DisgruntledTunaFan
In the Starting Line-Up
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http://mvn.com/nfl-source/2008/04/09/trade-possibility-lito-sheppard/
To start the offseason out, the Eagles made what was widely considered the best free agent move, signing cornerback Asante Samuel to a monstrous six-year deal worth over $57 million. It was the talk of the first day of the signing period, and obviously will help the Eagles defense greatly. However, there does have to be an odd man out with this contract, and that man is none other than Lito Sheppard.
The twenty-seven year old Sheppard is very talented, often playing at a pro-bowl caliber level. He makes plays, batting balls down and making some interceptions, and also has good speed. He’s pretty small, but plays bigger than he is.
However, with that new contract on the books, the Eagles don’t want to keep two cornerbacks being payed a lot of money on their team. Sheppard isn’t exactly cashing in, but he’s paid pretty well.
Plus, they have Sheldon Brown, a cornerback who’s pretty reliable and capable of starting on the right side.
One of the biggest problems that teams have with Sheppard, including the Eagles, is that he’s very injury-prone, not playing a completely full season since 2003. He struggled with a sprained knee last season, only playing in eleven games. A player this unreliable may not be a number one cornerback in this league.
Also, Sheppard is demanding a new contract, wanting to be paid the money that the elite defensive backs are getting. Because he’s a playmaker, some teams will at least give him a raise, but I’m not sure if his asking price is realistic. The Eagles are not willing to give him a new deal, giving them even more reason to ship him away.
However, alongside with injuries, the Eagles asking price is a big potential problem. The latest reports have them asking for a first round pick, which no teams are going to give them. They claim that they’re getting offers like that, but there is no way.
That would then force them to ask for a second round pick, which many teams also won’t do considering Sheppard’s injury risk and contract situation. He’s a pretty good player, but with these uncertainties, I don’t think he’s worth it.
But, a team could still give them one. At worst, they should be able to get a third rounder. With all of the good reasons as to why he shouldn’t be on the team, I would have to think that they’d accept this.
Right now, there is some debate as to which teams are interested in Sheppard’s services because of those high demands Philadelphia is making.
The Redskins, with the possibility of Carlos Rogers starting the year on the PUP, are a plausible destination. However, they are looking to fill holes with the draft this year, and will most likely elect to trade for a worse, but cheaper cornerback, such as Fabian Washington of the Raiders.
The Browns are also a potential fit for Sheppard, after losing Leigh Bodden. But, they don’t have a pick until the fourth round, which obviously won’t get the deal done. It will be nearly impossible for them to give the Eagles enough.
The Rams have also been an interested party, with two injured cornerbacks. However, with the number two pick in the draft, they may not have the money to trade for Sheppard, especially if they are forced to give him a new contract so that he’s not unhappy.
New England is another suitor after losing Samuel to the Eagles. In my mind, they may be the most realistic team, with some cap room. They have Ellis Hobbs and picked up Fernando Bryant, but they may want to improve the area before their first round selection so that they can focus on other parts that they need to work on.
Even a team like the Saints could trade for Sheppard, although they’d much rather prefer to just pick one up with their first selection.
While the Eagles definitely want to trade Sheppard, its very difficult to predict who he’ll go to, if anyone, until the Eagles lower their asking price and talks can really pick up. Eventually, I think they’ll be forced to, and we’ll see some more rumors.
In the end, I believe that Lito Sheppard will be shipped to New England in exchange for their second round pick. Its not what the Eagles are currently looking for, but thats what I think they will get.
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