According to a league source, after 13 seasons with the Eagles, Brian Dawkins has signed signed with the Denver Broncos.
Commenter BadMotherFutley uncovers this story where the original source says the deal is NOT done.
Say it ain't so. We've seen this before with so many players. Bobby Taylor. Troy Vincent. Hugh Douglas. Brian Mitchell. Duce Staley. Jeremiah Trotter.
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None are in the same class as Brian Dawkins, an almost certain first ballot Hall of Famer. There is no replacement for this player who every game, every practice, every day gave everything he had to the Eagles and to us, his fans. We will miss him.
And I predict the Eagles will miss him as well, at least in the short term. Maybe he's not the greatest anymore, but when he steps on that field, it seems like there are 10 Dawks out there with him. That defense took on the collective mentality of their leader and literally became something else entirely.
Answers? None easy. Quintin Demps should be penciled in at free safety, and he'll have the opportunity to prove the NFC Championship was just one game, that it was just a rookie playing on too big a stage. He seems to have that rare ability to make plays, but does he have Dawk's ability to make the timely plays, like the huge QB strip, the all out sprawled-out diving tackle, or even just the menacing physical hits he delivers in any spot? Does anyone have that?
Sadly, we'll find out.