Chapter 11

Tuesday, April 22, 2031 – Wawa Store on Route 41, Hockessin, DE

The Philadelphia Inquirer above the masthead headline shouted, “JOHNSON DEMANDS RELEASE OR NEW CONTRACT.” Kyle just shook his head at the headline as he waited his turn to pay for his pastry and coffee at the front counter. He perused the first paragraphs of the story about Rashaun Johnson’s demands. He demanded the Eagles redo his contract now that he was a third-year player. If they didn’t want him, Rashaun wanted to be released so he could find a team that was willing to compensate him properly for being one of the best cornerbacks in the league.

“You guys going to release him?” Tyler, the normal morning clerk at this Wawa, asked.

“Not a chance,” Kyle replied as the clerk rang up his purchases.

“You going to pay him then?” Tyler asked.

“That’s over my pay grade,” Kyle replied. “My bosses will decide that one. I just coach the guys they sign for me.”

“I hear you,” Tyler said. “Good luck working this out. See you tomorrow, Coach.”

“I’ll see you, Tyler,” Kyle agreed. Kyle headed out to his Atlas. Good luck? Yeah, the team needed luck to fix this situation. Kyle knew this third blow-up was instigated by Rashaun’s new agent. The new agent wanted to get paid but wouldn’t get a dime until Rashaun signed a new contract. The team’s preliminary contacts with the agent informed them that Rashaun expected to be paid like a premier cornerback in the league. Rashaun was above average but wasn’t an elite player. There was no way the Eagles could give him the elite deal he expects. How do you make this big square peg fit into that little round hole?

Kyle, Coach C and Josh Jennings were called into Troy Vincent’s office to meet with Julian Lurie soon after Kyle arrived at NovaCare.

“What are we going to do about this kid?” Troy asked when everyone was seated.

“He is not worth $24.3 million dollars a year,” Julian said. “He’s going to have to bend some to get a new contract. We have rights to him for two more seasons.”

“I don’t see him being worth more than $14.4 million,” Troy allowed. “How are we going to close the $10 million gap?”

“Should we?” Kyle asked. “Rashaun is a good cornerback, and I would like to have him playing for me, if we find a way to make him happy. I would rather have him gone than pissing and moaning in our locker room all season.” He glanced to his right and saw Coach C and Josh Jennings nodding in agreement.

“You want to cut him?” Troy asked.

“I want value for him,” Kyle said. “We trade him to a team where he can earn his keep and not disrupt the team. We plan to take a cornerback with a high draft pick. Somebody needs to man the other side. What if we offer Rashaun to Pittsburgh for two guys? I like the Steeler’s slotback, Kiante Middleton. He’s a good-looking young guy who gave my receivers some problems last season in practice. Kiante will never be the player Rashaun is capable of being, but he can man the corner for now. We ask for Brandon Evans in the trade too. Brandon knows the offense Ryan, Ed and I plan to run. Having a QB on the team that understands the offense will help us get things installed this summer.”

“Would they be willing to do the trade?” Troy asked. “Do we get enough value back?” Troy was looking at Julian when he asked the question.

“Give me a sec,” Julian said. He pulled his cell phone out and punched a button. “Hey, Brent, what is our read on the Steelers cornerback Kiante Middleton?” Julian listened for about twenty seconds before ending the call. Brent is high on Middleton too. “I think Kyle is right. We should explore this with the Steelers and see if we could make a deal good for both teams.”

“Get me our scouting reports on Evans and Middleton,” Troy said. “I will give the Rooneys a call and see if a deal can be worked out.

Wednesday, April 23, 2031 – Wawa Store – Hockessin, DE

Kyle looked at the headlines in the Inquirer. It shouted, “JOHNSON TRADED FOR 2 PLAYERS.” He stepped up to the cash register.

“I see you guys figured out what to do with Johnson,” Tyler the clerk commented. “Are the new guys any good?”

“Kiante is a strong young player,” Kyle said. “He’ll contribute. Evans is coming here because he knows the offense I am running. He can help us teach the other players how to run it.”

“Go get ‘em, Coach,” Tyler replied as he rang up Kyle’s purchase.

“We are going to do that, Tyler,” Kyle promised. “If not this season, then the next one.”

Kyle got more details of the transaction from Troy Vincent when he got to work. Troy had shipped Rashaun Johnson to Pittsburgh for Kiante Middleton, Brandon Evans and Pittsburgh’s fourth round draft pick. The draft pick was a bonus. Kyle hadn’t expected them to get that in the deal.

