We’re scrapping the original free agency post since most of the chaos is over. Keep it dialed here for Murray updates, and flight tracking. Keep scrolling for newer posts.
7:19 p.m.: On the Mariota thing– Chip said quarterbacks coach Ryan Day is at every quarterback’s pro day. Poor Sam Bradford.
7:16 p.m.: Chip on free agency spending: “It’s like Pirates of the Caribbean. You don’t have rules, you have guidelines.” Pirate code:
That should just about wrap things up.
7:12 p.m.: I need a beer.
7:08 p.m.: Chip speaking now.
7:06 p.m.: Official: Eagles sign Murray to five-year deal:
6:50 p.m.: Andrew Brandt reports that the Eagles are looking to rework Bradford’s deal to something that works better under the cap.
6:16 p.m.: Trying to compute this Mariota thing. The Eagles talked to him today and the guy from UCLA yesterday? But Bradford’s 100% their guy? THE PLOT, IT’S THICKENING. Further– Mariota apparently tanked his pro day. Sandbagging son of a bitch strategy?
God I need a timeout right now.
6:15 p.m. Breer says Mathews’ agent flew into town because of Murray showing up. So Mathews tried to downplay it, but it was clearly, like, a thing.
6:00 p.m.: Marcus Mariota, apparently on NFL Network: I sat down with the Buccaneers as well as the Eagles. Today I will be finishing up with the Titans.
5:57 p.m.: Reader Dom points out that it looks like Murray is heading back to Dallas tonight:
I wouldn’t read anything into that.
5:49 p.m.: Eliot Shorr-Parks wonders about Mariota’s performance at Oregon’s Pro Day. Would it be the greatest trick the devil ever pulled if Chip was in Oregon all day?
5:47 p.m.: Murray tells Todd Archer that the deal wasn’t about the money:
DeMarco Murray, the NFL’s leading rusher in 2014 for the Dallas Cowboys, is jumping ship and joining the NFC East rival Philadelphia Eagles.
“It was never about the money in any situation,” Murray texted ESPN.com’s Todd Archer. “If it was the money, I could’ve taken that a long time ago on a very high deal. It’s about winning a Super Bowl and being fair.”
Murray is expected to sign a five-year, $42 million deal, including $21 million guaranteed, with the Eagles, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen.
Of the $21 million, $18 million is guaranteed for skill and injury.
5:39 p.m.: Poor Evan Mathis:
5:37 p.m.: Eagles rolling Mathews out now to the media. I’m willing to bet they officially announce Murray after, so Mathews gets a few minutes in the spotlight.
5:26 p.m.: Breer points out that, contrary to previous reports, Chip Kelly was never scheduled to go to Oregon’s pro day today.
5:13 p.m.: Matt Lombardo reports that smoothies were brought into the meeting between Chip and Murray. No, really.
5:01 p.m.: Chip Kelly just signed Cliff Lee. Wait, wait?
4:55 p.m.: Official: The Walter Thurmond signing from, like, six millenniums ago in Chip Kelly time. One-year deal for the former Duck.
4:54 p.m.: Dallas’ Dave Spadaro getting all passive aggressive:
4:52 p.m.: This guy. I could make fun of Cowboys fans all day.
4:51 p.m.: Eagles run-pass ration next season: 7,000,000-1.
4:50 p.m.: Official: Eagles sign Ryan Mathews to three-year deal:
BIRDS ON THE RUN™
4:42 p.m.: Schefter chiming in that both guys will be in the backfield. HOT.
4:40 p.m.: Rappppppppppppppppppppoppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppports that Ryan Mathews will sign with the Eagles. Either they’re going to have the best backfield on history, or something went terribly awry with Murray.
4:39 p.m.: Missed this in the chaos before. Dez Bryant shows he’s an actual human:
4:34 p.m.: Brandon Boykin starts the welcome messages off.
4:05 p.m.: In other non-Murray news, Les Bowen is reporting that a deal for Evan Mathis is “close.”
3:50 p.m.: Actual video of Murray getting off the plane. And another.
3:43 p.m.: No but seriously I’m worried about Ryan Mathews. Maybe I’ll send Jim to go find him…
3:36 p.m.: Meanwhile, the deal isn’t official yet, but it’s got to be close. Murray was handed an Eagles hat. I assume he doesn’t let it touch his skin if he’s not intent on signing.
3:30 p.m.: One job:
3:27 p.m.: One job:
3:23 p.m.: I don’t know what to do now. It’s like I just caught the white whale. Now what?
3:21 p.m.: Jim had one job today, one job: get video. Those pics are what we got.
3:20 p.m.: Video of DeMarco getting off the plane.
3:17 p.m.: CSN on the live stream:
3:16 p.m.: Pulling in. Jim got pics:
3:13 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN, DEMARCO MURRAY!
3:12 p.m.: All local news choppers requesting permission to fly over to sports complex. Haha.
3:11 p.m.: 5, 3, 2, 1. TOUCHDOWN!
3:10 p.m.9.
3:09 p.m.: Flight level 10.
