Potential Eagles Cuts In 2018
- Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com looked at some potential cap casualties for the Eagles in 2018. Defensive end Vinny Curry tops the list as the team can save $5MM by cutting him, though the move would call for $6MM in dead money. Curry wound up as a reserve in 2016 and he probably won’t be on the roster with an $11MM cap hit if he’s a backup once again this year. Fellow defensive end Brandon Graham also makes the list ($6.5MM in cap savings; $1MM in dead money) and his release becomes more likely if rookie Derek Barnett shines this year. Safety Malcolm Jenkins ($5.5MM savings; $4.5MM dead money), linebacker Mychael Kendricks ($4.4MM savings; $3.2MM dead money), center Jason Kelce ($6MM savings; $1MM dead money), tight end Brent Celek ($4MM savings; $1MM dead money), wide receiver Torrey Smith ($5MM savings; no dead money), and cornerback Ron Brooks ($2.1MM savings; $250K dead money) round out the list.
Latest On Eagles, RB Ryan Mathews
Upon signing running back LeGarrette Blount, the Eagles decided that they would be moving on from Ryan Mathews. Nearly two months later, Mathews remains on the roster. Now, it seems we’re at least two weeks away from a resolution on the matter. 
Mathews’ neck injury will be evaluated when veterans report to camp later this month, Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News tweets. If Mathews can pass a physical, the Eagles can release him without being on the hook for injury protection. The Eagles are not interested in releasing him before that point, because they would have to pay out an extra $1.15MM otherwise, leaving them with a $2.15MM cap charge when factoring in the dead money on his deal. By waiting until he passes the exam, however, the Eagles will be left with just $1MM on the cap while saving $4MM.
Mathews‘ season ended in December when he suffered the painful neck injury. Even with that injury plus the MCL sprain he was dealing with, he still managed to turn in an okay season. In 13 games, he had 661 yards off of 155 carries for an average of 4.3 yards per attempt. He also had eight rushing touchdowns plus 13 catches for 115 yards.
With Mathews out of the picture, the Eagles plan to use Blount, Darren Sproles, and Wendell Smallwood as their top backs. Fourth-round pick Donnel Pumphrey and Byron Marshall are also on the 90-man roster.
Eagles' Staley Ready For OC Opportunity
Eagles running backs coach Duce Staley enjoys his job, but he also feels that he is ready to get a chance to be an offensive coordinator somewhere. “Yeah, definitely,” Staley told CSNPhilly.com’s Reuben Frank.
Staley started out on Andy Reid‘s staff and was promoted to RB coach under Chip Kelly. He kept that job under Doug Pederson, making him the only coach to be a part of all three coaching regimes in Philly. Since Staley became the Eagles’ running backs coach in 2013, the Eagles have posted the fifth-most rushing yards in the NFL (8,114). Staley certainly has a strong resume to work with if he gets calls for OC jobs next offseason.
Eagles' Top Corner Spots Up For Grabs
- Nolan Carroll and Leodis McKelvin were among the cornerbacks the Eagles relied on most last season, but the former left for the Cowboys in free agency and the latter is on the unemployment line. Now, with training camp approaching, the Eagles are unsure who will fill any of their top three corner roles, according to defensive backs coach Cory Undlin. Not even Jalen Mills, who finished second among Philadelphia’s CBs in snaps as a rookie last season (662), is guaranteed a prominent position. “It’s just going to be who’s going to step up here in training camp and through the preseason,” Undlin said (via Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com). “Who’s going to say, ‘Listen, I’m starting here, I’m starting here, I’m going to play the nickel,’ and then here’s the backups.” Mills, whom Pro Football Focus’ ranked as the league’s worst corner last season, and the underwhelming veteran trio of Patrick Robinson, Ron Brooks and Dwayne Gratz are the only Eagles corners with real pro experience. The club does have a pair of rookies with upside in second-rounder Sidney Jones, who tore his Achilles in March and could miss the start of the season, and third-rounder Rasul Douglas.
Dorial Green-Beckham Clears Waivers
Before the holiday, the Eagles put wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham on the waiver wire. Today, we’ve learned that the league’s 31 other teams declined to take on his contract. Green-Beckham cleared waivers, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). 
In high school, DGB was one of the country’s most sought after recruits. However, after two disappointing seasons in the NFL, his stock is at an all-time low. Green-Beckham’s lack of work ethic led the Titans to ship him out just one year after the organization used a second round pick on him. Now, his stint with the Eagles is over after less than one calendar year. During his lone season in Philly, the 24-year-old hauled in 36 receptions for 392 yards and two touchdowns.
Green-Beckham could still find a new NFL home, but it will have to be at a salary cheaper than what he was making as a 2015 second-round pick. You can expect the 24-year-old to get calls this summer, but he’s likely to only get offered one-year deals with low base pay.
Opinion: Eagles Need Bradham
- The Eagles need linebacker Nigel Bradham on the field in order for things to run properly on defense, Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Unfortunately, his availability is in question thanks to the brawl he got into last summer. Bradham will likely avoid jail time thanks to a deferred prosecution agreement struck before the holiday, but the NFL has been known to come down on players with suspensions even when the situations are largely cleared by the courts. Bradham, who will turn 28 in September, is on the backend of a two-year, $7MM deal he signed with Philly last year. If he can’t keep his off-the-field affairs in check, Brookover fears he might not be long for the Eagles.