Thursday, April 24, 2031 – Start of NFL Draft – NovaCare Complex – Philadelphia, PA

The clock on the conference room wall said 7:58 PM. Team owner Jeff Lurie sat at the head of the table. Troy Vincent, the team president, sat to his right. Jeff’s son Julian, the V.P. for Football and in charge of the scouting end of the operation, sat to his left. Brent Celek, a former Eagles tight end and Director of Pro Scouting sat beside Julian. Dwight Greene, Director of College Scouting sat beside Brent. Julian’s scouting staff had chairs along one wall of the room.

Kyle sat on Troy’s right. Ryan Reynolds and Coach C sat to Kyle’s right. The remainder of the senior coaching staff sat along the wall opposite the scouting staff. The draft board was along the back wall. They all watched the big screen TV on the front wall, which was tuned to the NFL Network so they could watch the draft proceed.

Finally, the New Orleans Saints were on the clock. Everyone knew they needed help with the offensive line. The only question was whether they would take Tremon Carson or DeVaughn Johnston. The Eagles scouts rated the two as pick’em. Rating services ranked Tremon a little above DeVaughn. The Saints used almost all of their ten minutes before they announced their pick. Why? Last Minute Questions? Who knows? They knew they were picking first for the last four months.

Commissioner Michael Beckwith walked to the podium and announced, “With the first pick in the 2031 NFL Draft, the New Orleans Saints select Tremon Carson ... offensive lineman, Texas A & M University.”

The Bengals were up next. They posed little threat to the player the Eagles were targeting. They were desperate for defensive help. They used all ten minutes to pick Nehemiah Smith, the big, 305-pound defensive tackle from Nebraska.

The Cleveland Browns were the wild card and picking third. They needed everything. The phone rang beside Troy seconds after the Browns went on the clock.

“Troy, this is Dave Perry from the Falcons,” the voice announced.

“What can I do for you, Dave?” Troy asked.

“What will it take to trade up from #19 to #4?” Dave Perry asked. Troy glanced at his notes for a moment before answering.

“I would need your #1 and #2 next year to swap #1 picks this draft,” Troy responded.

“Ouch! That’s highway robbery,” Dave replied. “How about our first- and third-round picks next season to swap our #19 first-round for your #4 first-round pick this season?”

“I guess we have to pass then,” Troy said coolly.

“What about next year’s #1, #3 & #4?” Dave Perry asked. “Would that get our #1 picks this year swapped?”

“No, Dave, I am afraid not,” Troy said. Troy ended the phone call.

The Browns barely got their pick to the commissioner in the allotted ten minutes. Commissioner Beckwith stepped to the podium and announced, “The Cleveland Browns, with the #3 pick of the NFL Draft, select Tyler Reid ... quarterback, Florida State University.”

Ed Fritz couldn’t help laughing at the Browns’ pick. “The Brownies have been looking for a quarterback for ... forever. Tyler Reid is NOT the answer to that team’s needs.” The whole room laughed at Ed’s comment. They knew he was right. Tyler Reid, Heisman winner, didn’t appear on the Eagles draft board anywhere.

The Eagles were now on the clock. Troy looked around the table. “Are we sure? Are we going with DeVaughn?” Everyone nodded yes or gave Troy a thumbs up. “Coach Hill, you’ve worked closest with this young man. Would you like to call him and let him know he is going to be an Eagle?”

“I’d love to do that, Troy,” J.T. responded. He was grinning ear to ear. His job just got much easier. The NFL Network happened to be showing the players in the green room when J.T’s call went through.

“DeVaughn, this is J. T. Hill with the Eagles calling,” J. T. said.

“Good to hear from you, Coach,” Devaughn responded. The war room could hear him on TV since the NFL Network had spotted the young man getting a phone call.

“How would you like to be an Eagle?” J. T. asked.

“I’d love it, sir,” DeVaughn replied.

“Excellent! Welcome to the team,” J. T. said. “Celebrate with your family and that pretty girlfriend beside you tonight. Tomorrow you need to get your ass to Philly. A lot of people are anxious to meet you and get to know you. Rookie camp is next week.”

Commissioner Beckwith came out to the podium a minute after J. T. ended the call with DeVaughn. “With the #4 pick in the 2031 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles select DeVaughn Johnston ... offensive lineman, University of Alabama.”

