Easy trades that would save Eagles over $16 million in salary cap space

[time2rock]

Easy trades that would save Eagles over $16 million in salary cap space

There aren’t many constants in the NFL, except for maybe one, and that’s knowing that things will change. Sure we know that every season there are perennial events that the Philadelphia Eagles and the league’s other 31 teams will participate in, like the annual draft and training camp. We also know that there will be roster turnover during every offseason.

 

Now that we’re thinking about it, these days, we don’t even know if some of the rules will be re-written from one season to the next. The point is this. If you want to be a successful franchise and if you want to win with consistency, the ability to adapt and move on must be a part of your organization’s DNA.

The Eagles used to abide by that rule. They often moved on from players earlier than they sometimes needed to, Brian Dawkins for instance. Nowadays, more often than not, they move on from players a year too late. Check out Nelson Agholor, Derek Barnett, or Alshon Jeffery’s story if you need proof of that.

Change has come again for Philly as one of their veterans, Brandon Brooks, has stared his own mortality in the face and has chosen to ride off into the sunset. The Eagles have restructured his deal some as a result, and that will create some cap relief. Next comes decisions about what they want to do in free agency.

If they’re looking to create even more cap space once those decisions are made, they can find it by simply making a few moves with some of the guys who are scheduled to be a part of this team’s roster in 2022. Here are four that qualify. Buckle up, we’ve found four potential trade pieces that collectively free up over $16 million in cap space if the Birds are looking to move on.

JJ Arcega-Whiteside’s 2022 Eagles cap hit: $1.5 million

It seems almost asinine to believe that the Eagles would be able to find a trade partner that’s batty enough to shake hands with Philadelphia to close the deal on a trade that takes JJ Arcega-Whiteside off of their hands. It wouldn’t be impossible. We see these things all of the time.

Other NFL teams are busy and sometimes don’t scout players properly enough. It happens. They have their rosters to look after. There’s also the component of JJAW being a former second-round draft choice. Somewhere, there’s a wide receiver’s coach that believes he can fix this guy.

So, we repeat for those of you that weren’t listening to us the first time. Someone would take Arcega-Whiteside. That’s a fact.

Hey, you didn’t think anyone wanted Mack Hollins, and he’s found a home with the Miami Dolphins. There were even more of you that believed Nelson Agholor was finished, and look at his career since leaving Philly. He’s had two jobs. Howie needs to get on the phone.

Unfortunately, the Birds won’t get much for a disappointing receiver that has one touchdown reception in three seasons, but the more important thing to consider is the Eagles save $1.5 million by dumping him on someone else. If they decide to cut him, it costs the team $405,222.

It’s time to give JJAW his walking papers. He can’t be on this team in 2022. He just can’t.

Jalen Reagor’s 2022 Eagles cap hit: $3.6 million

It’s doubtful that you’ll be able to find anyone that would shed a tear if Jalen Reagor wasn’t on this Eagles team in 2022. Every time we watch this guy play, we get sick. Every time we watch Justin Jefferson play, the feeling gets worse, and heading into the offseason, with 11 draft picks and money to spend, there’s no reason why Philadephia can’t move on from Reagor and pursue one of the better free agents that will hit the market come March.

It appears that, even though Reagor has been demoted, the Eagles are content with the idea of keeping him around for another season. There’s been a discussion, and he knows what’s expected of him in 2022.

Wait! Did he not know what was expected of him when Philly spent the 21st-overall selection on him in 2021’s NFL Draft? That’s interesting. The Eagles might want to rethink any theory that ends with Reagor sticking around for another year. They’ve held on to JJAW for much too long. Do they need to repeat that error by giving Reagor too many chances?

Here are some of the wide receivers that are expected to hit the free-agent market: Allen Robinson, Chris Godwin, Davante Adams, Will Fuller, and JuJu Smith-Schuster. We’ve seen enough All of those guys are better than Reagor.

Trading number 18 cleans up $3.6 million. The price tag more than doubles if he’s cut ($7.8 million), so that definitely isn’t an option. Still, the money he’s making can be spent on some better talent. Every day that Jalen Reagor hangs around is a day that this receiving corps isn’t getting any better. We’ve seen his ceiling, and it isn’t as high as we thought it was.

