Morgan Burkett
Coming home from Miami, after what may be the worst loss in recent memory for the Philadelphia Eagles, many fans and personnel alike were wondering where to go from here to salvage the season. While the Eagles were far from out of the playoff race, the display they put forth on MNF against the Giants did little to convince anyone they deserve a spot in the playoffs. Despite the win, it took until the fourth quarter for the offense to click and the defense surrendered two horrific touchdowns to the aging Eli Manning. At the very least, the Monday night game made it clear and obvious that Philadelphia is no longer a Super Bowl favorite. Nevertheless, the late-game comeback, followed by a reprise against the Redskins this Sunday has affirmed the fact that the roster is not devoid of young talent.
The stage has been set for a winner-takes-all showdown against Dallas this weekend. In spite of a very tumultuous season, the Eagles find themselves holding on to a glimmer of playoff hope. Philadelphia sports' sites are beginning to fill with postseason optimism after a stretch of dreary performances.
While there is much to talk about with playoff brackets being filled with pens now instead of pencils; instead, we'll be looking beyond the playoffs. Specifically, what can be done in the offseason to ensure the Eagles aren't a newer iteration of the Atlanta Falcons or Carolina Panthers -- teams that are just a few years removed from the ultimate game that now struggle to finish with a winning record.
The good news is that all is not lost. The roster is still full of talent and with Howie Roseman at the helm, the Eagles will always have cap space to play with. The NFC East was the least competitive division in football, and looks to be ripe for the taking next season as well.
The bad news is that change is no longer seems like an option; instead, it is a necessity. The Eagles may be able to fight their way into the playoffs but have not yet settled on a recipe for success. Over the span of the season, fans have vocalized a slew of cut candidates and players that just haven't lived up to the hype. That being said, cutting ties just to try out a new pair of scissors does nobody any good. Therefore the goal should be to free up as much cap space while retaining as much talent as possible.
Unfortunately, with Howie Roseman's contract restructuring having tendrils on nearly all the Eagles' significant contracts, back-loaded deals with a large portion of the money owed take up a bulk of the Birds' cap space. Cutting a player with such a contract would leave a large deficit on the Eagles' tab. Realistically, the team is in no position to commence any sort of significant rebuild. With that in mind, let's look at the books -- what can the Eagles
really do to retool this roster?
Re-sign/ Let Walk
If the Eagles are to set themselves up for a rebuild of any capacity, the approach to resigning free agents needs to be bare bones. Resigning role players may keep the team in playoff contention, but it will not vault them back to the Super Bowl. The estimated cap total below includes a $30M cap rollover from 2019, as per Spotrac, which gives the front office plenty of wiggle room. Still, with a couple of big-ticket players to enter free agency, a few hefty contracts could lock up a bulk of that cap space in a hurry. Smartly, Howie Roseman has already inked a few key players to extensions during the season, which alleviates some of the burden come springtime. Nonetheless, the team will need to be stingy when re-signing the remaining players in the last year of their deals.
| Eagles' Cap Space (Over the Cap/ Spotrac) | | $40.4M |
| Nelson Agholor | Walk | - |
| Greg Ward (ERFA) | Re-sign | $585,000 |
| Joshua Perkins (RFA) | Re-sign | $720,000 |
| Darren Sproles | Retire | - |
| Jay Ajayi (Club Option) | Walk | - |
| Jordan Howard | Walk | - |
| Boston Scott (ERFA) | Re-sign | $660,000 |
| Corey Clement (RFA) | Walk | - |
| Nate Sudfeld | Re-sign | $3.5M |
| Josh McCown | Retire | - |
| Jason Peters | Retire | - |
| Halapoulivaati Vaitai | Walk | - |
| Iosua Opeta (ERFA) | Re-sign | $570,000 |
| Timmy Jernigan | Walk | - |
| Hassan Ridgeway | Re-sign | $2M |
| Anthony Rush (ERFA) | Re-sign | $645,000 |
| Vinny Curry | Walk | - |
| Nigel Bradham (Club Option) | Walk | - |
| Kamu Grugier-Hill | Re-sign | $4.5M |
| Rodney McLeod | Walk | - |
| Ronald Darby | Walk | - |
| Jalen Mills | Walk | - |
| Craig James (ERFA) | Re-sign | $645,000 |
| Total Remaining Cap Space | | $26.6M |
Youth
What should be prevalent from the suggested re-signings is the importance of retaining the young players on the roster. As much as possible, the Eagles need to keep their young, cheap, low-risk signings. This is especially true for positions of need (RB and DT depth, WR), as well as positions the Eagles have had success developing (namely OL and DL). For those ERFA guys on the roster, it should be a no brainer: sign them for next to pennies and allow them the opportunity to compete for a roster spot. Teams need only offer exclusive rights free agents the minimum terms for a one year contract to retain them. Boston Scott's contract is a little larger because he was originally a draft pick of the New Orleans Saints.
