NFL: Philadelphia Eagles news...

[The_Dude]

via Yahoo! Sports:

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Free agent defensive end Juqua Thomas re-signed with the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday, the first day of free agency.

Thomas' playing time increased last year when three-time Pro Bowler Jevon Kearse suffered a season-ending injury in Week 2. He responded by posting career highs of 47 tackles and six sacks.

Thomas originally signed with Tennessee as a rookie free agent out of Oklahoma State. He played four season with the Titans before signing with the Eagles during training camp in 2005.

For his career, Thomas has recorded 128 tackles and 11 sacks in 73 games.

[The_Dude]

Wide receiver Kevin Curtis agreed to a six-year contract with Philadelphia on Thursday, giving the Eagles a potential replacement for Donte' Stallworth.

Curtis' deal could be worth up to $32 million and includes $9.5 million in guaranteed money, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because terms of the contract weren't released.

"Kevin's a guy that we've liked all along," Eagles general manager Tom Heckert said. "He's got great speed and run-after-the-catch ability. Kevin's a calm, smart guy that just goes out and plays football. He definitely brings tremendous speed to our team."

A third-round pick in 2003, the 28-year-old Curtis spent his first four seasons with the St. Louis Rams serving mostly as the No. 3 wideout behind Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce. He has 136 receptions for 1,714 yards and 12 touchdowns in 51 games. Curtis had his best season in 2005 when Bruce missed five games, catching 60 passes for 801 yards and six TDs.

"I've accepted my role and loved every minute of it in St. Louis and played with some great wideouts out there, but I'm definitely excited about the thought and the opportunity to be on the field more," Curtis said when he visited Philadelphia last Friday.

Minnesota, the New York Giants and Tennessee also were interested in Curtis, the second receiver to join the Eagles in free agency. Philadelphia also signed Bethel Johnson, a return specialist, last week. The defending NFC East champions lost Stallworth to the New England Patriots earlier this week.

Stallworth had 38 receptions for 725 yards and five TDs in 12 regular-season games in his only season with the Eagles. He also had six catches for 141 yards and two scores in two playoff games.

Curtis could compete with second-year pros Hank Baskett and Jason Avant to start opposite Reggie Brown.

"I'd like to be a starter, but I'm open to any opportunities that are out there," Curtis said. "Outcome: I want to be out on the field playing the whole game."

The Eagles also welcomed veteran running back Ron Dayne to Philadelphia on Thursday. Dayne, who spent last season with the Houston Texans, would give the Eagles the complementary back they're seeking to go along with Brian Westbrook.

"I know Westbrook's the man right now," Dayne said. "I'll compete with him if I come here, just play hard and do what they ask -- whatever they need me to do."

Dayne had 612 yards rushing and five TDs while averaging 4.1 yards per carry for the Texans. A former first-round pick, the 29-year-old Dayne played five seasons with the Giants and one season in Denver.

AP Sports Writer Teresa M. Walker in Nashville, Tenn., contributed to this report.

[The_Dude]

PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) - The Philadelphia Eagles needed an upgrade at linebacker and went out and got one on Monday.

The Eagles announced that they have acquired two-time Pro Bowler Takeo Spikes and quarterback Kelly Holcomb from the Buffalo Bills in exchange for defensive tackle Darwin Walker and a conditional 2008 draft pick.

The 30-year-old Spikes will give Philadelphia an upgrade on defense at the position they seemed to need it most. Dhani Jones has not been the playmaker the Eagles needed and Matt McCoy lost his starting job to rookie Omar Gaither late in the season.

The 13th overall pick in the 1998 draft, Spikes played his first five seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals. He spent the last four years in Buffalo and capped each of his first two seasons with the Bills with Pro Bowl appearances.

In 2004, Spikes registered his best all-around season, posting 111 tackles, a career-high five interceptions and three sacks. He played three games in 2005 after suffering a torn Achilles tendon and recorded 76 tackles and one sack in 12 games in 2006.

In his career, Spikes has played in 126 games, including 125 starts, and recorded 1,038 tackles, 21.5 sacks, and 12 interceptions.

"Takeo Spikes is a proven playmaker in the National Football League," Philadelphia general manager Tom Heckert said. "He has the ability to play all three linebacking positions and we're happy to add him to our defense."

Holcomb will serve as a backup behind Donovan McNabb and A.J. Feeley. In his career, Holcomb has completed 523-of-810 passes for 5,401 yards and 37 touchdowns.

The Eagles were able to acquire Spikes by dealing from a position of depth. The loss of Walker will be eased by the recent addition of defensive tackle Montae Reagor, who came over from Indianapolis and signed a three-year deal on Wednesday.

Reagor and Broderick Bunkley, the Eagles' first-round draft pick a year ago, will have to step up in the absence of Walker, who had 26.5 sacks since 2002, fifth among all defensive tackles.