The Eagles have needs, as all teams do. To fill those needs, they will turn to free agency and the draft. But it seems as though the Eagles have had the same needs year after year, namely linebacker. Howie has been general manager for the Eagles since 2010, with the exception of the Chip year in 2015. How has he "tackled" the position? (Get it?!)
2019 Depth Chart
The Eagles' linebacker corps consisted of Nigel Bradham, Nate Gerry, Kamu Grugier-Hill, Duke Riley, T.J. Edwards, and Alex Singleton. Grugier-Hill ended the season on IR and is a free agent this offseason. Bradham played in 12 games and had the worst season of his Eagles tenure, but the Birds can decline his team option and make him a free agent. Gerry underwhelmed in 2019 but it was revealed that he played the whole season on a torn core muscle, which he underwent surgery to repair a few weeks ago. Riley played a grand total of 32 defensive snaps in 2019 for the Eagles and will probably just be a special teams player. The same could be said of Singleton, but he offers more upside for the defense. Edwards showed a ton of promise during the season and was easily the team's best tackling linebacker and best in coverage among the group.
This group needs an overhaul, but the Eagles have never put an emphasis on the position. Is 2020 the year it changes? Let's take a look at the moves Howie Roseman has made over the years to address the long standing need.
2010
Traded away Chris Gocong (along with Sheldon Brown) for Alex Hall
The only move made in 2010 for linebacker depth was when Howie traded away Chris Gocong to the Browns for Alex Hall.
Linebacker Depth
Omar Gaither, Jamar Cheney, Stewart Bradley, Ernie Sims, Akeem Jordan, Moise Fokou, Keenan Clayton
Did the team need linebacker upgrades?
Of the team's 1,009 tackles in 2009, 584 of them were from the linebackers. The leading tackler of that group was Akeem Jordan with 71. The team needed playmakers in that group and instead of upgrading the unit, they traded away a player with 44 tackles in 2009 for a guy they would ultimately waive in July of 2010.
2010 results
With the non upgrades, the Eagles linebacker corps took a step back in 2010. They combined for 282 tackles out of the entire team's 890. The leading tackler was Stewart Bradley with 65.
2011
Drafted Casey Matthews (4th round) and Brian Rolle (6th round)
Another year of no major changes to the linebacker corps.
Linebacker depth
Jamar Cheney, Brian Rolle, Akeem Jordan, Casey Matthews, Keenan Clayton, Moise Fokou
Did the team need linebacker upgrades?
Uh, yeah.
2011 results
The linebackers took yet another step back in 2011, finishing with 277 total tackles of the team's 908. They did have their first 90+ combined tackler since 2008 in Jamar Cheney with 92. However, next up was Brian Rolle with 54.
2012
Traded for DeMeco Ryans
Drafted Mychal Kendricks (2nd round)
Traded away Moise Fokou
Released Brian Rolle
Linebacker depth
DeMeco Ryans, Mychal Kendricks, Jamar Cheney, Akeem Jordan, Casey Matthews
Did the team need upgrades?
Yep, and it looked like they were on their way to building a fundamentally sound group. But, they brought in two and sent away two. Leaving the depth depleted.
2012 results
272 tackles. Another year, another decrease. Of those 272 tackles, 113 were from Ryans and 75 were from Kendricks. That means 84 were spread out among the rest of the linebackers. Not ideal.
2013
Signed Connor Barwin
Trent Cole transitioned from defensive end to LB as the team switched to a 3-4
Claimed Najee Goode off waivers
Released but reclaimed Emmanuel Acho
Linebacker depth
DeMeco Ryans, Mychal Kendricks, Connor Barwin, Trent Cole, Najee Goode, Emmanuel Acho, Casey Matthews
Did the team need upgrades?
The team went from 584 tackles from the linebackers in 2009 to 282 in 2010 to 277 in 2011 to 272 in 2012. The Eagles needed upgrades every year of Howie's early career as a GM and the team failed to do so. Keeping promising players on the roster in 2012 in Ryans and Kendricks, adding Barwin, and transitioning stellar defensive end Trent Cole to linebacker signaled a change in thinking: they finally realized they need good linebackers.
