Eagles' Last-Minute Guide to 2022 NFL Free Agency

The Philadelphia Eagles have won exactly nine games in three of the past four seasons. However, they want to get back to being a championship contender like they were in 2017, when they won the Super Bowl for the first time in the franchise's long history.

In 2021, the Eagles made progress during Nick Sirianni's first year as head coach, as they bounced back from a 4-11-1 campaign in 2020 to make the playoffs as the NFC's third wild-card team. Now, Philadelphia will look to make moves this offseason that will help it continue to progress moving forward.

How will the Eagles continue to build around quarterback Jalen Hurts on offense? What will they do to plug some of their major holes on defense? Those are among the questions that Philadelphia faces heading into free agency, which begins Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET, although the legal tampering period starts 48 hours earlier on Monday.

Here's a last-minute free-agency guide for the Eagles with the offseason about to ramp up.

Cap Situation

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2022 NFL Cap: $208.2 million

Cap Space: $17.3 million, per Over the Cap

The Eagles don't have a ton of available cap space, but they have enough financial flexibility that they should be able to add a few notable players during free agency. It's still possible that Philadelphia could create more cap space by cutting or trading players down the line.

While the Eagles may be fairly active during free agency, it's worth noting that they have 10 picks in the 2022 NFL draft, including three in the first round. So maybe Philadelphia will wait to address some of its big needs until then.

It will be interesting to see how Eagles general manager Howie Roseman navigates this offseason and what moves he makes to try to help the team build on its recent momentum.

Notable Free Agents

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• S Rodney McLeod
• S Anthony Harris
• DE Derek Barnett
• CB Steven Nelson
• DE Ryan Kerrigan
• DT Hassan Ridgeway

The Eagles' most notable free agents are all defensive players, so it's possible they'll have some big holes on that side of the ball if they don't bring the majority of them back. And it seems highly unlikely that every player on this list will be back in Philadelphia in 2022.

Harris, McLeod and Nelson were all solid contributors in the secondary last year. They each started at least 13 games, with Harris and Nelson each playing their first season for the Eagles. If Philadelphia loses any of the three, it will need to find an adequate replacement.

It seems unlikely that Barnett or Kerrigan will return. The Eagles' pass rush struggled in 2021, and Barnett never lived up to his potential as a 2017 first-round draft pick. He had a career-low two sacks in 16 games last season. Kerrigan will be 34 at the start of the upcoming season and had no sacks in 16 games for Philadelphia last year, his first with the team.

The Eagles are in good shape on offense, as the majority of their key players are under contract for 2022.

Biggest Needs and Potential Targets

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Edge-Rushers

Last season, the Eagles ranked 31st in the NFL with 29 sacks. They need their defensive front to start putting more pressure on opposing quarterbacks, which could help the unit perform better as a whole. And if Barnett and Kerrigan don't return, they'll also be lacking depth on the edges.

Among the top free agents for Philadelphia to consider will likely be Haason Reddick, who could be a great fit and would provide a substantial upgrade. According to Boardroom's Jordan Schultz, the Eagles are interested in Chandler Jones, who could also provide veteran leadership.

It wouldn't be surprising if Philadelphia adds multiple edge-rushers, some of whom may be acquired via the draft.

Safeties

This may not be a need if the Eagles bring back Harris and/or McLeod. But as things currently stand, Philadelphia has two major holes at the back of its secondary, and it will need to determine if it's worth spending the money to bring back its two starters from last season.

Harris is 30 and McLeod is 31, but both are still playing at a productive level and could contribute for the Eagles in the short term. However, there are also some quality safeties on the free-agent market, and somebody like Jordan Whitehead, who is turning 25 this week, may be a nice long-term fit.

Cornerback

Darius Slay will likely continue to be the Eagles' No. 1 cornerback, while Avonte Maddox has proved to be effective in the slot. But Philadelphia will need to bring in somebody to fill the role of Nelson, unless the 29-year-old re-signs with the team.

Levi Wallace and Xavier Rhodes are among the experienced CBs on the free-agent market who have had previous success and could boost the Eagles' secondary. Or the team could try to fill this hole via the draft, like it may try to do with several defensive positions.

Wide Receiver

Philadelphia has used a lot of draft capital in recent years in trying to bolster its receiving corps. DeVonta Smith, a first-round pick in 2021, flashed a ton of potential as a rookie last season. Meanwhile, Jalen Reagor, a first-round pick in 2020, still isn't producing as much as the Eagles had likely hoped.

It could be beneficial for Philadelphia to bring in a proven receiver who can be a reliable target for Hurts, rather than take a chance in the draft again. JuJu Smith-Schuster, Christian Kirk and DJ Chark Jr. could be good WRs for the Eagles to potentially target.