Currently, the Eagles are still around $19 million over the salary cap. They have to be under the salary cap by the beginning of the new league year, Wednesday, March 17th. With a few more contract restructures and roster cuts, they will be able to get under the cap, which they have to do by league rule. By the time free agency starts, they will have money to work with in free agency and be able to sign players. Teams are allowed to legally negotiate with free agents beginning today, Monday, March 15th.
With the salary cap dropping to an estimated $182.5 million, many teams will have less money to work with than they could wish for, the Eagles being one of them. The team is in a rebuilding mode and need to fill holes throughout their roster. Expect an overall young roster next season, but with a veteran presence to fill some positions in order to stay competitive, and help younger players learn progress. Also, expect many one-year deals for the Eagles free agency class, as players will want to re-enter free agency next season when the cap goes back up, and the Eagles situation. Here are some players the Philadelphia Eagles should sign in free agency.
John Johnson III, Safety
If the Eagles are able to sign John Johnson III, they definitely should. The former 3rd round pick out of Boston College has developed into, arguably, a top 5 safety in the NFL. He is extremely versatile, as he has taken snaps at Free Safety, Strong Safety, and Nickelback. He is an explosive playmaker that every defense craves, and the fact that he will hit the open market is going to make teams around the league happy. Johnson will likely be pricey, but will be worth it, as he could play a key role in the defense for years to come. He will likely be fielding offers from many teams, so if the Eagles are not able to sign him, they could look to two players who are very talented but will not command too much money because of injury history; Malik Hooker or Keanu Neal. Also, I would not be surprised if they bring back Jalen Mills, but he is better suited to be a 3rd safety and depth cornerback who could come in on nickel, dime, quarters, and RedZone packages.
Xavier Rhodes, Cornerback
Xavier Rhodes and the Philadelphia Eagles seem like a match made in heaven. Rhodes developed into one of the league’s better cornerbacks in Minnesota, until a decline in play towards the end of his 7-year stint. Last season, his career had a resurgence as he went back to playing quality football with the Colts. His secondary with the Colts was Jonathan Gannon, who is now the Eagles Defensive Coordinator. He will be familiar with the coaching and scheme and will likely continue to play well in a similar situation to last season. He would start opposite of Darius Slay for the Eagles, which would be a solid cornerback pairing, and allow Avonte Maddox to move to the Nickel position. From a football standpoint, the signing makes a ton of sense, but after Rhodes’ quality 2020 season, he may be looking to cash in on a deal that the Eagles cannot afford or would rather join a team where he feels more likely to win a super bowl, and the Eagles are coming off of an abysmal 2020 season, so they are not near the top of the Super Bowl favorites list. Although, many free agents would rather get paid well than take a cheap deal to play on a team that is projected to be in contention for a super bowl because it is easier to chase the money than chase a ring. If Rhodes commands too much money or goes elsewhere and the Eagles are not able to sign him, look for younger guys like Ahkello Witherspoon or Gareon Conley to be viable options to start at outside corner.
Anthony Walker Jr., Linebacker
One of the Eagles biggest weaknesses is the linebacker position. The Eagles saw some promise from Alex Singleton last season, and they have TJ Edwards who is an above average run defender. They also drafted Davion Taylor in the third-round last draft, who showed flashes of athleticism, but needs to continue to develop to become an every-down linebacker. Therefore, the Eagles need to improve their starters and backups at linebacker. Anthony Walker Jr., another former Colt, would be a great fit for the Eagles. Walker Jr. is a quick, physical linebacker who can start at the MLB position for the Eagles. He can make plays all over the field and has great instincts and football IQ. Coming from the Colts, he will also be familiar with the scheme and would not have to adjust his play style. The Eagles could also look at guys like Kwon Alexander or Raekwon McMillan as reasonable options to bring in, as they need to sure up their linebacking core for this defensive scheme.
Kendrick Bourne, Wide Receiver
The Eagles have countless young receivers who they will want to see on the field and will hope to develop. Although, bringing in a veteran possession receiver would help a young quarterback like Jalen Hurts, and would provide depth at the position. The Eagles likely will not be able to break the bank on any of the top market receivers, but definitely need to improve the position. Kendrick Bourne would be a quality receiver to provide depth and help the offense with short and intermediate possession routes. Bourne should not be too expensive and could be signed on a one or two-year deal. If he is unavailable, some other names to look for at the receiver position are Danny Amendola or Chris Conley, who would play a similar role to what would be expected of Bourne. These guys are not flashy or explosive, but they are cheap and serviceable. Do not expect the Eagles to break the bank at the receiving position in free agency, considering the young guys they have on the roster and will likely draft at least one receiver within the first 3 rounds of the draft.
Marlon Mack, Running Back
Depth at running back is always good to have. Nowadays, teams often use 2 or 3 running backs in order to reduce overworking their starter. The Eagles lacked a strong number 2 running back behind Miles Sanders last year. Corey Clement and Jordan Howard did not cut it, and Boston Scott is a good 3rd down back and 3rd running back option. Bringing in Marlon Mack would be ideal, as he has shown he has talent, but is coming off of a season-ending torn Achilles injury. This means he will not be too expensive and will probably only be able to sign a one-year deal, so teams can see if he can play similarly to how he did before his injury. Mack is familiar with Nick Sirianni’s offense and the play at running back would not drop off significantly when Sanders is out of the game. If Mack signs elsewhere, other options on the market could be Tevin Coleman, Carlos Hyde, or Malcolm Brown, to name a few.
Jacoby Brissett, Quarterback
Jalen Hurts should be the starting quarterback to start the season. The organization wants him to progress and become a valid NFL starter. Bringing in Jacoby Brissett to back him up would be a smart move. Brissett is coming from Indianapolis, so he is familiar with the system and Head Coach Nick Sirianni. Brissett would help Jalen Hurts learn the system and he is a smart and reliable veteran backup. He should not pose as a threat to Hurts for the starting position, but if he needed to play, he would be serviceable. If he signs elsewhere, Tyrod Taylor and Geno Smith would also be suitable options to backup up Hurts.