4 Free Agents the Eagles Should Consider
For teams around the NFL, the official start of the 2020 season is looming.
For the Philadelphia Eagles, the start of the new season means it is time to go free agent hunting. This year’s free agents signings will be huge in helping lead the Eagles to either future success or a plummeting spiral.
Projections have the team sitting with around $40 million-$43 million in money to spend per Spotrac. Expect the team to look for players that are young and ones who it believes will still be producing in the next three to five years. Players such as Chris Harris Jr. and A.J. Green may look flashy on paper, but are both over thirty and would eat up a ton of salary-cap space. Two things the Eagles do not need.
There are some names on the open market that would not break the bank and would provide instant production at positions that the team is in dire need of talent.
Photo: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
1) Robby Anderson, WR
It is no secret that the Eagles have had their eyes on Anderson. Heading into the 2018 and 2019 trade deadlines many thought the team would make a move for Anderson to get help for a wide receiving core that was falling apart.
Anderson is a burner with 4.3 speed and has the ability to take the top off of defenses. The Eagles currently have Desean Jackson under contract who can do the same, but with Jackson getting up there in age and injuries mounting, it is hard to trust Jackson to be healthy for a full season. Unlike Jackson, Anderson has only missed two games in his four-year pro career.
Anderson is only 26 and is looking for his first true payday. A contract of around $11 million a year would give the Eagles flexibility as well as allow them to look at pairing Anderson with a rookie wide receiver from the draft.
Photo: Getty Images
2) Logan Ryan, CB
Logan Ryan by far had one of his most productive seasons in 2019. He put up a career-high 113 tackles, four interceptions, and four forced fumbles. That is a production you like to see out of a cornerback. This type of production is something the Eagles have not had on defense for close to a decade now.
Signing Ryan would not only bring a solidified NFL starter to the secondary, but it would also add a veteran presence to a cornerback room that has no reliable veterans. His knowledge of the league would be huge to help guys such as Avonte Maddox, Sidney Jones, and Rasul Douglas develop.
The only problem with Ryan is his age. He is 29 and will soon be on the other side of thirty, which is something the Eagles made it sound like they are trying to avoid. A two to three-year deal would be ideal as it could get the most out of what Ryan has left. This would be best to save the team cap space, but not jeopardize the future of the team.
Photo: AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo
3) Cory Littleton, LB
Throughout the 2019 season, the Eagles seemed to be playing new linebackers every week. Players such as T.J. Edwards and Nate Gerry played well, but with Nigel Bradham possibly leaving in free agency, linebacker becomes an offseason need for the team. Cory Littleton could fill this role.
Littleton has proven to be one of the best coverage linebackers in the game. Over the past two seasons has tallied five interceptions. Along with this he totaled a career-high 135 total tackles and forced two fumbles. With running backs in the NFC East such as Saquon Barkley and Ezekiel Elliot who can both run and catch the ball, it is key to have a guy that can tackle and drop into coverage.
Giving Littleton a four or five-year deal would be ideal. It would lock up Littleton for the prime years of his career and give the Eagles a versatile player that can play the pass, run, and special teams.
Photo: Eric Hartline/USA TODAY Sports
4) Vic Beasley, DE
The Eagles defensive line is something that does not need starting pieces. The combination of Brandon Graham, Derek Barnett, Fletcher Cox, and Malik Jackson is solid. What hurts the Eagles is the lack of depth on the line.
Vic Beasley would be a good addition to play behind Graham and Barnett in early down situations. As seen in the past Jim Schwartz has the most success with his defensive schemes when there are fresh legs along the defensive line.
Beasley is only 27 and had a productive 2019 with eight sacks. While he may never get back to his career-high of 15.5 sacks, a change of scenery may be what Beasley needs. He would by no means break the bank for the Eagles and is a cheaper option compared to the likes of Jadeveon Clowney and Shaquil Barrett.
Featured Image: Rich Barnes/USA Today Sports
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