Tough Choices

The Eagles won the Super Bowl in 2017. They just missed making it to the NFC title game last year. We don’t know what to expect from the 2019 team because there could be a lot of changes. This is going to be one interesting offseason.

Check this out.

Here's a fun little free agency cheat sheet for QB RB WR TE DT Edge LB CB S + offensive needs. pic.twitter.com/nPBLPmEM7h

— Mike Clay (@MikeClayNFL) February 14, 2019

Based on Mike’s rankings, the Eagles have the top QB, the top WR, the #4 RB, the #3 DE, the #3 LB and the #3 CB. That is a lot of talent. I hadn’t really looked at the Eagles potential free agent losses as a whole. It caught me by surprise that the group is that good.

If the Eagles lose most of those guys and limit what they do in free agency, they could be in for a big set of comp picks in 2020.

That sounds easy, but Howie Roseman isn’t going to just watch players leave. He does have plenty of draft picks for the first time in a while and that will impact his thinking, but Roseman isn’t the type to keep both eyes on the future. He will make moves to make the Eagles better this year, not just for the future.

I wrote a piece for PE.com on some of the challenges this offseason will bring and how Roseman might look at things.

One group of players that Roseman could focus on is guys that have been cut. They become free agents, but don’t count against the comp pick formula. That makes them extra valuable to the Eagles. Let’s take a look at some potential cap casualties who could interest the Eagles.

WR DeSean Jackson – He’s due to make $10M this year, but hasn’t been an ideal fit in Tampa. Jackson remains productive and explosive and that’s why the Eagles could be interested. There would be legit questions about whether he would fit the chemistry this team has. Jackson has rarely been a team-first kind of guy. Still, his speed would do a lot for this offense.

DE Robert Quinn – If the Eagles let Brandon Graham leave in free agency, Quinn would be a potential replacement. He’s younger than Graham and has played his best football in the 4-3. Quinn once had 19 sacks when he and Chris Long were DEs together on the Rams. Quinn would be a good fit in the Eagles scheme.

DE Olivier Vernon – Another player who could be of interest if the Eagles want a younger, cheaper replacement for Graham. Vernon can be a really disruptive pass rusher at times. He’s been a bit inconsistent and that might be part of why he could be cut.

RB LeSean McCoy – RBs over the age of 30 are generally not a prized commodity. McCoy is declining, but remains an elusive runner and talented playmaker. If the Bills cut him loose, the Eagles could be interested. They need better RB play this year. You know McCoy would love to be part of a talented, explosive offense. That hasn’t been the case in Buffalo.

LB Sean Lee – The emergence of Leighton Vander Esch makes Lee expendable. It would be fun to see the Eagles sign Lee and have him stay healthy for 16 games. That would be a real form of torture for Dallas fans. The Eagles may let Jordan Hicks leave in free agency. If so, they could use a MLB. Would Lee be worth the risk? He might, with the right price.

LB Zach Brown – The biggest knock on Jordan Hicks is durability. Brown is 29 years old, but has played in 61 of the past 64 games. He is a reliable veteran. He is a solid playmaker as well.

There are a slew of DTs who could be cut. The Eagles have to decide if Tim Jernigan is worth keeping. If so, they’ll probably focus on adding a DT in the draft. If they let Jernigan go, the Eagles could target any number of DTs on the market.

_