Eagles Cut LG Allen Barbre
As training camp gets underway, Allen Barbre will have to find work elsewhere. The Eagles announced that they have released the left guard.
[RELATED: Eagles Eyeing Veteran Cornerbacks]
“Allen Barbre is a pro’s pro,” said top executive Howie Roseman in a statement. “Not only did he help the team with his solid play as a starter at left guard, but his ability to step up and play multiple positions helped us battle through some difficult situations. We had a conversation yesterday and agreed it made sense to allow him to pursue some other opportunities, but the door is open for him to return here as well.”
By releasing Barbre, the Eagles will free up $2.1MM in cap space while leaving $500K on the books in dead money. Roseman’s statement seems to imply that Barbre could potentially return to the team at a lesser rate, so it’s a situation to keep an eye on as we head into August.
Barbre has been talked about as a potential cap casualty for much of the offseason, so the move doesn’t come as a big surprise. Still, the move will leave the Eagles with a lot less experience on the starting offensive line. Now, 23-year-old Isaac Seumalo will practice with the first team at left guard, per offensive coordinator Frank Reich.
The Eagles are also losing some of their versatility on the offensive line by cutting Barbre. The 33-year-old filled in at right tackle for Lane Johnson during his suspension in 2016. The good news in that regard is that the Eagles still have a handful of linemen that can play at different spots along the line. Seumalo and Stefen Wisniewski can fill in at any of the three interior spots while Matt Tobin offers experience at both tackle and guard.
Eagles Eyeing Veteran Cornerbacks
The Eagles are interested in adding a veteran cornerback, head coach Doug Pederson told reporters, including Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com (Twitter link).
Philadelphia attempted to revamp its secondary this offseason, but the club is still fielding a relatively inexperienced group in the defensive backfield. As Frank notes, free agent signee Patrick Robinson is the only corner on the roster with more than eight career starts under his belt. Ron Brooks is also a veteran, but the rest of the depth chart includes young players such as Sidney Jones, Rasul Douglas, and Jalen Mills. Jones, notably, may not be ready for the start of the 2017 season as he recovers from a torn Achilles.
The best available free agent cornerbacks include Darrelle Revis, Brandon Flowers, Sam Shields, and Leon Hall. Other defensive backs of note who are still on the open market: Kyle Arrington, Chris Culliver, Dee Milliner, and Kyle Wilson. The Eagles currently possess ~$6.3MM in cap space, so any free agent signing would likely need to come in around the minimum.
Pederson Discusses DGB Decision
- It sounds like Eagles fifth round pick Shelton Gibson may be a longshot to make the Eagles’ 53-man roster. The wide receiver is “by no means where he wants to be or where we want him to be,” said head coach Doug Pederson (Twitter link via Brandon Lee Gowton of SB Nation).
- Meanwhile, Pederson discussed the Eagles‘ decision to move on from receiver Dorial Green-Beckham, who was waived earlier this month. “With the additions of some of the young guys picked up this spring, we just felt like it was in his interest and our best interest to let him find another suitor and keep developing our younger guys in that role,” Pederson said (via Zach Berman of Philly.com). The former second-round pick was traded to the Eagles last offseason, and he finished his lone season in Philly with 36 receptions for 392 yards and two touchdowns.
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Eagles Sign Former Rugby Star Adam Zaruba
- The Eagles announced (via Twitter) that they have signed tight end Adam Zaruba to a three-year contract. Zaruba, who played rugby in Canada, is coming off of a successful audition with Philly. The 6-foot-5, 265-pound player is set to compete with Zach Ertz, Trey Burton, Brent Celek, Anthony Denham, and Billy Brown for a spot on the roster. According to Zach Berman of The Philadelphia Inquirer (on Twitter), despite working out with the team on Sunday, Zaruba can’t return to the Eagles until he is granted a visa.
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Eagles Cut Dwayne Gratz
As the Eagles convene for training camp, the team made a few moves on Sunday. One of them was jettisoning fifth-year cornerback Dwayne Gratz.
Philadelphia announced the release of Gratz, whom the team signed late last season to a two-year deal. No guaranteed money was attached to Gratz’s $775K contract. The Eagles also placed Sidney Jones and Beau Allen on the Active/NFI list. Philly will meet for camp on Monday and begin practice Thursday.
The Eagles are the third team since October 2016 to part ways with Gratz. The Jaguars cut him in October, but Gratz didn’t make it to free agency when the Rams claimed him. However, Los Angeles cut Gratz as well after deploying him in three games. The Eagles signed him in advance of Week 15 last season. The 27-year-old corner did not play any games for Philly. Gratz functioned as a primary starter for the 2014 Jags but has otherwise been a backup.
Philly does not have a particularly deep cornerback contingent, but Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer notes (on Twitter) 2016 UDFA C.J. Smith and CFL import Aaron Grymes performed better than Gratz during offseason workouts.
Jones could still miss the season due to his Achilles injury, and Allen suffered a chest injury while working out this offseason. The defensive tackle who has served as a rotational player is not expected to be ready by Week 1.
