Philadelphia Eagles' Blueprint for Winning Free Agency

With plenty of cap space and plenty of needs, the Philadelphia Eagles are expected to be major players in free agency when the market opens on March 10. That being said, winning in the NFL isn’t as simple as spending the most money or signing the most players.

The blueprint to winning free agency—and thus winning on the football field—is knowing when to strike and when to sit back and watch.

In any given year, anywhere from a small handful to a few elite talents in the prime of their professional careers become available. The rest are typically comprised of some combination of declining veterans, players who were believed to excel due to the scheme they were in or those who will simply command far more coin than they are worth.

Actually, free agency by its very nature promotes overspending on the inflated values of limited commodities, which is precisely why it’s so important front offices enter the market with a plan. Teams that dive in without one are destined to make mistakes.

With all that in mind, what might a Birds-specific blueprint to free agency look like? We submit our own plan for the organization’s consideration.

Re-Sign Jeremy Maclin

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First, the Eagles still have some business to tend to before free agency even opens. If the club wants to prevent creating another hole that needs addressing on the open market, it absolutely must get Jeremy Maclin under contract before March 10.

Maclin could command somewhere in the range of $9-10 million annually over four to six seasons but would be well worth the price to Philadelphia. The soon-to-be 27-year-old wideout was invited to his first Pro Bowl in 2014, finishing in the top 10 in the NFL with 1,318 receiving yards (ninth) and 10 touchdown catches (seventh).

It was Maclin’s first time as a feature receiver, which explains the significant increase in production—in other words, it was no fluke. The numbers were on track to be even better before starting quarterback Nick Foles suffered a season-ending collarbone injury.

If the Eagles don’t retain Maclin for some odd reason, they’ll just be forced to go out and find a replacement. Backing Maclin are Riley Cooper, who is strictly a No. 2 receiver at best, and 2014 draft picks Jordan Matthews and Josh Huff, too unproven for such a role.

And while this appears to be a deep free-agent class at receiver, many of the top names are expected to get slapped with the franchise tag, while the rest could prove costly and ultimately not the greatest fit.

Fortunately, Maclin recently reiterated once again, via CSNPhilly.com, that he hopes to return to Philly, adding there’s no rush to get a deal done. It sounds like it could be just a matter of time until there’s an announcement, which will save the Birds a lot of trouble come next week.

Find a Starting Cornerback

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As you can no doubt tell from the introduction, I’m always skeptical of spending big bucks in free agency. However, there are certain times and situations that call for action.

One such area for the Eagles is at cornerback, where the team is in no position to sit back and rebuild through the draft. First of all, the need is immediate for a defense that’s ranked 32nd and 31st in consecutive years against the pass. Second, with only one corner under contract past this coming season—2014 fourth-round pick Jaylen Watkins—the secondary needs help beyond tomorrow.

Finding a long-term starter might be easier said than done, but the Eagles have to try. They have the financial wherewithal to land one of the top cover men out there, and while that likely will mean overpaying to a certain degree, I’m not sure there’s any other option.

That almost certainly means pursuing Seattle Seahawks cornerback Byron Maxwell. If the bidding gets hot, Maxwell could earn upward of $10 million per year over the long haul, but he does possess the right combination of youth (27), size (6’1”, 207 lbs), versatility (can play outside or in the slot) and pedigree (coming from a championship team) that seemingly makes him a fit for Philadelphia.

Maxwell has only started 17 games in his four-year NFL career, so it’s difficult to project him as a No. 1 corner, even in Philadelphia’s much weaker defense. Whoever it winds up being, the Eagles need somebody with the potential to fill that void while the front office works on drafting and cultivating other prospects—something the roster currently lacks.

Stabilize Safety, Linebacker Positions

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Cornerback is far from the only position of need on Philly’s roster, particularly on the defensive side of the football. Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as going out and signing all of the biggest names in free agency to fill those holes. In some cases, the Eagles may have to settle for bringing stability to some key positions rather than star power.

Namely, those would be at safety and linebacker—both outside and interior. And why not just go out and sign all of the best players out there?

For one, it becomes cost prohibitive to fill multiple needs that way. Second, there aren’t necessarily top talents available at every position.

The Eagles have to sign a safety and in particular an outside linebacker; that much is for certain. If it works out and the right players are available for the right prices, maybe the Birds can upgrade those positions. Or they can re-sign Nate Allen and Brandon Graham, who played significant roles in Philadelphia’s defense the past two seasons.

What the Eagles cannot afford to do is nothing, because if Allen and Graham do walk, there are no clear-cut starters on the roster at either of those positions. And if the team waits until the draft to address those areas, it could be even more detrimental than bringing back mid-level veterans to reprise their old roles.

If there are two areas besides cornerback the Eagles must address, these are it. There are options on the roster that may ease the transition at positions such as interior linebacker and offensive guard. On the contrary, immediate, starting-caliber answers are crucial at safety and outside linebacker.

Take Care of Their Own

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There’s a tendency to look at a team’s cap space and assume that can all go toward free agency. That’s not always the case, and it definitely isn’t for Philadelphia this offseason.

Part of the blueprint for free agency means being mindful of the future, and that means preventing your own budding stars from reaching the market. In the Eagles’ case, as many as five players entering the final years of their rookie contracts could be in consideration for long-term deals.

Among the most likely candidates for extension are All-Pro defensive end Fletcher Cox and versatile interior linebacker Mychal Kendricks, who figure to be the cornerstones of this defense for years to come. Defensive end Vinny Curry and slot cornerback Brandon Boykin may be unlikely to re-sign due to being stuck in more limited roles, but both of their skill sets are the type the Birds would probably prefer to keep around.

Still up in the air is Foles, who figures to be the starting quarterback again in ’15 barring an unlikely trade up for Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Marcus Mariota. Assuming the Eagles are unsuccessful in acquiring Mariota, it may be wise to get Foles under contract in case he rebounds in the season ahead.

Should the Eagles decide to wait until next offseason to do deals with any of these players, they run the risk of each player becoming enamored with the potential to earn big dollars on the market. Cox and Kendricks should receive new deals in the coming weeks/months for certain, and don’t be surprised if one or more of the others from the Birds’ 2012 draft class follows suit.

Don’t Overspend

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Whether it’s on one specific free agent or just in general, the mantra “Don’t Overspend” rings true.

No one player is worth weakening the foundation of an entire franchise. No group of free agents is worth restricting the front office’s flexibility in future years, when other needs will surely crop up, when other key players will be looking for contract extensions of their own.

It’s one thing to go all-in on free agency when the roster in question is possibly one or two players away from a Super Bowl, or perhaps when there’s a veteran quarterback entering the final years of his prime.

Those situations do not describe Philadelphia, which hasn’t won a playoff game since 2008. Free agency exists to supplement the talent of a roster. The only tried-and-true way to build a championship contender is through the draft.

The Eagles have work to do in free agency, both to field a competitive team in ’15 that has an outside shot at going to the Super Bowl and to continue building toward what could ultimately be considered a finished product. But if they spend to the limit this offseason, it will likely result in disappointment, both in this season ahead and for years to come.

Approach free agency with caution. Only make the moves that need to be made at the prices that make sense. That should be almost every team’s approach to free agency, not just the Eagles’.