Early Free-Agent Contracts Eagles Must Consider

The Philadelphia Eagles are in a good position to improve the roster after a 9-8 season in the first year of head coach Nick Sirianni's tenure.

Not only will they have the 15th, 16th and 19th overall selections in the NFL draft to work with, but they also bring in an estimated $20.9 million to spend in free agency. They can even work that number all the way up to $42 million through simple restructures, per Over the Cap.

Quarterback Jalen Hurts is still in his rookie contract, and the Eagles only have four players with cap hits of more than $10 million. They are in a good place to be a contender for some difference-makers on the open market.

Based on their budget and team needs, here are a few contracts they should be mulling over before the legal tampering period starts on March 14.

WR Allen Robinson II, Chicago Bears

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If the Eagles are serious about figuring out whether Jalen Hurts can be a franchise quarterback, they need to give him the best possible scenario in which to succeed.

That means surrounding him with weapons. While the Eagles have already started that process by drafting DeVonta Smith and ensuring they keep Dallas Goedert around, it wouldn't hurt to add another legitimate threat on the outside.

Allen Robinson II fits that bill.

He's coming off one of the least productive seasons in his career, but the Chicago Bears coaching staff did little to make sure he was involved. He went from 305 targets over the previous two seasons to just 66 in a season when he played under the franchise tag.

Now Robinson is likely to hit the market and should be looking for some long-term security in his next contract. At 6'2" and 220 pounds, he is the kind of big-bodied, contested-catch weapon who could help Hurts develop as a downfield passer.

It won't be cheap. Robinson's track record is better than what he put on film last season, but this is an area where the Eagles should be OK splurging in the name of moving the offense forward.

Proposed contract: Three years, $46 million. $26 million guaranteed.

S Tyrann Mathieu, Kansas City Chiefs

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Tyrann Mathieu once called out draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. for suggesting that Jalen Hurts should be happy to sit behind Carson Wentz. He took to Twitter to let Kiper know that "some people just win wherever they go."

The outspoken safety could continue to be a Hurts supporter as a teammate if the Eagles want to bring in the veteran.

Philly attempted to go the cheap route to fix the safety position last season. They signed Anthony Harris to an extremely reasonable one-year, $4 million contract. Rodney McLeod was playing on what amounted to a one-year, $1.5 million contract that has expired.

Harris and McLeod finished 53rd and 43rd, respectively, in PFF grade at the safety position.

Mathieu would be a massive upgrade over both of them, along with bringing experience and leadership from a successful stint with the Kansas City Chiefs. He won't come cheap. After watching Harrison Smith get a four-year, $64 million extension at 32, he'll be looking for a big contract that could set him up for another big payday down the line.

Proposed contract: Three years, $47 million. $30 million guaranteed.

LB Anthony Barr, Minnesota Vikings

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While the first two suggested contracts would eat a significant portion of the cap space the Eagles have or could create, Anthony Barr could be a value signing.

The four-time Pro Bowler is three seasons removed from his most recent All-Star game selection. He's struggled with injuries too, missing all but two games in 2020 and only playing in 11 in 2021.

He will be 30 before the end of March, so it isn't as though he is going to have a massive market. But he makes sense for the Eagles on a few fronts.

For starters, linebacker is a position that needs new blood. T.J. Edwards should have a job next season, but outside of that, it's hard to make a case that anyone else from the unit should be guaranteed a starting spot.

The coaching staff has some familiarity with Barr. Linebackers coach Nick Rallis served in a similar role in Minnesota. Defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon was a defensive backs coach in Minnesota from 2014 to 2017, so his and Barr's paths have crossed.

Gannon likes to move around guys, so a player who can play off-ball but occasionally line up on the edge and rush the passer like Barr would be an intriguing fit.

Proposed contract: Two years, $14 million. $7 million guaranteed.

All salary cap and contract information via Spotrac unless otherwise noted.