Free agent cornerback Leodis McKelvin is paying a visit to Philadelphia today to meet with the Eagles, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). While most pending free agents can’t make visits until Wednesday, McKelvin is eligible to begin doing so now since he was released by the Bills last week.
McKelvin, selected 11th overall in the 2008 draft, had been preparing to enter the final year of his contract with the Bills. Recent reports had suggested the team would explore a reworked contract with McKelvin in an attempt to keep him around, but Buffalo ultimately parted ways with him instead, allowing him to hit the open market.
Despite being a first-round pick, McKelvin never developed into a shutdown corner for the Bills, or even a full-time starter — he has only started more than nine games in a season twice in his career, due to both performance and injuries. In 2015, McKelvin grabbed two interceptions to go along with 32 tackles, nine passes defended, and a fumble recovery. Pro Football Focus ranked him 83rd out of 111 qualified cornerbacks.
The Eagles are in the market for cornerback help after agreeing to trade Byron Maxwell to the Dolphins, and McKelvin would represent a more affordable option than many other players on the free agent market. Rapoport suggests that a deal between the two sides could “come quickly.” However, if McKelvin and the Eagles don’t work something out while he’s in Philadelphia, a visit to Dallas to meet with the Cowboys is next up on the 30-year-old’s schedule, per Rapoport.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.