Leftover free agents who could fill needs for Eagles

 

NFL free agency began nearly a month ago and the Eagles have remained relatively quiet, signing just three outside free agents: Haason Reddick, Zach Pascal and Kyzir White.

The draft is just a few weeks away so they’ll have the opportunity to fill some of their remaining holes with their 10 picks, but free agency isn’t over either.

There are still plenty of players available at the Eagles’ top positions of need. The Eagles have around $15 million in salary cap space, so they’re not exactly flush with cap space but they have enough to add another player or two.

Here’s a look at some top options at their most identifiable positions of need:

Safety

Tyrann Mathieu: The Eagles reportedly had a Zoom meeting with the Honey Badger this week and have been keeping in contact with the Pro Bowler, who was not brought back to Kansas City. Mathieu, who will turn 30 this offseason, had an in-person meeting with the Saints and they appear to still be the frontrunners to land him. But the Eagles are staying in the mix and if the price is right, they should pounce. He would be a massive upgrade.

Terrell Edmunds: Edmunds just turned 25 in January and the former first-round pick already has four years in the NFL. He has 64 games and 60 starts under his belt. Edmunds is more of a box safety and the Eagles will presumably be looking for a more versatile safety. But Edmunds is young and talented and has been pretty productive in his career.

Rodney McLeod: This run-it-back option doesn’t look as good after the Eagles already re-signed Anthony Harris. The Eagles need to improve the position and running it back with the same group a year older doesn’t do that. McLeod will turn 32 this summer but he played better down the stretch in 2021 as he got further away from that ACL tear in 2020.

Ronnie Harrison: Harrison won’t even turn 25 until later this month but he has already played four years in the NFL between the Jaguars and Browns. He was drafted in the third round by the Jaguars when Dave Caldwell was their GM; Caldwell currently holds a position in the Eagles’ front office. Harrison also offers some versatility.

DeShon Elliott: Another 25-year-old but Elliott has dealt with plenty of injuries in his career. The 2018 draft pick has played just one full season in the NFL. Even last year, he played and started just 6 games. He was great in 2020 but is that enough to offer him a contract? It would need to be cheap enough and a prove-it deal.

Cornerback

Steven Nelson: Nelson joined the Eagles late in the process last year after his release from Pittsburgh. He was hoping to cash in with a bigger deal this free agency but that hasn’t happened yet. The 29-year-old was solid in 2021 and he’d be worth bringing back for another one-year deal.

Stephon Gilmore: The 31-year-old might not be at his peak anymore but he can still play. And his wife said the Eagles have called about him. Eventually, the Eagles will need to get younger at the position but pairing Gilmore and Darius Slay for one season would be fun.

Kyle Fuller: The 30-year-old cornerback was once an All-Pro in Chicago but he actually got benched during the season in Denver last season. It didn’t go well with the Broncos but Fuller is a seven-year starter in the NFL and making him the Eagles’ starter in 2022 for the right price would make some sense.

Kevin King: This might not be an option to plug-and-play as a starter but the former second-round pick still has potential. King (6-3, 200) spent the first five years of his career in Green Bay with 51 games and 42 starts and 7 interceptions.

Receiver

Jarvis Landry: The Browns released Landry and after not getting signed for a while Landry fired his agent. Landry was able to play in just 12 games last year but has mostly been very durable in his career. He’s a five-time Pro Bowler. He would need to play in the slot but Quez Watkins can bump outside.

Will Fuller: The Philly native will turn 28 later this month and has really struggled to stay healthy in his career. He’s never played a full season. But when Fuller is on the field, he can be pretty dynamic. It would need a to be a cheap one-year deal but might be worth a look.

Sammy Watkins: The former first-round pick never lived up to the hype but he’s been a solid NFL player. He’s missed 10 games over the last two years, which means he’ll probably need another one-year deal.

Keelan Cole: Another player with a Jacksonville/Caldwell connection. Cole went undrafted out of Kentucky Wesleyan in 2017 but worked his way into a role with the Jags for four seasons. He spent last season with the Jets, catching 28 passes for 449 yards and a touchdown.

A.J. Green: There has been a thought of pairing DeVonta Smith with a big-bodied target. A discount option would be Green (6-4, 207) who is well past his prime and will turn 34 this summer.

https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/eagles/nfl-free-agency-2022-eagles-leftover-options-fill-needs

Come on Zangaroo, McLeod signed with Indy!

I am still trying to find out why everyone keeps saying Edmunds is "mostly a box safety".  I think writers keep parroting each other on that without any idea why.  He tested well at the Combine so he does have athleticism.  Does he stink in deep coverage or something?

2 hours ago, EaglesAddict said:

Come on Zangaroo, McLeod signed with Indy!

I am still trying to find out why everyone keeps saying Edmunds is "mostly a box safety".  I think writers keep parroting each other on that without any idea why.  He tested well at the Combine so he does have athleticism.  Does he stink in deep coverage or something?

In his defense it was written before McLeod signed (I was just tardy posting it).

And now Nelson is off the market ... just signed by Houston.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/04/13/texans-signing-steven-nelson/

I’d take sammy watkins for under $5 mm guaranteed and some incentives. 

18 hours ago, eggs said:

I’d take sammy watkins for under $5 mm guaranteed and some incentives. 

Signing with Green Bay.  

Close with the $ … 1 year up to $4M.  

I'd take Fuller on a cheap enough 1-year deal. He could really be a dynamic weapon for us in the 7 quarters he'll play this year. 

Green put up 848 yards as WR 3/4 in Arizona, he may be past his best but he's the most reliable out of those WR's.

Heard we are interested in getting Metcalf from Seattle

14 hours ago, GreenbleedinNC said:

Heard we are interested in getting Metcalf from Seattle

Reagor and a 5th!

 

(If you may remember the old "Graham and a 5th" from years ago on the old board ... we can replace Graham with Reagor for this new era!  )

 

1 hour ago, time2rock said:

Reagor and a 5th!

 

(If you may remember the old "Graham and a 5th" from years ago on the old board ... we can replace Graham with Reagor for this new era!  )

 

Call 'em up and tell them to make the deal today lol

WE need one of each to make me less nervous