Throughout the early stages of this offseason, there has been a lot of discussions surrounding the Philadelphia Eagles and what will they do at the wide receiver position next season.
Among the topics that have been discussed at length is the future of wide receiver Nelson Agholor. Over the last two seasons, the 25-year-old has exploded onto the scene, becoming a valuable slot wide receiver.
This past season, the former USC product had 64 receptions (97 targets) for 736 yards and four touchdowns. However, he is also carrying a $9.4 million base salary heading into next season, which could hinder the Eagles’ free agency plans.
With all that being known, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reported on Wednesday that the Eagles are “open” to moving the former first-round pick. It does not come as a surprise to hear that Philly is open to moving the 25-year-old as they could free up around $9.4 million in cap space, according to OverTheCap.com.
The Eagles could use his money to either address other positions on the team or re-sign veteran wide receiver Golden Tate III. According to Spotrac.com, Tate’s calculated market is a three-year deal worth $30 million with an AAV (average annual salary) of $10.2 million.
Nevertheless, it would take a substantial amount for Philly to move Agholor, especially since their wide receiver core is fairly thin.
As of right now, the only wide receivers the Eagles have under contract for next season are Alshon Jeffery, Mack Hollins, Shelton Gibson, Johnny Holton, Braxton Miller, Carlton Agudosi, Marken Michel, Dorren Miller, and Agholor.
Out of those players listed, Jeffery, Agholor and Hollins are the only locks to make the 53-man roster. Gibson could make the team, but would need to have another outstanding preseason.
Therefore, the only way the Eagles should move Agholor is for a draft pick, preferably a 2019 third-round selection. They could get a player in exchange for the slot wideout, but he may carry a higher cap number, which would defeat the purpose.
However, with a pick in the third round, they could use that on a wide receiver or maybe a running back. It should be interesting to see how the Eagles tackle this offseason as they have to make a lot of tough decisions on numerous players, including Agholor.
