Kafka's Metamorphosis about to play out in Philly...Mike Kafka is on the trading block...
As of 1:30 p.m. on August 28, 2012, rookie Nick Foles was the Eagles' backup quarterback. And Mike Kafka was revealed by Andy Reid to be on the trading block.
Coach Reid didn't say it definitively, though, leaving the door open for a change of heart and/or mind before the regular-season opener. All Reid actually revealed after Tuesday's practice was that Foles would start over Trent Edwards in Thursday's preseason finale against the New York Jets.
On the surface that could be because the fractured left hand of Mike Kafka, who was limited to shotgun snaps on Tuesday, hasn't healed enough to allow him to play in this game. Kafka opened training camp as the backup, only to be knocked into limbo with that injury in the preseason opener.
But the plot thickens.
Mike Kafka, 6-3, 225, 3rd year out of Northwestern, was drafted by the Eagles in the 4th round in 2010 as the ultimate West Coast Offense system mechanic of the future...Then along comes Nick Foles, and all that projected belief in Kafka goes up in smoke...
Reid and GM Howie Roseman are taking calls from other NFL teams interested in acquiring Kafka as we speak...
The super-irony of this story is Mike Kafka is now living out his great-great uncle's biggest fear...
Mike Kafka is a dead-ringer facially for his ancestor Franz Kafka, who was a best-selling German author in the early 20th century. Franz Kafka's novels were mostly about yearning for a "home team" and "belonging"... His greatest novel "Metamorphosis" dealt with the biggest fear of a young traveling salesman: that his life would become a parade of new faces without any lasting relationships...
Now Mike Kafka gets to experience first-hand his great-great uncle's biggest theme...welcome to the NFL.
Kafka did everything the Eagles asked of him over the past two-and-a-half seasons... He nearly pulled off a "save" against Atlanta last year in relief of Mike Vick...
But now he is trade bait.
Kafka's position has become more and more tenuous with the emergence of Foles in camp and the way Edwards has progressed after such a sluggish start that came in large part from being out of football last season. "I think I'm throwing better," Edwards said. "I think a lot of that is because I've gotten a few more reps. I've been able to physically go through the mechanics, the reads, the progressions. For me, the ball is going to come out better the more reps I get."
Without being too specific, Reid admitted calls are being made about possibly trading one of the quarterbacks, not to mention players in other position groups where they are seemingly overloaded with talent, such as defensive end.
"The phones are ringing, so everybody is talking all the time," Reid said. "That's the best way I can put it. Every position you're talking about things, that's just how it works right now. To pick a specific position, I can't do that. Just know that there are calls being made and calls taken."
One of those could involve veteran defensive end Darryl Tapp, who is not a starter but has also been deemed too valuable to risk getting injured. He won't play against the Jets, which either means he has this team made or the Eagles are trying to preserve him for a trade.
Among the other probable non-starters this season who won't play Thursday are defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, cornerback Joselio Hanson and wide receiver Jason Avant. Reid also indicated fullback Stanley Havili will be held out, a strong sign that Havili will make the final 53-man roster.
For those players on the bubble, this game will be the most important test, with final cuts due to be made some 40 hours after it is over.
"I think there are going to be some tough decisions," Reid said. "I think we've got some competition at spots that won't be easy. That's a good thing, though. That's not a bad thing. And we tell the players when they come here, 'You make it as hard as you possibly can on [general manager] Howie [Roseman] and I to make that final cut. I mean, you come out and give it every snap. Every opportunity you have, you take full advantage of it and make it your best snap.' "
Kafka has thrown just nine passes this preseason, but Reid said he didn’t need to see more from Kafka to make important roster decisions at quarterback. Other players held out for injury reasons are Nate Allen (hamstring), Casey Matthews (ankle), Jason Babin (calf) and Riley Cooper (collarbone). Allen is working through a slight hamstring spasm.
I could be wrong, but I see the writing on the wall for Kafka in Philly. It's not going to happen for Mike Kafka here in Philly. The good news for Mike is he gets to hopefully find a new "Home" with another franchise... and possibly blossom as a starter or secure himself a long-time backup gig.
Metamorphosis is rarely a painless process. But sometimes pain is necessary to grow and change. Just ask Mike's great-great uncle Franz.
2 Like
Put all the Dems in one side of the boat - all the Repubs in the other.
One good ole Mark - whatever torpedo up the center - BAM - most of our problems - SOLVED
1 Like
Truth - the Queen is a "Higher-up" in Medical. Not too sure which side has it right - system was broken before - REALLY busted now.
Bad for me no doubt. You younger guys...W O W !!!!!
I am a Repub - mostly - repubs need to knock it off with some of the Gay crap and stuff.
JUST saying - you folks have a LOT in the game.
Stats - I'll most likely be dead in 10 years or so - you guys have a TON to be concerned with - pay attention to.
They ALL have their greasy paws in our pockets. I guess pick the ones that kiss you the best in return.
The opinions expressed here do not necessarily represent those of the bored.
Back to the fun stuff now.
