In this December 2007 file photo, Buffalo Bills' Jason Peters jogs during football practice inside the field house at Ralph Wilson Stadium at Orchard Park, N.Y. The Bills agreed to trade Peters to the Philadelphia Eagles after failing to negotiate a new contract with the disgruntled Pro Bowl selection.
PHILADELPHIA – The Eagles introduced their new $60 million man on Sunday, completing a major upgrade of the offensive line.
Coach Andy Reid believes Jason Peters, the Pro Bowl left tackle Philadelphia acquired in a trade with Buffalo on Friday, can fill the hole left by the departure of unrestricted free agent and four-time Pro Bowler Tra Thomas to Jacksonville.
“Of course Tra Thomas is a great tackle,” Peters said at a news conference Sunday. “He left big shoes to fill and I’m ready to try to fill those shoes.”
After the trade, the team came to terms on a four-year contract extension worth $53 million with Peters. The 27-year-old, who was upset with his contract in Buffalo, will earn $60 million over the next six years, $25 million guaranteed.
That resulted in the Eagles’ biggest move of the offseason and the biggest trade of Reid’s tenure when they sent a first-round pick (28th overall) and a fourth-round pick (121st overall), plus a second-day pick in 2010 to the Bills in exchange for Peters.
Having already signed free agent right tackle Stacy Andrews from Cincinnati this offseason, Reid is thrilled with his new set of bookends to replace the 34-year-old Thomas and the still-unsigned 35-year-old Jon Runyan.
“You know my feelings on Tra Thomas,” Reid said of the four-time Pro Bowler. “Tra was a phenomenal left tackle here. We had our 75th anniversary team and Tra was the left tackle. You’re talking about the best left tackle in the team’s history.
“But age does take place in this game and Tra played a lot of years here. We needed to replace Tra and we tried to seek out the best left tackle in football. That’s how we went about it.”
Pitino being targeted?
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The FBI is investigating the estranged wife of Louisville’s equipment manager regarding extortion allegations leveled by coach Rick Pitino, her attorney said Sunday.
Attorney Thomas Clay said he spoke with the FBI about the matter last week but had no further comment. He represents Karen Sypher, the wife of longtime equipment manager Tim Sypher.
Clay acknowledged Karen Sypher was contacted by the FBI after Pitino filed a complaint last month that he was being targeted for extortion.
“I can’t be more specific than they talked to her,” Clay said. “Yes, there could be a criminal prosecution.”
FBI spokesman David Beyer confirmed there was an ongoing investigation into Pitino’s complaint and that no other law enforcement agencies were involved.
Beyer did not name the probe’s target. Pitino said in a statement Saturday night that he planned to keep the matter private but was forced into action when the individual, whom he did not name, decided to go to the media. The statement did not detail the nature of the alleged threats.
“I recently learned that the individual behind this extortion attempt has already gone to the media with false, defamatory and outrageous allegations in an attempt to pressure me to cave in to this scheme,” Pitino said.