Potential Eagles free-agent targets with connections to Nick Sirianni

[time2rock]

Potential Eagles free-agent targets with connections to Nick Sirianni

 

by Geoffrey Knox

Eagles HC Nick Sirianni is already familiar with some of 2022’s NFL free-agent class.

Time flies huh? It seems like it just started, but we’re already in year two of the Nick Sirianni era as the Philadelphia Eagles‘ head coach. Is anyone ready to place any wagers or take the over/under on what happens next? He’s seemingly had this ability to overachieve, and that makes the next chapter of his story, one that will be written in 2022, one that we’ll enjoy reading.

Step one is improving a roster that helped Sirianni become the only rookie NFL head coach in 2021 that led his team to the postseason. Now, it’s about making this team better.

The NFL Scouting Combine runs from Tuesday, March 1st until Monday, March 7th. The free-agency period comes after that on March 16th. Interestingly enough, several players that figure to hit the market have ties to the Eagles’ head coach, and you know how coaches like to bring in ‘their guys’.

Marlon Mack is someone that falls in that category, though there’s no reason for Philly to pursue him. Coach was his offensive coordinator for three seasons though from 2018 until 2020. There are other NFL stars that Nick Sirianni knows fairly well too. Some of the following are worth mentioning.

Some of these guys make sense for Philly. Some don’t. Get a load of some of the names that are on this list though. You can argue among yourselves about whether or not they’re worth the investment or a discussion.

Would the Chiefs move on from Melvin Ingram? Would the Eagles show interest?

With everything that we know about Melvin Ingram, it’s interesting that the Kansas City Chiefs could acquire him from the Pittsburgh Steelers for a sixth-round draft choice. It seems like a steal, but hey, that’s how the ball bounces in the NFL sometimes.

Ingram hasn’t necessarily been a world-beater for the Chiefs, but he’s occasionally shown flashes of the guy that earned the first of three consecutive Pro Bowl nods in 2017, Sirianni’s final season with the Chargers (they had just moved to Los Angeles from San Diego).

K.C. has yet to extend Ingram. Maybe he hits free agency. Maybe he doesn’t. Who knows? Maybe Father Time is catching up to him. Then again, maybe it isn’t. It’s easy to assume that he has a little left, but here are two things that we can say.

One, he can play with his hand in the dirt or stand up, and any NFL team could use that type of versatility. Second, if he isn’t overworked (it wouldn’t be wise at this juncture), in a rotational role, he’d surely be more of a contributor to the Eagles than Ryan Kerrigan was. Some of you thought that Kerrigan’s addition was ‘low-risk and high-reward’, and Ingram was better than Ryan then and now.

That isn’t to say that Philly should open the purse to land a veteran that turns 33 years young during the offseason, but he’s definitely worth a mention on a list of guys with ties to Nick Sirianni.

T.Y. Hilton would add a veteran presence to the Eagles wide receiver corps.

This is one of the more obvious connections. While Ingram was played on the opposite side of the ball from where Sirianni was coaching, T.Y. Hilton‘s relationship with Nick Sirianni was more direct as it’s common knowledge that the Eagles’ current head coach was the offensive coordinator of the Indianapolis Colts from 2018 until 2020.

T.Y. isn’t the receiver that he once was, and he hasn’t played a full season since 2017, but he’s better than a lot of the guys who are out there. At this point, it would make more sense for the Birds to go the route of adding someone with more tread on the tire, but the argument can be made that a veteran presence is needed in the wide receivers room.

In 2021, T.Y. appeared in ten games for the Colts, and he hauled in 23 receptions for 331 yards and three touchdowns. He isn’t running past anyone consistently anymore, but he’d probably be more productive in the Eagles’ offense than JJ Arcega-Whiteside, Jalen Reagor, Tyree Jackson combined.

Keep an eye on this one. It should be interesting to see where T.Y. lands. It’s hard to imagine that being Philly though, but you can’t mention impending free agents that have ties to Nick Sirianni and not bring up one of the more obvious.

Could Melvin Gordon re-establish himself in the Eagles’ vaunted rushing attack?

Once upon a time, this was someone that much of the Eagles fan base was interested in. LeGarrette Blount’s career in Philadelphia was of the one-and-done variety, but gosh, we all miss him. Ever since he’s been gone, there’s been this thirst for another workhorse, someone who could carry the ball 25 times a game and soak contests away in the fourth quarter if the Birds are up.

It was for that reason that, when Melvin Gordon began expressing his desire to leave the Chargers, the ears of Birds fans and some of the Philly media perked up. In the end, nothing came of it, and that was probably for a good reason. Gordon hasn’t done much in the years that followed his disagreement with L.A.

It’s easy to see a connection between him and Sirianni though. They were a part of the same franchise from 2015 to 2017, and however unlikely this pairing between the Eagles and Gordon seems, there’s no way the two-time Pro Bowler (2016, 2018) wouldn’t enjoy a resurgence running behind that vaunted Eagles offensive line. He’d only be 29 after he celebrates another birthday on April 13th.

Think about this. We’re talking about a rotation of backs featuring Miles Sanders and Kenneth Gainwell and, possibly, Boston Scott and/or Jordan Howard. That’s almost enough to make one’s mouth water.

If he doesn’t have to be ‘the guy’ Ebron could upgrade the Eagles’ passing attack.

