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Those Philadelphia Eagles fans worried about a LeSean McCoy holdout can rest easy. The Eagles on Thursday night announced that they have agreed to terms with their star running back on a five-year contract extension that runs through 2017. (He was already signed through 2012.) Adam Schefter is reporting that it's a $45 million deal that includes $20.765 million in guarantees.

This is the latest internal signing for the Eagles in an offseason that has seen them extend the contracts of wide receiver DeSean Jackson, defensive end Trent Cole and right tackle Todd Herremans. They made little noise in outside free agency, and in fact their biggest move of that period were trades -- the acquisition of linebacker DeMeco Ryans and the dumping of cornerback Asante Samuel, whom they'd deemed a too-expensive extraneous piece. The money they're handing out this offseason is directed at keeping their young star players under control and happy for a long period of time.

This tells us a couple of things about the Eagles and where they think they are right now:

1. They really do like the roster that went 8-8 last year and believe it to be capable of much bigger things. The signings they made last offseason failed to make a 2011 splash, as the Eagles struggled at the start of the season with a bunch of new players, new coaches and new schemes. They have said many times that they believe the right thing to do is bring back relatively the same group of players and expect to build on the four-game winning streak with which they ended the season, and their offseason focus shows that they're not just talking. They believe they have a strong roster that should win a lot of games.

2. The Eagles believe that not only will they be a strong title contender in 2012, but that this roster they have assembled is built to contend and win for years to come. They are determined to keep together their core of young stars because they're not worried about bottoming out this season and having to blow up and start over with a new plan, a new coach, etc. Yes, if they flop again, Andy Reid could lose his job. But the Eagles are operating as though they do not believe that's a possibility, building for the future even as they adopt a win-now mentality.

3. If you're a young Eagles player, you can feel confident that the team isn't just blowing smoke when it tells you that you'll be taken care of. Players such as wide receiver Jeremy Maclin and cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie can head into the 2012 season knowing that, if they perform on the field the way they and the team know they're capable of performing, the Eagles will be willing and able to give them long-term extensions and whatever level of security goes with that in the NFL. We don't know what will happen with those two players this year, but if they do great things, the money will be there for them.

The one gigantic question mark that still remains is quarterback Michael Vick. He's going to turn 32 next month, and while he did sign a contract extension last summer, the Eagles are able to escape that at the end of this year with minimal remaining commitment if Vick doesn't look like the long-term answer. Undoubtedly, the Eagles' preference would be for Vick to accomplish tremendous things with this core group of young talent -- this year and in years to come. But if they struggle again, and if Vick piles up the turnovers again, there's a chance that someone different could be leading this group in 2013 and beyond.

But by dishing out all of these deals to players already on their roster, by locking up their best wide receiver and their star pass-rusher and the running back who scored a whopping 20 touchdowns for them a year ago, they're also giving Vick the best possible chance to succeed. He will have a happy and hungry group of star players around him in 2012, and the Eagles believe they have spent this offseason setting the proper tone and putting the pieces in place to succeed in the short-term and the long-term as well. All that remains to be seen is how it all looks once the games start. And we won't know that for at least four more months.

Player trades aren't as common in the NFL as they are in baseball or some other sports, but the Philadelphia Eagles do seem to be a rare exception. As Zach Berman pointed out in this New York Times story from a week and a half ago, since Howie Roseman became GM 27 months ago the Eagles have made more trades involving players (i.e., not just draft picks) than any other team in the league. (They were tied with Seattle at 15 at the time the story was published, and they traded Asante Samuel a few days later).

Now, on the topic of how the Eagles do with these trades, we turn to Sheil Kapadia, who has broken down the return the Eagles have received on two recent high-profile deals -- the ones that sent quarterbacks Donovan McNabb and Kevin Kolb out of town.

As Sheil shows, the picks the Eagles got back from McNabb have netted them safety Nate Allen and linebackers DeMeco Ryans and Casey Matthews. That's two projected 2012 defensive starters and a guy, in Matthews, who will get at least some playing time. Not a bad haul for a player it's now clear was basically done at the time of the deal. Yes, McNabb did beat the Eagles once while with the Redskins in 2010, but he hasn't made a significant contribution since he left Philadelphia.

The Kolb trade brought back cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, and the picks that produced defensive end Vinny Curry and cornerback Brandon Boykin. Rogers-Cromartie is projected to be a starting cornerback for the 2012 Eagles. Boykin could be the nickel corner and a factor in the return game. Curry is likely to factor into the pass-rush rotation. Not a bad return for a quarterback who would have been their backup in 2011 had they kept him.

When you watch the Eagles' defense in 2012, you should get some idea why it's so important to Andy Reid to be deep at the quarterback position. This is why he drafted Nick Foles this year -- in the hopes that he eventually gets something out of him, whether it's actual playing time for the Eagles or something of value in trade. It's about more than just having good backup options behind starter Michael Vick. It's about how much quarterbacks are worth in today's NFL. By trading two of them over the past three offseasons, the Eagles have helped build their 2012 defense.

