On May 22, the New York Daily News passed along rumblings that the Eagles will be first in line to pursue free agent receiver Plaxico Burress when the lockout ends. Eagles quarterback Michael Vick also gave his stamp of approval.
In a Sunday Q & A with readers, FOXSports.com reporter Adam Caplan agrees that the Eagles are likely to, at the very least, give Burress a long look.
A personnel source tells Caplan that Eagles coach Andy Reid “has always been impressed” with Plax’s “ability to beat coverage with his size.” The source predicts that Philadelphia will indeed make an attempt to sign Burress.
As Caplan notes, Burress recorded seven touchdowns and 650 yards in eight games against the Eagles when he was a Giant. Five of the touchdowns were in the red zone, where Philadelphia’s offense notoriously struggled in 2010.
The Eagles’ have a highly explosive, young receiver corps. What they don’t have is a true red-zone playmaker with the size Burress can offer. On NFL.com, he is listed at 6-foot-5, 232.
One AFC decision maker told Caplan that he believes Plax will ultimately sign a “heavily incentive-based contract,” which makes sense considering he’s been out of football since the winter of 2008 and is turning 34.