It's not the first time the Eagles have dealt with such distractions, and it won't be the last. But there definitely seems to be more turbulence than ever as the Eagles prepare to get ready to make another run at a Super Bowl title. It's also quite possible that many of these headaches will linger into training camp, presenting Reid and the Eagles with perhaps their greatest challenge since they became perennial title contenders four years ago.
"I am confident we'll be fine, because of the character of this team," Eagles president Joe Banner said. "We've had to overcome some of these problems each year. But for the betterment of our team and for the purpose of preparing for the season, those guys should be here."
The Eagles have indeed dealt with these types of matters quite well in the past. See Duce Staley, Bobby Taylor and John Welbourn for proof.
"Every team has some bumps and obstacles to overcome," Banner said. "The true challenge for the head coach, the team leaders, and the whole organization is to prove you're strong enough to overcome those obstacles. Sometimes it's injuries, sometimes it's a bad schedule, and sometimes it's contract situations. On all of those fronts, we've proven we're strong enough to overcome them."
Some shelter from the storm of contract complaints should arrive for the Eagles this week as the focus turns to the draft, which is arguably the most important off-season exercise for any NFL team.
