With the 2019 season now behind us, the Eagles front office will have plenty of work to do over the coming months. The team needs to embrace the youth movement that was started on the offensive side of the ball, while figuring out if the same theme should be applied on defense.
Pederson’s offense relied upon a group of practice squad players who showed that they belong in the NFL. Fortunately, the majority of those players are signed to the team and can’t go elsewhere. Still, the players that are considered free agents may have the biggest impacts if they leave. With some tough decisions to make, it’s time to put on everyone’s favorite song by ‘The Clash’ and examine who should stay and who should go.
Jason Peters: Go
The Bodyguard is at a crossroads in his career. He’s still playing well but he isn’t the all-pro left tackle that he once was and that became inherently clear in 2019. Peters’ passion and drive to play just can’t keep up with his body. Unfortunately for him, the Eagles already have his replacement waiting in the wings. Andre Dillard was a solid starting LT in the three games that he started prior to the team’s bye week. Maybe the former all-pro is willing to switch positions and help Dillard progress, but the likelihood of that happening is pretty slim.
Nelson Agholor: Go
Agholor has had an up and down career so far. He was drafted in the first round to be a top wideout, but a case of the dropsies quickly became his greatest downfall. The more Agholor failed to come up in big moments the less confident he became. The USC product was described by coaches as one of the hardest-working players in the locker room and for a brief moment, he reaped those seeds and blossomed. But that flower soon wilted.
In his four year career, Nelly had four differed WR coaches for a position that hasn’t flourished since DeSean’s early days. It may well have stagnated his growth or at the very least contributed to his lack of development, but either way, the Eagles took a gamble on paying him $9M last season and he didn’t live up to the price tag.
Agholor needs a change of scenery. There is a chance he spreads his wings elsewhere, but the Eagles have done all they can to try and get the best out of him and it just hasn’t been enough.
Nate Sudfeld: Stay
This is a tricky one. Sudfeld hasn’t really had a chance to shine but to find a reliable backup is terribly difficult nowadays. While McCown was QB2, Sudfeld still held value in divine the QB room the consistency it needed. Nate has been with this team throughout the ups and downs and probably knows the playbook and players’ tendencies better than any free agent would. If the Eagles draft a developmental QB, Sudfeld holds tremendous value. But if they go with a veteran, then Sudfeld may find himself at QB3 once again…which won’t mean great things for a long-term future with the team.
Josh McCown: Stay
Who wouldn’t love to see McCown back with the Eagles? The 40-year-old veteran provided more than just a body at the backup position. He gave the Eagles’ young guys a player-coach that they needed, he provided Wentz with the veteran wisdom that he also needed. While I’m not a fan of bringing McCown back as QB2, I’m a huge fan in bringing him back as the Eagles QB coach. Press Taylor hasn’t really provided Wentz with the wisdom or the QB eye as McCown has. McCown went above and beyond as a backup in helping all the young receivers get in sync with Wentz and playbook. That right there is priceless and shouldn’t be wasted away. Doug Pederson and Howie need to take the risk in making this move for the better of the franchise.
Richard Rodgers: Go
Richard Rodgers is a curious case. After suffering an injury that held him out of for most of the season, the Eagles brought back Rodgers for their playoff run but the tight end didn’t see much action. It’s hard to say if the team will bring him back after seeing the ability of Josh Perkins but one thing that Rodgers is better at is blocking. With the Eagles running 12-personnel so much, I’d expect them to possibly draft a developmental tight end or promote Alex Ellis.
Jordan Howard: Go
While Howard has become a fan favorite here in Philadelphia, one thing is for certain. Howard deserves to get paid but the Eagles might not be in his price range. The young running back was RB1 for most of the season until he went down with a stinger in his shoulder. Miles Sanders took advantage of that and catapulted himself into not only RB1 but the franchise running back. So where would Howard fit in now? The Eagles 1-2 punch of Sanders and Scott will be enough for the team to draft a power back in the later rounds instead of paying Howard.
Halapoulivaati Vaitai: Go
People continuously forget Vaitai’s value. The young OT was once the starting left tackle for the 2017 Super Bowl team and has bailed the line out on countless occasions since being drafted in the fifth-round. Whether it’s Lane Johnson or Jason Peters that goes down, Vaitai is always the first man up and may seek to test free agency waters after seeing a former versatile teammate who was a backup in Philly after a demotion, Stefen Wisniewski, leap to Kansas City and make his second Super Bowl appearance.
Corey Clement: Stay
The forgotten back. Now Corey Clement has been plagued by injuries since 2018. Not much has been seen from him since the Super Bowl. While he fits the same mold as Scott and Sanders, Clement may still find his way onto this team in 2020. A key fact to remember is that Clement is a restricted free agent so the Eagles will have control over Clement’s future.
Deontay Burnett: In-between
Burnett was a small part of the Eagles resurgence at wide receiver. The young wideout made a huge play against the Giants to help the team seal the NFC East title but after that, not much was heard from him. His fate with the team may depend on the Eagles draft.
Mandatory Photo Credit: AP/Matt Rourke
