5 Moves Philadelphia Eagles Should Have Made This Offseason

Few if any NFL teams were as active as the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason, pulling off blockbuster trades, signing big-name free agents and dramatically reshaping their roster. Of course, sometimes it’s the moves that don’t get made that come back to haunt.

Whether you think the Eagles got better or worse this offseason, the reality is there were transactions left on the table that could've helped the team, either this year or down the road. The opportunities were there, and for whatever reason, the club failed to act.

We're not talking about moves the team shouldn't have made because perhaps some were unpopular. And neither does that account for things that were out of the organization's control, such as wide receiver Jeremy Maclin bolting to Kansas City for more money or Devin McCourty opting to remain in New England for less.

These are strictly things the Eagles could have done, but they didn't. Whether any of them wind up hurting the Birds or not remains to be seen.

Give Fletcher Cox a Long-Term Contract Extension

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Last season, head coach Chip Kelly suggested defensive end Fletcher Cox was the Eagles’ "most valuable player" in 2014 (via the team web site). Cox has been increasingly recognized as one of the most dominant linemen in the league by analysts, earning second-team All-Pro honors.

So why then did the Eagles decide not to give Cox the long-term contract extension he so obviously deserves?

Oh, sure, they exercised the team option that added another year to Cox’s current deal, worth nearly $8 million in 2016, according to Spotrac. He’ll still be underpaid for this season, however, with a cap hit just over $3.2 million. And frankly, why not just make him an offer that ensures the 24-year-old remains in Philadelphia for the duration of his prime?

On one hand, it makes good business sense for the Eagles to keep Cox at a lower cap figure for now. Then again, does the club risk alienating Cox by not giving him the pay raise and security his play warrants, so when he is eligible to become a free agent two years from now, he becomes more likely to test the market?

Maybe, maybe not, but the Eagles also potentially could’ve saved money by doing the deal now. Inflation will send salaries higher two years from now, and when Cox inevitably makes a Pro Bowl or two and there’s the threat he could walk away, he’ll command a much-bigger contract.

Cox is a scheme-versatile lineman who can take over games like few others. The Eagles would’ve been wise to lock him up for a lot longer than they did.

Extend or Trade Mychal Kendricks

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Mychal Kendricks was another player who seemed destined for a contract extension this offseason. Not only did a new deal never come but the Eagles also went out and extended DeMeco Ryans, traded for Kiko Alonso, signed free agent Brad Jones and drafted Jordan Hicks, all of whom play the same position, interior linebacker.

Now, Kendricks can become a free agent in 2016, and with the logjam on the depth chart, it seems likely he’ll at least test the waters. The 24-year-old could wind up doing quite well for himself, too, as one of only three linebackers in the NFL with at least 8.0 sacks, three interceptions and five forced fumbles over the past two seasons.

Playmakers in that mold don’t come around very often, yet the Eagles are allowing Kendricks to twist in the wind. And if there’s even a chance the club might not retain his services, it probably would’ve been wise to get something in return in the form of a trade.

We speculated all offseason long the Eagles would move Kendricks, which was just reading between the lines after the moves they made—and the one they didn’t, failing to offer the fourth-year veteran a contract. Yet he’s still here, uncertain future and all.

There’s still a chance Kendricks could be moved prior to the start of the regular season, but it seems the time to strike may have come and gone. Every team in the league can see how deep the Eagles are at interior linebacker and that Kendricks be available on the open market soon enough, so it might be difficult to get a fair return even on this budding star.

Sign or Draft an Actual Safety

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To the Eagles’ credit, they attempted to make a splash at safety in free agency, reportedly chasing Devin McCourty with a big-money offer, per Eliot Shorr-Parks for NJ.com. However, McCourty opted to remain with the New England Patriots instead, thwarting what would’ve been an outstanding addition.

That being said, what happened next is confusing. The Eagles didn’t sign a different veteran safety in free agency. And they didn’t select a safety in any of the seven rounds of the draft, either.

As of now, Walter Thurmond is projected to start in the vacant safety spot left by Nate Allen’s departure. Thurmond, of course, is a converted cornerback, and while as we’ve noted in the past there is upside to this change, there’s plenty of risk involved as well. The other safeties on the roster aren’t exactly established, either.

Maybe Thurmond still would’ve been the best option, and maybe he’ll do well. Still, it’s a little crazy to think the Eagles did not add a single safety this offseason. The team did use a second-round pick on Eric Rowe, who played safety for three seasons at Utah, but he’s been working as a cornerback.

In particular, a veteran or dedicated safety in the draft probably would’ve been helpful, at least as an alternative. Instead, the Eagles are scrambling, making what look like desperation changes in the secondary. It didn’t have to be that way.

Keep Evan Mathis

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This seems so easy. Yes, Evan Mathis skipped voluntary workouts this offseason over a contract dispute. However, Mathis informed Geoff Mosher for CSNPhilly.com that he intended to report when it became mandatory, which is another way of saying the situation was going to resolve itself.

Instead, Kelly took it upon himself to come up with a different resolution. Before Mathis could arrive in Philadelphia, the head coach granted the offensive lineman his release.

And just like that, the Eagles are down a two-time Pro Bowl left guard.

Obviously, the club is confident it can get similar production from Allen Barbre at left guard, a 31-year-old journeyman who’s started as many games (eight) as seasons he’s been hanging around the NFL. It just seems silly that they even have to try.

Mathis was going to show up and play under the contract he had, and there’s no reason to think he wouldn’t have done so in a professional manner. Granted, the Eagles save $10.5 million against the cap over the next two seasons, based on numbers by Spotrac, but it’s difficult to see how they didn’t get measurably worse up front for the time being.

That brings us right into our last misstep.

Take an Offensive Lineman in the Draft

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It wasn’t enough to release Mathis, who was coming off back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons. The club also released right guard Todd Herremans this offseason, granted he wasn’t performing much better than replacement level. All-Pro left tackle Jason Peters is 33, and there were signs his play is starting to slip last season. And Philadelphia’s O-line depth was challenged in 2014, thanks to injuries, which is cause for concern moving forward.

Yet despite all the changes and question marks up front, the Eagles did not draft a single offensive lineman. In fact, it’s the second year in a row they failed to address the line in the draft. For that matter, not one draft pick has been invested in the line since the team selected Lane Johnson fourth overall in 2013.

To be fair to the Eagles, it’s typically a mistake to draft for need. Nobody is suggesting the club should’ve gone offensive line over the best player available in most situations.

However, at some point, they need to bolster the depth there. The club is trying to find two replacements at guard, largely from their own roster bereft of talent at the position, and any year could be Peters’ last. One would think at some point the offensive line would take precedence.

It hasn’t happened the past few years, and now not only are we left to wonder what the starting five will look like but also what kind of shape the unit will be in if there’s an injury or two. Let’s just say things could get ugly in Philly’s backfield this year if everything doesn’t go just right.