Eagles top remaining free agent needs and options

 

After the Eagles’ 2021 season ended, we ranked their top needs heading into the offseason in this order:

1. Edge rusher

2. Safety

3. Receiver

4. Linebacker

5. Cornerback

The Eagles have made one big splash in free agency when they signed Haason Reddick to a three-year, $45 million deal. They’re calling him a linebacker but he’s really an edge player who will rush the passer. So the Eagles helped themselves at their top position of need.

But what about the other four?

Let’s take a look at those remaining top positions of need and some players who are still available on the free agent market:

Safety

The Eagles did bring back Anthony Harris on a one-year deal but that other starting safety spot is still vacant because Rodney McLeod is a free agent too. Aside from Harris, the Eagles top returning safeties are Marcus Epps and K’Von Wallace, so they can’t be done yet. Tyrann Mathieu is still out there if the Eagles want to make a major splash but that seems rather unlikely.

Here are five options:

Jayron Kearse (Age: 28) Kearse played in Dallas last season on a cheap one-year deal and played really well, playing in 16 games with 15 starts. It was the best season of his six-year career. But will other teams believe that’s the norm? Also, Eagles DC Jonathan Gannon coached Kearse the first two years of his career in Minnesota when Kearse was a 7th-rounder out of Clemson.

DeShon Elliott (Age: 24) This would have to be a one-year deal for Elliott, who has looked good when he can actually stay on the field. The problem is that he’s really struggled with that. He played all 16 games in 2020 but missed the entire 2018 season and played a total of 12 games in his other two NFL seasons. To make this worth it, Elliott would have to come cheap.

Terrell Edmunds (Age:25) The former fist-round pick hasn’t lived up to that in Pittsburgh. But he’s been durable enough to play a lot of games. He’s considered by many to be more of a box safety. While Gannon seems to like interchangeable safeties, perhaps he’d be willing to sign someone like Edmunds knowing that Harris can be the centerfielder.

Ronnie Harrison (Age: 24) The former third-round pick just finished his fourth NFL season and has played in 51 games with 40 starts in his career, although he has missed games. An important note here is that the Jaguars were the team that drafted him and former Jags GM Dave Caldwell works in the Eagles’ front office now.

Rodney McLeod (Age: 31) If the Eagles want to run it back in 2022, they can. McLeod is still a free agent and played better down the stretch in 2021. I actually thought the Eagles would be more likely to bring back McLeod than Harris. Now that Harris is returning, it seems less attractive to bring both back for next season.

Receiver

The Eagles will bring back DeVonta Smith and Quez Watkins at the top of their depth chart, but they need to improve the position because of how disappointing Jalen Reagor has been.

Zach Pascal (Age: 27) Pascall is one of Nick Sirianni’s favorite players, which is enough to land him on this list. His best seasons came in 2019-2020, when he went over 600 yards receiving in each year with 10 total touchdowns. He’s not a great player but he’s a veteran who does things the way Sirianni wants. It wouldn’t be a splash at all, but seems very possible.

UPDATE: The Eagles signed Pascal.

Keelan Cole (Age: 29) Coming off a one-year deal with the Jets last season, Cole is another guy who seems unlikely to break the bank. He has 28 catches for 449 yards and a touchdown in 2021. He offers some outside receiver/slot flexibility and began his career in Jacksonville, where Eagles personnel executive Dave Caldwell was the GM at the time.

Jarvis Landry (Age: 29) Landry had some injuries last year and still managed to catch 52 passes for 570 yards in 12 game. Landry is a five-time Pro Bowler and while he’s played plenty on the outside, is best suited to be a reliable and gritty option in the slot.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling (Age: 27) After trading Davante Adams, the Packers will definitely try to keep Valdes-Scantling. Because of that, it might be tough to pry him away. But if the Eagles are looking to add a deep threat to their offense, this could be the guy. He has averaged 17.5 yards per catch in his four-year career.

Sammy Watkins (Age: 29) It’s hard to believe that Watkins is pushing 30 now and he’s dealt with injuries in recent years. But put him in the category of players that the Eagles could take a chance on with a cheap, one-year deal. The former No. 4 overall pick has never lived up to that but he’s been a decent player in this league before. As a third option, the Eagles could do worse.

Linebacker

The Eagles let Alex Singleton walk in free agency, but will bring back T.J. Edwards and Davion Taylor. Even with the addition of Reddick (who will play some at the SAM), they still need more talent here.

Kyzir White (Age: 26) The former fourth-round pick played and started all 17 games for the Chargers in 2021 and in his four years with LA, played in 47 games with 37 starts. He had 144 tackles in 2021 to go along with 2 forced fumbles, 2 interceptions and 3 pass breakups. The former college safety (West Virginia) is a modern-era linebacker, who could give the Eagles solid snaps and not cost a ton.

Anthony Barr (Age: 30) This seems less likely after the Eagles signed Reddick but Barr has a ton of familiarity with the type of defense Gannon wants to run from their time together in Minnesota. And if the Eagles could use him as the SAM in the defense, they could play Reddick more at the DE position.

Joe Schobert (Age: 28) It’s amazing that Schobert has turned into a journeyman well before the age of 30. The former Pro Bowler played last season in Pittsburgh, the year before in Jacksonville and the four years before in Cleveland. He has produced five consecutive 100-tackle seasons, but the Steelers cut him to save some cap space. Schobert isn’t coming off his best season but for the right price, he would really help the Eagles.

Nick Kwiatkoski (Age: 28) The Eagles had some interest in Kwiatkoski before he signed with the Raiders in 2020 and they liked him coming out in the draft in 2016. There’s a chance he could end up back in Las Vegas but if not, he could really help the Eagles as a rotational linebacker and special teams standout.

