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Philadelphia Eagles: Let’s Spend Some Cash

By Andrew Goldwasser

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NFL free agency is nigh upon us.

Today, teams can begin negotiating with the agents of soon-to-be free agents (if we’re to believe they haven’t been already).

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On Tuesday, at 4 P.M. Eastern, the official stuff begins. Players can actually become Philadelphia Eagles. No more rumors. Or sources. Just signatures on contracts and smiling faces in Eagles’ hats.

So… you’re the Philadelphia Eagles… thanks to a busy week of deals… you’ve got an estimated $48,500,000 to spend… in a perfect world… on whose heads to you hope to see those hats?

Let’s take care of some internal business first: You want to get Jeremy Maclin signed up. That will take an approximate $9 million chunk out of your budget… we’re at $41.5 million. And that’s with the addition, last week, of linebacker Brad Jones.

You’ve tendered running back Chris Polk and you intend to keep him ($1.6 million) and you have every intention of doing the same with under-the-radar stud defensive end Cedric Thornton ($2.4 million).

$37,500,000 left. This money goes quickly.

And then things get a little sweeter: Linebacker DeMeco Ryans agrees to restructure his deal: He wants to be here and Chip Kelly has made it clear that he ‘needs’ Ryans. But at 30, and coming off of an achilles injury, both sides agree that a $7 million cap hit is too much. Things get moved around and that number becomes $4.5 million. a little breathing room. Thanks, ‘Meco.

$40,000,000 left.

Your first call, without a doubt, is to cornerback Byron Maxwell. Bradley Fletcher and Cary Williams are gone and this position needs a major upgrade. There is no one out there more major than Maxwell and he has made it clear that his priorities are winning and going somewhere where he can be ‘the guy.’ No team with as much money as the Eagles are in nearly as good a position to win. And with both 2014 starters gone, Mr. Maxwell can be ‘the guy.’

You wanna sign up, Byron Maxwell? “Definitely. They (Eagles) run the scheme that I’m talking about. Cover 3, man press. And they’re committed to winning, so definitely Philadelphia. If they was to come at me, I would definitely have to consider them.”

You come at him. You sign him. But it’s not pretty. You were desperate. He was the priority. And it’s going to cost you $11 million against this year’s cap.

$29,000,000 left.

That back-end of the defense looks a lot nicer with Maxwell back there. But he and Malcolm Jenkins can’t do it alone. Safety time.

There is no one that fits the scheme like Devin McCourty. He, like Jenkins, is a converted corner. Chip has made it clear that his preference is to be able to use both safeties interchangeably… sometimes in coverage… sometimes helping near the line of scrimmage. As former corners, Jenkins and McCourty can cover better than most safeties. McCourty also loves to be physical and can be stout against the run.

And he’d be happy to come do it in Philly. For a cap number somewhere near $8 million dollars.

$21,000,000 left.

Feeling a lot better about what’s going on in the secondary. But remember that Trent Cole is gone and pass-rush specialist Brandon Graham will almost certainly be heading off to the greener pastures of a 4-3 scheme where he can be used more regularly.

Where can you find a pass-rushing outside linebacker that excels in a 3-4 defense? You had your answer way back in 2014, according to CBS’ Jason LaCanfora: A year ago he tweeted…

“Jason Worilds has signed his transition tag w/PIT worth $9.75M. No offer sheets can come now. He was a primary target for the Eagles..”

Primary target, eh? Well, he’s not tagged now. And he won’t cost as much as the Steelers spent on that transition tag. But he will cost you $8 million. But, hey. This is why you freed up all that cap space.

$13,000,000 under the cap. Remember, a good number of teams were starting with about this number.

Boy that defense looks nice, now. That front 7? Cox, Logan, Thornton up front with Worilds, Alonso, Kendricks, and Barwin behind them? Jenkins and McCourty manning the back-end with Maxwell on the outside? Boykin in the slot? There’s just one outside corner slot left, and between Nolan Carroll, 2014 rookie Jaylen Watkins, and someone you find in the draft… they’ll take care of it.

It’s time to spend some money on offense. After-all… you’re out one LeSean McCoy.

Dec 28, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram (22) runs with the ball against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Was it money?

Was it age?

Was it personality?

Was it running-style?

Believe whatever you want: Mark Ingram addresses them all. The Saints are in salary cap Hell and several teams will benefit from their inability to extend some of their valuable players. The Philadelphia Eagles are happy to be one of those teams.

Ingram will make significantly less than LeSean McCoy: Around $4.5 million.

He is two years younger than McCoy (a year is like a a quarter of a career in running back years).

He is, by all accounts, a lovely man. Coachable. Hard working. A much better fit.

And he runs straight. Chip Kelly was fed up with McCoy’s unwillingness (or inability) to hit a hole and just pick up the yardage that was there to be had. He had also asked McCoy to work on his lower body strength after 2013. That never happened. McCoy is gone. And Ingram has that traditional strong-based build.

You’ve retained Polk and, now, added Ingram to the committee along with Sproles. Running the football will not be a problem for the 2015 Philadelphia Eagles.

$9,000,000 left.

After adding a lot of talent, you take a look at the players of yours who’ve been out on the open market. Guys like Cole and Herremans are long-since signed. But there are some valuable players that won’t cost a lot and already know the system and the staff and will serve important roles on the bench or on special teams. Other teams haven’t bitten. But they’re more valuable to you than they are to them.

So you bring utility wide receiver Brad Smith back for $1.3 million.

And, inevitable butt-fumble tweets aside, there’s no reason Mark Sanchez shouldn’t be here as a backup. $3.5 million.

$4,200,000 left.

Well, you had better save this for draft picks, right? I mean… unless you were to trade a whole bunch of them. To move up. If there’s, you know, anyone that interests you…

Oct 20, 2013; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New England Patriots free safety Devin McCourty (32) defends a pass intended for New York Jets tight end Jeff Cumberland (87) during the second half at MetLife Stadium. The Jets won the game 30-27 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

But in the meantime, let’s stop.

Who knows what will happen in the days leading up to the draft or while the Bucs or Titans or Jets are on the clock.

In the meantime, let’s tally it all up:

You brought back: Jeremy Maclin, Brad Smith, Mark Sanchez, Cedric Thornton, and Chris Polk.

You added: Byron Maxwell, Devin McCourty, Jason Worilds, Brad Jones, and Mark Ingram.

You did well for yourselves.

The defense is much improved.

The offense, despite the loss of McCoy, is actually no worse for wear.

And you’ve still got a draft! I mean… maybe. More on that later.

Next: Impact of Trading Shady?

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