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By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com
Exploring possible alternatives at the tailback position, the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday huddled with free agent Stephen Davis, but the 10-year veteran concluded the visit without a contract offer, and the club said nothing is imminent in terms of signing him.
In fact, coach Andy Reid suggested the visit, which included a physical examination and a workout, was a case of the Eagles simply doing their due diligence on the three-time Pro Bowl performer.
"We had planned to bring him in here during training camp and we'll make sure to evaluate him and see if he is healthy," Reid said.
"If [signing Davis] was to happen, I think it would be a bonus for us on the offensive side," quarterback Donovan McNabb told The Associated Press. "I think when it comes down to it, you talk about a guy that has been in the league for 10 years or so, he knows what to do, he knows how to win, he has been on successful teams and I think he can help us out."
The Eagles could use the help in the backfield. Starter Brian Westbrook remains sidelined after he sprained his left foot in the preseason opener and is unlikely to return until the regular season.
With Westbrook out, the Eagles have been forced to turn to Ryan Moats and Reno Mahe as their top options, with the oft-injured Correll Buckhalter also in the mix. Bruce Perry has been a big training camp disappointment and didn't even get a carry in a preseason game last Thursday at Baltimore.
Davis, 32, was released by the Carolina Panthers on March 1 in a salary cap-related move, but also because of chronic knee problems. The move saved Carolina nearly $3 million in cap funds. It is believed Monday's session with the Eagles was the first meeting Davis had with a team since his release, but there are said to be other franchises interested in bringing him in for an evaluation.
The former Auburn standout, who finished the 2005 season on injured reserve, has rushed for 7,875 yards and 65 touchdowns on 1,905 carries. He also has 167 receptions for 1,404 yards and three touchdowns.
In the prime of his career, Davis personified the workhorse tailback, averaging 300.6 rushes in a five-year span, and three times logging 300-plus attempts. Davis had four seasons of 1,000 or more yards. In 2003, his first season with the Panthers, he posted a career-best 1,444 yards in leading Carolina to a berth in Super Bowl XXXVIII.
Davis began his career as a fourth-round pick of Washington in 1996 and played with the Commanders for seven seasons before he was released for salary cap considerations. He signed with Carolina, which was a homecoming of sorts, since he is a Spartanburg, S.C., native. But his tenure with the Panthers was marked by knee problems.
In 2004, Davis underwent the controversial "microfracture" surgery, and was limited to two games. It marked just the latest in a series of treatments for knee problems. He was delayed in starting camp last summer, then appeared in 13 games with 11 starts, and carried 180 times for 549 yards and 12 touchdowns.
ESPN.com
Exploring possible alternatives at the tailback position, the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday huddled with free agent Stephen Davis, but the 10-year veteran concluded the visit without a contract offer, and the club said nothing is imminent in terms of signing him.
In fact, coach Andy Reid suggested the visit, which included a physical examination and a workout, was a case of the Eagles simply doing their due diligence on the three-time Pro Bowl performer.
"We had planned to bring him in here during training camp and we'll make sure to evaluate him and see if he is healthy," Reid said.
"If [signing Davis] was to happen, I think it would be a bonus for us on the offensive side," quarterback Donovan McNabb told The Associated Press. "I think when it comes down to it, you talk about a guy that has been in the league for 10 years or so, he knows what to do, he knows how to win, he has been on successful teams and I think he can help us out."
The Eagles could use the help in the backfield. Starter Brian Westbrook remains sidelined after he sprained his left foot in the preseason opener and is unlikely to return until the regular season.
With Westbrook out, the Eagles have been forced to turn to Ryan Moats and Reno Mahe as their top options, with the oft-injured Correll Buckhalter also in the mix. Bruce Perry has been a big training camp disappointment and didn't even get a carry in a preseason game last Thursday at Baltimore.
Davis, 32, was released by the Carolina Panthers on March 1 in a salary cap-related move, but also because of chronic knee problems. The move saved Carolina nearly $3 million in cap funds. It is believed Monday's session with the Eagles was the first meeting Davis had with a team since his release, but there are said to be other franchises interested in bringing him in for an evaluation.
The former Auburn standout, who finished the 2005 season on injured reserve, has rushed for 7,875 yards and 65 touchdowns on 1,905 carries. He also has 167 receptions for 1,404 yards and three touchdowns.
In the prime of his career, Davis personified the workhorse tailback, averaging 300.6 rushes in a five-year span, and three times logging 300-plus attempts. Davis had four seasons of 1,000 or more yards. In 2003, his first season with the Panthers, he posted a career-best 1,444 yards in leading Carolina to a berth in Super Bowl XXXVIII.
Davis began his career as a fourth-round pick of Washington in 1996 and played with the Commanders for seven seasons before he was released for salary cap considerations. He signed with Carolina, which was a homecoming of sorts, since he is a Spartanburg, S.C., native. But his tenure with the Panthers was marked by knee problems.
In 2004, Davis underwent the controversial "microfracture" surgery, and was limited to two games. It marked just the latest in a series of treatments for knee problems. He was delayed in starting camp last summer, then appeared in 13 games with 11 starts, and carried 180 times for 549 yards and 12 touchdowns.
