Ranking the 2015 Impact of the Philadelphia Eagles' Free-Agent Signings so Far
The Philadelphia Eagles already made several enormous moves this offseason. Which ones have been the biggest in terms of producing results?
In his first foray into full control over personnel decisions, head coach Chip Kelly has radically reshaped the Eagles with a few quick trades and free-agent signings.
With a new quarterback, a new fleet of running backs, a new linebacker in the heart of the defense and a new crop of cornerbacks, you could make a case for almost any of them as being the most important new addition of the 2015 offseason. We attempted to narrow down exactly which acquisitions will make the biggest impact and why.
Note, this is not necessarily a ranking of which were the “best” Eagles free-agent signings. We already graded the transactions here, so you can probably ascertain which moves the author believes were positive or negative.
Instead, this is examining which moves will be most influential to the club’s success or failure in the season ahead. They’ll all have a big role to play in the year ahead, but some could be much more vital than others.
1. Sam Bradford
1 of 5
If quarterback is the most important position in the NFL, it stands to reason the acquisition of Sam Bradford will have the biggest impact on the Eagles’ success or failure in 2015. Even if he is dealt in a draft-day trade for Oregon signal-caller Marcus Mariota, as many observers continue to speculate, Bradford still winds up having the biggest impact of the organization’s free-agent moves.
Assuming Bradford is under center for Philadelphia, the comparisons to Nick Foles are inevitable. Say what you want about Foles’ performance last season, but he posted a 14-5 record, including playoffs, over the past two seasons under head coach Chip Kelly. Bradford was 18-30-1 with zero trips to the postseason in five years as a member of the St. Louis Rams.
Quarterbacks often receive too much of the credit or the blame, but there’s no denying a healthy Bradford would touch the ball on nearly every offensive play from scrimmage in ’15. Clearly, how he performs would make by far the biggest impact of any player—new addition or otherwise—wearing midnight green.
And if Bradford is merely trade fodder for Mariota, unlikely as that may be, the Eagles potentially landing a franchise quarterback (or not) in the draft still could easily have the biggest impact of any move the team makes this offseason.
Of course, Bradford has only appeared in seven games over the past two seasons after suffering back-to-back ACL injuries. Yet even in the event Bradford is injured, he could have a significant impact, as Philadelphia might be able to recoup a draft pick in the trade with St. Louis.
2. Byron Maxwell
2 of 5
For better or worse, Byron Maxwell is the No. 1 cornerback in Philadelphia now. That means any improvement to the league’s 31st-ranked pass defense begins with him.
The Eagles awarded Maxwell a six-year, $63 million contract, including $25 million guaranteed, according to Spotrac, so it’s quite clear the level of faith the organization is putting in the former Seattle Seahawk. That’s shutdown-corner money.
The only potential issue is Maxwell is not a shutdown cornerback, or even an established player—at least not yet. He’s only started 17 games in the NFL, and he ranked 25th out of 73 corners in opponents’ passer rating in 2014, according to Pro Football Focus, while surrounded by a historically great supporting cast on defense no less.
None of which is to say Maxwell is a bad player. Clearly, the Eagles are counting on his continued development. Maxwell is 6’1”, 207 pounds, recorded 24 pass breakups and six interceptions over the past two seasons and played in a similar scheme for Seattle—not to mention appeared in some big games, including a pair of Super Bowls.
The potential is there for him to influence dramatic improvement in Philly’s secondary. Whether the pass defense improves or not, Maxwell’s salary suggests he’ll be accountable.
3. DeMarco Murray/Ryan Mathews
3 of 5
It stands to reason that if the Eagles were willing to sign both DeMarco Murray and Ryan Mathews, the offense would be committed to pounding the rock. Add Darren Sproles into the mix, and this team might be a throwback to a time when the NFL wasn’t a pass-first league.
According to Spotrac, the Eagles currently have over $12.6 million, or 7.91 percent of their salary-cap space, allotted to running backs. Only the Minnesota Vikings are higher, and that is likely to change after Adrian Peterson’s contract is renegotiated or the All-Pro back is dumped.
Aside from financial commitments that seem to dictate how the Eagles will use their personnel, Kelly made it no secret just how vital the ground attack is in his offense. Speaking to reporters after the Murray and Mathews signings, via PhiladelphiaEagles.com, the third-year head coach expounded on his offensive philosophies.
“You’ve gotta run the football in this league,” Kelly said. “That’s what we believe in, and that’s what I’ve always believed in.”
Kelly also added that Murray won’t have to carry the ball 392 times, as he did for the Dallas Cowboys last season, while hinting there will be around 300 additional carries to split between Mathews and Sproles. Assuming Murray is close to that many himself, that’s a big number.
No doubt, the Eagles will come out running this fall.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
4. Kiko Alonso
4 of 5
If I had to choose which of these free-agent additions is likely to have the biggest long-term impact, Kiko Alonso might be the most likely. At just 24 years of age, he’s the youngest in the group. He still has two years remaining on his rookie contract, so if he signs an extension, he could turn out to be in Philadelphia the longest.
However, it remains to be seen what type of impact Alonso will have this season. First of all, he’s coming off of a torn ACL that erased his entire 2014 campaign, so there’s no telling what condition he’ll be in when he initially returns to the field.
Also, interior linebacker isn’t necessarily an impact position in Philadelphia’s 3-4 defense. DeMeco Ryans was having a quiet ’14 (0.0 SK, 1 INT) before injury struck, and replacements Casey Matthews and Emmanuel Acho didn’t exactly fill out the stat sheet, either.
Of course, if Alonso is healthy and ready to hit the ground running, he’s the type of player who can jump out at you in any scheme. As a rookie for the Buffalo Bills in ’13, Alonso registered 159 total tackles, 2.0 sacks, four pass breakups, four interceptions and a forced fumble—a line that would’ve been impressive for a grizzled vet.
Alonso could easily move up this list once the season gets underway, but he’s a bit more of an unknown at this stage. Will he be 100 percent immediately upon his return, and how quickly will he pick up the defense in what amounts to his second professional season? Time will tell.
5. Walter Thurmond III
5 of 5
If history serves as any indication, Walter Thurmond is unlikely to have much of an impact at all. Over the past four seasons, the former New York Giant and Seattle Seahawk appeared in 27 of 71 possible regular-season and playoff games. In other words, Thurmond is rarely on the field.
Should Thurmond manage to stay healthy, he’ll compete for the No. 2 cornerback job, or he could take over for Brandon Boykin in the slot if the nickel is promoted. Either role comes with a potentially huge impact, particularly in a secondary looking to improve from 31st in the NFL against the pass in 2014.
However, the evidence suggests the Eagles simply can’t rely on this to actually happen. Add in the fact that Thurmond’s deal is only for one year, and the team seems to be showing just how much faith they have in his ability to make an impact. For the Birds’ sake, let’s hope he can put durability issues behind him and fill a big need—just don’t hold your breath.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
