Time for the Eagles to Pay Up

The Eagles have walked this path so many times before that they don't need bread crumbs to find their way home.

Troy Vincent and Bobby Taylor challenged them and neither came back.

Jeremiah Trotter wanted more, went to Washington before realizing the error of his ways and returning.

That wide receiver we used to have? He, too, thought he "out-performed his contract" and was left behind.

All the while, the team has stuck by the philosophy that the team is greater than the sum of its individual parts, regardless of the player or the situation. And for the most part, they've been right.

But letting Brian Westbrook dangle is a huge gamble.

Westbrook is hands down the most important player on this team. In the entire Andy Reid/Donovan McNabb era, the Eagles have had two offensive players that would be considered elite by NFL standards - Owens and Westbrook. He's one of the best running backs in the league, and deserves to be compensated accordingly.

Westbrook continued to demonstrate his versatility in 2007, amassing 1,333 yards rushing, 771 yards receiving, and 12 total touchdowns. He's also proven to be reliable (one lost fumble) and durable (only one missed game).

For their part, the Eagles haven't done much to bolster the offense via free agency. Sure, they've overpaid for defensive help (Jevon Kearse, Asante Samuel), but the lack of offensive weapons makes Westbrook that much more valuable.

So as the players toil through two-a-days at Lehigh preparing for the season, Jeffrey Lurie should be signing a check to make his best player happy.

It's never been the Eagle way. Maybe it should be.