Eagles To Sign G Chance Warmack
The Eagles have agreed to a one-year deal with guard Chance Warmack, Peter Schrager of FOX Sports tweets.
The former first-round pick has played the past four seasons with the Titans. After missing only two regular season games and starting 46 games over the first three years of his career, Warmack was limited to only two appearances in 2016. The lineman was ultimately forced to undergo surgery on an injured hand.
While Warmack didn’t earn high ranks from Pro Football Focus for his two games last season, his previous campaigns received some impressive grades. 2015 was a “down year” for the lineman based on the website’s metrics, but Warmack still would have ranked in the top-50 had that performance taken place in 2016.
Warmack will be joining a depth chart that already features guards Allen Barbre, Brandon Brooks, Isaac Seumalo, Matt Tobin, and Josh Andrews.
Eagles Sign Alshon Jeffery
The Eagles are signing Alshon Jeffery, according to ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson (on Twitter). The deal will be for one-year and $14MM, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
The former Bears star is coming off of a so-so year that included a four-game ban for performance-enhancing drugs, but he’s still a major talent and a proven performer. In 2013, Jeffery flashed his full potential when he caught 89 passes for 1,421 yards and seven touchdowns. In the following season, he had 85 catches for 1,133 yards and ten scores. Injuries slowed him in 2015 and he struggled in the Bears’ sluggish offense last season, but there’s plenty of reason to believe that he can rebound in the right system.
Jeffery, 27, has been linked to the Eagles for some time, as Philadelphia was known to be targeting more weapons for quarterback Carson Wentz. Having already signed Torrey Smith, the Eagles have now added Jeffery, the top wide receiver on the market and the No. 2 free agent overall. They’ll get Jeffery at a one-year cost of $14MM, roughly $3MM less than what Jeffery would have earned on a second franchise tag in Chicago
The Titans, 49ers, and Vikings were all thought to be interested in securing Jeffery. Terrelle Pryor is now the best free agent receiver on the board, along with the likes of Terrance Williams, Markus Wheaton, and Cordarrelle Patterson.
Alshon Jeffery Leaning Toward Signing With Eagles
Alshon Jeffery is leaning toward choosing the Eagles when free agency starts, Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets. At last check, both the Colts and Eagles were making “strong pushes” to sign the wide receiver. Now, he could be Philly bound, leaving the Colts and Bears to look elsewhere.
The Eagles found a deep threat receiver on Thursday morning when they agreed to sign Torrey Smith. After that, we got word that they were easing up on their pursuit of a Brandin Cooks trade. Ultimately, a Cooks trade would have cost the Eagles a boatload of draft compensation on top of having to work out a new deal with Cooks at some point in the next two years. If they can sign Jeffery and Smith, they will have given two serious weapons to Carson Wentz without hurting their draft situation.
Remaining in these wideout pursuits despite having one of the worst cap situations in the league, the Eagles would be in a better place offensively by signing Jeffery. With the Bears in 2013 and ’14, the big target surpassed 1,100 yards — going for 1,421 in a Pro Bowl ’13 slate — before injuries and a suspension limited him the past two seasons.
Jeffery rated as PFR’s No. 2 overall free agent. The Eagles showed interest in DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon, Kenny Stills and Kenny Britt. By adding Smith and Jeffery, they could possibly put Jordan Matthews in the slot full-time and have a layered passing attack, one that also includes Zach Ertz.
Extra Points: Bears, Cutler, Bills, Gilmore, Kendricks, Eagles
No surprise here, but the Bears tried to trade Jay Cutler before releasing him on Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. After his 2016 struggles, teams were not willing to take on his contract. He’s now a free agent.
Here’s more from around the NFL:.
- Bills brass decided well before the 2016 season they wouldn’t pay Stephon Gilmore anything close to the $14MM/year figure he’ll reportedly get from the Patriots, Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News tweets.
- There has been no movement on a potential Mychal Kendricks trade for the Eagles, a source tells Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer (on Twitter). He’ll see his $4.35MM salary guaranteed if he remains on the roster on Saturday.
- The Falcons had talks about defensive tackle Terrell McClain, according to source who spoke with Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (on Twitter). However, McClain will be joining up with Washington on a multi-year deal.