Jarrad Davis (Age: 27) I’m still intrigued by Davis, who was a first-round pick out of Florida in 2017. He joined the Jets last season but suffered an ankle injury that kept him out for an extended period of time and even when he returned, he wasn’t great. His best season came in Detroit in 2018. It would need to be a one-year, prove-it deal but it’s hard to imagine the Eagles throwing a ton of money into this position anyway.

Cornerback

The Eagles have Darius Slay and Avonte Maddox back for the 2022 season but they have to fill their No. 2 corner spot.

Steve Nelson (Age: 29) Nelson was fine last year as the Eagles’ CB2. He was hoping to really get a nice contract as a free agent but that hasn’t happened yet. And each day he’s still available, you’ve got to think the likelihood of his returning increases.

Xavier Rhodes (Age: 31) He’ll be 32 by the time this year starts so this obviously isn’t a long-term fix. But the former Pro Bowler and All-Pro has played for Gannon before and Gannon had him playing at a pretty high level just a couple years ago in Indy.

T.J. Carrie (Age: 31) Another guy who was with the Colts, that means Carrie has some familiarity with Gannon. He’s played a lot of football in the NFL (118 games with 54 starts). He stayed with the Colts last year on a one-year contract but now that Matt Eberflus is gone, it seems less likely he’ll return.

Kyle Fuller (Age: 30) A few years ago, many Eagles fans wanted them to trade for Fuller. Well, he’s available as a free agent this offseason. Fuller played in Denver on a one-year deal in 2021, playing in 16 games with 10 starts. At this point in his career, Fuller might need a one-year deal after a rocky season in Colorado, but he can still play and was a Pro Bowler in 2019.

Patrick Peterson (Age: 32) This one feels far-fetched, but the Eagles were one of several teams Peterson mentioned on a recent television appearance. Peterson is well past his prime as a perennial Pro Bowler but maybe the Eagles could get a year out of him in this late stage of his career.

https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/eagles/nfl-free-agency-2022-eagles-top-remaining-free-agent-needs-and-options

Should be noted that Jayron Kearse has signed a new 2 year deal to stay in Dallas.  

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/03/21/jayron-kearse-re-signing-with-cowboys/

They all get cheaper with each passing day. Howie has $'s mow after restructuring Slay's deal. 

First, let's assume the Eagles are going to draft a pass rusher, corner, safety, and wide receiver in the first and second day of the draft. That 5th pick in rounds 1 and 2 could be a big running back or linebacker. 

My choices here as long as the deals are close to the league minimum - 

• Priority 1 - corner. Nelson. He was serviceable and steady, With the addition of Harris and using Gannon's scheme we got over the miserable habit of giving up the chunk plays that plagued us the prior three years. He can be competition for a first round corner and a quality backup. 
• Priority 2 - safety. We still only have one starter.  My pick here is Terrell Edmunds. Sometimes players blossom with a change of scenery. Even anticipating a second day draft pick, we only have 1 NFL quality backup in Epps. Wallace r MAyden would be a disaster if they had to play. Same reasoning as with Nelson. Camp competition and whomever doesn't start becomes a quality backup. 
• Priority 3 - linebacker. We have 3 NFL linebackers on the roster as of today. Taylor is going to play every down. Edwards will play in the base. Does Reddick play linebacker in the base 4-3, probably not. Bradley is a special teamer. After that the cupboard is bare.  So we add one in the draft and then what. My pick - Jarrad Davis. He was a 1st round pick which makes him better than all of the Eagles 'backers. 
• Priority 4 - big running back. They left this one out. Probably because the free agent list is completely uninspiring. My hope - Spiller or Breece Hall on day 2. 
• Priority 5 - receiver. Okay, we signed Pascal and we'll draft one. That's good, but I want to replace JJAW, Reagor, and Ward, Given that, adding another one makes sense. Draft 2 of them? Maybe. My favorite would be Valdez-Scantling, but I'd be very happy with Landry. That would be a solid room - Smith, Watkins, Landry, Valdez-Scantling, and Pascal. Two vets (Pascal and Landry/MVS), none over 30. One rookie. and two young and improving (Smith and Watkins). 

Wonder if picking up Julio and AJ would cost much? 

I’d re-sign Nelson, bring in Kyzir White, try to trade down at #19 and target Cine, Brisker or Hall or use my 2nd on a guy like Pitre.

4 hours ago, Portyansky said:

Wonder if picking up Julio and AJ would cost much? 

Don’t want either … too old.  Would much rather we add younger players to this roster than have the potential to be part of a young nucleus that can grow together moving forward.  Don’t want to add over the hill band aids to a team that has as many needs as this team does.  

1 hour ago, time2rock said:

Don’t want either … too old.  Would much rather we add younger players to this roster than have the potential to be part of a young nucleus that can grow together moving forward.  Don’t want to add over the hill band aids to a team that has as many needs as this team does.  

I'm just sick and tired of missing. I have been hopeful Howie goes after DK. We need a beast..

7 minutes ago, Portyansky said:

I'm just sick and tired of missing. I have been hopeful Howie goes after DK. We need a beast..

I hear ya, I'm tired of missing too (Jefferson was much worse than Metcalk IMO but both sucked), I just don't want to take the wrong path to try to fix those mistakes.  

1 minute ago, time2rock said:

I hear ya, I'm tired of missing too (Jefferson was much worse than Metcalk IMO but both sucked), I just don't want to take the wrong path to try to fix those mistakes.  

I agree. 

Howie does have a chance to "get the one that got away" in DK. It's not very often you have an opportunity to right a wrong, especially when that player is still young and one of the best in the league.