Veteran Free-Agent Contracts Eagles Must Consider Before Training Camp
The summer lull between mandatory minicamps and training camp may be upon us, but smart teams—like the Philadelphia Eagles—know that now is a great time to sign some veterans.
Free-agent signings no longer count in the compensatory pick formula, and there's been enough time for costs to go down. If you're a veteran sitting at home right now, any offer has to be considered. That's especially true if a Super Bowl contender like the Eagles come calling.
General manager Howie Roseman has done a solid job of patching holes and building a roster that should still be considered a threat to win it all, but it isn't going to hurt to add more players who can at least compete during camp.
Here's a look at three options still on the market worth exploring for the birds.
LB Damien Wilson
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Once again, the Eagles should boast one of the best pass rushes in the league. They have incredible depth on the edge, and improvement from Jordan Davis and a strong rookie year for Jalen Carter could help replace Javon Hargrave's interior production.
On paper, the run defense is where the concern should be.
Nakobe Dean and Nicholas Morrow figure to be the two starting off-ball linebackers with Haason Reddick playing more of an edge role. Both Dean (5'11", 231 pounds) and Morrow (6'0", 216 pounds) are a little slight.
The Eagles could use a bigger third linebacker who could be rotated in on obvious run downs and be a thumper for the defense.
The in-house options are all pretty unproven. Damien Wilson (6'0", 243 pounds) isn't going to steal a ton of reps from those two, but he gives the Eagles a downhill run-stuffer at the position who could save them some wear and tear over the 18-week season.
As an added bonus, the 30-year-old has six playoff starts to his name, including two Super Bowls with the Kansas City Chiefs.
A one-year deal makes a lot of sense for both sides if Wilson wants to make another run in a reserve role.
OG Dalton Risner
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The Eagles are one of the most committed franchises to having a great offensive and defensive line. Adding a veteran such as Dalton Risner would be just the latest move that signals that commitment.
Four of the five starters from last year's unit are coming back. But Philadelphia will have to find a way to replace Isaac Seumalo in free agency after he left for the Pittsburgh Steelers. It has two options in second-year player Cam Jurgens and this year's third-round pick Tyler Steen.
However, adding Risner to that competition would give them a guaranteed floor that still makes them one of the best lines in the league.
The 27-year-old guard has been a starter for the Denver Broncos the last four seasons and has given up four sacks or fewer every season, per Sports Info Solutions.
Even if Jurgens or Steen proves to be worthy of the starting job, it's an older unit overall that is bound to get beat up throughout the season. Risner has some experience at tackle that would still make him a valuable addition even if he just becomes the utility lineman who steps in wherever he is needed.
CB Ronald Darby
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The Eagles relied a ton on James Bradberry and Darius Slay to make the defense go in 2022. Both veterans came through and played over 1,000 snaps.
Will they be that fortunate again?
That's hard to say. Slay is 32 and Bradberry will be 30 when the season starts. The former has only played over 1,000 snaps three times in his career while the latter has done it in each of the last four seasons.
If either of them were to go down for a period of time, the Eagles would be calling on some unproven, young options to fill the void. Greedy Williams is the most obvious "next man up," but he only played 11 games last season for the Cleveland Browns.
His early career was marred by a shoulder injury that cost him the whole 2020 season, and it's unclear whether he'll ever live up to his potential as a second-round pick.
That brings up the possibility of adding a player like Ronald Darby.
The former Eagle, 29, has the versatility to play in the slot or on the outside. While he's had his own history of injuries, playing as a reserve should limit his exposure and keep him healthy throughout the season.
Last season, Philadelphia could rely on C.J. Gardner-Johnson to move to the slot when Avonte Maddox got injured. It doesn't have the same luxury now.
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