Westbrook Has Surgery, FA RB Options Drying Up

Does anyone else hold their breathe every time Westbrook gets tackled?

On the same day that Philly.com reported that Brian Westbrook underwent surgery on his left knee, free agent RB Derrick Ward signed a 4 year, $17 million contract with the Tampa Bay Bucs.   Less than a week into free agency we’ve learned our near 30 year old RB will be coming off of surgery, our backup RB left for Denver, and our options to provide some insurance are fading fast.

First off, let’s talk about Westbrook’s srugery.  Westbrook’s agent claims his client is fine.

Agent Todd France told the Daily News today that Eagles running back Brian Westbrook did indeed have a minor arthroscopic procedure on his left knee, more than a month ago. Asked if Westbrook would be fine for minicamps, France said: “He’s already fine. This was a long time ago. It was basically just a cleanup.”

Right, knee surgery on a running back with injury problems who will be 30 when the season starts is no big deal.  So after a very disappointing season in which Westbrook couldn’t stay healthy, he had surgery and we shouldn’t be worried?  I don’t care if it was a minor scoping or not.  Every time Westbrook gets tackled I hold my breathe for a little until he gets up without limping off the field.  Combine this with the departure of Correll Buckhalter and the Eagles are in serious need to some depth at running back.

The best free agent available at running back was Derrick Ward who would have been a PERFECT fit in Philly.  He’s got decent size and can catch the ball out of the backfield.  Ward got a 4 year, $17 million deal with the Bucs though and as we’ve learned over the last five days, that $48 million in cap space we entered the 2009 NFL year with just isn’t enough money to make signifficant moves.

With Ward off the market, the free agent options are running back are slim pickins already.  The only two running backs that would provide any sort or reliable option should Westbrook suffer another injury riddled season are Cedric Benson and Domminck Rhodes.  Neither is overly exciting and the Eagles decision to not pursue any free ageny running backs could mean they are indeed planning on selecting a running back early in the 2009 Draft.