DeVaughn came out wearing an Eagles cap and held up a #1 Eagles jersey. Everyone in the Eagles war room cheered, no one louder than J. T. His job just got exponentially easier with this selection. Maybe Harris or Evans or whoever ended up behind center this season might survive the season.

“OK, thank you everyone for your efforts tonight,” Troy announced as the Cardinals went on the clock. “I doubt much will happen between now and the end of this round. Why don’t all of you head home and catch up with your families. Tomorrow night will be longer.”

Friday, April 25, 2031 – NovaCare Complex – Philadelphia, PA

The Eagles war room was fully staffed by 6:30 PM. Julian reviewed the players taken in the remainder of the first-round. Troy opened the meeting. “Our first order of business is to review who we pick next. With the Ravens taking Dontrell Harris, the guy we coveted, who is next? Dwight [Greene, Director of College Scouting], what is your recommendation?”

“We need an edge rusher,” Dwight replied. “I recommend we take Jed Nicholaus. He is the highest rated edge rusher on our board.”

“Kyle?” Tory asked.

“I would like to see a defensive player with this pick, and I will defer to Coach C,” Kyle replied. He looked to the older man to his right.

“Edge rushers are nice,” Coach C agreed. “I can scheme pressure on the QB. I would prefer Michael Greene. He’s 310 and stout against the run. I know this is a passing league today, boss.” Coach C gave Kyle a smile. “If we can’t stop the run, we get run over and can’t stop anyone. Play action passes become deadly. Greene is higher ranked on our board and fills our needs too.”

“Any further thoughts, Kyle?” Troy asked.

“If Coach C wants a defensive tackle, that is what I want too,” Kyle answered. “He’s the one that has to make the defense work.”

“Julian?” Troy asked.

“I am with Coach C and Kyle,” Julian said. “Michael Greene is highest rated on our board. We should take him.”

“That’s decided,” Troy said. “What’s next?”

The group reviewed the merits of a couple tight ends and running backs they hoped to take with their third pick while they waited for the Saints, Bengals and Browns to make their second-round picks. Everyone perked up when the Browns announced their selection and Michael Greene was still available.

Troy went around the room one more time while the Eagles were on the seven-minute clock to make their selection. Everyone agreed. Troy called the team reps in San Francisco and had them put Michael Greene’s name in. Coach C got the honor to call and inform Michael that he was now an Eagle.

The brain trust talked and waited for the two and a half hours until the draft reached their spot in the third-round. Both tight ends they wanted were gone. Darrell Lee, a fast running back from Washington State, was still available. He was also the top player on their draft board. Kyle got the honor to welcome Darrell to the Eagles while Troy sent the name out to San Francisco.

Saturday, April 26, 2031 – NovaCare Complex – Philadelphia, PA

The Eagles brain trust assembled half an hour ahead of the start of the fourth-round of the draft. The team reviewed the picks other teams made after the Eagles picked Darrell Lee the night before. There was an unexpected opportunity available.

“No one expected Marcus Davis to be available in the fourth-round,” Julian noted to the group. “I think we need to grab him while he’s available. I believe he has the talent to be an impact player in the league.”

“Coaches?” Troy asked.

Coach C answered first. “Davis is on the small side, but he has a football mind. He’s rarely out of position. He just makes plays on the ball. We should take him.”

“We wait too long, and we will lose our developmental quarterback,” Ryan Reynolds replied. “I know [Aiden] Anderson is slow and ungainly. We can fix his mechanics. We can’t get another quarterback with his size or his brains. I believe we should take Anderson while we can get him. In a year or two this guy could develop into our franchise quarterback.”

“Anderson is pegged below Marcus Davis on the board,” Julian contended. “We all agreed on this evaluation when we made up the board. We need to trust our scouts. Davis is the better pick.”

“Kyle?” Troy asked.

“I am with Coach C and Julian,” Kyle answered. “I love Davis’ quickness. He reminds me of Christian Hunsecker that way. He isn’t straight line fast, but he breaks on the ball quickly. The receiver is sure he’s got a catch and Davis comes in suddenly and knocks the ball away or picks it. I want someone like him in our backfield.”

Ryan stared at his boss, surprised that the man reputed to be an offensive guru would pass on a quarterback they all agreed had a high potential.

“That’s settled if the Browns or the Bengals don’t grab him,” Troy said. They didn’t. They had more urgent needs than a cornerback. Troy called in the Eagles’ pick immediately when their five-minute clock started.