I'm done
OK be right back - almost finished with this paper
PAPER is the Devil - not fooseball Bobby
sorry Broz - I've served my time -almost.
I'm a 2 Digit Midget.
I don't even go for car loans anymore.
Besides - my gen has screwed things up enough - time to turn it over to you guys so you can find new and improved ways to do it.
Honestly - none of this is new - all of it before - and somehow - it all washes out.
Fifty years from now they gonna be fighting over Martian's immigration.
Song remains the same.
2 Like
yep. I can't stand it. And you know all the politicians....dems and reps alike...all meet up at a bar afterwards........and laugh and all the crap they just spewed out......and roll around in money........
All this crap is probably just scripted. They're sitting around some country club.....George Bush and Obama.....smokin cigars together.......Clinton and Romney doing lines of a strippers butt......
griping about having to learn their speeches, and pretending to give a crap.
They're all part of the same political machine....putting on a show for us.
1 Like
look at these stupid assholes.......standing up and cheering no matter what lip service this guy pukes up.
1 Like
@Palm Feathers palmer ff is like crack. Wait till the season starts, u find yoyrself checking every stat and box score.
2 Like
Broz... why would u give up tom bradys favorite target, in a system that features him? Hes a yardage, td machine. Im in 2 leagues this year and there are only a handful of players i would take over gronk. Tell me another pass catcher that is almost guaranteed 1,200 yards and 12 td's, minimum?
1 Like
@fieldsr69 it's a sketchy trade.......I'm kinda just tossing it out there,....just cuz I like wheeling and dealing.
But..........I'm not sold yet.
@Brozer8 finly is haky, lotta drops and a slite injury history. And im thinking the bears are gonna throw a bit this year, forte should have a good amount of receptions.
@fieldsr69 I would be hoping the Finely would return to form.......and become a solid 2nd tier tight end.........and that Michael Bush didn't hijack too many of Forte's Touchdowns.
But it's a gamble.
Plus......I already have 2 other Patriot receivers.....so I kinda need to deversify.
3 Like
I wish one of these politicians would just get up in front of everyone and just say
"Look.....here's the deal....we're going to take as much money from you as we can. We're going to milk this country for all we can......because it'll take 100 years or so to totally run it into the ground....and I'll be dead by then....so no big whoop. I'll be really rich while I'm alive ! And there isn't really anything you can do about it......because we have the army. And we'll kill every one of you mofos,....if you try to have some revolution......like those Frenchers did 200 years ago. Vote for me !"
3 Like
@Brozer8 I will never have another Shanahan RB on my ff team.
Helu will run for 180 one week... then get benched the next.
@TheGreatJB99 having your 5th rb be able to get 180 yards every couple of weeks is a good option to have !
@Brozer8 @TheGreatJB99 pblm w him is u never know wen he mite have a monster game. Wasnt consistant at all last season (i had him n thought i had a sleeper).
Palmy.....I don't want to bore the bored wiff statistics. In future trades...I would advise simply trying to figure out how many points each player averaged last year in the games they played in. It's pretty simple.
As far as us.............
I can't go Gronk and Fred jackson for Forte and Finely......as statistically Jackson earned more points per game than Forte.......and Gronk blew Finely out of the water.
If you want Gronk.......you'd have to pick one of my bench backs....which isn't bad, because the guys on my bench are all set to be starters.......they just aren't household names.
So Gronk......and any back not named Fred jackson .........for Forte and Finely.
whew - thanks - that scrolling was killing my fingers.
Gronk - Forte pretty close straight up.
Done.
Lemme do a little more paperwork - and go peruse your roster again.
There's ALWAYS something to bargain with.
Feel free to talk amongst yourselves while I'm gone.
Smoke em if ya got em.
@Palm Feathers right..........
Jackson was a beast first half of the season last year....before he got hurt.
I have 3 guys that could blossom on my roster.
The Pitt RB is set to start week one....and has looked good. I almost don't want to let him go, because of how steeler RB's have done, when they got their chance.
The indy guy, could be really good....if Luck is as good as advertised.
And Helu..........looks to be Shanahan's new go-to back.
One of those three is going to be a big producer.
problem as I see it...you want Finley - fine.
We just gotta find something you have (Fair Value other than Jackson) in return right?
@Brozer8 @Palm Feathers Don't do it Palmy... He needs a RB more than you need a TE... Supply and demand
1 Like
@Palm Feathers perhaps we ought to just let this one rest on the back burner for a day or so.......
See what shakes out !
1 Like
Interesting to see 53man projections by some reporters. Someone actually had M Gilyard making the team. Another had Philip Thomas in while J Jarret was out. Both kept all our DEs and they were split on Brozer's boy Kafka
@Palm Feathers You were duped, not robbed mind you. But duped. Why do you think he sent the proposal secretly by email and not on the blurb
I do like this stuff so far though.
SOME PERSPECTIVE-----I didn't even know what FF was a few days ago.
@Palm Feathers @Kenemeka Karma will come back and get him Palmy !
Just remember my point system below....as at least a loose way to try and figure out how fair it is.
