Potential Cuts
As seen with Bradham, this is the time of the year where veterans lose their jobs because of a high cap hit. There are a few linebackers around the league that could fall under this category that should interest the Eagles.
*This is all speculation and nothing confirmed so please don’t yell at me*
Dont’a Hightower
Hightower, 30 next month, carries a $12 million cap hit for the Patriots in 2020. Should Bill Belichick keep him around? We’ve seen the Patriots move on from linebackers in the past (Collins) and Hightower’s lack of production could lead to a new uniform next season.
Cutting Hightower would save over $9 million and create $50 million in cap space. They have some quarterback they want to re-sign, so a good chunk of cap space could be used for him.
Hightower hasn’t been too productive over the past few years, with only 83 tackles combined the last three seasons, but he’d be an upgrade.
Leonard Floyd
Strapped with only $5 million in cap space, the Chicago Bears may look to move on from one of their highly drafted players.
Coming into his fifth year in the league, Leonard Floyd carries a $13.2 million cap hit with zero dead money if cut. That brings the cap space for the Bears to around $18 million, much better for their free agency outlook, albeit not great.
Floyd has underwhelmed after being drafted ninth overall in 2016, only registering 154 tackles in four seasons. A change of scenery could do wonders for him.
Keanu Neal
Ok, he’s not a linebacker. But as an in the box safety, I have to include him.
The Falcons also only have $5 million in cap space, an additional $6 million+ can be saved with cutting Neal.
Neal started his career off strong, registering 106 and 116 tackles in his first two seasons respectively. But injuries cut his season short very early in 2018 and 2019, so that injury history could make the Falcons move on from him.
It helps that his former DB coach and defensive coordinator is in Philly now, Marquand Manuel. He could step in on a one year prove it deal and provide an excellent in the box safety/nickel linebacker, should Malcolm Jenkins move on.
Kiko Alonso
Another former player returning to glory!
Ok not quite.
Alonso is better known as the guy that Chip Kelly traded LeSean McCoy for. In his only season in Philadelphia, Alonso played in 11 games and only registered 43 tackles.
He’s best known as a piece of the trade that the Eagles sent to the Dolphins to move up in the draft in 2016 en route to the second overall pick.
In Miami, he channeled his rookie year production, when he had 159 tackles. In 2016, he had 115 tackles, with another 115 in 2017, and 125 in 2018. His defensive coordinator in 2017 and 2018 was Matt Burke, who is the current defensive line coach for the Eagles.
He underwhelmed with the Saints in 2019, registering 31 tackles in 13 games, but he could be worth a flier if he’s let go by the Saints so he can reunite with the coach that revitalized his career.
*Alonso and Schwartz were also on the Bills together, but Alonso was out the entire year in 2014.
Avery Williamson
Not a very well known name, but before going down with a torn ACL last August, Williamson was a very productive linebacker. He had 120 tackles for the Jets in 2018 and averaged 94 tackles a season during his four years with Tennessee.
He had PFF’s fifth highest run defense grade among linebackers in 2018.
Williamson would save $6.5 million if cut. If his knee checks out, he could provide the Eagles with some much needed production. He’ll turn 28 in a few weeks.
K.J. Wright
This one is a bit of a long shot, especially since Seattle has over $51 million in cap space and they could ill afford to lose a defensive player, but his cap number suggests he’s a candidate.
Going into his age 31 season, Wright counts for $7.5 million against the cap in 2020. The one time Pro Bowl linebacker is coming off a 132 tackle season.
He’s been very productive in his nine seasons, registering 855 tackles, fifth most in the league in those nine years.
Again, this is a long shot. But if it happens, the Eagles should bring Wright in for the production and veteran leadership.
Those are just a few cut candidates, what about trades?
Continued on page 3 below.
Mandatory Credit: Scott R. Galvin-USA TODAY Sports
