We’re in the heart of Training Camp now and the Philadelphia Eagles have been bitten by the injury bug. While nothing substantial has occurred, a few minor knocks have offered a dark foreshadowing of what could be a reality in the regular season if a couple of starters go down. The team is light at both Safety and Guard, but are there any free agents who could fill the void for cheap?
Halapoulivaati Vaitai
A product of Stoutland-U, Big-V left the Eagles to sign a big-time deal with the Detroit Lions. Things got off to a strong start, but Vaitai missed all of 2022 due to a back injury and was very limited one year later with multiple setbacks.
How much gas is left in the tank remains unclear, but Vaitai at least has familiarity with the Eagles and played his best football there. As a pinch option off the bench or to round out the roster and offer servicable depth over unproven commodities like Brett Toth and Trevor Keegan, it’s not the worst idea to reunite with the teams’ former draft selection.
Who should the Eagles target on the offensive line?
Drew Forbes
Forbes has spent his career as a depth option in Cleveland. A former sixth-round pick who started at tackle but moved to guard, Forbes offers an athletic skillset partnered with a nasty mindset. However, like Big-V, injuries have been his downfall. He’s missed a lot of time over the last few years and was released by Cleveland going into the offseason after playing just 13 games since he was drafted.
At the very least, he has experience and versatility. He would be hoping to prove himself and bring some viable competition to a guard position that could do with some extra bulk, and if it would allow Mekhi Becton to earn his paydirt at tackle, re-enforcing the depth at tackle.
Mark Glowinski
A veteran of the New York Giants, Glowinski has spent a long time as a mainstay for the Birds’ NFC East rival. He’s now 32-years-old and is of course coming from an offensive line that was anything but great last season. He was actually benched after the season opener following a terrible display and would factor in to a mild degree as the season wore on.
Glowinski might not be the guard he used to be, but he does have a rapport with Saquon Barkley, which in a pinch, could be valuable for an Eagles offense who will be leaning on their new star-studded rusher. He also brings a wealth of experience to the table which would be massively beneficial for guys like Trevor Keegan and Brett Toth.
Safety
Justin Simmons
The cream of the crop – Justin Simmons has been linked with the Eagles all offseason and the more time has passed, the lower the price to pay has dropped. A tryout with the Saints on Wednesday cites that league interest is still there in a veteran who put up 70 tackles last year for the Broncos as well as 3 picks.
The issue for the Eagles here is that he would likely be an instant starter over Reed Blankenship. That might not be the path they want to take, and a backup role is something Simmons might deem too low for a player of his stature. Regardless, with a potential injury to Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, setbacks for Cooper DeJean, and a rehab assignment for Sydney Brown, it’s an option worth exploring.
Keanu Neal
Keanu Neal is a player I’ve wanted on the Eagles for a long time. He’s a physical box safety who would thrive under Vic Fangio but is coming off of a disappointing 2023 campaign that ended early due to an injury. Prior to that, he started in 8 games for the Steelers, picking up 50 tackles, a pick, and 2 pass defenses.
He’s still a valuable player in the league and would likely benefit from a spot where he has to fight for his share of snaps. He’d tide the Eagles over while Sydney Brown returns from injury while also adding some extra competition for Reed Blankenship.
Justin Evans
The Justin Evans era in Philadelphia was hardly glamorous, but it also wasn’t totally terrible. Evans has experience playing in the City and appeared in 4 games for the Birds last year. He’d be a cheap and cheerful camp body and someone to fill a hole while the rest of the position gets back to full health.
Tracy Walker
An NFL veteran, Tracy Walker has spent the first six years of his career in Detroit, tallying 398 tackles and 3 picks. He’s another box Safety who has proven his salt as a starter and would be the most plausible option to bridge the gap while Sydney Brown recovers from his torn ACL. If Chauncey Gardner-Johnson’s injury is serious, then Walker would be among the best options on the open market.
Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
