Making the Call on Philadelphia Eagles' Top Free Agents
Not many teams have less salary-cap space than the Philadelphia Eagles do entering the 2017 offseason, and that's going to make some already tough calls on impending free agents much tougher.
The Eagles have the fourth-lowest amount of cap space in the league, about $9.8 million, per Over The Cap, which is far from ideal for a 7-9 team needing to fix some serious deficiencies on both sides of the ball. There are players like Jason Peters, Ryan Mathews and Connor Barwin who may need to be cut or have their deals restructured to increase that number, but making those calls would obviously add more needs to the list.
Among the impending free agents are veterans whose roles on the team need to be re-examined along with recent draft picks who've finished their rookie deals and either showcased Pro Bowl talent or failed to live up to expectations. Deciding the future of each requires an in-depth look at the player's production, the depth of his position, the ease with which the Birds could replace them and, most importantly, how all of it fits into the team's sensitive cap situation.
Bennie Logan: Let Walk
1 of 8
The future of Bennie Logan is the biggest cloud that hangs over the Eagles' free-agency decisions, and it's a murky one to navigate through.
Logan has obviously proved worthy of a big contract after four great years in Philly. He has combined with Fletcher Cox to form arguably the best pair of interior D-linemen in football. But Logan's effectiveness is only going to make it harder to outbid teams on the open market that are desperate for a big body to muck things up in the middle.
In a perfect world, the Eagles would shell out the dough to keep their impact tackle. But they did just that last offseason for Cox, who was the sixth-highest paid player in the NFL in 2016, per Cork Gaines of Business Insider. With Cox earning franchise-quarterback money, it affects an already cap-limited team's ability to invest another big contract on the defensive line.
The Eagles are sure to open up cap space by getting rid of bad contracts, but they can't afford to spend virtually all of that on Logan. The holes at receiver, cornerback and defensive end are too large to be ignored in free agency. We saw last season that having Cox and Logan wreaking havoc together didn't make up for those serious weaknesses.
Reserves Beau Allen and Destiny Vaeao have both developed nicely, and the former in particular may be ready to take on the starting job. They could add some key depth in free agency with a cheap option like Abry Jones or Terrell McClain.
Nolan Carroll: Re-Sign
2 of 8
The Eagles' cornerback unit has been horrid in recent years, and retaining a 30-year-old who's been a part of that simply reeks. But re-signing Nolan Carroll doesn't mean he'd have the role he did in 2016.
There's little doubt that Philly's need to revamp the outside of the secondary is the No. 1 objective on executive vice president of football operations Howie Roseman's plate this offseason. That's going to happen with or without Carroll. After trading away Eric Rowe and releasing Leodis McKelvin, the Eagles aren't left with much at the position. And despite the need to rebuild, they simply can't afford to replace their entire unit.
Carroll is a locker-room leader who would be a much-needed presence for whichever young studs the Eagles bring in at cornerback. Injury-prone and on the wrong side of 30, it shouldn't cost much to keep him on the roster, and adding him to the cornerback exodus would make the team's weakness even weaker.
It's not a Band-Aid but rather decreasing the chance that giving the reins to two young corners doesn't completely blow up in the Eagles' face if one or both fail to deliver.
Keeping Carroll around shouldn't change Philadelphia's need to revamp the cornerback position, but it would allow them to feel much better about their depth once the overhaul is done.
Stefen Wisniewski: Let Walk
3 of 8
In one season in Philly, Stefen Wisniewski proved to be a nice depth piece and came in handy when injuries forced him into the lineup for six games. But he's not a reserve and won't accept being paid like one.
The 27-year-old started in every stop of his career before signing with the Eagles, assuming he'd at least get a chance to compete for a spot at guard. That never materialized, and he made it clear that is a primary factor wherever he signs next, per Andrew Kulp of CSN Philly: "I'm not going to talk about what kind of contract I'm looking for, but I do view myself as a starter, and I think I showed that with six years of tape in the NFL that I'm a starter, and a good one. I'll be trying to do that wherever I'm at. That's definitely a goal."
