Can Philadelphia Eagles Successfully Rebuild Secondary Through Free Agency?

The Philadelphia Eagles were among the first to fire a shot in free agency over the weekend, with ESPN's Josina Anderson reporting that they have agreed to terms with Seattle Seahawks cornerback Byron Maxwell.

Maxwell is the first of as many as three potential new starters in a Birds secondary that ranked 32nd and 31st in the NFL against the pass in the past two seasons.

Where the other two starters come from remains to be seen, but by all appearances, the Eagles aren’t finished shopping just yet.

Green Bay Packers cornerback Tramon Williams has been linked to the club by NJ.com's Eliot Shorr-Parks. New England Patriots safety Devin McCourty was also an option, but ESPN.com's Mike Reiss reported that the highly coveted defensive back has re-signed with the Pats.

The question is whether Philadelphia’s defensive backfield will actually be significantly improved after all the groceries are picked up.

Granted, the unit likely has nowhere to go but up. However, isn’t that exactly what we thought back in 2013 when Cary Williams, Bradley Fletcher and Patrick Chung were brought in to shore up one of the league’s leakiest back ends?

Maxwell and Tramon Williams wouldn’t be viewed in the same light as Cary Williams, Fletcher and Chung—and rightfully so.

Of course, this duo would also come at a far higher price per player, and there’s still no guarantee it’s the quick fix some might have you believe.

YR	G/GS	TKL	PD	INT
2014	13/12	39	12	2
2013	16/5	28	12	4
2012	9/0	14	3	0
2011	9/0	1	0	0

Take Maxwell, who can officially sign with the Eagles on Tuesday. He certainly fills a gaping hole—truly a necessity at a position where only one player is under contract beyond 2015—but for the $63 million over six years with $25 million in guarantees that was reported by CBSSports.com's Jason La Canfora, you would expect a shutdown corner.

With that said, Maxwell has started a mere 17 games over four NFL seasons, and he’s hardly established that type of reputation around the league.

In 2014, while surrounded by numerous Pro Bowlers on an elite defense in Seattle, Maxwell ranked tied for 25th out 73 cornerbacks with an 81.1 opponents’ passer rating, according to Pro Football Focus—good, but hardly shutdown material.

To put that number in perspective, Cary Williams, who was released by the Eagles last week, ranked 38th with an 89.5.

Obviously, Philadelphia is banking on Maxwell’s continued development with more experience, a gamble that may very well pay off. On the other hand, it’s not a stretch to think the 27-year-old might be miscast as a No. 1 corner—especially without a great supporting cast.

YR	TKL	PD	INT	RATING/RANK
2014	70	13	3	101.7/55th
2013	83	11	3	88.1/t-49th
2012	61	16	2	74.3/17th

One thing is for sure: Whoever is lining up on the opposite side of the field won’t exactly be Richard Sherman. If Shorr-Parks' sources are accurate, the Eagles will target Tramon Williams, who turns 32 in a matter of days.

It’s hard to imagine Williams could be any worse than Fletcher, but that’s kind of beside the point.

The Eagles would be investing money in and counting on an aging veteran whose best days are clearly behind him. He may not even provide a major upgrade at this stage of his career, if he’s an upgrade at all.

According to PFF, Williams ranked 55th with a 101.7 opponents’ passer rating in 2014. Fletcher ranked 62nd with a 107.6.

Now, what could help both Maxwell and Williams is the addition of a reliable last line of defense over the top—somebody who can make up for the occasional breakdown in coverage on the outside. McCourty would have made both players and everybody in Philadelphia’s secondary look a lot better than they actually are.

YR	TKL	PD	INT	SK/FF
2014	68	6	2	0/0/1
2013	69	9	1	0.0/2
2012	82	13	5	0.0/2

Unfortunately, that can be classified under wishful thinking.

Now that McCourty is off the table for the Birds, filling the hole at safety alongside Malcolm Jenkins becomes that much more difficult.

There are other options in free agency, but none who fit the scheme as well or possess the level of talent of McCourty. Plus, his sudden exit from the market shows the inherent problem with any target's availability—it's subject to rapid change.

Some are no doubt wondering how difficult it could possibly be to find an alternative to Nate Allen, but the truth of the matter is it might not be that simple. The Eagles attempted to replace Allen last offseason only to wind up re-signing him to a one-year deal a week into free agency.

The grass is not always greener.

Any time a team is trying to replace three starters in its secondary in one offseason—particularly without the luxury of a top-10 or top-15 draft pick—there are bound to be some hiccups.

Given the availability—or unavailability—of high-end talent, it’s safe to assume Philadelphia’s secondary will not suddenly be an elite unit by the time free agency wraps up.

Vastly improved? That remains to be seen, although it's a distinct possibility. Rebuilt to the point of being considered "fixed"? That might be far less likely.