The Eagle lined up some of their old timers to announce their picks that day. Troy called ahead and told the on-site staff to send Bobby Taylor out to announce the pick.

Bobby announced, “With the 100th pick of the 2031 NFL Draft, I proudly announce the Eagles select Marcus Davis ... cornerback, the University of Hawaii.”

Josh Jennings was delegated to call Marcus Davis and inform him that he was now an Eagle. Josh could hear Marcus’ family cheering the TV announcement as he talked with the newest Eagle.

“I hope Anderson is still on the board when we use our other fourth-round pick,” Ryan commented quietly to Kyle. “I have a feeling that kid could be really special.”

“I agree he could be,” Kyle replied. “We’ve covered our tracks thoroughly. No one around the league has the slightest inkling that we want Anderson. He will be there when our next pick comes.”

“I hope you’re right, boss,” Ryan replied.

The team sweated out the picks as they waited for their second shot in the fourth round. A couple teams that needed quarterbacks went another direction with their picks. The Broncos’ clock started when the announcer said, “Washington has traded their fourth- and sixth-round picks for the Broncos’ fourth-round pick.”

Frowns were everywhere as you looked around the room. Alex Bennett, the long-time WFT quarterback, finally retired after winning his third Super Bowl in February. Bennett was a good passer earlier in his career. He never had a rifle for an arm. He became more of a game manger as he aged. That was perfect for the WFT style – a tough defense combined with a ball control, bruising running game. This combination kept Bennett healthy and playing to age 43. Now the WFT needed a new quarterback desperately.

Not unexpectedly, the announcement came within a minute of the trade. “With the 126th pick of the 2031 NFL Draft, the Washington WFT choose Jared Bischof ... quarterback, University of Florida.”

“It worked!” Ed whooped. “Our cover story worked.”

The Eagles had interviewed and tested Jared Bischof extensively and very publicly in the spring. The kid teased Ed on his second visit to NovaCare Complex a few weeks ago that the team should just issue him a locker now and save time and trouble after the draft.

“Why wouldn’t it work?” Kyle answered, the master mind behind the plot. “You recruited him to play at Florida when you were there. You know him better than any other coach in the league. We showed our interest in him. Why wouldn’t the rest of the league believe us?”

“You were right, Coach,” Ed agreed.

“We are on the clock gentlemen,” Troy interrupted. “I’ll call San Francisco and give them Anderson’s name. Kyle, you can call Anderson and welcome him to our team.”

“That would be an honor, Troy,” Kyle agreed. He checked his cheat sheet of phone numbers and dialed the young man from Cornell.

“Hello, Aiden Anderson speaking,” Aiden said when he answered Kyle’s call.

“Aiden, this is Kyle Martin,” Kyle said. “Do you have the draft on the TV?”

“Yeah, it’s on but I haven’t paid a lot of attention to it,” Aiden answered.

“Pay attention now,” Kyle said. “You are about to hear an announcement that matters to you.” Kyle watched the TV in the conference room as the camera followed Donovan McNabb as he walked to the podium.

“This is an honor to be here and make this announcement,” Donovan said. “With the 127th pick of the 2031 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles select Aiden Anderson ... quarterback, Cornell University. Welcome to Philly, Aiden!” Donovan gave the crowd a fist pump and a big grin.

“You guys want me?” Aiden said, stunned at being drafted at all, much less in the fourth round.

“We want you very much,” Kyle answered. “Welcome to the Eagles family.”

“This is an honor,” Aiden stuttered. “I’m stunned.”

“Don’t be,” Kyle said. “We have high expectations from you. Now, get your ass in your car and get down here to Philly. Ed and Ryan have a lot of work to get you ready to play in this league.”

“Yes, sir ... er ... Coach,” Aiden said. “I guess I can get down there sometime after dinner.”

“Don’t eat on the road on your way,” Kyle said. “I’ll have Ed take you out for a nice meal. You and Ed are going to get to be really close in the next few months.”

“I look forward to it, Coach,” Aiden said.

“I’ll see you in a few hours,” Kyle said. He gave Aiden the address of the NovaCare Complex to help him find his way around in the strange city that was going to be his new home.

The rest of the group in the war room were focused on the team’s next pick, only five spots later. This one produced no surprises. The team choose Damarco Hunter, a linebacker from Notre Dame. Jeremy got the honor of calling his former protégé. Jeremy had recruited Damarco to play for the Fighting Irish, had taught him how to play middle linebacker and now had the honor of coaching him again in the NFL.