3:05 p.m.: 20.
3:03 p.m.: The 40.
3:02 p.m.: At the 60.
3:00 p.m.: Flight level 70.
2:57 p.m.: Flight level 80.
2:49 p.m.: About to begin final:
2:47 p.m.: SHUT UP, SKIP! THE EAGLE IS ABOUT TO LAND:
2:45 p.m.: Made up time in flight! THIS BIRD’S GOT A TAILWIND! Murray due to land at 15:00. Flight level 200.
2:42 p.m.: Murray currently hurdling the Chesapeake, about to enter Maryland airspace. Here’s the flight.
2:36 p.m.: I’ve gone to air traffic control, Philly approach. Listen in.
2:33 p.m.: Skip Bayless, dickhead: DeMarco just fell into Revis-like situation. Eagles desperate for positive-PR splash. Way overpaid to steal star from rival.
2:29 p.m.: I’m gonna have no idea how to manage this running back depth chart in Madden next year. By the way, anyone seen Ryan Mathews, or are we just not going to speak of him again?
2:27 p.m.: Murray now over Virginia airspace and has begun his descent into Philly. Flight level at 330.
2:19 p.m.: Murray due to land in 50 minutes, at 15:09 local time. Flight level 410 (41k feet).
2:16 p.m.: Seriously wondering what Howie Roseman is doing right now.
2:15 p.m.:
2:08 p.m.: Rapppppppppoppppppppporting Eagles working to trade Evan Mathis. What?
2:05 p.m.: Jeremy Fowler: Basically, Chip Kelly flipped LeSean McCoy at $10M per for DeMarco Murray/Kiko Alonso at $9M per. NOW YOU CAN JUDGE THE MCCOY TRADE.
2:03 p.m.: Jeff Skversky confirming that $42-21 number.
1:59 p.m.: Oh by the way– Murray now in Kentucky airspace.
1:53 p.m.: Also heard that guaranteed money was lower, around $17-$18 million last night and this morning, and Eagles upped their offer.
1:45 p.m.: Ahem:
1:30 p.m.: Albert Breer: Ryan Mathews still hasn’t returned from his physical. Eagles and Mathews had a financial agreement. Source says situation is now “fluid”.
1:22 p.m.: Murray has just entered Tennessean airspace.
1:19 p.m.: Here’s literally a picture of Tony Romo right now.
1:12 p.m.: Reddit’s on to us— they simultaneously love-hate our flight tracking:
1:07 p.m.:
1:06 p.m.: Ian Rappppppppppppppppppoppppppppppppports that the Cowboys believe they’ve lost Murray.
1:05 p.m.: ESPN’s Todd Archer reporting that there is a “significant difference” in guaranteed money between Eagles and Cowboys offers. I bet the Eagles are offering over $20 million guaranteed.
1:02 p.m.: If my wife comes home and sees a tinfoil radar on the floor and a wall of real-time updating flight maps, our marriage may experience it’s first major obstacle. I feel like Carrie Mathison.
1:00 p.m.: Reader Monge reports bad storm over Arkansas. I would anticipate that the captain has put the seatbelt sign on:
12L59 p.m.: Just south of Arkadelphia… this means… something:
12:50 p.m.: I’m just gonna take an educated guess at the Murray deal– five years, $42 million, roughly $21 million guaranteed.
12:47: Another link to track it.
12:44 p.m.: IT WORKED! IT WORKED! MY CONTRAPTION WORKED! The flight is back up:
15:15!!! Incoming.
H/T to (@gstev41)
12:43 p.m.: God bless this beautiful man:
12:36 p.m.: No idea if this is going to work, but I will find that plane:
12:33 p.m.: Breer says Ryan Mathews just left NovaCare Complex, but it’s apparently for an off-site physical… or to be disappeared.
12:19 p.m.: Brandon George of Dallas News reports that Murray hasn’t made up his mind:
Kevin Murray, DeMarco’s father, just talked to his son on the phone a little before 10 a.m. CT. Kevin Murray told The Dallas Morning News that though DeMarco feels “hurt” right now that the Cowboys haven’t made a stronger offer to keep him, his son hasn’t made up his mind yet on where he will play next season.
“My impression from talking to him this morning is that he loves his coach, he loves his teammates and the Dallas fans,” Kevin Murray said, “but he’s just hurt that something hasn’t happened to lure him not to take the trip right now.”
More good stuff here. Also says he didn’t make initial contact with Chip, but that the call to Chip was a return call. Chip using semantics to his advantage. LOVE IT.
12:15 p.m.: Schefter says he’s en route now and expected to sign.
12:10 a.m.: I’m ranting like a mad man right now. That flight has gone dark. IT’S GONE DARK. They’re going stealth! We need boots on the ground, eyes in the sky. I’m convinced this bad boy is coming in at 14:30! BOOTS ON THE GROUND, EYES IN THE SKY! It’s just like ‘Nam!
11:44 a.m.: A reader checks in an says Murray is probably flying into Atlantic Aviation, which is part of PHL, but not listed publicly.
