Best Moves Philadelphia Eagles Can Make in 2018 Offseason
The only forward-looking being done right now by Philadelphia Eagles fans centers on the aspirations of this year's team. But the organization built this Super Bowl contender by remaining focused on the big picture, and you can bet the front office is already plotting an all-important 2018 offseason.
The Eagles are ripping through the league en route to a 10-1 record, taking gigantic steps forward in the second year of emerging star quarterback Carson Wentz's career. Everything has come together brilliantly for a team loaded with both potential and question marks heading into 2017.
Led by general manager Howie Roseman, who's only emerging from his second season back in control of football operations, the Eagles orchestrated a seamless mini-rebuild following the short-lived Chip Kelly era.
However, even more difficult than building a powerhouse roster and system in the NFL is maintaining it; outside of the New England Patriots, no franchise over the last decade has been able to remain in the elite echelon for more than a few years running.
Loaded with youth, talent, moxie and an elite young quarterback, the Eagles are well-positioned for a long run of contention if they play their cards right. But that's anything but a given in today's NFL.
Here's what the Eagles need to do over the next offseason to help extend their championship window for years to come.
Re-Sign Nigel Bradham
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Linebacker Nigel Bradham has quietly gone about being one of the Eagles' most important defenders since his arrival from Buffalo, but circumstances have made him a critical piece of this 2017 squad.
Bradham excels in his natural outside linebacker spot when Jordan Hicks is healthy, but the latter's season-ending Achilles injury forced the former over toward the middle. He leads the team with 57 tackles, and is one of three players on the unit with a defensive touchdown.
He'll also enter the offseason as the most important piece of the defense entering unrestricted free agency, and you can bet he'll be looking to cash in after emerging individually inside an elite defense.
The Eagles' strength on defense begins up front, but there's no telling how much the front seven would drop off if it loses an impact linebacker such as Bradham.
Even with Hicks in the fold, Bradham is an integral piece, and a team already thin at linebacker would suffer by losing him.
Bradham likely won't find any greener pastures in the free-agent market, which could help the Eagles to lock him down on a decent price tag. Philly shouldn't hand him a blank check by any means, but there should be plenty of insistence from the front office to make a deal happen.
Re-Sign Alshon Jeffery
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The contract signed by Alshon Jeffery last offseason that brought him to Philly basically acted as a test drive; a one-year deal full of incentives and lacking in guarantees.
But his performance and impact in 2017 beckon three simple words: Pay the man.
Jeffery began his Eagles career modestly from a production standpoint and has yet to surpass 100 yards in a game, but he's been reliable from the get-go and is peaking along with his offense.
Four of his seven touchdowns have come in the last three games, and he's second only to the otherworldly Zach Ertz in receiving yards and first-down catches.
The former Chicago Bear hasn't taken over games as Eagles fans hoped when he was signed, but he simply hasn't had to with the offense clicking like it is. Not only is Jeffery's presence increasingly felt week after week, but his absence would make life much more difficult for the secondary Eagles receivers who are emerging with less attention paid to them.
That being said, Jeffery will have to meet Philadelphia at a sensible number if he's going to stay. But he joined the Eagles to win. If they continue to do so, it's hard to envision Jeffery jumping ship even if he can get a larger contract elsewhere.
Start Freeing Up Wentz Money
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With all of this talk about re-signing players to big contracts, it's time to discuss the elephant in the room.
Given the fact Wentz is playing at an MVP level and showing no signs of slowing down, it's only a matter of time until he becomes one of the league's highest-paid players.
His value to the franchise is beyond words and certainly beyond numbers. Whatever he wants from a salary standpoint, the Eagles have to oblige.
The good news for Roseman and the front office lies in the fact Wentz and the Eagles can't discuss an extension until the 2019 offseason. So the 24-year-old will remain on the books with his rookie deal through 2018, but that monstrous extension will likely come after that.
Philly has a number of huge contracts already on the books for several seasons, but some of its best players are wrapped up in them. The work will need to begin as early as this offseason to shed salary-cap space on some of those contracts for the inevitable Wentz extension.