Traditional trade logic does not apply to the Asante Samuel trade. Yes, the Philadelphia Eagles have enough good cornerbacks to allow them to make this deal, but this isn't a case of dealing from a strength to address a weakness. The Eagles aren't weak at sixth-round pick. They already have three, including the second one of the round. They're trading Samuel and his eight-figure salary cap number to the Atlanta Falcons (who will reduce that number as a condition of the trade) simply because he no longer fit in Philadelphia. And that's just the latest bit of proof of how all-in the Eagles still are on their 2011 offseason plan.

The two most high-profile acquisitions the Eagles made last summer -- cornerbacks Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie -- are the two that rendered Samuel obsolete. Sure, he's a better player than Rodgers-Cromartie is. Sure, he played better in 2011 than Asomugha did. But he's more expensive than the former and doesn't fit into the Eagles' new defensive scheme the way they believe the latter does. The Eagles want to play press coverage with their cornerbacks when possible, and that's not Samuel's strength. He squirmed and said some snarky things about the front office after they brought in two big-name guys who played the same position he played. And with LeSean McCoy due for a contract extension and a number of early-round draft picks to sign, the salary cap room they pick up by dumping Samuel helps the long-range plan as well. All of that, combined with his salary, combined with his age (31) means he's the guy who has to go.

But this move is, effectively, a continuation of the 2011 offseason. The Eagles may well have traded Samuel last year if it had been a traditional offseason with free agency before the draft and time to work out an acceptable deal. Dealing him now is the latest bit of evidence in a long string that supports their claim of how strongly they believe in the 2011 plan. They're all-in on the Wide 9, on Juan Castillo, on playing press man. They believe the players they brought in last year, plus the trade that brought them DeMeco Ryans last month to shore up a woefully undermanned linebacker corps, will form the nucleus of one of the league's best defenses in 2012. They finished in the top 10 last year, after all, in spite of a rough start and a rocky transition. Given a year to jell, and a full offseason this time, the Eagles believe they will have something special.

They need to be right, or else jobs could be lost, and I guess you have to give them credit for not hedging. Trading Samuel now means they're going full-speed-ahead with this mulligan they're taking, in the belief that what they assembled last summer really was a very good team that underperformed. If they flop again at 8-8 or worse, the whole thing gets blown up anyway. If Samuel intercepts a pass and the Falcons eliminate the Eagles from the playoffs next year, they could look like fools. They know all of this, and they're dealing him anyway. All I'm saying is, when you trade away a player as good as Asante Samuel and all you get back is a sixth-round pick, your plan had better work.

As the Houston Texans let go of right tackle Eric Winston and traded inside linebacker DeMeco Ryans, fans of the team peppered me.

Why, they lamented, is receiver and returner Jacoby Jones still on the team?

The answer is that Texans coaches and brass like Jones a lot better than fans do.

Jones can make some spectacular plays. He can offset them with spectacular flubs.

His foolish handling of a punt in Baltimore helped kill the Texans in their playoff loss to the Ravens in January.

I saw Jones today in Nashville where he appeared on 104.5 The Zone helping to promote Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie’s charity basketball game this weekend at Tennessee State University.

I asked him, first, about the projection that Houston will take a wide receiver with the 26th pick in the draft on April 26.

“It’s a business,” he said. “I love Houston. I would love to stay there. And I’ve been working hard in the offseason. If it happens, it happens,. If they bring somebody in I will take him under my wing and show him the ropes. Whatever happens, happens, but I’m still ready to play.”

Jones is due a $3 million base, which is too much. He could rank as high as second or as low as fourth in the receiver pecking order when games, and paydays, arrive. He signed a three-year deal in 2011 worth $10.5 million with $3.5 million guaranteed. Barring a sterling camp and a claim of the No. 2 job, I think that base salary will need to come down.

He said he forgot the muffed punt -- the only one of the season, he said. -- in relative short order, because he’s a football player and football players have to forget bad stuff and move on.

As for fan venom …

“Fans are fans, they always look for somebody to point the finger at,” he said, without any contempt in his voice. “If they want to point the finger at me, fine. That year’s gone, in my past. I’m not dwelling on it anymore. I’ll still play for my teammates, my family, those coaches and everybody in that front office.”

He’s trained in New Orleans since the season ended, but will return to Houston Saturday. A nagging spotlight will follow. It's his job to make it fade.

With 17 days left until the draft, the Philadelphia Eagles do have one fairly large remaining piece of in-house business to take care of. That would be veteran cornerback Asante Samuel, a very good player who might be worth more to the Eagles as a pre-draft (or during-draft) trade chip than as a 2012 cornerback.