The staff had to wait over two hours until their next pick. They picked Aaron Cain, a tight end from Stanford.

The group had another long wait until the seventh-round started. Both Noah and Connor Martin made it onto the Eagles draft board. Both of Kyle’s nephews were rated as seventh-round picks, with Noah ahead of his brother. Kyle watched other teams pick and the list on the Eagles draft board shrink. Noah’s name was coming to the top of the list and it looked like a real possibility that Noah could join his uncle’s team.

That hope was dashed by the Minnesota Vikings with the 192nd pick, the last pick of the sixth-round. They choose Noah Martin. The Eagles’ attention focused on the next wide receiver on the list, Colin Weaver from Central Michigan. The kid was big and had good hands. He had acceptable speed, but he was raw.

“Oh, God!” Julian teased. “Not someone else from the Paradise Mafia. What do they put in the water in your hometown, Kyle?”

“Nothing special,” Kyle answered.

“We’re not a Mafia,” Ed protested. “Our town loves football. We have good coaches. We work very hard at learning to play football. We place our kids in good colleges, where they work hard and develop their skills further. That is why we put our guys in the NFL.”

“I know that,” Julian agreed. “I’m just busting on you guys from Paradise. I love this kid’s size. Hell, he almost looks like a Kyle Martin clone. He ran a 4.4 40 at the Combine. He is raw but has potential. I think it is a no-brainer. We should grab this kid.”

“I totally agree,” Kyle said. “I can’t teach him to be tall or fast, but I can teach him the techniques to be successful.”

“We can coach this kid up,” Kellen Brown agreed. “I think he has a world of potential.”

Half a dozen picks after the Eagles took Weaver, Tampa Bay chose Connor Martin. Kyle masked his disappointment. He would have enjoyed coaching one or both of his nephews. It was probably for the best though. The twins could find out how they fit into the NFL without anyone claiming nepotism was the only reason they made it into the league.

The Eagles final pick was a compensatory pick for a player the team lost to free agency long before Kyle was with the team. They chose Justin Scott from San Jose State. Justin plays defensive back. Kyle dismissed the coaching staff. Their input was done. Julian and the scouting staff had a long night ahead of them. They needed to sign a couple dozen undrafted free agent players in the next few hours.

Kyle headed back to Landenberg around 11:30 that evening. He wondered if Jessie and David enjoyed their white-water rafting trip on Pine Creek up in Wellsboro. Coaching was satisfying but he would have enjoyed chaperoning his kids and rafting with them. He chose coaching. He sighed. At least he could look forward to the trip out to Philmont Scout Ranch in fourteen months. That was going to be fun.

Friday, April 25, 2031 – Penn Relays, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

David, Luke Allerton, Mike Angelucci and Joey Phillips rode to Franklin Field with Coach Weaver. The group left right after home room. Coach Phillips would be departing after third period with the field component of their track and field team. Their events were scheduled for later in the afternoon. They arrived in plenty of time for the qualifying heats of the high school boys 4x100 relay.

The size of the event shocked the kids. 20,000 athletes from 1,000 high schools, 200 colleges from the United States and a dozen foreign countries. 100,000 fans filled the stadium to watch the boys compete. That was a lot of people, more than David had ever performed for.

The Avon Grove Girls’ Track and Field team competed on Thursday, so David didn’t get to witness Sara Baker’s runs. Things were moving slowly but he seemed to be making headway with Sara. She acted friendly when they encountered each other. Maybe things would progress further over the Venturers’ weekend trip, assuming his team didn’t place in the final that would be held on Saturday. The coaches warned the relay team not to expect to place in the finals of an event this size.

The Avon Grove 4x100 relay team gathered at 11:40 AM for final directions for their Ches-Mont league race. Ches-Mont’s American Division’s eight teams ran first and then the National Division would race second. David and his team waited through the American Division’s race. The Kennett team won with a respectable 43.15 second time. The National Division racers went to their marks as the second race teams got ready.

Luke Allerton got off to a good start, passing a 2-meter lead over to Joey Phillips. Joey ran what was a great leg for him. He lost ground but managed to pass the baton to Mike Angelucci at the same time as the runners from West Chester Rustin. Mike and the kid from Rustin jockeyed for the lead but Mike ended up passing the baton to David at the same time as Rustin’s runner passed it.