The interior line of Allen Barbre, Jason Kelce and Brandon Brooks looks set in stone going into 2017, and the limited cap space will command Philly to sign a depth guard or center on the cheap. Rookie Isaac Seumalo had plenty of promising moments throughout 2016 and could help alleviate the loss of Wisniewski, who proved a valuable part of the line but should see greener pastures than his backup position with the Birds.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Stephen Tulloch: Let Walk
4 of 8
The Eagles signed veteran Stephen Tulloch in the offseason, hoping he could bounce back from injury, become a leadership presence in the linebacker unit and provide seamless depth. Things didn't quite pan out for the 32-year-old.
Tulloch saw plenty of the field in the opening three games but hardly played after that. He only notched two tackles in the final 13 games, four of which he didn't even play in. For a longtime impact linebacker who's racked up six 100-tackle seasons, he showed his best days are behind him. It's not a scheme problem since Tulloch was defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz's lead linebacker during their time together with the Detroit Lions.
Simply put, Tulloch doesn't have a lot to offer as a backup linebacker. Philadelphia would be better off going after quicker, younger players via either the draft or free agency while retaining a decent young linebacker in Najee Goode, who's hitting the market.
Najee Goode: Re-Sign
5 of 8
Goode has endured an up-and-down Eagles career that has included preseason cuts, tough injuries and a one-year extension before last season that didn't result in a lot of playing time outside of special teams.
The 27-year-old's most memorable Eagles moment—a blocked-punt return for a touchdown against the New England Patriots in 2015—feels like ages ago, but he hasn't failed to show he's one of the team's most willing and energetic special teamers when he's been healthy. He plays hard (sometimes too hard) and can give the Philly linebacking crew some hard-hitting depth.
Philadelphia's linebackers are strong and durable enough that their backups need to be able to contribute heavily in special teams, and Goode does that. Having not put much on tape defensively to command a lot of money in the market, the Eagles can likely retain Goode's services on a one-year veteran's minimum and allow him the chance to crack the 53-man roster.
Bryan Braman: Let Walk
6 of 8
Like Goode, Bryan Braman has put in most of his work on special teams and has made a name for himself on that unit. But the 29-year-old looks to be in decline, making only one tackle in each of the last two seasons.
Unlike Goode, Braman practically never makes defensive snaps and is locked into his identity as a specialist. The Eagles could retain him on a relatively cheap deal, but they could also save a little cash by looking for a rookie to fill that role to give Roseman some flexibility in assembling the 53-man roster.
Braman has been a serviceable special teamer for the Eagles for three seasons, but that ship has sailed.
Kenjon Barner: Re-Sign
7 of 8
Former Oregon back Kenjon Barner turned heads and impressed when given the opportunity to do so in 2016. But that wasn't often.
Barner finished with just 29 carries for 129 yards on the season, but he did average over 30 yards per return on his nine kick returns. He looked like the odd man out in the Eagles backfield, with Wendell Smallwood getting the chances behind Ryan Mathews and the versatile Darren Sproles.
The coaches failed to give Barner a serious chance to thrive, but they'd be wise to recognize his talent and keep him around. He's a restricted free agent and should be relatively easy to retain, giving Roseman more flexibility to shed Mathews' heavy contract.
If he does that, Eagles fans shouldn't be disappointed with Smallwood, Barner and a talented rookie draft pick duking it out in training camp for a chance to become the lead back.
Trey Burton: Re-Sign
8 of 8
What the Eagles hoped to see from Trey Burton—a Swiss Army Knife on offense—when they signed him in 2014, they finally got in 2016, as he exploded as a player and showed his worth.
Burton caught 37 passes for 327 yards and a touchdown, which is pretty outstanding production for a third tight end. The biggest asset Burton brings to the table, though, is that he's so much more than a tight end. His crisp route running resembles a slot receiver, he can line up in the backfield to run-block and he's shown great chemistry with quarterback Carson Wentz.
While the Eagles need more playmaking at receiver, Burton is going to be a piece who will take head coach Doug Pederson's offense to the next level once they're a complete unit. From big catches and dirty yards to special teams playmaking, Burton makes his impact felt everywhere and is the type of player who makes coaches' lives way easier.
As a restricted free agent, the Eagles would be nuts to allow Burton to walk.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