As Ashley Fox writes in her offseason notes column, the Eagles could be looking to deal Samuel to rid themselves of a potential "headache":

Samuel is a terrific player, but Philadelphia has two other good cornerbacks in Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Samuel wasn't happy about the Eagles' acquisition of Rodgers-Cromartie last season, and when trade rumors persisted last year, he said that the front office was playing fantasy football with owner Jeffrey Lurie's money.

After a disastrous 2011 season, the Eagles are going to be all about limiting distractions and building team unity in 2012. They can't do that with an unhappy Samuel.

I think the Eagles will be able to get something of value in return for Samuel. As he pointed out during an Easter Sunday twitter rant, Samuel is still a top cornerback, and those are rare and coveted in today's pass-happy NFL. The Eagles would be moving him (as opposed to Rodgers-Cromartie) because of his contract and his outspokenness regarding what he believes is the team's lack of respect for his ability to help them win games.

Dallas Cowboys fans often ask whether their team could be in the mix for Samuel, and while I was told by a few people at the owners meetings that the Eagles wouldn't be opposed to dealing Samuel to another NFC East team if the price were right, I find it hard to believe they'd want to play against him twice a year. My belief is that Dallas (or Washington, or the Giants, if they wanted him) would have to pay more to get Samuel than would another team outside the division.

As for what the Eagles can get ... I don't know. I'd have to believe if they'd been offered anything better than a fourth-round pick, they'd have already jumped on it. That's why I wonder if maybe this is the kind of deal that happens during the draft, after a team or two that thought it could fix its cornerback need with a draft pick has failed to do so and is willing to part with a mid-round pick in order to do it.

I don't see, to answer a lot of people's questions, a scenario in which they pair Samuel with their first-round pick (No. 15 overall) and move up higher in the first round. They don't need to make a deal like that, first of all, and second of all if a team is dealing out of the top five, it's likely doing so in order to stock up on future picks, not in exchange for a veteran cornerback. Other teams know the Eagles' reasons for wanting to deal Samuel, so they're not likely to get a premium price for him. But I do think, in the end, they get something that makes it worth their while. Especially if, as Ashley suggests, their main motivation is to avoid a headache.

» AFC Assessments: East | West | North | South » NFC: East | West | North | South

Dallas Cowboys

Key additions: CB Brandon Carr, S Brodney Pool, QB Kyle Orton, FB Lawrence Vickers, LB Dan Connor, G Nate Livings, G Mackenzy Bernadeau

Key losses: WR Laurent Robinson, TE Martellus Bennett, FB Tony Fiammetta, CB Terence Newman, G Kyle Kosier (cut)

"You ain't a beauty, but hey, you're all right": Rather than go big for the biggest names out there, the Cowboys took a more directed, focused approach to free agency this year. They did spend a lot to bring in Carr, but they had a glaring need at cornerback and they believed Carr was the best one on the market. The two guards were specifically targeted by Cowboys' scouts and new offensive line coach Bill Callahan, and Connor was brought in to address a need at inside linebacker while 2011 draft pick Bruce Carter continues to develop.

The only loss that they didn't upgrade is that of Robinson, who signed with the Jaguars after coming out of nowhere to catch 11 touchdown passes from Tony Romo in 2011. The Cowboys will hope that one of the young receivers on their roster fills that No. 3 wide receiver role, or that they can catch lightning in a bottle again this year as they did with Robinson last year. They could miss Kosier's leadership on the offensive line, but he was getting old and injured and they needed to keep getting younger on the line.

What's next: While they'll keep an eye out for a bargain-bin receiver to replace Robinson, and they could try and find another tight end to replace Bennett, the Cowboys' main focus the rest of this offseason is likely to be on defense. They could add to the safety or cornerback mix in the draft or with another free agent. They'll keep looking to upgrade the pass rush, either with another outside linebacker or a defensive lineman. Those are the likely areas in which the Cowboys will focus their efforts in the draft.

Otherwise, it's going to be about sorting things out, especially on the offensive line. They need to find a pair of starting guards from a group that includes the two newcomers and the two youngsters -- David Arkin and Bill Nagy -- they drafted last year. Training camp should help sort out what needs to be sorted out on the offensive side of the ball. The draft will be for adding more pieces to Rob Ryan's defense.

New York Giants

Key additions: TE Martellus Bennett

Key losses: RB Brandon Jacobs, WR Mario Manningham, CB Aaron Ross, T Kareem McKenzie

"Reason to believe": The Giants don't like to make big free-agent splashes, and since they're up against the salary cap they also have little choice. But their second Super Bowl title in five years should help ease any concerns fans might have about if they're doing enough in the offseason. The Giants' way is to establish fair prices for the positions they need to fill and to be patient until they find players willing to play for their number. They'd have loved to have Jacobs or Manningham or Ross back, but not for the kind of money those guys found in free agency. They'd love to have linebacker Jonathan Goff and defensive end Dave Tollefson back, but if they get big-money deals elsewhere, the Giants will let them go too.