What happened to Eric Ebron? Wasn’t he seen as one of the better young tight ends in the game a few years ago? His first four seasons in Detroit were solid. Then, in 2018, after signing a two-year deal with the Indianapolis Colts, he earned his one and only Pro Bowl nod after snagging 66 receptions for 750 yards and reaching the end zone 13 times.

In 2019, he was also solid (31 receptions, 375 receiving yards, and three trips to the end zone). Nick Sirianni was his offensive coordinator during each of those seasons. It’s in the years that followed where he’s seemingly drifted in anonymity.

His 56-reception, 558-yard, and five-touchdown season in 2020 was followed by an injury-riddled 2021 campaign where he was passed by Pat Freiermuth on the depth chart, he wound up on the injured reserve, and he missed all but eight games.

Ebron may not be what he once was. That’s still to be determined, but if he’s the ‘Robin’ to someone else’s ‘Batman’, a Dallas Goedert for instance, he could thrive. We refuse to believe, regardless of how his past two seasons have gone, that he isn’t better than Tyree Jackson and Richard Rodgers, two guys the Eagles seem hell-bent on pushing at all costs.

Muhammad’s addition would upgrade the Eagles pass rush significantly.

Now, here’s someone the Eagles fan base and media would fall in love with. The argument can be made that other defensive ends in the NFL are better than Al-Quadin Muhammad. If he hits the free-agency pool, he won’t be the most sought-after player at his position, but that isn’t a knock on him and his potential.

He may not necessarily be what you would call elite, at least not yet. Give him some time though. All he needs is a good position coach and a chance.

Muhammad has added 127 tackles, 11 sacks, 30 additional quarterback hits, and three forced fumbles to his NFL resume in four seasons with the Indianapolis Colts after appearing in four games with the New Orleans Saints as a rookie. That means that he and Sirianni were a part of the same organization for three seasons.

With Derek Barnett and Ryan Kerrigan both headed towards free agency and with there seemingly being plans to hang on to Brandon Graham, the Eagles’ defensive end position is losing players and aging simultaneously.

Two talented youngsters, Josh Sweat and Tarron Jackson, are both still in the mix, but the Birds may want to explore options in free agency and the draft. Al-Quadin Muhammad is a nice place to begin looking. He might be everything Philly thought they were getting in Ryan Kerrigan this past season and from Barnett for just about the entire time they’ve known him.

Imagine Mike Williams in a Philadelphia Eagles uniform for a second.

The buzz that would build if the Philadelphia Eagles added Mike Williams probably wouldn’t be the same as it was when this team traded for another receiver that wore the number 81 jersey in 2004 (Terrell Owens), but gosh darn it, it would definitely get some people talking.

More importantly than that, it would kill two birds with one stone. It gives Philadelphia’s offense a true and bona fide playmaker. It also gives the Eagles a veteran presence in the wide receivers room that some might say is lacking. Right now, Greg Ward is the elder statesman, and there’s no nice way to put this. Aaron Moorehead is failing as this unit’s position coach.

Williams’ resume speaks for itself. In 74 career games with 48 starts (those numbers include two playoff games), he’s hauled in 234 yards for 3,772 receiving yards and 26 trips to the end zone. He and Nick Sirianni spent 2018, 2019, and 2020 together. Amazingly, he’s never been to the Pro Bowl. Don’t let that fool you though.

He’s a premier talent that hasn’t even reached his ceiling or his prime. If Philly nabs him, he, DeVonta Smith, and Quez Watkins can do some damage for a long time.

https://insidetheiggles.com/2022/01/29/eagles-free-agent-nick-sirianni/

[Rob331]

All it takes is cap space!

[Breeze 44]

Mike Williams would maybe be the only one... no thanks on the rest.

[EaglesAddict]

If the Eagles sign 2 WRs this offseason (with one being the assumed #2 like Williams, ARob, Godwin or Chark), I could see them going after Zach Pascal from the Colts to directly replace JJAW...but with much better receiving skills.

[pallidrone]

4 hours ago, Breeze 44 said:

Mike Williams would maybe be the only one... no thanks on the rest.

Here is my issue with Mike Williams - The Chargers have almost $60 million in cap space next year. Herbert will be on his rookie contract far at least 2 more years, if not 3 if they pick up his option instead of extending him.

If he is this premier WR, then why are the Chargers not interested in resigning him? Why are they letting him hit the open market?

I don't think he is as good as what he is going to demand in the open market, and some team is going to overpay for him. I would hope it wouldn't be the Eagles.

[time2rock]

I don’t think we need FAs that "have ties to Sirianni”.  

[UK_EaglesFan89]

Get ready for a WR addition with a link to Sirianni that's not on this list... Pascal.

[Breeze 44]

On 1/31/2022 at 5:59 PM, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

Get ready for a WR addition with a link to Sirianni that's not on this list... Pascal.

oh i hope not

[Breeze 44]

On 1/31/2022 at 11:12 AM, pallidrone said:

Here is my issue with Mike Williams - The Chargers have almost $60 million in cap space next year. Herbert will be on his rookie contract far at least 2 more years, if not 3 if they pick up his option instead of extending him.

If he is this premier WR, then why are the Chargers not interested in resigning him? Why are they letting him hit the open market?

I don't think he is as good as what he is going to demand in the open market, and some team is going to overpay for him. I would hope it wouldn't be the Eagles.

i agree, that's why i said maybe and only in reference to this list.. someone else will overpay for sure.