Tra Thomas wants to stay with Eagles

Tra Thomas wants to stay with Eagles
February 25
Philadelphia Daily News

"IN 2 DAYS, Tra Thomas could be an ex-Eagle.Thomas says that's an odd thing for him to contemplate, after 11 seasons in Philadelphia. Thomas has never worn another NFL uniform; he arrived as the 11th overall pick in the 1998 draft, a year ahead of Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb. But the fact that the 34-year-old left offensive tackle was eager to talk to the Daily News last night about how he feels he has a lot of good years left, and how much he has enjoyed his time here, means talks to cement a new contract before free agency starts, a minute past midnight tomorrow night, have not been what he and agent Peter Schaffer would have hoped."I would love for the Eagles to step up to the plate to get it done," Thomas said following his afternoon workout at the team facility. "If not, I'm ready to move on. It's weird, but it's also exciting. I haven't been in this position for a long time. For 11 years, I've always known what would take place next year."Thomas acknowledged he never wanted to get to this point, that he'd rather have already signed a new contract with the Birds, but now that he's here, he's curious about what might be available elsewhere. When Carolina re-signed offensive tackle Jordan Gross last week (to a 6-year deal that reportedly will pay $30.5 million over the first three seasons), the already meager o-tackle free-agent list took a huge hit. Even at his advanced NFL age, Thomas ought to be a commodity. He's coming off a year in which he did a solid job of protecting Donovan McNabb's blind side, even if he isn't as powerful a run-blocker as he might have been several years back, while he was going to three Pro Bowls.Eagles president Joe Banner acknowledged Thomas would have value in a stripped-down market, when Banner sat down with the Daily News at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis last weekend."There's not any position [in free agency] where the shortage of players vs. the demand is more out of whack" than at offensive tackle, Banner said.At that time, both Banner and coach Andy Reid seemed optimistic that the team would sign Thomas and 35-year-old free safety Brian Dawkins by the free-agency deadline. The hours are ticking away, though, and neither Thomas nor Dawkins has come to agreement with the team, although the Eagles are using Dawkins' image to promote a fan cruise scheduled for next month, on their Web site."
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