Bills may be interested in Eagles Simon

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Simon shuffling off?

Friday, August 05, 2005

By MARK ECKEL

Staff Writer

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - If the Eagles want to save $5.1 million against the salary cap, unlock a logjam at defensive tackle and solve one of their contract troubles, they may be able to do it.

Of course, it would cost them one of their best defensive players.

According to a very reliable league source, the Buffalo Bills have been looking into the possibility of acquiring franchise-tagged defensive tackle Corey Simon from the Eagles.

Two other sources confirmed the Bills' interest. Now it's a matter of Buffalo getting Simon to agree to a contract and coming up with compensation for the Eagles.

Eagles president Joe Banner said he has not heard from the Bills, but he indicated he might be willing to listen if and when they do call.

The Eagles nearly had a deal done before the draft that would have sent Simon to the Baltimore Ravens for two draft picks, believed to be a second-rounder and a third-rounder. Baltimore could not come to contract terms with Simon, however.

Keep in mind, Bills assistant general manager Tom Modrak was the Eagles director of football operations when the team made Simon the sixth overall pick out of Florida State in the 2000 draft. Buffalo director of college scouting Marc Ross also was the Eagles' southeast scout who went to every one of Simon's workouts and his physical prior to that draft.

"That would be interesting (to go to Buffalo)," Simon said. "But at this point, I don't know what I would do. ... If they're interested, I would have to listen."

The Eagles placed the franchise tag on Simon in February, which guaranteed him a one-year deal worth the average of the top five highest paid defensive tackles in the league, which computed to $5.1 million.

Simon, who said he would be in the lineup for the start of the season in Atlanta, has not signed that tender yet, and missed the team's minicamps and the first week of training camp. He is not required to sign the tender until just before the season.