Jim Washburn

It could be the Eagles front office was a little preoccupied in late March 2010, just days from finalizing the trade that would send quarterback Donovan McNabb to Washington and signal the beginning of the 1,000-year reign of Kevin Kolb. Distracted or not, the Eagles passed on the chance to match a contract offer made by Tennessee to free-agent defensive end Jason Babin. Based on the length of his career, Babin should have been eligible for unrestricted free agency, but the Eagles had gone to the trouble of getting a first-refusal clause when they signed the journeyman for the 2009 season.

JIM WASHBURN WAS telling a story the other day, a story about himself, laced with equal parts down-home, self-deprecation and what-the-hell. It is what the Eagles' defensive line coach does. It was a story from back in 1999, when Washburn was interviewing for a defensive line coach job with Jeff Fisher, then the coach of the Tennessee Titans. "It was me and him and Gregg Williams – ooh, I shouldn't have said that," Washburn said, smiling. Williams, of course, is the man who was banished by the NFL for running a bounty program in New Orleans.

A comment made by Eagles defensive line coach Jim Washburn was incorrectly reported in Tuesday's Sports section. About his defensive line, Washburn said: "I'd be crushed. Hell, I'd quit if we're not a whole lot better. They need to fire [me] if we're not better. "  

Jason Babin continues to jab the Eagles from afar, and this time his comments were directed toward the organization's view of him and ousted defensive line coach Jim Washburn. The Eagles signed Babin to a five-year, $28 million contract in 2011 and waived him Nov. 27, citing the desire to play younger players. On Wednesday he praised the Jacksonville Jaguars, who claimed him off waivers, and implied that the Eagles thought no one wanted him. "That was probably their approach because they don't have amicable splits with people," Babin said during a conference call with Tennessee reporters.

The Eagles got their man. They got their fans', too. Trading up to the 12th spot, the Eagles drafted Mississippi State defensive tackle Fletcher Cox. To get Cox the Eagles dealt to the Seahawks Seattle a fourth round pick (114 overall) and a sixth round pick (172). The 6-foot-4, 294-pound Cox will join the Eagles' rotation of defensive tackles in the middle of Jim Washburn's line. He's a fierce pass rusher and could be the impact player coach Andy Reid is looking for on defense.

WHICH VERSION of Madonna is best, the Material Girl or the Kabbalah Mama? How about Cher: Sonny Bono's half-breed gypsy on horseback or Richie Sambora's scantily clad siren on the warship? Changing times and eroding taste long have forced talents from Jewel to Janet Jackson to recreate themselves. In less than a decade, the fickle fates of football have forced Brandon Graham to remake himself as often as any '80s pop diva. Those relaunches don't always work. Graham's career might not survive this overhaul.

Brandon Graham did not confirm the widespread belief that he will play outside linebacker for the Eagles this season. But it sounds as if he's preparing for a switch from defensive end to a stand-up pass rusher. Speaking on the second day of the Eagles' offseason program, Graham said he did not know what position he will play. Asked if he's inquired, he said that the team just started the program Monday and that he would have a better idea as minicamp approaches. "There's been a lot of talk about a lot of things," Graham said Tuesday.

Andy Reid said Friday it was "hindsight" to suggest he could have fixed his defense earlier, and maybe saved the Eagles' season, by firing defensive-line coach Jim Washburn and scuttling the wide-nine before he eventually did so, on Dec. 3. Reid didn't say it was "wrong. " He just said it was "hindsight. " Then Reid talked about how, with the defensive line in a normal formation, and the linemen not blindly making a beeline for the quarterback, life is much easier for the safeties and even the corners.

ANDY REID said yesterday he has spoken with defensive-line coach Jim Washburn and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg about their sideline spat Sunday, and Reid is satisfied that the matter is resolved. "Things happen. It's an emotional game. It doesn't matter if you're coaches or players, things happen, so you take care of business like grown men. They've talked, I've talked, they've worked it out and we're fine here," Reid said in the head coach's first session with reporters since news of the dustup surfaced Sunday evening.