11:39 a.m.: Breer reporting that Murray will arrive mid-afternoon. No shit. Say about 2:34?
11:37 a.m.: At the moment it appears that Murray’s flight is no longer showing a flight plan. 100 smackedoos, Tom McCarthy, says it’s because team caught wind of tracking and flight plan went unlisted.
11:07 a.m.: Murray’s presumed plane touched down in Dallas and is due to take off for Philly at 11:40.
10:42 a.m.: Former Eagles front office guy Andrew Brandt: Reputations on the line. And if I’m Eagles, I say to DeMarco/agent: “I want your word you don’t take our best offer back to Dallas.”
10:36 a.m.: Idle thought: If Murray is using the Eagles for leverage, this is going to be a very bad day.
10:32 a.m.: Credit where it’s due– our podcast friend Kevin Matuszak had this last night, and the initial one about 10 minutes before Schefter:
10:31 a.m.: Adam Schefter reports that Murray would give Dallas final offer, but he’s flying to Philly to sign.
10:22 a.m.: So McCoy turns into, in effect, Kiko, Maxwell and Murray? Not bad. Matt Lombardo has a good piece about Eagles cap space. Remember, McCoy would’ve been an $11.9 million cap hit this season.
10:16 a.m.: Now that we know the plane (with near certainty), here’s another way to track the flight on Plane Finder. H/T to (@Banditmax)
10:15 a.m.: Chargers beat writer Michael Gehiken: Ryan Mathews dealt such a strange, at times unfair, hand in NFL. He now waits in Philly, unsigned, with Eagles set to court DeMarco Murray.
10:03 a.m.: Never question my creepin’ abilities. Never.
9:54 a.m.: All but confirmed: This is Murray’s plane. Check the return flight:
H/T to (@DaRealGregReese) and (@spike1130) for the update
9:52 a.m.: Jim with a look at Murray’s career and workload.
9:39 a.m.: Adam Caplan reports that members of Murray’s INNER CIRCLE (I want an inner circle) are flying to Philly, too. I want me on that plane. I need me on that plane.
9:32 a.m.: #journalism
9:28 a.m.: Breer reports that it’s Oregon’s Pro Day that Chip is skipping to meet with Murray. That’s like a kid missing Christmas.
9:24 a.m.: Albert Breer reporting Gus Bradley Ryan Mathews already in the building: Worth repeating too: RB Ryan Mathews is already in the building here this morning in Philadelphia. AWWWWKWARD. Maybe he and Howie should go get some coffee.
9:23 a.m.: Dallas reporter– don’t know this guy, take with grain of salt:
9:18 a.m.: The potential for butthurt Cowboys fan videos on YouTube today is through the roof. Philly Twitter already winning:
I heart Mike Trout. HEART HIM.
9:14 a.m.: Love some Eagles beat writers pimping out their already outdate newspaper stories on Twitter. Chip presser ages ago. Different era. Different time. Different mindset. Let it go! Let it gooooooo! WE GOT PLANES IN THE AIR.
9:10 a.m.: Schefter also reporting that Mathews’ contract is NOT signed yet. Uh oh (for Mathews).
9:05 a.m.: Adam Schefter reports MURRAY IS EXPECTED TO SIGN A CONTRACT:
Pro-Bowl RB DeMarco Murray is flying to Philadelphia this morning with the expectation he will be an Eagle, per a league source.
Dallas has had numerous chances to resign Murray throughout the year and now.
Aside from the contract, the Eagles are most appealing to Murray because of his belief in their chance to win.
Murray would consider a final, last minute offer from the cowboys, per source, but he’s going to Philadelphia with the intent to sign.
8:41 a.m.: I woke up extra early (8 a.m…) with a little pep in my step today just to track DeMarco’s reported flight from Dallas to Philly. In fact, I’d be BULLISH on the Eagles offseason if they bring Murray on board. I mean, I’d have to be, since we’re gonna need Murray-Mathews-Sproles to carry the load with Gumby as a quarterback.
Here’s what we know:
That would make sense– Murray lives in Las Vegas, but was supposedly in Dallas to meet with the Cowboys. After a thorough check of Flight Aware, including all known smaller airports, the only private jet currently WHEELS UP or scheduled between Philly and Dallas is this one, a Textron-owned private jet, which reader Dom points out is actually part of the Wheels Up leasing service, Flight N509UP:
At first glance, you’d think that the private jet need not come from Philly to pick up Murray, but if we go deeper, Sal Pal, we’ll realize that Spain said Chip cancelled his flight. This plane flew from Florida to Philly last night, perhaps to pick up Chip this morning for his originally scheduled trip (CHIP’S TRIP– it rhymes!). So it would make sense that the same plane would be diverted to Dallas to pick up Murray.
I’m speculating here, and have no idea if this is actually his plane. But it’s our best candidate for now. If this one files a return flight plan to Philly– that’s our flight, that’s Murray’s chariot, awaiting. Keep it here. We’re creepin’ on the down low today.
[Would be my second Love Field-related Cowboys creepin’ in less than a month. Proud of myself.]
