Players Eagles Must Consider Cutting Ahead of 2024 NFL Free Agency
One year after making the Super Bowl, the Philadelphia Eagles enter the 2024 offseason with a lot more questions than they did a year ago.
Unfortunately, the season will be remembered for the epic collapse down the stretch that saw a 10-1 football team morph into a club that went 1-5 down the stretch before losing a wildcard game to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Eagles have already shown they are willing to get aggressive to address issues from an organizational standpoint. Kellen Moore was brought in as the offensive coordinator and Vic Fangio to run the defense after letting go of Brian Johnson and Sean Desai from the same roles.
They will have to make similar decisions when it comes to the roster. The Eagles have $20.1 million in cap space, per Spotrac. However, they will need to build a little bigger budget if they want to be able to make some high-impact free-agent signings.
That should prompt them to take a look at who they can cut that could either free up some cap space or open up a role for someone else.
Here's a look at thre candidates that should be on the chopping block.
S Kevin Byard
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You can't fault the Eagles for making the move to trade for Kevin Byard at the trade deadline. They gave up fourth- and fifth-round draft picks in the 2024 draft along with safety Terrell Edmunds to add an All-Pro safety to a defensive backfield that was struggling.
In fairness, Byard didn't play terribly. He gave up a passer rating of 103.3 when targeted in his 10 games with Philly, but he also graded out as the 22nd-highest-graded safety in the league by PFF's metrics.
The problem is that Byard clearly didn't help turn the unit around and there's a lot of money to be saved if the Eagles part ways with him. He's set to have the third-biggest cap hit for the Eagles next season, but almost none of his money is guaranteed so they could save $13.5 million by cutting him.
A restructured extension could be on the table as well, but it's hard to argue that a $14 million safety is what this defense is missing.
Byard just didn't make enough plays in his 10-game stint with the team last season to keep him at his current cost. He had just one interception and three passes defended. Given the struggles of the defense at the end of the season, this money could be better spent elsewhere.
CB Avonte Maddox
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Sticking with the secondary, the Eagles might not want to stop at Kevin Byard. They will have some important decisions to make with their cornerback room, including slot corner Avonte Maddox.
The 27-year-old has been a solid nickel corner for the Eagles in his six-year Philly career. He has started 38 games and played in 64 contests, but Philadelphia could save $2 million in salary cap space by cutting him or $7.1 million if it's designated as a post-June 1 move.
Maddox can't really be blamed for this season's collapse. He only played in four games due to a torn pec he suffered in September. However, he was able to work his way back into the lineup for the final two games of the regular season and played in the playoff game.
The injury likely had an impact, but he didn't look good when he was out there. In four regular season games he gave up 14 receptions on 17 targets for 202 yards without an interception. In the playoff game, he ceded a touchdown pass and 41 yards on four targets.
The question might not come down to whether the Eagles want to release Maddox but rather if it's more valuable to have $2 million in extra room when free agency starts or if it's better to wait until after June 1 and get $7.1 million that could be used toward getting through the season.
OL Fred Johnson
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When you're trying to build a contender on the fly every dollar counts. So while cutting Fred Johnson would only clear $1.1 million in cap space, it's still a move the Eagles will need to consider before free agency.
Johnson has been a journeyman playing for three teams over the last five seasons. The Eagles signed him to a reserve/future contract last February after he spent the last half of the season on the practice squad.
He ended up appearing in 17 games this season, but only 35 offensive snaps. He primarily played on special teams.
The tackle might have some limited upside, but the Eagles could be better off drafting a younger developmental tackle who can take over Johnson's special teams roles.
The Eagles have some questions moving forward, but they already have some answers built in to the roster. Tyler Steen has some positional versatility as a former tackle and Sua Opeta is a fine interior utility player. So even if Jason Kelce retires, the Eagles have contingency plans up front.
Someone of Johnson's caliber could be found later on in the offseason and it's going to cost around the same. Freeing up the cash before free agency will give them a little more flexibility.
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