- The addition of Brandon Marshall gives the Giants the best overall group of wide receivers in the NFC East, Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News writes. The Giants’ big three youngsters Odell Beckham Jr., Sterling Shepard, and Marshall, he argues, gives them a leg up over the Cowboys with Dez Bryant, Terrance Williams, Cole Beasley. The Eagles, with the free agent addition of Alshon Jeffery, finished third on Machota’s list. The Redskins, who replaced Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson with Terrelle Pryor and Brian Quick, came in last.
NFC East Notes: Cousins, Redskins, JPP
If given a choice, which NFC East quarterback would you want leading your team for the next three years? Todd Archer, Jordan Raanan, and John Keim of ESPN.com all agree that Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins is the guy to have. That answer may come as a surprise to some people since the division also features two-time Super Bowl champ Eli Manning and rising stars Dak Prescott and Carson Wentz. However, the consensus here is that Cousins is the most reliable of the quartet since he has proven himself over the last two years. More needs to be seen from Prescott and Wentz, the writers argue, and it’s hard to bet on Manning given his age and the down year he had in 2016.
Here is more from the NFC East:
- Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul has come a long way in the last two years, Mike Florio of PFT writes. On this day in 2015, JPP’s unfortunate fireworks mishap shook the football world on an otherwise quiet holiday weekend. Pierre-Paul was already scheduled to play out the season on the franchise tag but lost millions that year after being sidelined for multiple games. Against all odds, JPP still looked good on the field despite the condition of his hand and he parlayed a strong 2016 into a four-year, $62MM deal this past offseason. Some fans laughed at the notion that Pierre-Paul could recover from such a devastating injury, but he was arguably better than ever in 2016.
- The Redskins have to offer Cousins around $75MM to $80MM in total guaranteed money if they hope to lock him up on an extension this month, Mike Jones of The Washington Post writes. The deal would also have to have an average annual salary of between $25MM and $27MM, but the numbers don’t mean much if Cousins doesn’t actually want to be in D.C.. A recent report indicated that Cousins still has serious reservations about staying with the Redskins long term.
- Over the weekend, Redskins running back Matt Jones made a change in representation.
Nigel Bradham Likely To Avoid Jail Time
Eagles linebacker Nigel Bradham has reached a deferred prosecution agreement that will move his assault case out of the courts and likely allow him to avoid jail time, reports Tim McManus of ESPN.com.
Last July, Bradham was reportedly part of a six-person group that began arguing with a Hilton Bentley hotel employee over the amount of time it took to receive an umbrella they had apparently purchased. The scene grew violent, the worker was struck over the head with a glass bottle, and, according to a police report, Bradham “without provocation, struck the victim in the nose with a closed fist, causing the victim to fall to the ground.”
Bradham, who was charged with aggravated battery — a second degree felony — will likely avoid incarceration, but that doesn’t mean he won’t face NFL punishment, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk details. As of last October, the league was still investigating Bradham, and can impose its own penalties regardless of the legal outcome. As Florio writes, the baseline suspension under the NFL’s personal conduct policy is six games.
Bradham, 27, is also facing a misdemeanor weapons charge after bringing a gun into a Miami airport in October. He’ll attend a hearing related to that case on July 24, according to McManus.
Mosher: DGB Is Now A "Reclamation Project"
- With former second-round pick Dorial Green-Beckham seeking his third team in three seasons, Geoff Mosher says the former Eagles wideout needed “a heavy dose of humble pie.” The writer notes that the talented offensive weapon easily lost focus, ran sloppy routes, and dropped easy-to-catch passes. While the receiver was once compared to Randy Moss, Mosher now believes Green-Beckham is a prime example of “wasted talent.” As a result, the receiver is no longer an elite prospect, and he should instead be considered a “reclamation project.” During his lone season in Philly, the 24-year-old hauled in 36 receptions for 392 yards and two touchdowns.
- Despite the presence of Ryan Mathews and free agent addition LeGarrette Blount, veteran running back Darren Sproles is still confident that he can contribute to the Eagles running game this season. Sproles told ESPN’s Josina Anderson (Twitter link) that he “can do it all,” and it’s likely that Philly capitalizes on his versatility again in 2017. Last season, the 34-year-old caught 52 receptions for 427 yards and two touchdowns, and he added another 438 yards on the ground.
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Eagles Notes: Hicks, Johnson, Hollins
Eagles linebacker Jordan Hicks suffered a hand injury while exiting a pool on Thursday, according to Jimmy Kempski of the Philly Voice, but the issue isn’t expected to be serious, tweets Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Hicks will only be sidelined for three-to-four weeks, per Bowen, meaning he should be available for the start of training camp. Currently on vacation in Greece, Hicks sent video of his hand to Eagles doctors in order for the club to get some idea regarding the severity of the injury. Hicks, 25, played 95% of Philadelphia’s defensive snaps a season ago, managing 86 tackles and five interceptions while grading as the league’s No. 5 linebacker, per Pro Football Focus, which labeled Hicks as the NFL’s second-best coverage ‘backer.
- The Eagles‘ decision to waive wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham was due in part to the club’s confidence in fellow pass-catchers Marcus Johnson and Mack Hollins, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. Johnson, a 2016 undrafted free agent out of Texas, spent last year bouncing on and off Philadelphia’s practice squad before earning a futures deal in January. He has yet to appear in an NFL contest, but the Eagles clearly like what they’ve seen from Johnson on the practice field. Hollins, meanwhile, was selected in the fourth round in the 2017 draft, and should spent most his rookie season in special teams. Philadelphia currently has 11 wide receivers on its depth chart, including new free agent additions Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith.