Source: Eagles, McNabb Progressing on Deal
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
By Andy Schwartz
CSNPhilly.com
The Eagles are working on a new deal with Donovan McNabb.
A league source has told CSN’s Derrick Gunn that the two sides have been discussing an extension for the past month. They have agreed to pause negotiating an extension until a later date and instead decided to focus on reworking the two years remaining on his current deal.
McNabb is scheduled to earn $9.2 million this season and $10 million in 2010.
Meanwhile, the man the Eagles signed to protect McNabb’s blindside is working on learning a new technique.
Left tackle Jason Peters, who is scheduled to earn $60.657 million over the next six seasons, is coming off consecutive Pro Bowl seasons. But now the five-year veteran is being asked to learn something new.
The run blocking is the same, but the pass blocking is different. Eagles offensive line coach Juan Castillo wants Peters to change from “A set” to “B set.” Under the former, Peters would move at an angle when the ball was snapped. Now, he’s been asked to move straight back.
“You’ve been programmed to do it this way. Now it’s like you’ve got to start all over and do it this way,” Peters said. “I’ve been doing it the same way for the last five years, but I’ve just got to throw all that out the window and do it Juan’s way.”
Peters can see the benefits to Castillo’s method.
“I see the advantages,” Peters said. “It’s definitely a lot easier as far as going into the fourth quarter. I wouldn’t know until I get out in a game, but out in practice, as the day goes on, when we go to team [drills], I can tell the difference. It’s a whole lot easier setting – you don’t get as winded.”
Changing on the fly isn’t new to Peters, who began his pro career as a tight end.
“He’s a good enough athlete where he can do that. He wants to do it the way we do it,” coach Andy Reid said. “I think that will help him in the long run. He’s just trying to get it where it is consistent. He’s been up here most of the time this offseason working with Juan. These camps were very good for him.”
Peters is confident he’ll be ready by Week 1.
“I’m going to compete, no matter what the technique is,” he said. “I’m going to get it down well enough to compete on Sunday and definitely win most of my battles.”
Jackson’s father passes
On May 14, DeSean Jackson lost his father Bill to pancreatic cancer.
Bill Jackson was 64.
He was diagnosed with the disease in January and moved from Long Beach, Calif. to Philadelphia three months later so he could spend more time with DeSean.
“It’s definitely hard, you know,” Jackson said Tuesday after practice. “The biggest thing is, everything I do, I’m going to dedicate it to him. I know he wouldn’t want me sitting around pouting and being sad about the situation.
“It sounds easier than what it really is. But you know, I’ll be strong, and with my family support and God, that will make the pain a little easier and remembering him, the great man for what he was. Without him I wouldn’t be here, so I’m going to stay positive about the situation. It gets tough at times, but I know that’s what he would want for me to do.”
E-mail Andy Schwartz at
aschwartz@comcastsportsnet.com.
http://www.csnphilly.com/pages/land...iscuss-New-Contrac=1&blockID=56857&feedID=717