They targeted Bennett right away and signed him on the second day of free agency, since they saw in him a young talent at a position where they lost two players to major knee injuries in the Super Bowl. And they re-signed cornerback Terrell Thomas and punter Steve Weatherford, two of their offseason priorities. But since then, the Giants have been quiet, content that they have a good, deep, championship roster and willing to let the market come to them.

What's next: The areas of concern, if there are any for the Giants, are linebacker and offensive line. And if Goff comes back, they like what they have at linebacker with the incumbents and last year's rookies. With McKenzie leaving, they could move David Diehl from left tackle to right tackle, but they'll still need to add depth at tackle as they look to the future on the offensive line.

There remains the chance that the Giants could trade defensive end Osi Umenyiora, who was disgruntled about his contract this time last year and now only has one year to go. If they did that, they could move Mathias Kiwanuka from linebacker back to his old pass-rushing spot on the line. But the Giants would have to be really blown away by an offer to move Umenyiora, who has relaxed a great deal about his contract situation and said he'd like to stay.

Philadelphia Eagles

Key additions: LB DeMeco Ryans (trade), G Mike Gibson

Key losses: DE Juqua Parker, WR Steve Smith, QB Vince Young

"We take care of our own": The Eagles' focus so far this offseason has been internal. They extended the contracts of right tackle Todd Herremans and defensive end Trent Cole, signed wide receiver DeSean Jackson to a long-term deal and re-signed free-agent guard Evan Mathis. The Eagles believe last year's team was a good roster that underachieved, and they basically are taking a mulligan and hoping it works this time.

The one exception is a big one -- the trade that brought them Ryans from Houston in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick. The Eagles were pitifully weak at linebacker last year, and that weakness hurt their otherwise successful implementation of the "Wide 9" defensive line formation. They could get to the passer with their front four, but teams were able to attack the middle of their defense at will. The addition of Ryans, a veteran middle linebacker who was a productive tackler and beloved leader with the Texans, should help solve a lot of those problems.

What's next: There remains a strong chance the Eagles will trade cornerback Asante Samuel before or during the draft. They can afford to do so because they'd still be left with Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie as starting cornerbacks and the underrated Joselio Hanson at nickel corner. Other than that, the Eagles figure to be fairly quiet the rest of the way.

They're most likely to use their first-round pick on a defensive player, though Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly, who'd be a great addition, now looks likely to be gone by the time they pick at No. 15. So they could pick up another veteran linebacker and use the draft to add to their defensive line rotation. It's also likely they add a veteran safety and a veteran running back to back up LeSean McCoy, who's next in line for a new contract.

Washington Redskins

Key additions: WR Pierre Garcon, WR Josh Morgan, CB Cedric Griffin, S Brandon Meriweather

Key losses: S O.J. Atogwe (cut), S LaRon Landry, WR Donte' Stallworth

"When the change was made uptown and the big man joined the band": The Redskins' biggest move of the offseason was the draft-picks trade they made with the Rams, sending three first-round picks and a second-round pick to St. Louis in exchange for the No. 2 pick in this year's draft. That pick ensures that Washington, which has been looking for a franchise quarterback for a couple of decades, will be in position to take one of the two quarterbacks in this year's draft that projects as a franchise guy. They're most likely getting Baylor's Robert Griffin III, the 2011 Heisman Trophy winner who's got Redskins fans in a tizzy already.

The Redskins' first big moves when free agency opened were aimed at building a new offense for their rookie quarterback to run. Garcon and Morgan are, the Redskins believe, receivers with big-play talent who will fit well into the offense they like to run. The other two big additions -- Griffin and Meriwether -- were brought in to beef up the secondary, which lost its two starting safeties. It's possible Griffin could play safety, though he played cornerback in Minnesota.

What's next: The Redskins continue to try to re-sign veteran linebacker London Fletcher, and they're confident they can do that. They also want to bring back running back Tim Hightower, assuming he's recovered from his ACL injury, and they're in talks with him about doing just that. If they fail in either or both of those efforts, they'll need backup plans, as they'll lack depth at running back and inside linebacker.

Washington still could stand to add to its secondary and find help for the offensive line. Right tackle Jammal Brown has injury problems, and the team is looking for a better option. Demetrius Bell remains on the market and is a player Washington likes for that right tackle spot.

PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Philadelphia Eagles GM Howie Roseman, in an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer on Tuesday, made it sound like the team could trade cornerback Asante Samuel if it wanted to. The Eagles are deep at cornerback with Samuel, Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, and there did seem to be some overcrowding issues last year.

But Eagles coach Andy Reid, when asked about the same issue Wednesday, was a little more non-committal.

"Asante is obviously on the team," Reid said. "We'll see how things go with the three of them. I said last year and I'll say it again: It's a pretty good situation to have, if you can sit there and say you have those three corners. Asante and Nnamdi are a little bit older, but both of them can still play at a high level. So we'll see how things work out. That's the best I can tell you."

