The Eagles cut one of their veterans on Tuesday, as Howie Roseman works on his "attachment to players" problem. The team declined Nigel Bradham's team option for 2020, making him a free agent and saving around $4.5 million in cap space.
Here's how the LB Depth chart looks as a result:
T.J. Edwards
Nate Gerry
Alex Singleton
Genard Avery (listed as defensive end but also has experience as linebacker)
Duke Riley
Of course, it's only February and that's not going to be the final product going into next season.
There's less than month left until free agency opens and trades can happen, but veterans can be cut beforehand. Let's take a look at possible free agent additions, veterans to look out for in case they're cut, and trade targets.
Free Agency
There are a lot of intriguing names heading into free agency this season, including some that would command a nice chunk of change.
Joe Schobert
Let's get my free agency crush out of the way. Schobert is my ideal addition to fix this linebacker corps. He has 408 combined tackles in his first four seasons in the league. No Eagles linebacker has ever had that many tackles in their first four seasons, the most is Seth Joyner with 399. In fact, there has never been an Eagles defender with that many tackles - Reggie White had the most with 407. He also had 156 assisted tackles, 11th most in a player's first four years in NFL history. The most for the Eagles is Mychal Kendricks with 85.
His six interceptions in those four years are just two less than Joyner's eight.
He led the league in 2017 in tackles with 144. He did have 16 missed tackles in 2019, and a run defense grade of 47.1 from ProFootballFocus (PFF), but he makes up for those mistakes.
Schobert is a stud. He'll probably command a similar salary to Kwon Alexander's 4 year $54 million deal, but he's worth it.
Cory Littleton
If you're more into recent breakout linebackers instead of production over a longer period, look no further than Cory Littleton.
Littleton started his first two seasons pretty slowly, registering a combined 56 tackles. But then in 2018, he broke out with 125 tackles and three interceptions. He followed that up in 2019 with 134 tackles and two interceptions. Littleton is PFF's sixth best defensive free agent and has a 90.6 coverage grade from them over the past two seasons, which is third best in the league.
Like Schobert, he isn't great against the run. He posted a 50.8 run defense grade over the last two seasons, 103rd out of 126 qualified linebackers over that time. But his value in pass defense might be too good to pass up.
Contract could rival Schobert's deal, maybe even be more.
Nick Kwiatkoski
According to Spotrac, no linebacker gave better value on their contracts that Kwiatkoski did. His 99.43 "true value score" ranked almost eight points higher than Cory Littleton.
Making $728K in 2019, Kwiatkoski had 76 tackles, three sacks, a safety, and an interception.
It wouldn't be the first time the Eagles were interested in Kwiatkoski, as he met with the team on a pre-draft visit prior to the 2016 draft.
To me, he'd be an "L.J. Fort" addition. A player who still acts as a key special teamer while enjoying a defensive breakout. Kwiatkoski enjoyed some really good games last year and proved that he's ready to become a three-down backer.
A contract should look similar to the three year $10 million that Fort received from the Eagles.
De'Vondre Campbell
If you're looking for an addition that has a connection to a current Eagles coach, Campbell's your guy.
New Eagles defensive backs coach Marquand Manuel was the Falcons' defensive coordinator in 2017 and 2018, where Campbell also played. In those two seasons, Campbell had 92 and 94 tackles and had 129 in his one season without Manuel in 2019.
Campbell plays outside linebacker, a position that sorely needs depth on the Eagles.
Despite the production, he shouldn't command a hefty pay day. I'd expect four year $38 million.
Other free agents to watch for:
Vic Beasley
A.J. Klein
Elijah Lee
Darron Lee
Kevin Pierre-Louis
Darron Lee
Jon Bostic
Next, let's take a look at players who could be cut from their current teams.
Continued on page 2 below.
Mandatory Credit: Scott R. Galvin-USA TODAY Sports
Potential Cuts
As seen with Bradham, this is the time of the year where veterans lose their jobs because of a high cap hit. There are a few linebackers around the league that could fall under this category that should interest the Eagles.
*This is all speculation and nothing confirmed so please don't yell at me*
Dont'a Hightower
Hightower, 30 next month, carries a $12 million cap hit for the Patriots in 2020. Should Bill Belichick keep him around? We've seen the Patriots move on from linebackers in the past (Collins) and Hightower's lack of production could lead to a new uniform next season.
Cutting Hightower would save over $9 million and create $50 million in cap space. They have some quarterback they want to re-sign, so a good chunk of cap space could be used for him.
Hightower hasn't been too productive over the past few years, with only 83 tackles combined the last three seasons, but he'd be an upgrade.
Leonard Floyd
Strapped with only $5 million in cap space, the Chicago Bears may look to move on from one of their highly drafted players.
Coming into his fifth year in the league, Leonard Floyd carries a $13.2 million cap hit with zero dead money if cut. That brings the cap space for the Bears to around $18 million, much better for their free agency outlook, albeit not great.
Floyd has underwhelmed after being drafted ninth overall in 2016, only registering 154 tackles in four seasons. A change of scenery could do wonders for him.