Apart from bringing back the young, spry playmakers, the decision to let nearly all other veterans walk may turn some heads. A few decisions, in particular, will stand out. If there is to be a rebuild, the underlying philosophy must be that a "half-way" restructure would only delay the inevitable and waste precious years of Carson Wentz' prime. It would also give new coaches -- coordinators and position coaches alike -- the opportunity to start fresh with players more catered to their scheme. Nevertheless, there are some names left unsigned above that are more damning than others.
A look at how the offense and defense may shake out this offseason can be viewed on the page below.
Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
Offense
On offense, the plan seems pretty cut and dry apart from the decision to let Vaitai walk. Frankly, I think there's a very strong chance he's not in midnight green next autumn. However, that doesn't necessarily mean he'll just be allowed to walk out the door. The question will be whether or not Jordan Mailata can make another giant leap this offseason. Vaitai's name was popular around the league at the trade deadline and the Eagles could look to enact a sort of sign-and-trade to recoup some draft picks or another player at a more needy position. He's fared
okay in his time at RT with Lane Johnson out, but has by no means made himself indispensable.
If Mailata can show he has what it takes to fill in, Vaitai could be a very valuable trade piece. In 2017 the Eagles got a 5th-round pick from the Seahawks for Matt Tobin and a 7th, Vaitai's price should be much steeper.
Defense
The defensive side of the ball is where it gets interesting. Moving down the list, it seems unlikely the Eagles retain Tim Jernigan. He simply hasn't been able to stay healthy and with Malik Jackson returning from injury, the Eagles defensive tackle room shouldn't be as barren as it is now. Instead, the Eagles could opt to keep the younger and cheaper Hassan Ridgeway, because,
well, he's younger and cheaper.
Anthony Rush will probably revert back to the practice squad, but with the luck the Eagles have had with injuries at the position, he could very well get another shot at the final 53. It wouldn't be much of surprise to see the Eagles add some fresh faces to this group.
Vinny Curry has been a solid rotational run-stopper for the Eagles this year, but unfortunately for him, those come at a dime a dozen in today's game. An improving Derek Barnett and Josh Sweat will both demand more snaps and it would make more sense to give the remaining opportunities to young players like Shareef Miller and Daeshon Hall to help their development. All hope is not lost if he plans to retire in Philly, but he may choose to chase a final payout before retirement. Curry does seem the type to take a team-friendly deal to stay put, but we shall see once the offers start coming.
The way that Nigel Bradham's situation plays out will be the crux of whether or not a rebuild on the defensive side of the ball is to come. He's owed $8M next season if the Eagles decide to opt-in and would cost $9.7M against the cap. Inversely, if they were to cut ties with the LB, the team could save themselves around $4.5M in 2020, $9.8M in 2021 and a whopping $11.8M in 2022 (according to Over the Cap). Each of these contract years has a club option threaded into the fine print and therefore, the front office could decide to wait on the development of their younger backers before letting Bradham walk.
However, each year they wait, the less cap space they will recoup and the less playing time TJ Edwards will get. As a personal fan of Bradham, it hurts to admit, but if a rebuild is in order it may be time to say goodbye to Nigel.
