A look back at Eagles' lottery ticket signings from 2023 offseason

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A look back at Eagles' lottery ticket signings from 2023 offseason

The Eagles added a bunch of one-year contracts this offseason with varying levels of success.

By Dave Zangaro • Published December 7, 2023

 

The Eagles signed a bunch of players to low-risk, high-reward one-year deals this offseason.

But when you buy a lottery ticket, you don’t really expect to win.

After Justin Evans’ 21-day practice window ran out on Tuesday, which will keep him on IR for the rest of the season, it’s a good time to look back at all the Eagles’ moves from this offseason.

Most of the Eagles’ offseason work was done to keep their own players (like Jason Kelce, Brandon Graham, Darius Slay and James Bradberry) in the building. That didn’t leave much room for big-name free agent signings so the Eagles mostly went the bargain bin route.

From the start of free agency in mid-March through late July when training camp began, the Eagles signed 10 players to one-year deals. Five of those players are completely gone and just a few are contributors.

Here’s a look back at all of those moves:

March 15: Rashaad Penny

he Eagles didn’t spend much to bring Penny to Philly and it was thought to be a potential steal at the time. Penny’s one-year contract was just $1.35 million and included just $600K in guaranteed money. For a guy who had a career yards-per-carry average of 5.7 that deal seemed too good to be true. Well, maybe it was.

Because Penny made the Eagles’ 53-man roster but has been their fourth running back behind D’Andre Swift, Kenny Gainwell and Boston Scott all season. Penny has been inactive in 9 of 12 games and in the other three has played a grand total of 11 offensive snaps. He has 5 total carries for 17 yards (3.4) and 1 catch for 5 yards. Penny is still just 27 and his yards-per-carry average of 5.7 is the highest in NFL history for a running back with at a least 300 attempts. But perhaps injuries have just taken too much of a toll. The Eagles clearly don’t think he has that type of ability left or they wouldn’t have buried him on the depth chart.

March 18: Greedy Williams

The former Browns second-round pick signed a one-year deal worth $1.35 million and included $600K in guaranteed money. At the time, there was a hope that the former Day 2 pick could come in and be the Eagles’ top backup outside cornerback. But Williams had a rough training camp and didn’t even make it to final cuts. Josh Jobe and even Eli Ricks were ahead of him. Williams was released on Aug. 19 and hasn’t been with a team since. Williams is still just 26.

March 20: Marcus Mariota

This is the one contract that wasn’t of the low-risk, high-reward variety. This was an insurance policy and a rather expensive one. Mariota’s one-year deal is worth $5 million guaranteed, even though the Eagles added void years to spread out the cap hit. The good news is that the Eagles haven’t had to cash in this insurance policy yet. Mariota played the first five snaps of the 2023 season against the 49ers when Jalen Hurts was being checked for a concussion. But Hurts was able to return. In his very limited action, Mariota completed 2 of 3 attempts for 16 yards and also had 2 rushing attempts for 6 yards.

March 21: Justin Evans

Of all these players, Evans seemed poised to make the biggest impact in 2023. It took a while for him to get first-team reps at safety during training camp but once he did it became clear he was a legitimate threat to win a starting job. And he ended up winning that job over guys like Terrell Edmunds, Sydney Brown and K’Von Wallace. Evans started the season along with Reed Blankenship at safety. After starting the first three games of the season, Evans was inactive for the first Washington game in Week 4 but was able to return the next game and play all 56 snaps against the Rams. But after that game, Evans was put on IR, never to return. He ended up lasting 197 defensive snaps this season.

When the Eagles activated Evans’ 21-day practice window back on Nov. 14 there was some hope that he’d be able to return and offer some depth at safety behind Blankenship and Kevin Byard, who was acquired by the Eagles before the trade deadline. But after practicing that first week after his window was activated, the Eagles had to shut down Evans again and now he’s out for the season. It’s a shame for another season to end on IR for Evans, who has missed an awful lot of time in his career with injuries. The 28-year old didn’t play at all in 2019, 2020 or 2021. After playing in 15 games with the Saints last year, there was some hope Evans would be able to stay healthy in 2023. It just didn’t happen.