If the Eagles' defensive coaching staff were a rock band, Juan Castillo would be the front man who doesn't mind sharing the spotlight with his band mates. "He's got really pure motives. I've worked with guys that have wanted to get ahead and become head coaches, and they're all about them," Eagles defensive line coach Jim Washburn said. "I don't think he wants to put his mark on anything, and that's a good quality to have because a lot of guys are so, 'If I don't do it this way, and if I don't make a big-enough splash being this blitz guru, this guru, I'm never going to get my chance at a head job.' " Despite a first season for Castillo as defensive coordinator that was more Herman's Hermits than Rolling Stones, Eagles coach Andy Reid decided to bring him back with his band minus one piece.

WHICH VERSION of Madonna is best, the Material Girl or the Kabbalah Mama? How about Cher: Sonny Bono's half-breed gypsy on horseback or Richie Sambora's scantily clad siren on the warship? Changing times and eroding taste long have forced talents from Jewel to Janet Jackson to recreate themselves. In less than a decade, the fickle fates of football have forced Brandon Graham to remake himself as often as any '80s pop diva. Those relaunches don't always work. Graham's career might not survive this overhaul.

Brandon Graham did not confirm the widespread belief that he will play outside linebacker for the Eagles this season. But it sounds as if he's preparing for a switch from defensive end to a stand-up pass rusher. Speaking on the second day of the Eagles' offseason program, Graham said he did not know what position he will play. Asked if he's inquired, he said that the team just started the program Monday and that he would have a better idea as minicamp approaches. "There's been a lot of talk about a lot of things," Graham said Tuesday.

NEW ORLEANS - Juan Castillo must have said the words hard work a thousand times during his tenure of less than two seasons as the Eagles defensive coordinator. So when he was fired and unemployed for almost three months, the coach who would often spend 20 hours a day at the NovaCare Complex found it especially hard. "I don't know that I've been through anything so hard in my life," Castillo said Tuesday. "And I think part of that is you keep going back and forth, 'What could I have done better?

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Given perhaps one last chance to throw somebody from the Eagles under the bus, Andy Reid took the road he traveled for 14 years in Philadelphia. But the ex-Eagles coach, upon his formal introduction as the Chiefs new head coach, subtly gave some insight into why it all went so wrong during his last two seasons. Asked if the decline could have been avoided if he had more say on the direction of the team, Reid said no. But he did intimate that the "joint effort" of the Eagles' decision-makers was no longer producing the desired results.

Jeffrey Lurie spent the first five minutes of his news conference on Monday describing the perfect head coach for the Philadelphia Eagles, or for any NFL team. The perfect man for the job is "not only an outstanding coach, but an outstanding person," according to Lurie. He is "dedicated, has an incredible work ethic and incredible ability to work with others. " He is "smart," would earn the "love and respect of every individual in this organization," and, in short, is a "gem. " Of course, Lurie was describing the guy he had just fired, not the one he will hire to replace Andy Reid.

Jason Babin continues to jab the Eagles from afar, and this time his comments were directed toward the organization's view of him and ousted defensive line coach Jim Washburn. The Eagles signed Babin to a five-year, $28 million contract in 2011 and waived him Nov. 27, citing the desire to play younger players. On Wednesday he praised the Jacksonville Jaguars, who claimed him off waivers, and implied that the Eagles thought no one wanted him. "That was probably their approach because they don't have amicable splits with people," Babin said during a conference call with Tennessee reporters.

IT ISN'T JUST Andy Reid who presumably will have to pack up his office next week at NovaCare. The Eagles' media guide lists 14 assistants, from Bobby April to Mike Zordich, who serve on Reid's staff; there are a few others in entry-level spots who don't rate mention, and a building full of trainers, equipment managers, strength coaches, secretaries and the like who could be affected by the ripples from what everyone expects to be the first Eagles head-coaching...

BY VIRTUALLY all accounts, we are days away from the end of the Andy Reid era of Eagles football. Someday in the future, when all the angst over missed opportunities and blown drafts has subsided, people will speak of this time as an amazing run of success, and Reid as a consistent winner, albeit not of the ultimate prize. What is less certain is how history will record the man who hired him, amid the boast of a "gold standard" that now hangs over every move and public appearance Jeffrey Lurie makes, and the many he does not make, as well.

When Andy Reid says he hasn't "gone there" - hasn't stopped to reflect upon what may be the final weeks of his 14-year tenure - it's easy enough to believe him. It is in the nature of football lifers to focus only on the task at hand. Still, something about these final days has proven liberating to Reid. He is free from the pretense and agendas that influence roster and staff decisions at virtually every professional sports franchise. He can just do what seems right, regardless of how it makes him or the rest of the organization look.