Eagles bring back Feeley, cut Detmer, Pinkston
By Marc Narducci
INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
The Eagles have agreed to sign quarterback A.J. Feeley to a two-year contract and have released receiver Todd Pinkston and quarterback Koy Detmer.
Feeley was recently released by the San Diego Chargers. He was a member of the Eagles from 2001-2003.
He was traded to Miami in 2004 for a second-round draft choice, which the Eagles used to select wide receiver Reggie Brown. After starting eight games for the Dolphins in 2004, Feeley was then traded to San Diego on October 18, 2005 for QB Cleo Lemon.
Post Your Comment
Pinkston became expendable after Monday's acquisition of wide receiver Donte' Stallworth from the New Orleans Saints.
Pinkston, a second-round draft choice of the Eagles in 2000, still hasn't recovered fully from a ruptured Achilles tendon in his right foot that sidelined him for the entire 2005 season. During training camp, Pinkston complained of pain in both Achilles and was involved in limited work.
He got into his first action during Friday's 16-7 preseason win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, catching one pass for four yards. When the Eagles went to the Super Bowl during the 2004 season, Pinkston was their No. 2 recevier. He had hoped to have that role this season, but he didn't appear to be close to 100 percent.
"Todd has had seven great years here for the Philadelphia Eagles," head coach Andy Reid said in a statement released by the team. "There is no one that I have respected more than Todd, who has helped us win a lot of football games. We have decided to give him an opportunity to move on to another team where there was still time for him to latch on as a starter. I know he is anxious to find another situation and step in and contribute immediately."
Detmer, who struggled this preseason, has been a member of the Eagles since 1997. He was considered far more valuable as the holder for placekicker David Akers. This presason punter Dirk Johnson has been doing much of the holding. Akers has kicked field goals of 52 and 55 yards with Johnson holding.
Now there will be no controversy about the No. 2 quarterback spot, which will go to Jeff Garcia.
"Koy gave 10 great years to the Eagles organization," Reid said. "He handled himself as a true professional on and off the field. He has been a great teammate. We wish he and his family all the best in the future."
Feeley said that getting cut by San Diego and then coming back to Philadelphia has made it a rollercoaster last few days.
"It has been kind of a shocker," Feeley said in a conference call to reporters. "It has gone from a shock a couple of days ago, what happened in San Diego, kind of the last two days have been a tough couple of days, the fact that what happened and dealing with some of the choices of where I could have gone."
And coming to the Eagles provided a comfort level.
"It's the place I started," Feeley said. "I know the offense fairly well."
And it wasn't just the offense that he is familiar with.
"I know the guys on the team," he said. "It's a place where I had success. It's hard to not want to come back to that. Plus it's Philadelphia and a place I loved when I played a couple of years ago."
