Bye bye Billy

Blogging means putting your opinion in black-and-white for everyone to see. Sometimes those opinions are proven wrong over time, so there's some risk that I'll be exposed for the posturing fool that I am.

This risk, however, is balanced by the chance, however remote, that I'll occasionally be right. So I'm going to take full advantage when these chances present themselves, and gloat over my success.

Billy McMullen was traded today to the Minnesota Vikings for undrafted free-agent Hank Baskett. As I'm sure my loyal readers recall, I said this after the Eagles' draft:

With the Eagles drafting two receivers, it seems likely that Billy McMullen and Greg Lewis have seen their last game in green and silver

Sad that a former third-round pick couldn't stick with a team in dire need of WR help. And now McMullen isn't worth even a 7th-round draft pick. I highly doubt the Eagles are in love with Hank Baskett, whoever he is, since they passed on him both in the draft and in the days after the draft as a free agent. Baskett has almost no chance of making the active roster. If they could have traded McMullen for a draft pick, they surely would have. But at least by trading for a rookie, they can designate him to the practice squad without clearing waivers.

McMullen isn't likely to stick with the Vikings either, since he doesn't contribute on special teams, and doesn't figure to be one of their top three WRs. But he does have value for new head coach Brad Childress, because he's spent several years in Brad's offense. Now the new coach has a WR who is experienced with his offense help teach the other WRs their responsibilities during training camp. Unless he suddenly shows some aptitude returning kicks, expect him to be in the final cuts before the season starts.