5 NFL Free Agents That the Philadelphia Eagles Are Most Likely to Sign

The NFL draft is still over a month away, but the Philadelphia Eagles can definitely make an impact with the free-agency period looming. The team missed the playoffs last season largely because of the linebacking and safety corps, and Andy Reid would be smart to address these positions before the draft. 

The Eagles’ 8-8 record is deceptive of just how much talent there is on the roster. Five of the team’s losses came in the fourth quarter, and the Eagles still missed the playoffs by just one game. If Philadelphia signs these five free agents, the team should be in prime position for the postseason in 2012.

Stephen Tulloch

Andy Reid has struggled historically to draft quality linebackers. He’s never picked one in the first round, and the three that he’s selected in the second round (Barry Gardner, Quinton Caver and Matt McCoy) haven’t panned out. 

Reid prefers to spend a draft pick on a guy in the mid-to-late rounds and hope that he pans out. He will probably do that again in the 2012 NFL draft, but it’s also time for the Philadelphia Eagles to sign a free-agent linebacker. Reid recognizes that his job is likely on the line if he doesn’t turn the team around this season, and with the Eagles needing to win now, the best bet is to go for a proven veteran. 

Stephen Tulloch is a 27-year-old middle linebacker coming off a strong season for the Detroit Lions. He's a young, experienced tackling machine that can give the Eagles five productive years. Best yet, Tulloch played in the wide-nine defense in Detroit, so he has experience with what the Eagles run. This defense places extra pressure on the linebackers, and Tulloch was stellar in his role in the middle of the field. 

Casey Matthews struggled mightily as the team’s middle linebacker early on, and Jamar Chaney wasn’t much better when he took over after Matthews got benched. The Eagles likely don’t have the linebacker of their future on the current roster, but Tulloch in free agency is their best bet.

Derek Landri

Derek Landri emerged as a quiet star of the 2011 Philadelphia Eagles, turning in an extremely solid performance after signing a one-year deal with the team in training camp. Landri rated as the sixth-best tackle in the game, according to Pro Football Focus, and he gives the Eagles versatility as both an effective pass-rusher and run-stopper. 

The Eagles have their starters on the defensive line set, with Mike Patterson and Cullen Jenkins manning the interior spots, but three of the backups are set to hit free agency: Landri, Trevor Laws and Antonio Dixon. Laws has disappointed since the team picked him in the second round of the 2008 draft, and it's likely that he won’t return. Dixon is a reliable fill-in, but he is coming off a season-ending triceps injury that landed him on injured reserve. 

Landri probably won’t duplicate the success he had in 2011, but he was a terrific addition to the Eagles and fit well in the team’s wide-nine defense. He deserves an opportunity to continue his career with the Eagles, and I fully expect Andy Reid to bring Landri back. 

Evan Mathis

Like Derek Landri, Evan Mathis was almost an afterthought as a one-year signee in free agency, but he turned in a phenomenal season as the starting left guard. Mathis rated as Pro Football Focus’ best offensive lineman in 2011, grading outstanding as both a pass-blocker and a run-blocker. 

In pass protection, Mathis didn’t allow a single sack all season, and in the running game, he was instrumental in opening up holes for Pro Bowl running back LeSean McCoy. Mathis has been a journeyman thus far in his NFL career, but the success he sustained in ’11 makes him too valuable for the Eagles to let him go. 

If the Eagles bring back Mathis for 2012, their offensive line is set for the years to come. Jason Peters is an absolute rock at left tackle and Todd Herremans did an excellent job as the right tackle this past season. Jason Kelce and Danny Watkins were rookie starters in 2011, and the team has high hopes on both of them for the future.

Brandon Jacobs

After watching Brandon Jacobs play for their division rival for the previous seven seasons, the Philadelphia Eagles would be foolish to not even consider signing Jacobs now that he’s available. 

AT 6'4"  and roughly 260 pounds, Jacobs is a bruising fullback type of runner. He has thrived in New York as a guy who can get the tough yards on 3rd-and-1 or 4th-and-1. Meanwhile, the Eagles have struggled vastly in the power-running game department. 

Jacobs is a one-dimensional back, and he’s past the point in his career where I would want him to carry the ball 20 times. The Eagles likely wouldn’t use him too much with LeSean McCoy coming off a phenomenal season as the feature back, but for a situational back, Jacobs could still be effective as a third-down/power runner.

Jarret Johnson

Jarret Johnson had several strong seasons with the Baltimore Ravens as an outside linebacker in both the 3-4 and 4-3 schemes. He'll be 31 years old by the start of next season, but Johnson is effective enough in all aspects of the game that the Philadelphia Eagles should strongly consider him. 

Johnson would be a dramatic upgrade over Akeem Jordan, Moise Fokou and Jamar Chaney. If the Eagles also sign Stephen Tulloch to man the middle of the field, then Johnson, Tulloch and Brian Rolle become one of the better linebacking corps in the game.