currently unsigned punter.
Landeta, the most prolific punter in NFL history, was released by the Rams last year, after playing 10 games of his 20th NFL season, the 23rd season in a pro career that began with the USFL Stars.
"I've been practicing and working out as if I will play this year," Landeta said.