Like a lot of things about last year's Eagles defense, the deployment of those three cornerbacks often seemed confused. Rodgers-Cromartie was asked to play inside in the nickel position, which was not something he'd done in the past. And it's fair to assume they'd be better off with two of the aforementioned three on the outside and Joselio Hanson in the nickel spot. But Reid isn't going to come out and admit he needs to trade a guy because it would help him construct his lineup better. That's not the kind of thing that helps your leverage in trade talks with other teams. So publicly, he insists all was and will be hunky dory.

"As [Rodgers-Cromartie] settled into the nickel position and he learned it, he understood the leverage, and that was really the primary thing that was the problem," Reid said. "Just learning the leverage along with the coverages and indicators of splits with the inside receivers and the kind of routes that came off. He went through and he learned all of that. And we keep all of that kind of in-house with our players, any talk we have with them."

So we'll see. If I were a betting man, I'd be broke, but if I were a betting man I'd bet the Eagles find a taker for Samuel before the draft and that Asomugha and Rodgers-Cromartie are the 2012 starters with Hanson, who has more experience in the nickel spot, playing there. They have four weeks to figure it all out.

As Darren Urban pointed out, former Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback William Gay has suggested he'll be signing with the Arizona Cardinals.

The Cardinals needed help at the position after losing Richard Marshall to Miami. Gay, who visited Arizona in free agency, would fit the team quite well because Arizona's defensive coordinator, Ray Horton, coached him in Pittsburgh.

This signing would be a telling one for the Cardinals. Gay is about as different from Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie as a cornerback could be. Rodgers-Cromartie, a first-round pick for Arizona in 2008, stands 6-foot-2 and has blazing speed, but he did not provide much of a physical presence.

Gay is 5-10, 190 pounds and not as gifted athletically, but he's tenacious and a willing tackler -- and Horton, like the Steelers, insists that his corners support against the run. That is why the Cardinals were OK trading Rodgers-Cromartie to Philadelphia once Horton became their defensive coordinator before the 2011 season.

Gay did not contribute on special teams to the degree Marshall did for Arizona last season. He did play 95 percent of the Steelers' defensive snaps. He started 15 games. He would give the Cardinals additional flexibility at the position heading into the draft, and instant familiarity with their scheme.

"He has average size and strength with deceptive quickness and agility," the Scouts Inc. report on Gay reads, in part. "He is a physical, reliable tackler and is very aggressive for a perimeter defender. ... He wins with toughness, technique and instincts."

Update: The Cardinals have announced a contract agreement with Gay.

» AFC Free-Agency Primer: East | West | North | South » NFC: East | West | North | South

Free agency begins Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET

Arizona Cardinals

Key free agents: DE Calais Campbell (franchise tag), CB Richard Marshall, OLB Clark Haggans, WR Early Doucet, T Brandon Keith, G Deuce Lutui, K Jay Feely.

Where they stand: A strong finish to the 2011 season on defense gives the Cardinals a glass-half-full feel heading into free agency. Going from 1-6 to 8-8 was an impressive achievement. Arizona does have serious concerns on its offensive line. The situation at tackle is particularly questionable even if Levi Brown returns (and maybe especially if he returns, depending on your view). The line concerns might actually dissipate some if the team lands Peyton Manning, a quarterback with the ability to beat pressure with quick throws. But tackle is still an area that needs addressing for the long term. Injuries throughout the offensive backfield raise questions about that area as well. Kevin Kolb (concussion), Beanie Wells (knee), Ryan Williams (knee) and Anthony Sherman (ankle) missed extensive time or played at a diminished level for stretches.

What to expect: The Cardinals are one of the teams chasing Manning. That pursuit could consume them for the short term. Landing Manning would signal the end for Kolb in Arizona. The Cardinals have until March 17 to exercise a $7 million option on Kolb, the quarterback they acquired from Philadelphia for cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a fat contract. I'm expecting a resolution to Manning's situation before the Kolb bonus comes due simply because interest in Manning should be high enough to accelerate the process. The Cardinals had about $3 million in salary-cap space entering the week, according to ESPN's John Clayton. That figure could increase substantially once the team releases Brown or reworks his contract. Arizona still has strong coaching ties to Pittsburgh on both sides of the ball, but it's an upset if the Cardinals seriously pursue any of the aging veterans recently released by the Steelers. Developing young talent is the priority now. Re-signing Marshall, who fared well at corner, should be a priority. Does free-agent linebacker Stewart Bradley still factor prominently into the team's plans, particularly at such a high price?

St. Louis Rams

Key free agents: WR Brandon Lloyd, G Jacob Bell, CB Justin King, OL Adam Goldberg, LB Chris Chamberlain, G Tony Wragge, TE Billy Bajema, WR Mark Clayton, DT Gary Gibson, P Donnie Jones.

