Philadelphia Eagles: 10 Candidates to Start at Cornerback in 2015

Anyone who has watched the Philadelphia Eagles this season knows the team needs a complete overhaul at the cornerback position.

After all, the Eagles were sitting grand at 9-3 just three weeks ago and in prime position for a first-round bye; now, following three straight losses, Philadelphia has been eliminated before even playing its Week 17 contest.

The defense has been problematic all year, especially the secondary. Philadelphia ranks 23rd in scoring defense, 25th in total defense and 29th in passing touchdowns allowed. Cornerbacks Cary Williams and Bradley Fletcher have been the root of that problem, although fifth-year safety Nate Allen hasn’t helped either.

Williams is almost a certainty to be released, as he’s expected to make $8.1 million against the salary cap next season. That figure would rank as the 13th-highest 2015 base salary among cornerbacks (per Spotrac), and it’s too much to pay for a middling 30-year-old player with a propensity for committing flagrant penalties. Per Paul Domowitch of The Philadelphia Daily News, it’s highly unlikely that Williams will be back, largely because of his cap hit.

Fletcher is a free agent, and he’s coming off a season in which he set the single-season Pro Football Focus record for receiving yards allowed (1,072) by a cornerback (with one game still to play). There won’t be a lengthy waiting list of teams looking to acquire Fletcher, and he certainly won’t return to Philadelphia.

So who will start at cornerback for the Eagles in 2015? Could it be an in-house option? Will it be a free agent from around the league or a veteran that will likely be released? Or will it be a high draft pick that comes in and makes an immediate impact? Here are 10 possible options for Philadelphia.

*Note: All cornerback statistics are per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

1. Byron Maxwell

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Byron Maxwell is arguably the most logical choice to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason.

He’s the starting cornerback on Seattle opposite Richard Sherman, and there’s no way the Seahawks will be able to re-sign him considering they’re already committed to long-term deals for Sherman and Earl Thomas, and they’re going to have to pay Russell Wilson, Russell Okung and Bobby Wagner.

Maxwell is a pretty good player, better than both Cary Williams and Bradley Fletcher. He intercepted four passes in 2013 and two more this year, and he’s held opposing quarterbacks to just a 78.2 passer rating. Maxwell is only 26 years old, and he would likely command a contract around four years, $30 million.

2. Kareem Jackson

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Kareem Jackson is another logical solution to solve the Philadelphia Eagles’ woes. He’s a former first-round pick by the Houston Texans, and he’s been a solid player during his five NFL seasons.

Jackson actually rates by Pro Football Focus as a top-10 corner this year. He’s recorded three interceptions, outplaying Pro Bowl teammate Johnathan Joseph. Joseph is still likely the better player, and the Texans will have to choose whether to pay Jackson a new deal via free agency or keep Joseph around for the last year of his current deal (a $12.2 million cap hit in 2015).

Jackson will get paid very handsomely in free agency, likely to the tune of five years at $9-10 million per year. That’s a lot of money for the Eagles to pay, and they will probably pass on Jackson.

3. Antonio Cromartie

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Antonio Cromartie fits the mold of what Chip Kelly and Billy Davis like in cornerbacks: he’s a tall, long corner with good ball-hawking skills. Cromartie is 30 years old, but he’s incredibly durable (missed just one game in nine seasons) and he’s consistent, having recorded at least three interceptions every year since 2009.

Cromartie signed just a one-year, $3 million deal with the Arizona Cardinals, and they’re paying Patrick Peterson $70 million over the next five seasons. There isn’t available money to re-sign Cromartie, especially since Tyrann Mathieu can contribute so well at both cornerback and safety.

Cromartie has a tendency to get beat for big plays, but he’s an intriguing option for any team that needs a corner. His age will keep a team from having to pay too much for him; three years at $8 million per year may suffice.

4. Lardarius Webb

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Unlike the other cornerbacks on this list, Lardarius Webb isn’t a free agent, but rather a veteran likely to be released this offseason due to cap purposes.

Webb is 29 years old and will see his cap figure rise from $7.5 million in 2014 to $12 million in 2015; the Baltimore Ravens will owe just $2 million in dead money by releasing him. Teammate Jimmy Smith, a 2011 first-round pick, has hit his groove as a player, and he’s much more critical to the future success of the Ravens than Webb.

Webb didn’t play very well this year, allowing two touchdowns and a 106.4 passer rating without an interception. He could come much cheaper in free agency, like at a deal similar to what Antonio Cromartie will sign (three years, $20-$25 million).

5. Darrelle Revis

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This would be called making a big splash; Darrelle Revis would be the Philadelphia Eagles’ grandest free-agent signing since the organization acquired Nnamdi Asomugha before 2011. The problem is that Asomugha was a colossal bust, and that may make general manager Howie Roseman hesitant to pay top dollar for one player again.

It’s also not the Eagles’ style to do so, but should they be interested, Revis is a tremendous player, even at close to 30 years old. Revis is Pro Football Focus’s third-rated cornerback this season, a year after ranking first. He’s a rare talent who can shut down opposing wide receivers.

Revis is technically signed for the 2015 season by the New England Patriots, but it’s an unusual contract; after earning $7 million in his ’14 base salary, the Patriots will have to pay either $5 million in dead money if they release Revis or his ridiculous $25 million salary for next year.