March 21: Nicholas Morrow

Morrow was a full-time starter for the Bears in 2022 but Chicago this offseason upgraded at both linebacker spots — including the addition of former Eagle T.J. Edwards — and let Morrow walk. His initial deal with the Eagles was a veteran salary benefit deal that included no guaranteed money. The Eagles actually cut Morrow at final cuts, electing to keep just three off-ball linebackers on their initial 53-man roster: Nakobe Dean, Zach Cunningham and Christian Elliss. Morrow began the season on the practice squad.

But when Dean injured his foot in the season opener, the Eagles needed Morrow again. While the 28-year-old is coming off a particularly forgettable performance against the 49ers last week, he has played above expectation for most of the season, especially for a guy who didn’t even make the roster. Morrow has played in 11 games and started 8. He has 56 tackles, 9 TFLs, 5 QB hits and 3 sacks. With the addition of Shaq Leonard and the likely return of Cunningham from injury, Morrow’s role is likely to decrease.

March 24: Terrell Edmunds

The former first-round pick signed a one-year deal worth $2 million with just $600K in guaranteed money. While Edmunds didn’t win a starting gig out of training camp, he made the roster and ended up playing a lot early this season. Edmunds played 296 snaps on defense over 7 games and started 3. But when the Eagles traded for Byard, they gave up a couple draft picks and included Edmunds in the deal.

Since joining the Titans, Edmunds has played in 4 games with 1 start. He has 11 tackles and a sack in that limited action.

March 30: Kentavius Street

The Eagles brought in Street to be a veteran rotational defensive lineman on the cheap. His one-year deal was worth $1.28 million and included just $500K in guaranteed money. Street made the Eagles’ initial 53-man roster as they elected to keep seven defensive tackles. Street played in eight games and started one for the Eagles, a total of 87 defensive snaps. But at the deadline, the Eagles shipped Street and a 2025 seventh-round pick to Atlanta for a 2024 sixth-round pick.

While Street might no longer be on a Super Bowl contender, the move has been a good one for him. Street has started four games since joining the Falcons and has already played 161 snaps in 4 games after playing 87 in 8 games with the Eagles. He has 11 tackles and 3 TFLs with the Falcons.

April 20: Olamide Zaccheaus

The former St. Joseph’s Prep star returned to Philly on a one-year deal worth around $1.2 million with $650,000 guaranteed. After a career year with the Falcons in 2022 (40 catches, 533 yards, 3 touchdowns), Zaccheaus has seen his numbers go down with the Eagles in 2023. The Eagles run their passing offense through A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert. But even in recent weeks without Goedert, OZ hasn’t seen a huge jump in his production.

Through 12 games, Zaccheaus has 7 catches for 116 yards and 2 touchdowns. But it’s worth noting that both of his touchdowns have been huge plays; one against the Bucs, one against the Bills. But in the last two games, Zaccheaus has been fourth among the receivers in snaps.

May 5: Dan Arnold

The veteran tight end had back-to-back seasons with 30+ catches and 400+ yards in 2020 and 2021 but he never really pushed for a roster spot with the Eagles. They released Arnold right before final cuts in August and he has not been with a team since. The Eagles have had four tight ends on their roster all season: Goedert, Jack Stoll, Grant Calcaterra and Albert Okwuegbunam.

July 25: Dennis Kelly

Just as training camp was kicking off, the Eagles brought back a member of their 2012 draft class as a potential depth piece at offensive tackle. But it wasn’t a very strong training camp for the veteran offensive lineman and it became clear that he wasn’t going to make the roster. Kelly was among a group of players the Eagles released just before final cuts.

In October, Kelly was signed by the Jets to their practice squad and then bumped up to the active roster on Nov 1. The 33-year-old played four special teams snaps against the Raiders on Nov. 11 but was released by the team on Nov. 22 and is again a free agent.

https://www.nbcsportsphiladelphia.com/nfl/philadelphia-eagles/a-look-back-at-eagles-lottery-ticket-signings-from-2023-offseason/550935/