As witnessed by yesterday's Alim McNeil deal (somewhere Tom Donahue is pounding a desk saying "I told you so") it is getting around the time where teams look to lock up players with in-season extensions because, in addition to keeping the player from hitting FA, they get to use unused 2024 cap space to spread out the hit.  The Eagles did a good job in the offseason locking up core players, some of whom still had multiple years left on existing deals (AJ/Jordan/Devonta). So let's take a look at this year's possibilities:

- Zach Baun - The best FA signing of the offseason so farn. He's the most athletic LB we've had in a long time (granted, that's a very low bar). He surely has his flaws, but is  performing very well for a guy just learning the position and is only going to get better as he gets more LB reps.  I know Howie treats LBs like Hogwarts treated Dark Arts professors, but if he could lock in Baun for a few years at a reasonable number, he should. 

- Milton Williams - The guy Howie took instead of McNeil but you have to leave that comparison to the side when considering an extension. Williams isn't perfect, but he's a solid DT3 and should be paid as such.  He may want to test FA, and if someone overpays for him you wish him will and take the comp pick.  I'd be surprised if they haven't approached his management.

- Mekhi Becton - A solid starter with positional versatility that has done well under Stoutland. You keep guys like that around. Give him a multi-year deal w/ an average starting OG salary that includes incentives (based on percentage of snaps) if he has to fill in long term at OT, which would happen in case of a serious injury to Mailata and/or Lane.

8 minutes ago, erformc said:

As witnessed by yesterday's Alim McNeil deal (somewhere Tom Donahue is pounding a desk saying "I told you so") it is getting around the time where teams look to lock up players with in-season extensions because, in addition to keeping the player from hitting FA, they get to use unused 2024 cap space to spread out the hit.  The Eagles did a good job in the offseason locking up core players, some of whom still had multiple years left on existing deals (AJ/Jordan/Devonta). So let's take a look at this year's possibilities:

- Zach Baun - The best FA signing of the offseason so farn. He's the most athletic LB we've had in a long time (granted, that's a very low bar). He surely has his flaws, but is  performing very well for a guy just learning the position and is only going to get better as he gets more LB reps.  I know Howie treats LBs like Hogwarts treated Dark Arts professors, but if he could lock in Baun for a few years at a reasonable number, he should. 

- Milton Williams - The guy Howie took instead of McNeil but you have to leave that comparison to the side when considering an extension. Williams isn't perfect, but he's a solid DT3 and should be paid as such.  He may want to test FA, and if someone overpays for him you wish him will and take the comp pick.  I'd be surprised if they haven't approached his management.

- Mekhi Becton - A solid starter with positional versatility that has done well under Stoutland. You keep guys like that around. Give him a multi-year deal w/ an average starting OG salary that includes incentives (based on percentage of snaps) if he has to fill in long term at OT, which would happen in case of a serious injury to Mailata and/or Lane.

Im on the fence with Becton, I really like him but I think he may be a bit too pricey, we'll see and with a less expensive steen in the wings whose played really well when given the opportunity this year he could be the more fiscal option.

16 hours ago, Utebird said:

Im on the fence with Becton, I really like him but I think he may be a bit too pricey, we'll see and with a less expensive steen in the wings whose played really well when given the opportunity this year he could be the more fiscal option.

Yes they will give the job to Steen rather than pay Becton.  We don't have the cap space.  Howie has spent over 280 mil of future salary cap money.

Becton is a difficult one, if he could play RT then he's worth keeping around because Lane is going to hang them up sooner rather than later, but his time in New York suggests he doesn't want to play RT, and the drop off at Guard between him and Steen is not nearly steep enough to pay him top dollar as a Guard.

With Baun, it'll be the same old story, Howie found another decent starting linebacker so he's further convinced himself he's some sort of moneyball LB genius and lets Baun walk and picks another cheap free agent for a year.

Williams I expect to get an offer, he may opt to test free agency but ends up coming back.

We have several valuable free agnets who should be candidates for contracts now.

The big names, though, don't seem to me to be in the cards. 

• It seems like Milton Williams is betting on himself and wants to go into the free agent market for a big payday. Can't blame him, but if Howie can make him happy then it's a no brainer. 
• Then there's Mekhi Becton. Has Tyler Steen proven he canbe the guy? /Either way, I like having Becton on the squad. Hopefully, he has some sense of connection lwith the Birds and is willing to take a home town discount, but I wouldn't count on it. Mu guess, he goes the free agent route looking for top the OL $'s Howie just can't give him. 
• Isaiah Rogers is another case of Howie finding a taslent who needed a home, but who likely wants to see what he can get elsewhere. Maybe if Slay isn't coming back, Howie can dangle a starting position and starters money. 
• Josh Sweat. Hard to believe he's only 28. My guess, the Eagels won't gamble on his knee holding up ling term and letting him walk. Whatever the case is, they're not going to offer him big time money.  

 

Need to get this guy extended.