With Manny Machado in town, how would Eagles players woo a free agent?

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Just before the Eagles got to practice in the bubble Thursday afternoon, the biggest Philly sports story of the day was happening not far from them. 

By now, you’ve probably already seen the video of Manny Machado entering Citizens Bank Park as the Phillies try to woo him to join their team through free agency. They greeted him with a smile, put his image on the big screen and even allowed an electrician to accost him for a photograph (see story).

So with that story on my mind, I went into the Eagles’ locker room Thursday afternoon with one question: 

If you were an owner and you were trying to woo a player to come play for your team, what would you do?

Josh Adams 

“Philly is a great city in terms of like tourism and things you can do. Definitely take them to the Rocky steps, everybody loves that stuff. Take them out to eat, everybody likes food. Who doesn’t like to eat? And just show them the city because it’s a beautiful place when you get to look at it, really.” 

Nate Gerry 

“Well, obviously, it depends on the person. I heard the Yankees took him and his wife out for dinner or something. Man, what would I do? I’m the owner? I’d probably bring him to my Christmas party, especially this time of the year. I’d bring him to the Christmas party, bring the whole team, show him how we get down. That’s probably what I would do.” 

Chris Long 

“If I was the owner of a team? Pay him. If I lived in Philly, probably take him to an Eagles game, they’d sit in the suite. … There’s some things that I probably wouldn’t say in an interview. (Laughter) I’d probably take him to an Eagles game and then everything after that is … between the owner and the player.” 

Deiondre’ Hall

“Oh Lord, for me, it’s food. Quality food. Wine and dine me. If I was trying to get somebody, I’d take them out to a nice meal or something. Let them know they can get they number, depending on who they were. You get your own parking spot, other than that, I don’t know.” 

D.J. Alexander 

“Pay him. I mean, I don’t know. Ask Kamu (Grugier-Hill) the same question you just asked me. He’ll say something stupid.” 

Grugier-Hill: “Honestly, you just gotta pay him. Take him to an Eagles game!” 

Alexander: “Buy him a boat, buy him a private jet?”

Dallas Goedert 

“Show him the money! Give him the money! Give him a fat contract, man. That’s all I got. S—, that’s all you can do.” 

Nigel Bradham

“It’s free agency, right? What’s legal, what can I not (do)? I can get him here.” 

Grugier-Hill: (butting in with a smile) “I can get him here, just know he’ll be here the next day.” 

Bradham: “And it’s baseball, so they’re throwing crazy numbers out there. It doesn’t matter. I don’t know … that’s tough.” 

Lane Johnson

“I’d think about holding the biggest party, try to make it like Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory for him. Everlasting paradise. I think money talks, to be honest with you. I think money says a lot. Three hundred million is an awful lot.”

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