Where they stand: The Rams have no interest in staying the course from a personnel standpoint after going 15-65 over the past five seasons. They will seek fresh talent almost across the board as Jeff Fisher's new coaching staff seeks players for its schemes. The Rams are seeking playmakers in particular, starting at wide receiver. The offensive line needs addressing, although the Rams might try to minimize the turnover at offensive tackle for the short term, figuring they cannot afford to create new needs. But former starting center Jason Brown, benched last season, appears unlikely to return. The team also needs two starting outside linebackers, starting defensive tackles and perhaps two starting cornerbacks on defense.

What to expect: Mass roster turnover. I could see the team retaining as few as one or two players from its list of 21 projected unrestricted free agents. The Rams have a disproportionate amount of their salary cap tied up in recent high draft choices Sam Bradford, Chris Long and Jason Smith. The rookie wage scale will provide them cap relief even if the team remains among the teams picking very high in the 2012 draft. Bradford and Long are cornerstones. Smith could stick around at a reduced rate. The team still has hope for him under new offensive line coach Paul Boudreau. Cornerback Cortland Finnegan and defensive lineman Jason Jones, both free agents from Tennessee, have ties to Fisher and could make sense for the Rams. Despite the need for playmakers on offense, the Rams did not use the franchise tag on Lloyd, their most talented receiver. Questions persist about how effective Lloyd might be outside Josh McDaniels' offense.

San Francisco 49ers

Key free agents: QB Alex Smith, CB Carlos Rogers, FS Dashon Goldson (franchise tag), G Adam Snyder, WR Ted Ginn Jr., WR Josh Morgan, G Chilo Rachal, FB Moran Norris, LB Blake Costanzo.

Where they stand: Coach Jim Harbaugh has said it's a bit unsettling heading through the offseason with his starting quarterback unsigned. Smith and the 49ers are expected to reach agreement eventually. This relationship will almost certainly continue even if Smith does reach free agency without a deal in place. Smith would not fit nearly as well anywhere else. Harbaugh likes to use the word "equity" when describing players he wants to keep. The 49ers would rather bring back Smith than invite the disruption that Manning would bring, were they able to land him. The team needs help at wide receiver and possibly cornerback, depending upon what happens with Rogers. Getting Goldson at the relatively reasonable franchise rate ($6.2 million) was a plus for the 49ers' continuity in the secondary.

What to expect: Not a whole lot, most likely. The 49ers were a good team last season after taking a low-keyed approach to the free-agent market. They will presumably show interest in Vincent Jackson, Mike Wallace and any high-profile, productive receiver with the talent to upgrade their offense. It's a small upset if the 49ers land one of them, however, because their philosophy is built on a measured approach resistant to overpaying. They will have to address the receiver position in free agency one way or another, however. Re-signing Morgan would help. Pierre Garcon, Marques Colston, Mario Manningham, Plaxico Burress and Robert Meachem are among the other options in free agency. An upgrade at right guard would help the line, but the 49ers might be apt to develop 2011 draft choice Daniel Kilgore after investing first-round choices in their left tackle (Joe Staley), left guard (Mike Iupati) and right tackle (Anthony Davis).

Seattle Seahawks

Key free agents: DE Red Bryant, LB David Hawthorne, LB Leroy Hill, OL Paul McQuistan, DE Raheem Brock, DL Tony Hargrove, FB Michael Robinson, RB Justin Forsett, QB Charlie Whitehurst, LB Matt McCoy, TE John Carlson, LB Heath Farwell.

Where they stand: The Seahawks' long-term quarterback situation hangs over them as they head toward the 2012 draft with only the 12th overall choice. The team has built up the rest of its roster to a point where sticking with Tarvaris Jackson as the primary starter could hold back the team to a degree it did not through much of last season. Upgrading the pass rush is another priority for the Seahawks. With defensive end Raheem Brock publicly stumping for Seattle to land Manning, his former teammate, I couldn't help but wonder which one of them had a better shot at earning a roster spot with the team in 2012. It might be Manning, even if the Seahawks are relative long shots for his services. Brock failed to provide the pass-rush push Seattle needed opposite Chris Clemons. Linebacker is another position the Seahawks need to address, whether or not Hawthorne and Hill return.

What to expect: The Seahawks have roughly $30 million in cap space, according to Clayton, and will make every effort to land Manning. They feel they've got a shot as long as they can persuade him to get on a plane and check out what they have to offer in terms of the roster, coaching, facilities, ownership and more. If Manning goes elsewhere, I would expect the Seahawks to consider Green Bay quarterback Matt Flynn. Securing him at a price lower than what Arizona paid for Kolb would be the goal. As badly as the Seahawks want to upgrade the position, they have said they will not panic. Overpaying for Flynn could represent panic in their eyes. On the pass-rush front, I'm increasingly skeptical the team will shell out for Mario Williams. The price could be too high for a player Houston has decided to let hit the market. Re-signing Bryant is a priority, but using the franchise tag for him was never an option given the $10.6 million price. A deal slightly north of the one teammate Brandon Mebane signed seems likelier if Bryant returns.

