Philadelphia Eagles CB Nolan Carroll Headed for Big Free-Agent Payday in 2016
When the Philadelphia Eagles picked up Nolan Carroll after the 2013-14 season, the news came with little fanfare. Carroll had been available for any NFL team to sign as a free agent for several days, and he decided to enter a situation where he would serve as depth at cornerback and on special teams.
Carroll is once again approaching free agency. His two-year deal with the Eagles worth $3.65 million expires at season’s end. And the way the six-year veteran is playing in 2015, he’ll be worth a lot more this time around, and he won’t have to wait long should he reach the open market.
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| 2015 (PHI) | 7 | 7 | 41 | 7 | 2 | 0 |
| 2014 (PHI) | 16 | 1 | 32 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 (MIA) | 16 | 12 | 47 | 11 | 3 | 0 |
| 2012 (MIA) | 14 | 10 | 53 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| 2011 (MIA) | 15 | 3 | 32 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 2010 (MIA) | 13 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Now a starter in Philadelphia’s revitalized secondary, Carroll is en route to a career year. The 28-year-old has interceptions in back-to-back games, including a pick-six, and is one away from tying a personal best. He’s also on pace to shatter single-season highs in tackles and pass breakups.
Carroll hasn’t become a shutdown corner by any means. Charting by Pro Football Focus has quarterbacks completing 36 of 55 passes for 466 yards when targeting No. 23 in coverage. However, Carroll has yet to allow a touchdown this season, limiting opponents to a pedestrian 76.8 rating—good for 23rd out of 73 qualifying players at the position.
In short, Carroll has been very good at keeping the ball in front of him, contesting catches and finishing plays. Somebody will pay a lot of money for that kind of peace of mind at such a premium position.
It remains to be seen whether that will be the Eagles, however. The organization already invested a huge lump sum of money in Byron Maxwell this offseason—six years and $63 million to be exact. A second-round draft pick was also spent on Eric Rowe out of Utah in May.
Meanwhile, Carroll should have no shortage of suitors in free agency. In this most recent offseason, 11 corners signed contracts that averaged out to a minimum of $5 million per season, which was more than the value of his entire package with the Eagles.
| D. Revis (NYJ) | 5 | $70.1 M | $14.0 M | $39.0 M |
| B. Maxwell (PHI) | 6 | $63 M | $10.5 M | $25.5 M |
| S. McManis (CHI) | 1 | $8.2 M | $8.2 M | $250k |
| A. Cromartie (NYJ) | 4 | $32.0 M | $8.0 M | $7.0 M |
| C. Culliver (WAS) | 4 | $32.0 M | $8.0 M | $16.0 M |
| T. Williams (CLE) | 3 | $21.0 M | $7.0 M | $10.0 M |
| B. Skrine (NYJ) | 4 | $25.0 M | $6.2 M | $13.0 M |
| D. House (JAC) | 4 | $24.5 M | $6.1 M | $10.0 M |
| C. Williams (SEA) | 3 | $18.0 M | $6.0 M | $7.0 M |
| B. Browner (NO) | 3 | $15.0 M | $5.0 M | $7.7 M |
| P. Cox (TEN) | 3 | $15.0 M | $5.0 M | $2.5 M |
Carroll should see at least that much cash, and likely more. He won’t approach the tens of millions of dollars per year like Maxwell or Darrelle Revis with the New York Jets, and at his age—29 in January—he may not get anything too long-term.
That being said, how many 6’1”, 205-pound corners with his numbers are going to be out there?
Obviously, Carroll did not have that kind of reputation when he left the Miami Dolphins for the Eagles. He started 22 games over the course of his final two seasons there, but obviously, the league was not impressed or he would’ve been more of a commodity.
Carroll believes his final season in Miami may have hurt his cause, admitting that thinking about free agency might have led him to press on the football field:
"See, I did my last year in Miami, I kind of was, and I think it weighed on me toward the end of season. I didn’t finish the way I should have finished because every single day and every single practice, I was thinking about 'If I didn’t make this play, how will my coaches view me in the future? If I didn’t make this play in a game, how would the management view me?' I’m not even worried about any of that stuff. Whatever happens in the future happens; I’m not even worried about that. I’m thinking about right now, trying to win games and make the playoffs.
"
Carroll may not be worried about it, but the Eagles should be. They’ve watched him grow from a situational defensive back in their dime package into a capable and consistent starter, a process that began in the weight room this offseason and carried over into games. He’s outperformed Maxwell and Rowe—and any other corner on the team, for that matter—by any measure.
But money talks, and it will be interesting to see whether the Eagles pony up before Carroll hits the market. Because once he becomes a free agent, the offers could start rolling in, and the way he’s playing right now, it’s going to get expensive.
All contract numbers via Spotrac. All quotes and camp observations are the author’s.
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