
Hot Takes, Predictions for Eagles' Most Impactful Free-Agent Signings
Much of the buzz surrounding the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason has centered on the trade for A.J. Brown or the NFL draft.
The Eagles entered the offseason with three first-rounders and turned them into Brown, Jordan Davis and future draft picks via a trade with the New Orleans Saints.
The flurry of moves has kind of obscured a few key moves they made in free agency, specifically on the defensive side of the ball.
General manager Howie Roseman will hope the reinforcements they acquired will help elevate a defense that finished 13th in ESPN's defensive efficiency last season.
Here's a rundown of each of the biggest signings, along with predictions for each.
Haason Reddick Will Not Reach Double-Digit Sacks
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The Eagles' biggest signing outside of A.J. Brown from a money perspective was Haason Reddick.
The pass-rusher was one of the best of his position group on the market. The blend of recent production and age (27) made him a very marketable free agent. Over the last two seasons, he has combined for 23.5 sacks while playing for the Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers.
After setting a career-high with 12.5 sacks in Arizona, Reddick proved the 2020 campaign was no fluke with 11 for the Panthers last season.
It's a good time to remember that pass-rushing production isn't all about sacks, though. It's entirely possible the Temple product is worth the investment even if he doesn't continue to match those sack totals.
Reddick is joining an Eagles pass rush that was already pretty nasty. They were fourth as a team in ESPN's pass-rush win rate, and Josh Sweat, Derek Barnett and Javon Hargrave were all in the top 10 in their respective positions.
So, while Reddick is going to still be a force on the Eagles defense, he may not quite get to the same sack totals he has seen in the last two seasons.
James Bradberry Will Return to Pro Bowl Form
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James Bradberry enjoyed a career year in 2020.
His first season with the New York Giants was a success by any definition. He was selected to his first Pro Bowl, held opposing quarterbacks to 6.5 yards per target and had a career-high 18 passes defended.
Those numbers took a hit in 2021, and the new regime of general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll elected to release the 28-year-old corner.
Their loss is the Eagles' gain, though, because Bradberry still played well last season despite having many reasons not to. Ultimately, he surrendered a 93.0 passer rating, but the Giants were a 4-13 team and 30th in pressure percentage.
Life as a corner is hard enough as it is, but getting put on an island against good receivers is even more difficult when the pass rush isn't getting home.
With Darius Slay on the other side, teams aren't going to be able to scheme against Bradberry. The Eagles' pass rush should help him return to the form he showed in 2020.
Kyzir White Will Lead Team in Tackles
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The one-year, $3 million contract the Eagles handed Kyzir White this offseason didn't make a ton of headlines, but it is the third-most money they gave to an outside free agent (not including A.J. Brown).
However, it could wind up being one of the better under-the-radar moves of the year.
General manager Howie Roseman hasn't liked to invest in off-ball linebackers. Here, though, they are getting one who is still relatively young (26), productive (144 combined tackles last season) and didn't break the bank.
White is built like a safety but is physical and was a sure tackler last season. He only missed 5.3 percent of his tackles in 2021 and was solid in pass coverage.
T.J. Edwards returns after a strong 2021 campaign, and the team has drafted Nakobe Dean. The linebacking corps as a whole has become much better in 2022.
Just don't discount White putting up the best numbers of the bunch in their first year together.
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