Howie Season: Eagles Get a Head Start on Free Agency
Howie Season: Eagles Get a Head Start on Free Agency
#HowieSZN has officially commenced. The Eagles kicked off their offseason by re-signing star pass rusher Brandon Graham for three more years. As time went on, it seemed less and less likely that BG was going to play another down in midnight green. He was going to be expensive and Philly had no cap space. Roseman gave his former first-round pick $40 million over the next three years, preventing him from testing the open market. BG had previously stated that while he would love to stay in Philly, he owed it to himself and his family to test the waters. Graham is responsible for the single biggest defensive play in Eagles history, strip-sacking Tom Brady near the end of Super Bowl LII. He’s an important piece to a defensive line that hopes to return to its 2017 form.
Jason Kelce, the NFL’s best center, now has a salary that reflects that title. The back-to-back first-team All-Pro was awarded a contract extension for his stellar work, keeping him in Philadelphia until 2021 and paying him $11 million annually. All retirement rumors surrounding Kelce can stop for another three seasons. Kelce expressed his excitement to remain with the team, mentioning how they didn’t have to make the move but did so anyway. Kelce is the deliverer of the greatest speech in Philadelphia history.
The Eagles also declined to pick up the option on Timmy Jernigan’s contract, making him a free agent. Jernigan suffered a back injury in the offseason that limited him to only 100 snaps this season (regular and postseason), making this decision a no-brainer. Jernigan is a solid DT but hasn’t displayed the dominance that earned him this new contract since he received it. The draft and free agency have plenty of interior lineman available, so this cost-cutting move only helps Philly. Jernigan was due a whopping $13 million this season if he stayed with the team. Jernigan could net the Eagles a compensatory pick when signed by another team.
Reports say the Eagles have also been shopping Michael Bennett. He led the team’s defensive ends in sacks (9.0) but could be the odd man out of the rotation. With Brandon Graham surprisingly returning, Derek Barnett on his way back, and Chris Long in need of more minutes, Bennett could be swapped in a cash-saving move. Bennett is also involved in an unsolved legal issue stemming from February 2017.
With Brandon Brooks out for the foreseeable future, the Eagles got proactive and extended OG/C Isaac Seumalo. Seumalo was the starting guard on the opposite side and showed vast improvement over the course of the season. Seumalo is a versatile player, and while he’s not more than a serviceable starter at this point, his growth is encouraging. He’s now signed through 2022.
For the second season in a row, Lane Johnson restructured his contract in order to save the Eagles cap space. His salary drops for this season, but it will be upped in the future. He’s signed through the 2021 season and the Pro Bowler won’t be going anywhere.
The Eagles have also been rumored to be interested in RBs Le’Veon Bell and Duke Johnson, Jr.
-Micah Jimoh