The NFL is a business, and organizations that treat their teams like a business usually find themselves in the playoffs year in and year out.
The Eagles front office, on the other hand, doesn’t necessarily look at their players as business assets. Howie Roseman has consistently treated his players like they’re a part of the Eagles family, especially if they perform at a high level on the football field. This isn’t a bad thing, but there’s a fine line between being a completely business minded GM like Bill Belichick and a complete push over. Teams like the 49ers, Seahawks and Steelers ride that line perfectly, whereas Howie and the Eagles tend to lean more towards the ‘push over’ camp.
There has not been a player in my lifetime as an Eagles fan that has been catered to more than Jason Peters. I’ve never seen a player have the authority to tap himself out of a game when he’s tired and then get praised as a great teammate. I’ve also never seen a player get asked to go back to their natural position because of an injury, only for said player to refuse unless he gets a pay bump.
Get out of here with that bullshit.
I love JP, he’s undeniably the best offensive lineman I’ve ever seen in an Eagles uniform, but this is just ridiculous. He’s 38 years old, he was on the free agent market for four months this offseason without a single offer, the Eagles throw him a life line with a one-year contract to play guard that could be worth up to $6 million if the incentives are hit, and now because the team is desperate at left tackle he decides to ask for a pay raise?
He obviously knows the organization is strapped for cash. And like I said earlier, if his incentives are met (which includes playing time, Super Bowl, All-Pro and Pro Bowl) he’d make $6 million this year. That would put him as the 21st highest paid LT in football this year.
This organization has paid Peters over $100 million during his career in Philly. They never asked for any of that money back in 2012 when he missed the entire season, they didn’t ask for anything back when he went down halfway through the 2017 season, and they haven’t punished him at all for continuously checking himself out of games. What kind of player demands more money from a team that’s treated him this well, when the team is literally asking him to switch to his natural position out of desperation.
A selfish player who is just here to cash a check, that’s the type of player who does this.
There was always a chance Peters would get moved back to LT this season, so to pull this now, two weeks before the season, when your entire team is counting on you is just bogus. I hate to say it, but it tarnishes his reputation in my book.
I could overlook the false starts and the tapping out of games, but to then turn around and take advantage of a situation like this is unforgivable in my eyes.
Everyone from Jeffrey Lurie down has allowed Peters to do his own thing for awhile now. If there’s a time for Howie to put his foot down, it’s right now. Championship teams don’t pony up for stupid contract demands like this.
If Peters is truly the teammate he’s been hailed as by everyone in the organization, he’ll move back to LT without a pay raise. Because that will help the team win ball games, which is what Peters has stated over and over again as his number one priority. It’s what leaders do.
If Peters is a man of his word, he’ll be the starting left tackle come week 1.