Eagles Start Signing Draft Picks

[Hostile]

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Eagles sign draft picks to four-year contracts

Saturday, June 17, 2006 By JOHN NALBONE

Unaccustomed to setting the market for NFL rookies, the Eagles and team president Joe Banner are crunching their numbers earlier than usual due to an accelerated preseason schedule that kicks off with the Hall of Fame Game against the Oakland Raiders on Aug. 6 in Canton, Ohio.

To that end, the team signed their final two picks of the April draft, linebacker Omar Gaither and defensive tackle LaJuan Ramsey, to four-year contracts yesterday.

Terms were not immediately available.

The 6-foot-1, 235-pound Gaither was a fifth-round selection (No. 168 overall) out of the University of Tennessee. He was a two-time All-SEC performer for the Volunteers and will be in camp next month looking to land a spot on special teams and as a backup to middle linebackers Jeremiah Trotter and Mark Simoneau.

Ramsey (6-3, 291) was a four-year contributor at both tackle and end for USC. He was the Eagles' final pick (sixth round, No. 204). He replaced Mike Patterson, the Birds' first-round selection in 2005 and his former college roommate, on the Trojans' defensive line.

The Eagles' preseason camp schedule includes 19 days of practice open to the public over a span of nearly four weeks. Rookies and selected veterans must report on July 20, with practice beginning the next day. The rest of the squad reports July 23, and the Eagles will remain at Lehigh until the day before their third preseason game -- at Baltimore on Aug. 17.

The Eagles will be on the field at Lehigh every day in that span except game days and the days after games. However, their practices on the days before games will be closed, as will their first day of practice with the entire team assembled on July 24.

Nick Fierro of Newhouse News Service contributed to this story. Contact John Nalbone at jnalbone@njtimes.com.

 

[Coakleys Dad]

who cares?

 

[Hostile]

who cares?

Then don't read it.

I'm interested in seeing if this gets all the teams moving on signing picks. It usually does.

 

[DallasEast]

who cares?

"Who?" Football fans, for one. And, in this instance, fans of NFC East teams in particular. Signings have a domino effect on every other team's unsigned picks. It's in every team's best interest to get all of their picks, regardless of which round they were selected in, under contract as soon as possible. You can't have enough players ready for training camp.

 

[sago1]

Maybe some of them will. Already noticed that 2-3 other teams have also begun signing some of their players but mostly the later round guys. Cowboys will probably wait til last 2 weeks before TC & let other teams set the parimeters.

But does anybody know how they handle someone like E.J.Whitely who will be placed on IR as soon as it possible and receive half his rookie pay (getting $140,000 beats PS pay of $75,000). Just wondering how he and the other rookies pay their expenses until they sign contracts. Do they mooch off their families, get loans from banks/Cowboys/agents, etc.? Heck what else is there to talk about?

 

[danthefreakinman]

Maybe some of them will. Already noticed that 2-3 other teams have also begun signing some of their players but mostly the later round guys. Cowboys will probably wait til last 2 weeks before TC & let other teams set the parimeters.

But does anybody know how they handle someone like E.J.Whitely who will be placed on IR as soon as it possible and receive half his rookie pay (getting $140,000 beats PS pay of $75,000). Just wondering how he and the other rookies pay their expenses until they sign contracts. Do they mooch off their families, get loans from banks/Cowboys/agents, etc.? Heck what else is there to talk about?

I believe the players sign something saying that if they're injured during a minicamp the team must negotiate in good faith with them as if the injury hadn't occurred. So basically, he'll get his minimum salary for the season because he was injured during camp. Also included in contract for low round picks I believe is a clause that says if they're injured outside of the season, they'll get half the check. So yeah, he'll probably get half the rookie minimum this season with a very meager signing bonus. Whitley will probably make more this season than he would have on the practice squad, yes, but is it worth it to potentially jeopardize whatever chance you have in the NFL for $70,000? Probably not, so I don't really see it as a blessing.

As for expenses, I don't really know but I'd imagine the team flies them into town and pays for their expenses (i.e. housing, transportation, food) while they're there. Outside of that, I'm sure the families can let their son move home for a coulpe months and bear with him until he's back in a dorm room for training camp.

 

[Phoenix-Talon]

who cares?

I do!

 

[Phoenix-Talon]

While Andy Reid is preparing for the HOF game, I believe he must have seen something in the two new rookie acquisitions to sign them this early. For sure DL "depth" is on his mind.

Think it's relatively safe to say that the Eagles will bring the D this year. Beefing up with speed and youth will be factors that make any OL recognize our D.

Both these guys are stoppers!

 

[dallasfan4life]

Maybe some of them will. Already noticed that 2-3 other teams have also begun signing some of their players but mostly the later round guys. Cowboys will probably wait til last 2 weeks before TC & let other teams set the parimeters.

But does anybody know how they handle someone like E.J.Whitely who will be placed on IR as soon as it possible and receive half his rookie pay (getting $140,000 beats PS pay of $75,000). Just wondering how he and the other rookies pay their expenses until they sign contracts. Do they mooch off their families, get loans from banks/Cowboys/agents, etc.? Heck what else is there to talk about?

from what i have heard they get a loan from there agents. like if they are going to sign for 250,000 a year there agent will float them around 75k to get them housing and get them kinda set.

 

[J-DOG]

I hate to say this, but I thought the Eagles had the best draft of the teams in the NFC East.
Not saying that our draft was bad because I thought picking up Watkins in 5 was better than any pick the eagles had from rounds 5-7, but thier first 4 picks were strong and had great value at where they were picked.
The eagles have a lot of room under the cap(as always), so seeing them sign players is no suprise to me.

 

[austintodallas]

from what i have heard they get a loan from there agents. like if they are going to sign for 250,000 a year there agent will float them around 75k to get them housing and get them kinda set.

Might just be the best avatar I've ever seen. Sweet!

 

[Coakleys Dad]

dont be mad hostile, i care very much about us signing our players and draft picks, i just dont care about the eagles....

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Both these guys are stoppers!

I see your crystal ball is...not working