We've talked a great deal about the DeSean Jackson situation, and that is the biggest offseason issue facing the Philadelphia Eagles right now. But there's also the matter of cornerback Asante Samuel and whether he'll be a part of what the Eagles are doing in 2012.

Samuel played the best of any Eagles cornerback in 2011, which considering the play of the secondary isn't saying much. And he's under contract through 2013. But there are a number of factors that could drive the Eagles to trade Samuel this offseason. His scheduled base salary for this year is $9.4 million (and then $11.4 million in 2013), and last summer the Eagle signed free-agent cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha and traded for cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Trading Samuel would give the Eagles some more salary cap room with which to work over the next two offseasons, and it appears to be a move they could weather, since Asomugha and Rodgers-Cromartie are both capable starters and Joselio Hanson is a good nickel corner.

Eagles GM Howie Roseman was asked about the Samuel situation recently and was non-c0mmital, per Zach Berman of the Philly Daily News:

Roseman declined to discuss whether cornerback Asante Samuel will return to the Eagles, providing the stock answer that the phone always rings when a team has a surplus at a position. But Roseman believes that the trio of Pro Bowl cornerbacks can still work in the Eagles' secondary.

“"Last year was a unique situation in terms of practice time and preparation time," Roseman said. "So I think that it gives us an opportunity with this offseason, with a normal offseason to kind of gel together and you saw that towards the end of the year, the team was gelling and so that's what we look forward to in 2012."

The Eagles talked all last offseason and during the season about being okay with having the three cornerbacks. But the fact was that they couldn't really get Rodgers-Cromartie on the field except when Asomugha was injured, and they have needs at linebacker, defensive tackle, safety and maybe wide receiver that must be addressed. If Samuel can bring back a nice draft pick or two, it's something the Eagles must and almost certainly will consider. It's a shame for our Cowboys fans that they play in the same division, since he'd be a great answer to Dallas' biggest problem.

Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy has had a brilliant, historic season. But he will not win the league's rushing title. McCoy was announced among the inactive players for Sunday's season finale against the Washington Redskins, his sprained ankle apparently hurting too badly to allow him to play.

McCoy will finish his 2011 season with 1,309 rushing yards and 17 rushing touchdowns, as well as 48 catches for 315 yards and three receiving touchdowns. He leads Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton by three rushing touchdowns for the league league, but he trails Jacksonville running back Maurice Jones-Drew in rushing yards. Jones-Drew has 1,437, and it would have been a stretch for McCoy to catch him anyway, especially on a bum ankle.

My question is: Whose decision was this? Eagles coach Andy Reid said during the week that he planned to play his starters in this game, and indicated that McCoy would be ready to go. If the decision to bench McCoy in a meaningless game to make sure he doesn't injure himself more seriously was made above Reid, that could portend an interesting next couple of weeks as Reid's future as Eagles coach is determined. As I've said all along, I expect Reid to return to coach the Eagles in 2012. But if there was a tug-of-war this week over McCoy's status for the game and Reid lost it, that's enough to make you wonder.

Please understand: This is only speculation on my part. It's entirely possible McCoy just wasn't healthy enough to go, or that Reid changed his stance as the week went along. But given the way this season has gone, and the fact that a loss today would give Reid his third losing season in 13 years as Eagles head coach, it's worth wondering about.

Cornerback Asante Samuel is also inactive for the game because of a hamstring injury, which is no surprise. It's possible this means Samuel has played his final game as an Eagle, since they could move on this offseason with Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie as starting corners and address other needs by replacing Samuel.

For the Redskins, right tackle Jammal Brown is inactive, missing yet another game with his hip injury. But rookie running back Roy Helu is active after missing last week's game with toe and knee problems. It'll be interesting to see how the carries get split between him and fellow rookie Evan Royster, who had 132 rush yards on 19 carries last week in Helu's place.

Looks like we can push back thoughts of the Seattle Seahawks moving rookie third-string quarterback Josh Portis into the lineup for a few late-season starts.

The possibility had some appeal when Jackson struggled during a 23-17 home defeat to the Washington Redskins last week. But with Jackson playing efficiently and making big plays down the field during a 31-14 victory against Philadelphia on Thursday night, the team cannot reasonably remove him from the lineup.

Jackson's struggles against Washington appeared related to his pectoral injury. He struggled to make throws he seemed to be making previously. In retrospect, Jackson's ability to practice extensively early in the week and play well only four days after the Washington game suggests the injury wasn't such a limiting factor, after all.

Having the earliest game in Week 13 and the latest one in Week 14 gives Jackson an extended period to rest his injury. There still could come a time when giving Portis a look makes sense. The coaching staff likes him enough to justify such a move if Jackson's health deteriorates or the medical staff thinks keeping Jackson in the lineup risks an injury threatening his 2012 season. It's less practical making such a move with five games remaining if Jackson can still play the way he did against the Eagles.

