Emmanuel Acho to Eagles: Latest Contract Details, Comments and Reaction

Free-agent linebacker Emmanuel Acho has returned to the Philadelphia Eagles after the team waived him Aug. 27 following thumb surgery.  

Acho announced the deal on his Twitter account, and a team spokesman confirmed the agreement to Matt Lombardo of NJ.com:

Terms of the deal were not announced, but prior to being waived, Acho was slated to earn $585,000 this season with the Eagles, per Spotrac.

The Eagles originally acquired the inside linebacker in a 2013 trade that sent running back Dion Lewis to the Cleveland Browns. After the Eagles cut him, Acho spent a few weeks with the New York Giants. The Eagles then signed Acho off the Giants practice squad in October 2013.

While he saw most of his defensive snaps only as a situational linebacker, Acho established himself as a quality special teams player under head coach Chip Kelly. While starting two games during the 2014 campaign, Acho was on the field for 23 percent of the Eagles' defensive snaps, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer's Zach Berman.

Although his raw total of 21 tackles didn't stand out, Pro Football Focus named him to its All-NFL first team after the 2014 campaign thanks to his contributions on special teams. 

The Eagles made the move after placing linebacker Jordan Hicks on injured reserve, who tore his pectoral muscle in Sunday's victory over the Dallas Cowboys, per Lombardo.

Acho may never evolve into a regular three-down player, but his commitment to excellence on special teams can make him a valuable under-the-radar piece. Given his status as a low-cost, low-risk contributor, Acho has a chance to exceed expectations if he can carve out a niche with Philadelphia.