Hobbs, Gocong Sign One-Year Deals

Cornerback Ellis Hobbs and linebacker Chris Gocong were each signed to a one-year contract on Tuesday. Both players were restricted free agents this off-season and were tendered the one-year deals by the Eagles. Neither player can now sign with another team. The deadline for teams to sign other teams' restricted free agents to an offer sheet is April 15.

Hobbs was acquired by the Eagles last year in a draft-day trade with the New England Patriots. Hobbs was the lead kickoff return specialist as well as a reserve outside cornerback for the Eagles before suffering a season-ending neck injury against the Dallas Cowboys last November. Hobbs averaged 24.1 yards per kickoff return and had 14 total tackles on defense in 2009. Hobbs started games in each of his first four years in the NFL with the Patriots. In all, Hobbs has started in 49 games (played in 71) and has accumulated 211 tackles, 2.5 sacks and nine interceptions. He has also returned three kickoffs for a touchdown. In 2007, Hobbs set an NFL record with a kickoff return of 108 yards for a touchdown.

A Spin Around The NFC East

While the Eagles' divisional foes wait to see if the team makes a change at quarterback, we thought we'd take a moment to catch up on some headlines generated recently by the three other NFC East teams.

In Dallas, a change in the offensive backfield could be on the horizon with Felix Jones replacing Marion Barber as the starting tailback.
"That has been a consideration, and it certainly is a consideration," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
The 6-foot, 218-pound Jones carried the ball 116 times last season, averaging near 6 yards a carry.

Bell Gives Eagles Added Dimension In Backfield

The Eagles have big plans for Mike Bell. That much is clear. They went after Bell aggressively in free agency, signing him last week to an offer sheet and then waiting an agonizing seven days to find out that New Orleans did not match the offer and now, the question is all about how the Eagles plan to use Bell and how he fits in with this offense. He is a young player in the NFL, someone who has a chip on his shoulder stemming from being ignored in the 2006 draft. Bell packs 225 pounds on his 6-foot frame, and he is more punisher than dancer. After beginning his career in Denver with a promising 677 yards and 8 touchdowns, Bell's career faded and then moved away from Denver, and he found a new start with the Saints.

Overtime, QB Talk At League Meetings

The league meetings are underway in Orlando, Fla. and one hotly-contested item owners are scheduled to vote on is a change to playoff overtime rules.

Titans coach Jeff Fisher, co-chairman on the NFL Competition Committee, is one of the key minds behind the proposal aimed at trying to give each team the ball at least once.

Under the proposal, if the team that wins the coin toss proceeds to score a field goal on its first drive, the other team would get the ball. And if that team also scores a field goal, the present sudden-death format would then be in place. However, if the team that wins the toss drives for a touchdown, the game is over, and the opposing offense would never see the field.

Eagles Announce Jackson Visit

Free agent defensive back Marlin Jackson will arrive in Philadelphia this afternoon to visit with team officials through tomorrow.

The 26-year-old Jackson is an unrestricted free agent who spent the first five years of his NFL career with the Indianapolis Colts. Jackson (6-0, 196) played in 56 games (32 starts) for the Colts and posted 306 tackles and four interceptions. He has seen action at both cornerback and safety during his career. A native of Sharon, PA, Jackson was Indianapolis' first round draft pick (29th overall) in 2005 from the University of Michigan.

Rams In Talks For McNabb

The St. Louis Rams hold the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. The buzz from the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis is that the Rams will use that draft pick on Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford. But the Rams may be looking to fortify the quarterback position before the NFL Draft, according to a report.
Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that "according to more than one well-informed source, the Rams have had intense internal conversations with the Philadelphia Eagles about a trade for Pro Bowler Donovan McNabb."
Not exactly sure how the Rams' internal conversations have been with the Eagles, but Burwell purports that it wouldn't be for the No. 1 overall pick but a second-round pick.

Rumor Mill: Peppers & Weaver

Defensive end Julius Peppers will be one of the most highly sought-after players on the open market when free agency kicks off on Friday. The All-Pro is coming off of a season in which he registered 10.5 sacks, forced five fumbles, picked off two passes and scored a touchdown. The 6-7, 283-pound physical marvel has 81 career sacks in eight NFL seasons, five of which have resulted in Pro Bowl trips. He was also named to the NFL's All-Decade Team.
Whether or not the Eagles are interested in pairing Peppers as a three-down end with Trent Cole remains to be seen, but the answer might be yes if Peppers gets his way. Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer cites a league source who told him that Peppers has the"Eagles on his short list of teams."
As for the Eagles' free agents, the team might be close with an All-Pro of their own. Fullback Leonard Weaver is scheduled to become a restricted free agent on Friday after a career year in which he rushed for 323 yards, added another 140 yards receiving and scored four total touchdowns. Weaver said during the season that he would love to remain with the Eagles and it looks like that a long-term deal could potentially get done before the start of free agency.