We noted in our Philadelphia Eagles checklist that the first thing the team needed to do when the lockout ended was rescind David Akers’ transition tag. Now that’s exactly what the Eagles have done.
The NFL confirmed today that Akers is an unrestricted free agent and not a transition player.
The Akers put the transition tag on Akers in February but then selected kicker Alex Henery in the fourth round of the NFL draft, making it clear that Akers wasn’t in their long-term plans. A story on the Eagles’ web site notes that the Eagles couldn’t keep the transition tag on Akers anyway because the new CBA doesn’t allow teams to use both the transition tag and the franchise tag, and the Eagles franchised Michael Vick.
Now Akers, a five-time Pro Bowler who has been with the Eagles since 1999, will look for work elsewhere.