Hanson the First to Resign

I'm pumped you got resigned too, Joselio.

The Eagles locked up free agent to be Joselio Hanson with a five year, $21 million deal ($6.8 mil guaranteed) late Friday night.

“We are happy to keep Joselio in Philadelphia with a long-term contract,” said head coach Andy Reid. “He’s become a productive and valuable player on defense for us over the last few years, especially in nickel situations. Good cornerbacks are certainly a valuable commodity in this league and Joselio definitely fits that category.”

This was a great move by the FO.  Hanson is a very solid young CB and at worst is a good nickel back for the Eagles defense.  He is also young enough that he could potentially step in and replace Sheldon Brown as a starter if his play starts to decline as he reaches his 30th birthday next month.

Speaking of Sheldon, could the five year deal Hanson got mean Sheldon might not be around all that much longer?  He is signed through the 2012 season, but according to EaglesCap.com, the Eagles wouldn’t take a salary cap hit at all if they were to cut Brown anytime before then.  Brown’s contract is pretty reasonable in light of all the crazy contracts corners have been getting.  Brown will only be earning $3.2 mil in 2009 so I don’t see the Eagles parting ways with him much before the end of his current deal.  I still think Sheldon could be an eventual replacement for Dawkins at free safety.