And yet, despite letting one linebacker walk, the Eagles will likely choose to retain Kamu Grugier-Hill. It's not so much his defensive prowess that earns him the shiny new contract, but his special teams value -- and the Eagles' dedication to their special teams' unit. Think of KGH as the new Chris Maragos.
He's only 25 years old and has shown the chops to compete as a starting backer as well, but an untimely injury this fall took him off course. He'll have plenty of time to bounce back and could end up being great value for the Eagles if he continues his upward trajectory from last season.
Now we come to what's likely to be the most controversial segment -- setting fire to the current secondary. Let's be honest, they haven't been good. That doesn't mean that scrapping the whole team is the best decision. However, in the case of a rebuild, it's essential.
Mills, Darby and McLeod have shown what they're about. While they've given the Birds some good years, the Philadelphia secondary has been a weakness for years. Jim Schwartz' style of defense does his defensive backfield no favors, but they haven't done themselves many either.
Mills has been the best corner on the Eagles since returning from injury, but that's not a high bar to set. Frankly, Mills is a candidate to get vastly overpaid this offseason, hopefully, it won't be by the Eagles. To his credit, he's been one of the better seventh-round picks in recent memory and has dispelled his off the field issues that caused him to fall in the draft. If the Eagles do keep one of their corners, I would bet on Mills. He should be cheaper than Darby, if only just. Still, to put it bluntly, giving him starting corner money does not seem like a championship-winning move.
Despite all the promise, Darby has never really looked like a top corner for more than a short stretch of time. Both he and Jalen are good at what they do well, and dreadful when forced outside of that box. Any duo that can allow Devante Parker and Darius Slayton to post all-star numbers on them should deservedly be on the hot seat. Slayton has been impressive as a rookie and Parker just got a sizable contract from Miami, but neither are top tier receivers, nor part of an explosive offense.
Rodney McLeod may just be a casualty of a necessary rebuild in the secondary, but he's not absolutely blameless. He's just been average. Partnered with an aging Malcolm Jenkins, the pair went from being one of the top safety duos just two years ago to at-times-pedestrian. There's only so much McLeod can do to cover for what has been a ragtag bunch of corners, but there have been far too many opposing receivers streaking down the sidelines with no Eagles in the picture for nobody to question the safeties.
If nothing else, the Birds need to get younger at the position and it seems very unlikely that Malcolm Jenkins will be the fall guy -- even though his play has declined this year as well. Maybe the front office deems it necessary to keep McLeod around while they develop a rookie, but with the recent success of rookie safeties it seems like an indulgence. Would Rodney really want to take another discounted deal when, at just 29 years old, he could probably get a hefty contract from another team?
The final point on these three is that through and through, they are Jim Schwartz's guys. Who knows how the coaching carousel will shape out for next season, but there's a mounting stir that this could be Schwartz' last season in Philly. The Eagles some exciting young pieces at the corner position that cost much less. Most recently, the Packers had success spending high draft picks on their secondary -- hopefully, Howie was taking notes.
Potential trades/cuts are listed on the page below.
Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
Trades/ Cuts
The next decision Philadelphia's front office will need to decide is just how deeply this roster needs to be rebuilt. If they are satisfied that they can right the ship using draft picks and spending in free agency, then $30M should be enough. If the roster shuffle goes beyond that, the team will have to decide who is expendable.
Because of the heap of restructured contracts littering the Eagles budget, there are very few players on the current roster that can be cut or traded without taking on a chunk of their salary. If Philadelphia does decide that players need to be moved to create space for new additions, their options will be limited.
Below are the most viable candidates for cut or trade this upcoming offseason. Included is the money the Eagles would save, or owe in the event of a cut or trade. The Birds are in a hole for 2021, but will likely look to save by restricting either or both of Carson Wentz' or Brandon Graham's new contracts. This would then bring their cap number for 2022 back down to earth. While it's not egregious, it is something to keep an eye on.
| Money Saved | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
| Estimated Cap Space (before rollover) | $15.3M | ($795,000) | $77.1M |
| Nigel Bradham | $4.5M | $9.8M | $11.8M |
| Malcolm Jenkins | $4.8M | $1.5M | $1.5M |
| Zach Ertz | ($1.4M) | $12.5M | $1.8M |
| Malik Jackson | ($4.2M) | $12.4M | $2.4M |
| DeSean Jackson | ($4.0M) | $10.9M | $4.8M |
| Alshon Jeffery | ($10.7M) | $18.5M | $2.5M |
At what cost?
