On what his thoughts were about the trade:
“Personally, I think it’s shocking because you’ve been playing so many years for an organization. Had some success and doing your thing, but on the other side it’s a business. I had been telling my family members for a while; I just had a feeling. Then you kind of feel things out, you see how the organization is making moves throughout the offseason. You figure that something is going to shake, you just never know when, but when I got the call no bad blood, no hard feelings. It is what it is and I’m excited to be playing for the Eagles now.”
On whether the team gave any indication on how he will fit in here:
“They didn’t give me any indication, but obviously you bring me in for a reason. One of my former teammates is there. I’m pretty sure he spoke well of me. I know that situation over there dealing with [CB] Sheldon [Brown] and how that stuff is going. Like I said, you bring somebody in for a reason but everything has to be earned out there. Nothing is going to be given. I just look forward to getting out there and showing Philadelphia and the organization what I have. Hopefully we can bring success that’s already established there.”
On whether the team conveyed to him about their concerns with Sheldon Brown:
“Obviously so, to do that, to make a move like this. Like I said, I heard rumors anyway of they were interested in things like that. I didn’t have any expectations as far as something would shake this early. From the business side, you have to understand when somebody shows their hand like this, the other player has to show their hand and make moves also. Just taking care of business.”
On whether he has talked to CB Asante Samuel yet:
“No I haven’t talked to Asante [Samuel] yet. My phone has been blowing up like crazy for the last 20 minutes. It’s pretty nuts right now. To be settled somewhere else and now all of a sudden that happens and you have to start somewhere else, everybody is that much more excited about it and that much crazier about it especially with the draft going on right now, too. So, no, I haven’t gotten around to talking to him.”
On whether he is happy to be going to the Eagles:
“Most definitely. I talked to the defensive coordinator Jim Johnson. If you want to go somewhere, you want to go to a team who had past success. As many times as these guys have been right there at the pinnacle, they haven’t got, but they’re right there. So, they’re missing that one key piece or two key pieces or that one play. You’re definitely excited to get to a team like that where you feel like you’re not going into a losing situation. You’re going into a place where these guys know how to win. All you have to do is jump in line and continue to do your thing and they’ll be successful.”
On what happened in New England and why the change:
“I started all four years since I’ve been there. From the business side, they feel like they can make moves other places. Who’s to say? Maybe they weren’t as successful as I was there coming in initially to now. Maybe they wanted more success or maybe they wanted something different to shake something up, I don’t know. You can never figure it out all the way because I’m not that person; I’m not that organization. Obviously they wanted to do something. They saw value in me to get rid of me and to get something else in there. It is what it is. It’s kind of a typical move of them where they move players in and out. You really don’t understand it and it kind of hits you very abruptly with certain players definitely from the past. Your Deion Branch’s, Willie McGinest’s, David Givens’, those guys to name a few. Now recently Mike Vrabel, who was the face of the organization, they got him out of there. It’s just how it goes. You understand that, you understand that this is a business and you have to keep on, keep on.”
On whether he is happy about his contract:
“Not at all. It is definitely frustrating when you see guys getting certain amounts of money that you know you can get just as much that you deserve. Especially, some of the situations that I’ve been in as far as playing through injuries, a torn shoulder, a torn groin all of the way throughout the season, and this and that. To take some of the blows that I did from the area and the community and to put it on the line day in and day out when I know some other guys were not doing that and to get the money you get, you are definitely not happy with it. That is what it is and I am getting paid more than a lot of people in this world are and that will come.”
On whether Philadelphia is a place he wants to stay for a long time or just one year:
“No, if we could make this my home then I would definitely love to be here. I know that it is not going to come easy. Like I said, you have to go out there and prove it. Nobody wants a paper champ. These guys have seen me and the coaches say that every time on film there I am. I’m showing up on the film and making plays. I feel I have proved myself enough in this league that I can sustain a position and do my thing in the NFL, but I definitely haven’t done enough to be out there as a player where I am that guy and that’s where I want to get to. Understanding that, I definitely want to try to make this my home.”
On whether he has talked to anybody about his contract and if that is why he was traded:
“I think with that situation [in New England] there are a lot of guys that are coming up that are going to need to be paid. I think it has kind of moved from that echelon where there is a lot of guys out there who are not going to take the [bottom] dollar for the win. Guys really want to get what they deserve and each one of those guys that are coming up in the next year or so deserve every dollar they are going to get. I think that with the roster like we had, there were so many guys that needed to be paid, somebody has to move out of the way. Unfortunately and fortunately it was me and like I said I am looking forward to the future.”
On how many years are left on his contract:
“This is my last year.”
On whether he expects to be returning kicks in Philadelphia:
“I expect to do anything that can help us win. I don’t care what I have to do, I win. That’s what I expect to do, whatever it is. It is what it is and I continue to move on.”
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