Could the Duce be on Loose at the Linc once again?

Hey hey everyone,

I finally got sick of the retardo-blog at MySpace, so I figured I'd try out this place.
I will be using this space to rant and rave, review movies, and allow folks to stay in touch with me (or rant back, whatever the case may be)

But tonight's subject, my very first, will be a topic that is near and dear to my heart - the EAGLES!

The title should give it away. Rumor is floating that Duce Staley, or "Il Duce" as I call him, may be the odd man out in a running back logjam in Steeltown...an NFL.com reporter said (rumor mill churning and that's what it should be taken as) that Pittsburgh is quietly shopping Duce to see if they can get anything for him before they cut him. This could be great news for the Eagles!

Lets take a quick look at the Eagles RB status:
1) Brian Westbrook, our only gamebreaker at the skill positions is currently rehabbing a foot injury (what else is new?). Look I love the WB, but I think he gets 18-20 touches/game - MAX. 10-12 rushes (maybe a little more if he's kickin' ass) and 8-10 passes (maybe a few less if he's running wild).
The question being who is going to be around to pick up the slack in the running game. I mean the Eagles need to get into the 25-35 rushes/game to be able to get some balance in the offense and keep defenses honest.
Here are the options:
2) Ryan Moats - a WB clone, he flashed some gamebreaker runs last year behind an offensive line that was decimated by injuries. I think the hope is, slide WB out to Wideout and still have the explosive speed back in the backfield....combine with LJ at TE and its a matchup nightmare for opposing Defense Coordinators. The problem: the mofo has shown a troubling tendency to fumble this preseason...gotta get that straight my man, or else you gonna be a "shoulda been" back in this league.
3) Reno Mahe - HA HA HA HA HA HA...ok ok, I shouldn't laugh, the man works super hard at every aspect of the game, and it the ultimate team man...but puh-lease, don't quote me the "he was the NFC's leading punt returner last year" stat....He is serviceable at BEST, but he is NOT the answer, at ANY position....lets be honest, Reggie Bush's left big toe is more talented...But I am done knocking the man, he is an underappreciated gem on this team, but he should be touching the ball a couple of time per/game MAX...anything more, and the Eagles are in trouble, period.
4) Bruce Perry - ok another hard worker who has decided this preseason is like Christmas, and he's gifting footballs to the defense. Look he was ok to fair during the garbage time at the end of last year. Again, there has got to be some better out there.
5) Correl "General" Buckhalter - the feel good story this year for the offense. The man who was part of the Eagles NFL-shredding three-headed running back attack in 2003 is trying to come back from two consecutive years lost to knee injuries. Look, I love the guy, and hope he makes the team, but can the Eagles really go into the season feeling confident in having a lone "big" back that last played meaning football nearly 3 years ago?

The answer was made clear when the Eagles invited Stephen Davis in for a visit to the NovaCare complex - NO. What was puzzling to me was why they let Davis leave without a contract. I gotta admit that normally when the Eagles are interested in a guy and bring him in, he does NOT leave without signing his name to some-thing. I was quietly happy that the Eagles were finally going to address what is an obvious need in the backfield....then nothing...

Fast forward to today and the NFL.com rumblings that Duce may not be long for Pittsburgh. Even though Andy Reid played dumb at his press conference today, I think the reason they let Davis walk out the door was because of the potential that Duce will be available before the start of the regular season. I mean, it makes sense to bring back Duce....yeah yeah, I know, he won't be the same stalwart that was running roughshod over folks at the Vet from 2000-03, but he knows the Offense, and you gotta think he would meld right back into the clubhouse.

Bring back Duce, Bring back Duce! (of course, is he sucks, it'll be "idiots, what the hell were you thinking!")
But that's the name of the game, take some risks, bringing back contributors is getting to be something of a tradition with this club (hmmm, Trotter, Hugh D., Chad Lewis, Shawn Barber...

Final footnote - Is it just me or does SS Brian Dawkins look better than ever this year?