The Patriots may re-work Revis’s deal, but Revis may enjoy being an independent contractor and thus would be willing to test the open free-agent market again.

Revis will be highly sought after this offseason, but what the Eagles do have in their favor is a good head coach, an opening at both cornerback spots and cap money to spare. Can you imagine going from Cary Williams and Bradley Fletcher to Revis and Brandon Boykin? That would make Philadelphia a serious contender in 2015.

6. Devin McCourty

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Devin McCourty is a big reason why the New England Patriots may not be able to bring back Darrelle Revis, or it could be said that Revis is a big reason why the team may not be able to afford McCourty.

Either way, the team will likely lose one of the two in the open market. McCourty is a 2010 first-round draft pick who recorded 14 interceptions in his first three seasons before switching to safety; since then, he’s rated first and sixth among safeties in PFF overall rating.

McCourty is a playmaker who will command serious money in free agency. Considering Jairus Byrd got $54 million over six years (with $26 million guaranteed), McCourty could get at least $60 million over six years.

Chip Kelly is a big fan of versatility in a player; that’s what attracted the Philadelphia Eagles to last year’s free-agent signing of Malcolm Jenkins. McCourty is a much better player than Jenkins, and he instantly improves this secondary whether the Eagles want to play him largely at cornerback, safety or even in nickel formations when necessary.

7. Brandon Flowers

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Brandon Flowers is another reasonable option for the Philadelphia Eagles considering his skill level. He’s been a Pro Bowl-caliber player for most of his career, this year rating as PFF’s 14th-best corner among over 100 qualifiers.

Flowers is on just a one-year, $3 million deal with the San Diego Chargers after getting released by Andy Reid. Flowers is 28 years old and probably has another three to four seasons of quality play left in him; he would likely get a $10 million-a-year deal in free agency if he hits the open market.

The main problem with signing Flowers is that he’s just 5’10”; while Eagles fans won’t care how tall he is if he can play, the coaching staff seems almost opposed to the existence of cornerbacks under six feet tall.

8. Chris Culliver/Perrish Cox

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The San Francisco 49ers have a pair of good cornerbacks in Chris Culliver and Perrish Cox, one of whom will likely leave the Niners and could help the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Niners have Tramaine Brock locked up long term, and they drafted Jimmie Ward in this year’s first round to serve as a safety/nickel cornerback. That means San Francisco will probable try to re-sign either Culliver or Cox, but one should hit the open market.

Culliver is a 26-year-old former third-round pick who rates tied for 15th-best among cornerbacks, per PFF. He was born in Philadelphia and may have interest in returning to his hometown. And Cox’s five interceptions are tied for first among all cornerbacks. Either one of those two would be a solid starter should the Eagles show interest.

9. Brandon Boykin

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Remember this guy? The fact that he’s only 69 inches tall instead of 72 to 74 has landed him squarely on the Philadelphia Eagles’ bench for the majority of this season, despite the fact that Brandon Boykin does nothing but produce when he does play.

Boykin’s six interceptions in 2013 were second only to Richard Sherman among cornerbacks; this year, he’s recorded one but he’s seen action in just 42 percent of the defensive snaps, down from close to 60 percent last season.

Boykin was overmatched trying to cover Larry Fitzgerald one-on-one this year, and that won’t help his case to start somewhere else or even in Philly in 2015. But he has just one year left on his rookie deal, and he’s a much cheaper option than signing a veteran in free agency.

Plus Boykin can actually play—and very well. Pro Football Focus rates Boykin 31st among 110 qualifying cornerbacks, a year after he rated 12th. Boykin is one of just 12 cornerbacks to rank in the top 32 players at his position, per PFF, in each of the last two years; this, despite seeing barely half of the defensive snaps during that span.

The Eagles have maintained that Boykin is better suited on the inside, and Boykin has expressed his frustration with this decision. Next year may be his opportunity. Even if Philadelphia drafts a first-round cornerback, Boykin could still start for a year while the Eagles groom his replacement.

10. Cary Williams/Bradley Fletcher/Nolan Carroll

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Don’t forget that the Philadelphia Eagles could still go with Cary Williams or Bradley Fletcher as one of their starting cornerbacks next season. Williams’ high salary makes him a probable candidate for offseason release, but he could still be re-signed at a lesser deal.

It would be crazy to think about bringing back Fletcher, but you know what else is crazy? Leaving Fletcher on an island with Jordy Nelson. Leaving Fletcher on an island with Dez Bryant. Keeping Fletcher with the first-team players even at this point in the season. Until Fletcher signs somewhere else, he does remain a candidate.

Nolan Carroll played very well with Miami in 2013, holding opposing quarterbacks to just a 47.0 completion percentage and 65.4 passer rating. He saw almost no action with the Eagles this year, playing in just 142 snaps. Nothing about his performance on the field suggests he can start next year; he was targeted 10 times in pass coverage and allowed 10 receptions.

There’s also 2014 fourth-round draft pick Jaylen Watkins in the mix. Watkins was drafted to play a hybrid corner/safety role for the Eagles, but he was inactive for most games and did not step on the field for one defensive snap. His best bet in ’15 is likely as the nickel or dime cornerback.