Andre Dillard’s 2022 Eagles cap hit: $3.9 million

Well, you had to know that Andre Dillard would make the list. The 22nd-overall selection in 2019’s NFL Draft enters the 2022 regular season knowing that it’s the final year of his rookie deal. That is unless, of course, Philly exercises a fifth-year option to keep him around in 2023.

Here’s what might be the most frustrating thing about the man that this organization drafted with hopes that he’d be the heir apparent to Jason Peters. He never earned the job, and on top of that, he let a former rugby star that never played the game before 2018 beat him out for the starting left tackle position.

That never should have happened, so if it seems like people are hard on Andre Dillard, it’s because they should be. He enters the 2022 NFL season with a price tag of $3.9 million if he’s kept around. The Birds don’t save a dime of that money if he’s cut, so that shouldn’t be a part of the thought process.

Dillard gives the Eagles some depth along their offensive line, and that’s always a necessity. Still, in all honesty, if that’s all that he’s capable of being, the Birds can move him elsewhere and find someone to do the job for less money. Keep in mind the fact that they already have some young talent like Le’Raven Clark.

Isaac Seumalo’s 2022 Eagles cap hit: $7.6 million

In one of the more underrated moves of the 2021-2022 Eagles regular season, the Eagles moved their highly-touted rookie offensive lineman, Landon Dickerson, from the right guard position to left guard, and the results were extraordinary.

It doesn’t sound like much of a move, but Philadelphia reaped some immediate rewards simply by making that decision. Dickerson, who had struggled on the right side of the offensive line, flourished on the left. An injury to Isaac Seumalo opened the door, and as good as Seumalo is (he’s one of the better and most underrated offensive linemen in the game), the Birds proved they can be just as effective along the offensive front without him.

Now, why is that important? It’s simple. If nothing changed between now and the start of the 2022 regular season, Seumalo would walk into the campaign as the seventh-highest paid player on the Eagles roster. His salary counts as over $7.6 million versus the cap. He also represents $5.8 million in dead money.

The Birds have some good young stars in Dickerson and Jack Driscoll though the latter gets hurt a lot, and with 11 picks in the coming selection meeting, Philly has some draft capital to find another interior lineman or two if need be.

https://insidetheiggles.com/2022/01/27/trades-eagles-17-million-salary-cap/

[time2rock]

As if any further proof is needed to be able to describe Howie's drafting as horrible, the fact that 2 of the last 3 first round picks are on this list (as well as a recent 2nd round pick) just adds more fuel to that fire.  He better not blow it this year ... it is absolutely critical he knocks it out of the park if we have any shot at rising to the level of the elite teams.     

[Portyansky]

3 hours ago, time2rock said:

As if any further proof is needed to be able to describe Howie's drafting as horrible, the fact that 2 of the last 3 first round picks are on this list (as well as a recent 2nd round pick) just adds more fuel to that fire.  He better not blow it this year ... it is absolutely critical he knocks it out of the park if we have any shot at rising to the level of the elite teams.     

Agreed 100%. Last year he did really well, I'll call it a fluke until proven otherwise. 

[time2rock]

2 minutes ago, Portyansky said:

Agreed 100%. Last year he did really well, I'll call it a fluke until proven otherwise. 

As of now, the 2021 draft was Howie's "blind squirrel finding a nut" moment.  If he strings together 3-4 solid drafts, then I'll change my opinion of him.  

[nipples]

23 hours ago, time2rock said:

As if any further proof is needed to be able to describe Howie's drafting as horrible, the fact that 2 of the last 3 first round picks are on this list (as well as a recent 2nd round pick) just adds more fuel to that fire.  He better not blow it this year ... it is absolutely critical he knocks it out of the park if we have any shot at rising to the level of the elite teams.     

Eh, to be fair, I think Dillard has played well when he’s been given the chance. He’s just unfortunate that the Eagles got an absolute stud in Mailata playing in front of him.