Keep or Cut Decisions for Philadelphia Eagles 2015 Free Agents

While some folks like to get a head start on window-shopping which free agents will hit the market come March, let’s not forget the Philadelphia Eagles have players of their own that are scheduled to hit the street.

In all, the Eagles have seven unrestricted free agents and three restricted free agents the front office must decide what to do with. And while some decisions are easier than others, it’s not always obvious what the team should do, nor is there any guarantee a player will want to re-sign.

Before the Birds can get down to the business of signing players away from other squads, they must first take care of business in their own building. Here’s a preview of which players the team should move on, and which players they should just move on from.

Nate Allen

Matt Ludtke/Associated Press

It appeared Nate Allen might be turning the corner toward the end of 2013, enough to earn a one-year prove-it deal from the Eagles in the offseason. Turns out, he was merely impersonating a competent safety.

The fifth-year veteran isn’t the total disaster he once was, but he simply doesn’t possess the necessary instincts to be a reliable last line of defense. Allen’s lapses and lack of recognition are a big reason Philadelphia led the NFL in completions of 40 yards or more against.

The problem is the Eagles lack an obvious replacement, but the truth of the matter is the team can’t afford to keep trotting Allen out there and hope for the best. Yes, he was a second-round pick at one time, but this one just isn’t panning out.

Cut

Bradley Fletcher

Alex Brandon/Associated Press

To be fair, some of the blame for Bradley Fletcher getting burned repeatedly by the likes of Jordy Nelson, Dez Bryant and DeSean Jackson in pivotal late-season losses rests on the coaching staff. When you have a mediocre cornerback, maybe it’s best not to leave him on an island against some of the top wide receivers in the league.

That being said, Fletcher was exposed in 2014, not to mention he seemed to lose any semblance of confidence in his own ability. Who can blame him? According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), no corner in the NFL allowed more receiving yards this year.

Signed as a free agent from the St. Louis Rams in 2012, Fletcher was only ever meant to be a stopgap, so he was unlikely to be retained beyond this season barring an unexpectedly stellar performance. That certainly wasn’t the case, so he can take a hike.

Cut

Brandon Graham

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press

Coming to terms with Brandon Graham won’t be easy for the Eagles. Derrick Gunn for CSNPhilly.com reports the team has offered the fifth-year veteran a contract, but the two sides sound far apart in these early stages of negotiations.

The problem is if they don’t get Graham under contract, who’s supposed to start at outside linebacker next season? Trent Cole turns 33, and his cap figure is set to balloon to $11.6 million in 2015, according to Spotrac, so barring a restructuring, he won’t be back. And unfortunately, the team can’t count on 2014 first-round pick Marcus Smith to take over after he barely sniffed the field as a rookie.

Graham may want to test free agency for the simple fact he could do quite well coming off a career year in which he posted 5.5 sacks and four forced fumbles in limited playing time. But unless the bidding gets out of control, the Eagles would be wise to match.

Keep

Jeremy Maclin

Michael Perez/Associated Press

Jeremy Maclin proved the naysayers wrong. His 85 receptions and 1,318 receiving yards were career highs, and 10 touchdowns matched a personal best. Oh, and he started and finished all 16 games, hopefully shedding the injury-prone label in the process.

Maclin doesn’t possess elite size or speed like most No. 1 receivers, but has a balanced skillset that works well in Philadelphia’s offense. It’s also notable that he did a lot of his damage when Nick Foles was under center, who figures to return as the starter next season barring a major upset.

Re-signing Maclin won’t be cheap. The 26-year-old could be looking at five or six years at close to $10 million per. Regardless, the Eagles can’t afford to let one of their best wideouts walk away for nothing for a second offseason in a row.

Keep

Casey Matthews

Michael Perez/Associated Press

In what was one of the more pleasant developments in 2014, Casey Matthews was pressed into action a lot and didn’t totally stink up the joint. The fourth-year veteran started 11 games, and you’d be hard-pressed to come up with many examples of plays where he was completely out of his depth.

Of course, Matthews may have only made the 53-man roster out of training camp due to a rash of injuries at linebacker. The fact that he wasn't a total liability helped his stock, but that probably doesn’t guarantee him a roster spot moving forward.

Because the Eagles will carry some of the same questions at linebacker into camp again this summer, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to bring Matthews back if the market doesn’t show a lot of interest. A little competition never hurts, and who knows, Matthews just may stick for another year.

Keep

Mark Sanchez

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

It’s hard to believe that at one point there was so much excitement surrounding Mark Sanchez. Turns out preseason performances against second- and third-string defenses don’t tell you a whole lot about veteran signal-callers.

Sanchez makes terrifying decisions on a regular basis, and his arm strength was especially disappointing. You could see the cornerback’s eyes grow wide every time he would float a pass outside the numbers, and the deep ball all but completely disappeared from the offense.

To his credit, Sanchez wasn’t a bad backup, leading the club to a 4-4 record in Foles’ absence. He’s far better than his stint with the New York Jets would lead anybody to believe, and there are teams that will be happy to have that level of competence on their bench. However, the Eagles have a very uncertain quarterback situation right now, and really should consider bringing in a rookie or some other project with potential to eventually take over as the starter.

Cut

Brad Smith

Evan Habeeb/Getty Images

When Brad Smith first arrived midway through 2013, the Eagles got him involved in the offense, primarily through gadget plays. They were unsuccessful, for the most part, but with a full offseason to implement Smith’s versatility, you would think Chip Kelly could’ve drawn something up.

Instead, we didn’t see much of him at all. A wide receiver by trade with the ability to play running back or quarterback, Smith was relegated to special teams, a role he performs well, but one not necessarily hard to fill.

Smith turned 31 this year, so you have to believe his roster spot would be better served going to a young player who has hopes of contributing on offense as well. Too bad we never even saw a decent gadget play out of him.

Cut

Restricted Free Agents

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Generally, the decision to extend a qualifying offer to restricted free agents is an easy one. With 90 roster spots to fill, there usually is no reason not to bring somebody back, and you rarely see other teams swoop in with an offer sheet.

In the Eagles’ case, Cedric Thornton and Chris Polk are no-brainers. Thornton, 26, is a starter and an excellent run-stuffing defensive end. Polk, 25, is a promising north-south runner with seven touchdowns on 57 carries over the past two seasons. Chances are nobody is giving up any draft picks to obtain either player.

Wide receiver Jeff Maehl is the team’s third and final restricted free agent, and while he only had five receptions in 2014 and played only sparingly on special teams, the Eagles might as well tender him at the minimum compensation. He’s unlikely to make the roster again, but after spending the last two seasons with the Birds, he’ll be good competition for whatever young receivers the team brings in.

Keep