2013 results
The continued rise of the Ryans and Kendricks duo propelled this linebacker group to 382 tackles, 110 more than 2012. The two combined for 233, with 58 coming from Barwin, 56 coming from Cole, 21 from Goode, 12 from Matthews, and 2 from Acho. It's not unlike most teams to have two linebackers have the lion's share of the tackles among the group but, for the first time in a while, the Eagles finally had depth behind them. This looked like the start of a great trend for the corps.
2014
Signed Bryan Braman
Marcus Smith was drafted to not play his college position of linebacker and was switched to defensive end
Brandon Graham moved from his defensive end position to play linebacker
Goode and Ryans placed on IR during season
Linebacker depth
DeMeco Ryans, Casey Matthews, Mychal Kendricks, Trent Cole, Connor Barwin, Brandon Graham, Emmanuel Acho, Bryan Braman
Did the team need an upgrade?
For the first time in a long time, the team really didn't have a huge need at linebacker. All they needed to do was to continue to development of the studs in the group and hope for good health.
2014 results
Connor Barwin was a Pro Bowler with his 14.5 sacks. The group was more well rounded with Kendricks having 82 tackles, Barwin had 64, Matthews had 53, Cole had 52, Graham had 47, and Ryans had 45 in eight games. Although only having eight less tackles than 2013, with 374, it could still be viewed as a disappointment due to the lack of a 100 tackle season after back to back. The good health hope went unanswered as many of the linebackers missed multiple games, so plenty of disappointment to go around.
We're skipping 2015 due to it being the Chip Kelly GM year, so let's take a look at the post-CK Howie GM days on the next page.
2015
Ok I lied. Chip Kelly's first offseason as a GM was interesting. But let's stay on the linebackers. Trent Cole was released. Brandon Graham stayed at linebacker. The trade happened: Kiko Alonso for LeSean McCoy. Alonso missed all of 2014, but had a 159 tackle rookie season in 2013. Jordan Hicks was selected in the draft. DeMeco Ryans was re-signed to a one year deal. Mychal Kendricks was extended.
Pretty solid foundation, right?
Well, Graham was the only linebacker to play all 16 games, and he ended with 51 tackles. Kendricks gave 86 in 13 games, Hicks had 50 in eight before going on the IR, Barwin had 54, Ryans had 49 in 14, Alonso had 43 in 11, and Najee Goode and Bryan Braman combined for 18 tackles. 312 of of the team's 1,054.
New GM, same problem.
2016 - the return of Howard Roseman
It was time for Howie to try and undo Chip's wrongs.
Jim Schwartz named defensive coordinator, Ken Flajole named linebackers coach
Traded away Kiko Alonso (in a packed for the 8th overall pick that was then sent away for the 2nd overall pick)
Signed Nigel Bradham
Selected Joe Walker in the 7th round
Signed Stephen Tulloch
Claimed Kamu Grugier-Hill
Howie brought in two players that were familiar with new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz in Bradham and Tulloch. Bradham had his best year of his career with Schwartz as his DC in Buffalo and Tulloch was very productive for Schwartz in both Detroit and Tennesee.
Linebacker depth
Bradham, Hicks, Kendricks, Tulloch, Goode, Grugier-Hill, Braman
Did the team need an upgrade?
Chip Kelly tried to upgrade the linebacker position, but injuries and inconsistency took a toll on that development. Howie did his best to finally bring some stability to such a volatile group and brought in players that fit the new defensive scheme. Brandon Graham was finally brought back to his natural position at defensive end. Barwin was also moved to defensive end.
2016 results
Bradham gave the team its first 100 tackle season since 2013, grabbing 102 of them. Hicks had 85, but that ends the impact. Kendricks regressed hard and had only 32 in 15 games. With the newcomers on defense, Kendricks also lost his starting spot, as he only started 8 of those 15 after starting all but two of the games he played in the previous four seasons. Goode, Grugier-Hill, Tulloch, and Braman combined for 30 tackles. 249 tackles as a linebacker group. 249 out of 892 as a team. Pretty, pretty bad.
2017
Selected Nate Gerry in the fifth round
Signed Dannell Ellerbe (late season to help with depth)
Linebacker depth
Bradham, Kendricks, Hicks, Goode, Grugier-Hill, Walker, Ellerbe, Gerry
Did the team need an upgrade?