Roseman is one of the best in the business at working the salary cap, and the Eagles also benefit from having a great locker room filled with players who don't mind taking a little less to help the team. But it's a balancing act.
The front office has been aided by the ability to work around Wentz's rookie contract to build this contender, and now they'll have to begin thinking about how they'll work around his eventual extension.
Fans likely won't see huge moves this offseason centered around Wentz's impending salary, but expect Roseman and crew to start positioning themselves.
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Hand the Backfield off to Ajayi
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The Eagles backfield has been a dream throughout 2017, but once the offseason rolls around, the honeymoon will be over and big decisions will need to be made.
Veteran LeGarrette Blount has been spectacular, leading the team with 658 rushing yards while no other Eagle has surpassed 300. His $1.25 million cap hit has been a steal, but it's hard to see him coming back at such a modest number if he continues at this pace and posts a 1,000-yard season.
While the Eagles have run a by-committee backfield all season, Blount has been the surefire No. 1 guy. Even if the Eagles find a way to bring him back, they need to hand that role off to their newly acquired workhorse.
Jay Ajayi has been eased into the offense, but he's already looked outstanding despite coming over from Miami less than a month ago. He isn't taking over the backfield right now because there's no reason to; the Eagles rush offense is among the league's best. But the time is coming.
With Ajayi entering the last season of his rookie deal in 2018, the Eagles need to find out if he's worth re-signing to an extension after that. They won't figure that out by giving him eight carries per game.
Answer Some Tough Questions at CB
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It's funny how quickly things can change in the NFL. On the heels of an offseason in which many thought the Eagles didn't even have one strong starting cornerback, they could have four or five on their hands going into 2018.
Jalen Mills has emerged from an up-and-down rookie season to become a reliable No. 1 corner who could be on his way to the Pro Bowl. Ronald Darby, acquired preseason via trade, has looked like a shutdown corner when healthy. The Eagles have seen very encouraging stuff from rookie Rasul Douglas, and fellow rookie Sidney Jones is expected to become a starter quickly upon return from his Achilles injury.
Let's not fail to mention Patrick Robinson, who gave the Eagles critical veteran play in the wake of early season injuries and continues to impress when given the chance.
Most of the Eagles cornerbacks are on rookie deals, so they can get away with keeping them on the roster from a cap standpoint. Having that depth can be a huge asset when injuries pile up. But when other NFL teams look at the Eagles roster this offseason and see starting-caliber corners in line for little to no playing time, they'll try to pounce.
As crazy as it would've sounded a few months ago, the Eagles are going to be overcrowded with talent at cornerback come 2018. Perhaps the front office will strike while the iron is hot and trade away an emerging corner who isn't a part of the long-term plans.
Keep Jim Schwartz; or Replace Him Swiftly
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Just like the cornerback situation, consensus around the Eagles coaching staff has taken a 180-degree turn from the start of the season when the Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeff McLane put out a story indicating defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz could be angling to take over for Doug Pederson if things went south in 2017.
In the months that have passed, Pederson's job security has become one of the best in the results-based NFL. But that doesn't mean Schwartz will have any trouble this offseason, if it's a return to head coaching he covets.
Star coordinators of the league's best units getting poached for head-coaching positions is a yearly tradition in the NFL, and Schwartz could be the hottest commodity given the success of his defense. His 29-51 record during his Detroit Lions tenure needs to be taken with a grain of salt. He took over one of the worst rosters in football and guided them to the playoffs in his third season.
The Eagles' defensive success is a testament to Schwartz's coaching acumen, and the unit would be set back if he chose to leave. But with each outstanding performance from his group, the Eagles need to be preparing themselves to replace him.
It's tough to throw around candidates at this point in the season, but one thing is clear: The Eagles need to keep their defensive system as similar to the current one as they can.
This unit is playing at an all-time high under the 4-3 system that features heavy blitzes and extra defensive backs, and Pederson will have to do all he can to bring on a potential replacement that can keep the oil flowing into this bulldozer defense without shaking things up.
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