Jackson completed 13 of 16 passes for 190 yards and one touchdown. He posted the second-highest passer rating (137.0) of his career as a starter. His Total QBR score (76.9) beat the previous season high he set against Atlanta in Week 4 (68.2).

Jackson completed 6 of 8 passes for 89 yards on third down. His Total QBR for third-down plays stood at 93.5 out of 100, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Overall, he completed 5 of 6 passes for 111 yards throws traveling more than 10 yards past the line of scrimmage.

The Eagles continued their season-long trend of sending four or fewer pass-rushers the vast majority of the time. Jackson, playing without top receiver Sidney Rice, picked apart a secondary that lost top corner Nnamdi Asomugha to injury. The Eagles' third corner, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, missed the game entirely. The Eagles also lost safety Colt Anderson to a season-ending knee injury during the game.

The chart ranks Jackson's performances this season by Total QBR, which takes into account how quarterbacks affect win probability through passes, runs, sacks and penalties. I've included NFL passer ratings for a look at raw passing as well.
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Running back LeSean McCoy and cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, each of whom was limited in practice this week by injuries, will both suit up and be available to play for the Philadelphia Eagles tonight against the Seahawks in Seattle. McCoy has a toe injury and Asomugha has a knee injury, and it remains to be seen how much they will be able to play and how effective they will be in the game.

McCoy is the NFL's leading rusher and has been the Eagles' best and most consistent player this season. Because they were trailing for most of the game and because they generally prefer pass-heavy game plans, the Eagles only ran the ball 17 times in Sunday's loss to New England. But they're likely to run it more tonight. If McCoy can't shoulder the whole load, expect contributions from Ronnie Brown and/or Dion Lewis. My bet is Lewis would be the first replacement off the bench if they needed to spell McCoy for a bit or if he couldn't finish the game.

Asomugha played Sunday but was severely limited. He was only the field for only about 18 or 20 plays. Seattle does not have the same kinds of receiving threats that New England does, though, and it's possible that if Asomugha is limited again it won't hurt the Eagles, who will play Asante Samuel and Joselio Hanson plenty at cornerback anyway. Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is listed as inactive and will miss his third consecutive game with an ankle injury.

Quarterback Michael Vick (broken ribs) and wide receiver Jeremy Maclin (hamstring, shoulder injuries) also will each miss his third game in a row. Vince Young starts at quarterback again in place of Vick and Riley Cooper starts at wide receiver in place of Maclin. The other Eagles inactives are offensive lineman King Dunlap, defensive end Philip Hunt, linebacker Greg Lloyd and offensive lineman Julian Vandervelde.

NFC West blogger Mike Sando is at the game for us, but I'll be watching and tweeting (@ESPN_NFCEast) and posting as warranted. So don't go far.

SEATTLE -- The Seattle Seahawks will have middle linebacker David Hawthorne and cornerback Richard Sherman for their game against Philadelphia on Thursday night. Both players are active after missing practice time with injuries.

Inactive for Seattle: quarterback Josh Portis, safety Jeron Johnson, cornerback Byron Maxwell, linebacker Adrian Moten, tackle Jarriel King, tackle Allen Barbre and defensive lineman Pep Levingston.

Inactive for Philadelphia: quarterback Michael Vick, receiver Jeremy Maclin, cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, tackle King Dunlap, guard Julian Vandervelde, defensive end Phillip Hunt and the recently signed Greg Lloyd.

Seattle has five wide receivers active despite placing Sidney Rice on injured reserve. Deon Butler, who suffered a career-threatening leg injury at San Francisco last season, is active for the first time this season.

Hawthorne's mobility will be a subject of interest in this game. Knee problems have bothered him at times during the season, including last week. The shortened week of recovery time could work against him.

The Philadelphia Eagles have officially announced that quarterback Michael Vick, wide receiver Jeremy Maclin and cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie will not play in Thursday night's game against the Seahawks in Seattle. It will be the third missed game in a row for all three players, who were injured in what has turned out to be an extremely costly Week 10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

Vick's broken ribs are healing, but the Eagles don't want to put him back into a game until they're fully healed, since they worry they'll affect his throwing motion and make him less effective. Vince Young will make his third start in a row at quarterback. Maclin is dealing with shoulder and hamstring injuries, and the timetable for his return remains unclear. Expect Riley Cooper to get another start in Maclin's place opposite DeSean Jackson. And Rodgers-Cromartie has an ankle injury. Joselio Hanson has filled in fine for Rodgers-Cromartie, but with Nnamdi Asomugha limited by a knee injury, the Eagles' once-impressive depth at cornerback has dwindled.

Asomugha and running back LeSean McCoy, who has a toe injury, are listed as questionable on the team's Wednesday injury report.