Keanu Neal
Ok, he's not a linebacker. But as an in the box safety, I have to include him.
The Falcons also only have $5 million in cap space, an additional $6 million+ can be saved with cutting Neal.
Neal started his career off strong, registering 106 and 116 tackles in his first two seasons respectively. But injuries cut his season short very early in 2018 and 2019, so that injury history could make the Falcons move on from him.
It helps that his former DB coach and defensive coordinator is in Philly now, Marquand Manuel. He could step in on a one year prove it deal and provide an excellent in the box safety/nickel linebacker, should Malcolm Jenkins move on.
Kiko Alonso
Another former player returning to glory!
Ok not quite.
Alonso is better known as the guy that Chip Kelly traded LeSean McCoy for. In his only season in Philadelphia, Alonso played in 11 games and only registered 43 tackles.
He's best known as a piece of the trade that the Eagles sent to the Dolphins to move up in the draft in 2016 en route to the second overall pick.
In Miami, he channeled his rookie year production, when he had 159 tackles. In 2016, he had 115 tackles, with another 115 in 2017, and 125 in 2018. His defensive coordinator in 2017 and 2018 was Matt Burke, who is the current defensive line coach for the Eagles.
He underwhelmed with the Saints in 2019, registering 31 tackles in 13 games, but he could be worth a flier if he's let go by the Saints so he can reunite with the coach that revitalized his career.
*Alonso and Schwartz were also on the Bills together, but Alonso was out the entire year in 2014.
Avery Williamson
Not a very well known name, but before going down with a torn ACL last August, Williamson was a very productive linebacker. He had 120 tackles for the Jets in 2018 and averaged 94 tackles a season during his four years with Tennessee.
He had PFF's fifth highest run defense grade among linebackers in 2018.
Williamson would save $6.5 million if cut. If his knee checks out, he could provide the Eagles with some much needed production. He'll turn 28 in a few weeks.
K.J. Wright
This one is a bit of a long shot, especially since Seattle has over $51 million in cap space and they could ill afford to lose a defensive player, but his cap number suggests he's a candidate.
Going into his age 31 season, Wright counts for $7.5 million against the cap in 2020. The one time Pro Bowl linebacker is coming off a 132 tackle season.
He's been very productive in his nine seasons, registering 855 tackles, fifth most in the league in those nine years.
Again, this is a long shot. But if it happens, the Eagles should bring Wright in for the production and veteran leadership.
Those are just a few cut candidates, what about trades?
Continued on page 3 below.
Mandatory Credit: Scott R. Galvin-USA TODAY Sports
Trade candidates
Trades have become more prevalent in the NFL in recent years, so don't be surprised if Howie is on the phones right now trying to make a deal for a promising linebacker.
Benardrick McKinney
It's hard to believe a team would trade their second most productive tackler, but for the Texans to recoup any draft compensation they may have to consider doing so.
The Texans only have six draft picks in the 2020 draft, after trading away their first this year for Laremy Tunsil.
McKinney could fetch them a day two pick (second or third). If that's the price, especially the third round pick, Howie should jump all over it.
Devon Kennard
It's not often that a team's Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee is available for trade, but that's what may happen with the Lions and Devon Kennard.
The Lions have plenty of cap space ($45 million) but they can save $5.6 million by trading the six year pro.
He hasn't been great, but he's been solid. As primarily a pass rusher last season, Kennard had 58 tackles, seven sacks, nine tackles for loss, and 15 QB hits.
The Eagles pass rush needs some help from the linebackers, and Kennard can provide that help. I think he could be had for a conditional day three pick.
C.J. Mosley
This might not be a popular one, seeing as his contract is ginormous, but his production before being sucked into the black hole that is the New York Jets cannot be ignored.
Between 2014-2018, he had the fifth most tackles in the league.
He was hurt for all but two games in 2019, registering nine tackles. He was signed before Joe Douglas took over as GM, so Douglas could look to move on from him despite the Baltimore connection between the two.
If traded, Mosley saves over $11 million in cap space for the Jets. If cut, his contract still counts for $12 million on their cap. Easy decision.
To take on the contract, the Jets may have to give him up for a conditional fifth rounder, with the pick escalating to a third if certain parameters are met. If the Eagles can get a healthy C.J. Mosley for the middle of their defense, they might have the next DeMeco Ryans.
Preston Brown
Since Jim Schwartz loves reuniting with former players, let's try out another former linebacker of his.
As a member of Schwartz's defense in Buffalo in 2014, Brown had 109 tackles and one interception as a rookie. After Schwartz left, Brown still produced. Between 2015-2017, Brown was second only to Bobby Wagner in total tackles, including a league leading 144 in 2017. He had 42 tackles in seven games for the Bengals in 2018 before losing playing time in 2019.
After being cut by the Bengals in November, he was signed by the Raiders, then waived by them, and then claimed in December by the Jaguars. He should be a cheap acquisition.
Brown was listed as an ideal trade candidate for the Eagles by Bleacher Report at the 2019 trade deadline, and he's still an ideal fit now.
Mandatory Credit: Scott R. Galvin-USA TODAY Sports
