Pre-Free Agency Salary Cap Update for Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadlphia Eagles were relatively modest spenders in free agency in each of Chip Kelly's first two seasons as head coach of the team. Recent moves, highlighted below, point to the 2015 offseason turning into the complete opposite. 

In the last week, Kelly has moved on from three of the four highest-paid players for the 2015 season. He cut outside linebacker Trent Cole and cornerback Cary Williams. He has also reportedly pulled off the blockbuster trade of the year, dealing All-Pro running back LeSean McCoy, and his massive salary, to the Buffalo Bills for linebacker Kiko Alonso, the 2013 PFWA Defensive Rookie of the Year, according to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. And he released long-time guard Todd Herremans. 

In essence, after making minor tweaks to the roster in each of his previous two seasons, Kelly is shaping the roster the way he wants. All signs point to Kelly using the team's massive amount of salary cap space to plug holes on the defensive sides of the ball while he attempts to pull off the trade of the century for Heisman quarterback Marcus Mariota. 

But before the Eagles can even begin focusing on filling their remaining needs through the draft, they need to prepare for free agency. More importantly, they need to make some noise. The Eagles have $48,499,327 in available cap space, per Spotrac, which ranks them fifth in the National Football League behind the Jacksonville Jaguars, Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns and New York Jets. 

The only likely remaining cut the Eagles will make is inside linebacker DeMeco Ryans. Following the trade for Alonso, the Eagles have Ryans' replacement in the middle of the defense. Factor in Ryans' age (31 in July), his declining ability, his high salary in 2015 ($6.9 million, per Spotrac) and his second Achilles tear in the last five seasons, and releasing the longest-tenured member of the defense (excluding free agents) seems fairly obvious. Releasing Ryans would put the Eagles at close to $55 million in cap space, the third-most in the league. 

Philly.com's Paul Domowitch suggested in an article that the Eagles could release veteran All-Pro guard Evan Mathis, who is scheduled to earn $6.5 million in 2015. But Mathis has been arguably the best guard in the National Football League over the past four seasons. In fact, the metrics site Pro Football Focus has graded him second, first, first and first among guards since 2011. There's no sense in releasing one of the team's best players just to save more salary space. Plus the Eagles would need to replace both guards in a single offseason.

So the Eagles will likely have about $55 million in cap space, which will hypothetically allow them to sign as many as four or five big names in free agency. But first the team should take care of their own players. 

Remember that 2012 draft picks are eligible for a contract extension this offseason, so expect defensive end Fletcher Cox and inside linebacker Mychal Kendricks to be extended for a number of years. Cox, who emerged as one of the best defensive linemen in the NFL this year, should earn a five-year deal worth close to $10 million per year. Kendricks, whose play since December 2013 ranks with the game's best playmaking linebackers, probably hasn't reached his peak yet and could receive a deal of around four years and $30 million. 

The Eagles could also extend defensive end Vinny Curry, quarterback Nick Foles and cornerback Brandon Boykin, but for obvious reasons, don't expect any of those three to happen. Curry and Boykin are still rotational pieces and won't be paid like starters, and Foles' 2014 season erased many of the memories from his incredible breakout campaign in 2013. Each of the three will enter the final year of his contract without a new deal.

As far as their own players, wide receiver Jeremy Maclin absolutely needs to be Kelly's top priority. Talks with Maclin have not progressed as expected, with NFL insider Adam Caplan reporting that the two are nowhere close to a deal. 

If Kelly doesn't bring back Maclin, he's going to lose a significant portion of the fanbase, as many are already concerned about reports such as the one from former Eagles quarterback Ron Jaworski that state Kelly's unpredictability is causing him to lose the locker room.

Maclin has done everything the Eagles have asked. He played in 16 games in 2014. He caught 85 passes for 1,318 yards and 10 touchdowns. He established himself as a sideline receiver, a deep threat, a blocker, a leader both on and off the field. Just 26 and a homegrown talent, there's no reason for Maclin to leave, which would yet again cause wide receiver to become a huge need for the Eagles heading into free agency and the draft. 

The instinct here is that the Eagles find a way to get a deal done with the 2009 first-round pick before the start of free agency. Expect a contract similar to DeSean Jackson's before the 2012 season, likely four or five years at a little over $9 million per season with close to $20 million in total guaranteed money. 

Other free agents the Eagles need to evaluate are backup quarterback Mark Sanchez, running back Chris Polk, defensive end Cedric Thornton, linebackers Brandon Graham and Casey Matthews and safety Nate Allen. Polk and Thornton are restricted free agents, as they originally signed with the Eagles as undrafted players. Among the five players listed, I'd actually look to bring back all but two of them. 

Sanchez is a great backup (key word: backup) who can fill in for a few games and keep the offense from sinking. In fact, the Eagles averaged more than 27 offensive points per game with him this season, compared to just 22 with Foles. He'd command a one- or two-year deal worth around $4 or $5 million per season, but that's the price to pay for a relatively young quarterback with starting experience. Plus Philly is used to two quarterbacks, as the starter has played in all 16 games just once since 2003. 

Polk is expected to be a part of the Eagles' likely three-headed running back rotation in 2015, and his increased workload at the end of the season shows that he is likely in Kelly's future plans. Don't forget he also had success as a kick returner. Expect a one-year deal for around a million dollars. 

Thornton is a quietly underrated run-stopping defensive end who makes up part of a terrific rotation opposite Fletcher Cox. Thornton helps to stop the run on first and second downs, while Curry rushes the passer on obvious passing downs. As he is just 26 years old, the Eagles can bring back Thornton for at least one more season at maybe $3 million. 