Well, if you read the 2016 portion of this, you know the answer. Two moves were made to help this group out. Two.
2017 results
Hindsight is always 20/20 and obviously the non-moves worked out because the Eagles won some championship. But the fact remains, this linebacker corps underwhelmed yet again. Injuries played a huge role (story of 2017 for the whole team) as Goode was the only linebacker to play all 16 games. Kendricks was brought back to relevancy, though. He Played in 15 games and started 13 of them, finishing with 77 tackles. Bradham led the way again with 88. They were the only two linebackers to finish the season with more than 30 tackles. Yes, 30. Hicks had 28 in seven games. Grugier-Hill had 22. 16 game player Najee Goode had 21. Gerry had five. Ellerbe had eight. Walker had 10. 259 tackles. 10 more than 2016! The team had four less total tackles, 888, but the linebackers accounted for a higher percentage. Yay?
2018
Nigel Bradham extended
Mychal Kendricks released
Signed Paul Worrilow
Signed LaRoy Reynolds
Signed D.J. Alexander
Waived Joe Walker
Linebacker depth
Bradham, Hicks, Grugier-Hill, Gerry, Alexander, Reynolds, Bello
Did the team need an upgrade?
I'm starting to sound like a broken record. Maybe the lack of big name moves was because Howie and Jim wanted to see the linebackers develop. Yet it was another year of Hicks not playing 16 games, and only two linebackers doing so: LaRoy Reynolds and Kamu Grugier-Hill.
2018 results
Despite playing in only 12 games, Hicks racked up 91 tackles. If you extrapolate that average over four games, that's 30 more tackles he could've had in those four missed games. 121 tackle projection. I know, I know: could've, would've, should've. Bradham had 97 tackles in 15 games, Grugier-Hill had 45 in 16, Gerry had 23 in 13, Reynolds had six in 16, Alexander had four in 12, and Bello had two in three. 268 tackles, with 188 coming from two players. The production from the depth players was still abysmal.
2019
Here we are, the most recent season. Let's see how we started the offseason:
Signed CFL star Alex Singleton
Resigned Paul Worrilow (later released)
Hicks left the team for Arizona
Signed L.J. Fort (later released)
Signed Zach Brown (later released)
Brought in undrafted free agent T.J. Edwards
Traded for Duke Riley
Linebacker depth
Bradham, Gerry, Grugier-Hill, Edwards, Singleton, Brown, Fort, Riley
Did the team need an upgrade?
With the loss of Jordan Hicks, the team needed to replace his production. They attempted to do so by signing promising young linebacker L.J. Fort and longtime productive linebacker Zach Brown. T.J. Edwards was also the most highly touted undrafted free agent.
2019 results
Oof. That pretty much sums it up. Brown had 29 tackles in six games before being released. Fort didn't play a single defensive snap before being released. Gerry had a career year with 72 tackles, but he missed 14. That doesn't include the blown coverages he had. Bradham had 61 in 12 games. Grugier-Hill had 22 in 10 games before an injury ended his season. Edwards had 22 in 16 games, but he never played more than 21 defensive snaps in a game. Singleton was stuck on special teams when he was called up. Duke Riley was also a special teams player, but contributed 5 tackles.
That's good for 211 tackles from linebackers out of 810 as a team.
Percentage of tackles from LB per year
2010: 32%
2011: 31%
2012: 29%
2013: 37%
2014: 38%
2015: 30%
2016: 28%
2017: 29%
2018: 29%
2019: 26%
2013 and 2014 were the team's best years with linebackers with Howie as GM. Although abysmal in 2012, the team was set up for success with the acquisition of DeMeco Ryans. An investment in Mychal Kendricks and the signing of Connor Barwin helped propel the linebackers up, only to be taken down again from 2015-2019.
With names like Joe Schobert, Blake Martinez, and Cory Littleton available in free agency in 2020, barring any franchise tags, the table is set for Howie to make a splash for the position. There are also many talented linebackers in the draft.
If 2020 isn't the year Howie invests in the linebacker corps, we may never see it happen. The team needs a thumper in the middle of that defense, make it happen Howie.
Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
