Last season, Baskett got caught up in a numbers game involving the quarterback shuffle that occurred when Donovan busted a rib opening week, and Michael Vick was moved to the active roster. I don’t think the Birds missed Hank on offense too much, but he is a pretty solid special teams contributor, so Bobby April should be pleased to have him in the fold.

Even as a number four or five wideout, he’s a good addition. He is known for the big play, which as we all know, is something the Birds thrive on. With so much attention being paid to the other offensive weapons, Hank could find himself with some favorable matchups.

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The Birds brain trust doesn’t seem to share my sentiments. Here are five other dudes with bum knees under consideration.

5 – Johnny Utah

Source: 20th Century Fox

If one of the three current signal callers ends up getting traded, my spies tell me Utah is at the top of the list to fill the void. After nearly 20 years in the FBI, the former Buckeye is eager to return to the gridiron.

4 – Tracy McGrady

Microfracture surgery ain’t no big thing. TMac seems fine a year removed from going under the knife. He’ll make a a great red zone target, especially after Ingram tears his ACL again in training camp.

3 -Sully Sullivan

Source: Paramount Pictures

If you’ve seen the movie Nobody’s Fool, then you know ol’ Sully brings feisty to the table. He might be 70 (and dead), but that won’t stop Reid and Co. from bringing the crafty vet aboard.

2 – Phil Elliot

Source: Paramount Pictures

Think Kevin Curtis, except better hands. Phil has been waiting by the phone since his untimely release from the North Dallas Bulls in 1979. An added bonus: he’s not afraid to take a needle.

1 – Mad Max

Source: Warner Bros.

Sure, his kneecap was shredded by a shotgun blast, but he’s got a metal brace, so he’s good to go. He’d make an ideal in the box safety. Just don’t ask him to cover anyone.

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I loved this guy coming out of college, but you really have to wonder about how much he can give playing on bad knees. He does bring versatility, so maybe he’ll just be used as a rotational guy in the secondary.

Let’s hope the training staff put him through a complete physical. The specter of Stacy Andrews still lingers. According to Marlin, he’ll be ready to go by training camp. Fingers crossed. He’ll also be playing free safety. Macho Harris — this is your wake-up call.

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Better later than sooner, right? Not surprisingly, this move comes on the same day that Jason Avant got himself a brand spankin’ new 5-year contract.

I can’t say I’m gonna miss ol’ Reggie. I’m not sure what happened to him after such a promising start as a rookie. He and Donovan never appeared to be on the same page and eventually he fell out of favor with Big Red. Well, onwards and upwards. I wish Brown the best in Tampa. Maybe he can resuscitate his flat-lined career.

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In other guys who suck news, Stacy Andrews has reportedly agreed to restructure his contract. He will still receive his bonus of $4.1 million, but his 2010 base salary will be lowered from $2.95 million to $1.15 million. For all you high school dropouts, that equates to $1.8 million in savings for the bean counters.

Hooray, I guess. Does this mean Stacy will actually play like a starting right guard next season? I sure hope so.

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Avant, along with starters DeSean and Maclin, give the offense its best trio of pass catchers in a long time. Jason’s silky smooth hands, toughness in the slot and penchant for making clutch grabs all contributed to him becoming a fan, and front office favorite.

Well, the offense is pretty much set. Now it’s time to focus on the other side of the ball. I would expect the upcoming April draft to be all about defense.

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If he’s still capable of running, Jackson could play either cornerback or free safety, or both. Or he could spend the 2010 season in the training room with giant ice packs strapped to his ailing knees.

Whether Jackson is signed or not, it’s pretty clear that Reid and Co. are looking for help in the secondary.

And no, I didn’t want Aaron Kampman and his shredded ACL either. The Jaguars can have him.

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Now, this doesn’t mean they won’t trade him at some point, and there is rising sentiment that if he is dealt, it won’t be until preseason, when some needy team is desperate to upgrade their quarterback situation. That doesn’t make much sense to me because any team that were to acquire Vick would most assuredly want him early rather than later in order to acclimate him into the offense.

Whatever the case, the Birds appear content with hanging onto #7  and might even increase his role in 2010. After a few mini-camps and a full training camp under his belt, Vick could be handed a nice 10-12 play package which would best utilize his unique talents.

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Maybe they will bring him back or maybe they plan on giving Akeem Jordan a long-term deal. The free agent pool of backers is thin at best. Never a dull day in Eagles Nation.

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In my mind, getting Weaver a new deal was the #1 priority in free agency. His value last year and in the future cannot be measured. Needless to say, he can and will help the Eagles win games. Good move front office.

So, what’s next? Lots of rumors, but that’s all. Stay tuned.

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Here’s the list:

- Eillis Hobbs – 1st round

- Leonard Weaver – 2nd round

- Jason Avant - 2nd round

- Nick Cole – 2nd round

- Akeem Jordan – 2nd round

- Chris Gocong – 3rd round

- Max Jean-Gilles – 4th round

- Omar Gaither – 5th round

- Sav Rocca – Right of first refusal

- Alex Smith – No tender

According to beat writer Geoff Mosher via his Twitter, Weaver’s agent “still expects a deal to get done.” Take that for what it’s worth. No agent is going to be negative during negotiations. However, I could still see some team swooping in and giving up a second rounder to gain Weaver’s services.

Hobbs getting a first-round level is a bit of a surprise, but according to Scout.com’s Adam Caplan on Twitter, “there was very little difference between 1st and 3rd, so they went with 1st. Hobbs will earn $2.77 million this year.”

So, there we have it. Tonight at midnight the real excitement begins.

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