Graham, the 2010 first-round pick, struggled during his first few seasons in the league and has never really gotten a chance to start since his torn ACL in December of his rookie season. He played extremely well as a backup in both 2012, as a 4-3 defensive end, and in 2014, as a 3-4 outside linebacker. But he's best suited as a 4-3 defensive end and it doesn't make sense to bring back a player whose skill set as a pass-rusher will likely result in him getting overpaid, a la Everson Griffen from Minnesota in 2014. 

Matthews is a tough call at linebacker. He was the fanbase's whipping boy for a number of seasons after his initial struggles as the starting inside linebacker, but he turned in the best season of his career in 2014, helping to fill the void created by DeMeco Ryans' midseason torn Achilles. With the recent signing of former Green Bay Packers inside linebacker Brad Jones, Matthews might be expendable, however. 

Allen is another former whipping boy who isn't quite as bad as the fanbase thinks. He wasn't good in 2014, allowing a passer rating of 106.2, but he recorded four interceptions and recovered three fumbles. Those seven turnovers were as many as any defensive player in the league this season. You can't just throw away those big plays though despite his struggles in coverage. Safety is a position where I'd look for an upgrade, but if one can't be found, bringing back Allen on a one-year deal worth about $2 million isn't the worst idea.

So now let's move on to free agency, where almost everybody expects the Eagles to be extremely busy. The Eagles have already been linked to cornerback Byron Maxwell, safety Devin McCourty and outside linebacker Jason Worilds. Each is arguably the top free-agent player at his position. 

With Williams released and already visiting other teams and Bradley Fletcher a free agent who undoubtedly won't return, the Eagles will need two new starting cornerbacks in free agency. Maxwell is the consensus best corner available in free agency, and although I'm skeptical of a one-year starter who is surrounded by three All-Pros in the defensive backfield, he represents a clear upgrade over the combination of Williams and Fletcher. 

Maxwell, 27, likely hasn't reached his full potential yet, as teammate Richard Sherman said Maxwell has the potential to be the best cornerback in the game. Maxwell's size, physicality and impressive coverage skills will attract the Eagles, who have the money to offer him a multi-year deal worth likely around $10 million per season. I do think the Eagles will sign Maxwell and I do think they'll have to overpay for him, but with Dez Bryant, Odell Beckham and DeSean Jackson in the division, an upgrade at secondary is an absolute must. 

McCourty, the top safety in free agency, is also linked to the Eagles, per CBSSports' Jason La Canfora. He's 27, like Maxwell, but he's a much more proven player. He's a converted cornerback who was named to the Pro Bowl as a rookie in 2010 and rated as the NFL's top safety in 2013, per Pro Football Focus. McCourty's age and versatility make him the No. 1 free agent I want the Eagles to sign (among players not already on the team). He could also command a multi-year deal similar to Maxwell, perhaps four years and $40 million with close to half guaranteed.

Worilds, who almost signed with the Eagles last offseason before the Pittsburgh Steelers gave him their transition tag, is the top candidate to replace Graham, according to NJ.com. The former second-round pick in 2010, Worilds ranked 11th among 3-4 outside linebackers in 2014, per Pro Football Focus. He's a good pass-rusher, but he's probably not worth the price tag he's bound to receive. I'd pass and look to sign Pernell McPhee from Baltimore. He's similar to Graham as a situational pass-rusher, but I think he's even better and would be worth a three or four-year deal around $6 or $7 million per season. 

The Eagles could also look at one of the top free-agent guards, like Mike Iupati and Orlando Franklin, although the guess here is that Kelly will try to develop one of the young guys already on the roster or spend a mid-round pick on Herremans' replacement. 

Kelly could also pull a rabbit out of his hat in free agency. Nobody really has any idea what he will do at this point. He could sign a running back like C.J. Spiller, a player he reportedly has already tried to trade for, per CSN Philly's Geoff Mosher, or a playmaking tight end with size like Julius Thomas or Jordan Cameron. 

The Eagles have the money to make some noise, and after two consecutive 10-6 seasons, the guess here is that Kelly felt the current guys on his roster had peaked. Rumors continue to circulate about Kelly trading up for Mariota, and I really do believe it will happen. Kelly called Mariota the best player he ever coached and a guy who can win multiple Super Bowls. He's not afraid to make the risky move, and he's probably going to do whatever it takes to get his former quarterback. 

Expect Kelly to spend big in free agency to make up for the draft picks he won't be having. The official prediction here is that Kelly signs Maxwell on the first day of free agency, plus safety Rahim Moore, who was coached by new defensive backs coach Cory Undlin in Denver. Add another veteran cornerback like Green Bay's Davon House and an under-the-radar name at outside linebacker like San Francisco's Dan Skuta. I also think Kelly is enamored enough with Spiller, a 27-year-old former top-10 pick with low mileage, to bring him in on a multi-year deal. Plus expect Kelly to re-sign a number of his own players, like Sanchez, Polk, Thornton and, yes, Maclin. 

In all, I predict the Eagles' free-agency period will conclude with the signings of the following players: quarterback Mark Sanchez, running backs C.J. Spiller and Chris Polk, wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, linebacker Dan Skuta, cornerbacks Byron Maxwell and Davon House and safety Rahim Moore. That's not the Dream Team 2.0 either. Instead it's a number of players still in their prime, unlike 2011, who fit very specific roles on a defense that will not feature any major coaching or scheme changes from 2014 to 2015. With those signings, the Eagles would still have around $15 million available in cap space. That's pretty impressive to roll over into the next season. 

Add a possible trade up in the draft for Oregon's Marcus Mariota, and Kelly may be building something pretty special in Philadelphia. He certainly has the money for it.