If the Eagles do decide that a larger scale rebuild is necessary, they'll truly have to consider moving one of the players above. There's simply no way around it. Looking at just the numbers, the recouped cash looks enticing, but is it worth it?
Nigel Bradham is the first name on the list for good reason. Roseman and co. already have a club option in place and could choose not to exercise it without much kerfuffle. The team wouldn't lose any money and would recoup around $25M over the next three years. However, they would lose their defensive play-caller, most experienced and most versatile linebacker. The Eagles were happy to let Jordan Hicks seek out greener pastures and have never really put a premium on the linebacker position. With TJ Edwards in tow and Nate Gerry's playing time increasing, is this the year to let Bradham walk?
Malcolm Jenkins' name did not make it on this list without some consideration for the blasphemous nature of his inclusion. The fact of the matter is, his contract is one of the few on the docket that would not incur a lump of dead money. It's been mentioned that the Eagles need to get younger at the secondary position and 2020 could be the year. It seems silly to consider the Eagles cutting ties with one of their most beloved players, but at the end of the day it is a business. Jenkins still has plenty of trade value and Howie isn't oblivious to that fact.
Diving deeper into the rabbit hole of hypothetical recourse, the Eagles could generate some real capital if they put Zach Ertz on the trade block. The cons seriously outweigh the pros, but it is an option. Trading away your young franchise quarterback's favorite target seems like a fool's errand, but if an overhaul is to happen, the Eagles will need picks. Trading Ertz would cost the Eagles about $1M in dead cap this season, but would save them a heap in 2021. Dallas Goedert has shown flashes of just how lethal he can be and maybe that is enough for the front office. It would be a head-shaking decision, but it's not completely out of the realm of possibilities.
The next two names on the list were new additions to Philadelphia just this year. Both Jacksons were injured early on in the season and were never really able to make their presence felt. With Malik and DeSean both rounding the hill of their respective careers, improving health isn't necessarily a given. The Eagles could decide to cut their losses and allow the vets to look for work elsewhere. They would have to pay for their mistakes, however. Spending $4M this year to recoup $14M over the next two seasons seems less rational than just waiting it out and hoping both players return with a clean bill of health. On the other hand, the Eagles could draft successors with much cheaper price tags which would render both Malik and DeSean somewhat dispensable.
Alshon Jeffery brings up the rear on this list simply because of the sheer amount of money the Eagles would lose if they were to part with him. 2019 was essentially a lost season for the former Bear, but his time on the field reinforced the notion that he is still much better than any of the other options on the roster. He may be one of the few players that cemented his value by not playing. When Philadelphia spent a second-round pick on Stanford alum J.J. Arcega-Whiteside some believed the writing was on the wall for Alshon. Even with extended playing time late in the year, JJAW has only registered eight receptions for 120 yards and a touchdown this season. Personally, I think Arcega-Whiteside will surprise some people next season, but so far he's only helped Jeffery become a necessity for 2020.
Rebuild?
So, is a rebuild on the horizon? If so, it looks as if the Eagles will have to get creative with how they manage their roster this offseason. If anything major is to happen, it will not come without a price. Realistically, Philadelphia could apply a fresh coat of paint without ruffling too many feathers, but it will depend on how this season finishes. Making the playoffs would sugarcoat was has been a vastly disappointing season in the City of Brotherly Love.
It seems as if the Eagles are somewhat limited in terms of a considerable pivot, but will have a reasonable amount of cap space to play with and a full portfolio of draft picks -- including a solid number of compensatory selections. 2020 may be the most important draft of Howie Roseman's career.
Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