Latest On Eagles RB Ryan Mathews
While the Eagles are still expected to release Ryan Mathews, the veteran running back will likely stay on the club’s roster until at least August as he continues to recover from a neck injury, according to Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
As Bowen has previously reported, Philadelphia needs to wait to cut Mathews until he’s healthy in order to avoid paying $1.1MM in injury protection. Mathews will still count for $1MM in dead money once he can pass a physical and is released, but that money will only count for salary cap purposes. No further cash will head Mathews’ way if the Eagles hold off on cutting him until he is fully recovered.
Mathews, 30, has often been effective on a per-play basis during his seven-year career, but injuries have limited his overall contributions. He’s appeared in all 16 games just once during his NFL tenure, started 14 games just twice, and has managed only 510 carries over the past three seasons. On the bright side, Mathews did average 4.6 yards per carry during that three-year span.
The Eagles have prepared for the eventual loss of Mathews by signing free agent LeGarrette Blount to a one-year deal and drafting Donnel Pumphrey in the fourth round of this year’s draft. Darren Sproles, Wendell Smallwood, and Byron Marshall comprise the rest of Philadelphia’s current backfield options.
Eagles Notes: Matthews, Agholor, Kendricks
Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com sees six players as potential trade candidates for the Eagles. The list includes wide receivers Nelson Agholor and Jordan Matthews, two players who were once viewed as future pillars of the Eagles’ offense. When it comes to Matthews, the Eagles seem content to let him play out the final season of his contract, and that’s not a good sign for his future. Meanwhile, the Eagles would be taking a significant dead money hit by releasing Agholor, but it’s conceivable that they could trade him for a late draft pick if he has a strong preseason. Other players on the trade candidate list include linebacker Mychal Kendricks, center Jason Kelce, offensive lineman Allen Barbre, and defensive tackle Beau Allen.
Here’s more on the Eagles:
- The Eagles failed to make major upgrades to the secondary this offseason and that unit stands as the Eagles’ biggest weakness, Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News writes. In essence, the Eagles are hoping that the additions to the pass rush will help take some pressure off of the secondary. That may be the case, but they’ll be in trouble if starting safeties Rodney McLeod and Malcolm Jenkins get injured. The Eagles’ may want to make an August signing to augment a group of reserve safeties currently headlined by Jaylen Watkns, Terrence Brooks, and Chris Maragos.
- David Murphy of the Daily News wonders if the Eagles really need to keep six receivers. Free agent additions Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith are locks to make the roster and the same pretty much goes for Matthews and Agholor, barring a trade. Fourth-round pick Mack Hollins seems to have a firm grip on his place, leaving fifth round rookie Shelton Gibson, Paul Turner, and a few others to vie for a sixth WR spot. Murphy argues that a No. 6 WR might not be necessary with a trio of tight ends to use and running backs Donnel Pumphrey and Darren Sproles to utilize in the passing game.
- ESPN.com’s Tim McManus predicts that this will be the year the Eagles part with former first-round pick Marcus Smith. By cutting him before the third day of training camp, the Eagles can avoid paying his $594K roster bonus and clear nearly $1.5MM in cap space. The defensive end has yet to make a start at the professional level.
Marcus Smith Due Roster Bonus
The Eagles have already declined Marcus Smith‘s fifth-year option, meaning the former first-round pick likely won’t be with the club in 2018, but Smith may not even stick on Philadelphia’s roster for the upcoming season. Smith is scheduled to earn a $594K roster bonus on the third day of training cap, reports Jimmy Kempski of the Philly Voice, meaning the Eagles could conceivably cut ties with Smith before the 2017 campaign even starts. If Philadelphia waives Smith, who played only 20% of the club’s defensive snaps a year ago, it would clear nearly $1.5MM in cap space.
Eagles Considered Moving Jalen Mills To S
- The Eagles discussed the prospect of moving second-year cornerback Jalen Mills to safety, Geoff Mosher of FanRag Sports reports. Mills stayed at corner during offseason workouts, playing in the slot in nickel sets. The former LSU talent played both corner and safety in Baton Rouge, La. But Mosher adds the team appears to view its outside corner tandem of the future as Rasul Douglas and Sidney Jones. Given those two are each rookies, with Jones potentially out for the season, it might be a bit early for those plans. But said blueprint would help explain Mills being stationed in the slot and discussed for a possible safety transition.
- Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie viewing Carson Wentz as a special talent raises the stakes for Doug Pederson, Tim McManus of ESPN.com notes in a summary explaining why the Philadelphia HC is his pick for NFC East presence on the hottest seat. Pederson being merely a second-year coach would seemingly point him toward a third season at least, but McManus writes another 7-9 season won’t be acceptable for an owner antsy to see his franchise back in the playoff discussion. With Wentz in his second season and Alshon Jeffery being added to the mix, the Eagles offense looks to be in better position to help the team challenge for a playoff perch.
Eagles Trying To Take Pressure Off Carson Wentz
- The Eagles want to “take a little bit off” second-year quarterback Carson Wentz‘s plate this season, head coach Doug Pederson told Comcast SportsNet’s John Clark this week (via Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com). Pederson believes that the offseason additions of wide receivers Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith and running back LeGarrette Blount should make life easier for Wentz, who didn’t have enough help at the skill positions last season and attempted 607 passes – the second-highest rookie total in NFL history, notes Frank. “Everything doesn’t have to fall on Carson’s shoulders and I think sometimes a little bit last year he felt that way and things had to fall his way a little bit to make a play and I don’t think we have to do that this year,” said Pederson.