Eagles get CB Ellis Hobbs from Patriots

Sheldon Brown requested a trade.

Instead, the Eagles gave him competition.

In return for two fifth-round picks yesterday, the Eagles obtained veteran New England cornerback Ellis Hobbs, a former third-round pick who started all 16 games for the Patriots each of the last two seasons.

Eagles coach Andy Reid tried to dismiss the notion that Hobbs' addition had any connection to Brown's complaints about his contract and the way the team was dealing with the issue.

"We got a good quality player there," Reid said. "You can't have enough corners in this league, so we wanted to make sure we addressed that and brought in a good quality player. This doesn't have anything to do with Sheldon's situation."

Reid said he expects his unhappy cornerback to report for the team's mandatory post-draft camp that begins Friday at the NovaCare Complex, but the coach said he didn't feel the need to explain yesterday's trade personally to Brown.

Brown could not be reached for comment, but he told the Associated Press, "I think it's great. I look at it as great news in terms of me being traded."

Brown went public last week and the Eagles responded with a statement that they would neither renegotiate his contract nor trade him.

"I knew the repercussions of what I was doing," Brown told the Associated Press. He has not committed to attending minicamp.

"I wanted a new deal, but that wasn't happening. So I want a trade. If it can happen now, because they're in a better situation, that's fine. But I realize it could take time."

Reid was asked if Hobbs' addition would at least allow the Eagles to listen to trade offers for Brown.

"I'm not even going to get into all that," he said. "I'm not entertaining that right now. Sheldon is on this football team."

But is he still a starter?

"We'll see how everything works out," Reid said. "I feel like I have three solid starters. I know [Joselio Hanson] can step in and also start. I think we have four solid corners."

Hobbs, who turns 26 next month, has started 49 games in four seasons at cornerback for the Patriots and has nine career interceptions. He played opposite Eagles cornerback Asante Samuel on the Patriots' team that won 18 straight games before losing to the New York Giants in the Super Bowl two years ago.