- The Eagles have some interest in bringing back Stefen Wisniewski, Mike Kaye of First Coast News tweets. Wisniewski has the ability to play either guard or center and did well in starts at left guard last season.
Eagles Exploring Markus Wheaton Addition
Linked to most of the upper-echelon receivers this offseason, the Eagles are now exploring the middle tier of the market. After adding the recently released Torrey Smith, Philadelphia is still on the hunt for veteran receiving help and is looking into several options — including Markus Wheaton, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets.
Wheaton did not enjoy a productive contract year but made a splash previously as Antonio Brown‘s sidekick in the 2014 and 2015 seasons. He averaged 696.5 yards in those campaigns before losing most of his 2016 slate due to a shoulder injury that sent him to IR.
The Eagles remain involved in an Alshon Jeffery pursuit as well, joining other teams in that regard, but have barely $6MM in cap space. Wheaton would profile as a player who would fit that cost structure and potentially do so on a short-term deal to rebuild his value. The Steelers and Wheaton did not make progress on a re-up in the days leading up to free agency.
Latest On Eagles’ Trade Discussions
Stationed up against the salary cap, the Eagles have placed several players on the trade block in recent days. That list now includes Jason Kelce, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). The Eagles are now open to trading their longtime starting center but won’t do so just to unload his salary.
Kelce loomed as a cap-casualty candidate in January but remains attached to his initial 2017 salary — $5MM, $6.2MM cap hit — with free agency officially set to begin in a few hours.
Philadelphia continues to try to move Mychal Kendricks, according to La Canfora, but looks to have pulled back on an Allen Barbre trade. The team gave the veteran guard permission to seek a trade last week, but Jeff McLane of Philly.com reports (on Twitter) the Eagles will bring back the 32-year-old versatile lineman. Barbre’s set to make just $2.25MM in 2017 despite being set for his 11th NFL season.
The Eagles have made Kendricks the subject of trade overtures for a while now, having attempted to deal him last year. Formerly a key cog for the previous Philly regime, Kendricks was phased out of Jim Schwartz’s defense.
La Canfora adds the Eagles are still trying to acquire Brandin Cooks, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com later added the team has bowed out of the Cooks pursuit.
Eagles Out On Brandin Cooks; Pats, Titans In
The Saints are expected to trade Brandin Cooks by the end of the day, and the Patriots and Titans both remain in contention for the wide receiver, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. The Eagles aren’t mentioned in Rapoport’s report, and are presumably out on Cooks after signing Torrey Smith earlier today.
The Patriots are thought to be mulling a trade of cornerback Malcolm Butler for Cooks, although the Saints may want even more. A package that includes a defensive contributor plus a draft pick is thought to be the asking price for Cooks. New England has also previously offered its first-round pick (No. 32) for Cooks, but the offer was reportedly rebuffed. At one point, the Titans were thought to be in the lead for Cooks, but it’s unclear exactly what they offered.
In 2016, Cooks caught 78 passes for 1,173 yards and eight touchdowns. His yards-per-reception average of 15.0 was a career high and his 66.7% catch rate was a slight step up from his 2015 showing.
Latest On Alshon Jeffery
While the Bears are still discussing a possible re-up with Alshon Jeffery‘s representatives, the market’s top wide receiver is drawing aggressive interest from elsewhere. Both the Colts and Eagles are making “strong pushes” to add the sixth-year wideout, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Rapoport notes (on Twitter) Jeffery continues to discuss a deal to stay in Chicago but is weighing multiple other offers.
The Eagles have been connected to just about every marquee receiver on the market but have watched DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon, Kenny Stills and Kenny Britt agree to sign with other teams. A Jeffery addition would salvage what’s been a wideout-geared offseason for the Eagles thus far.
Indianapolis has more than $47MM in cap space, much more than Philadelphia, but doesn’t have as big of a need at wideout. T.Y. Hilton profiles as a different type of receiver than does Jeffery, but he still led the league in receiving in 2016. The Colts also employ solid No. 2 man Donte Moncrief and drafted Phillip Dorsett in the first round two years ago.
Some trepidation from teams regarding Jeffery’s availability history may be affecting his market, and Jeffery’s best two seasons came in 2013 and ’14 as a No. 2 wideout. But the previously franchise-tagged target figures to cash in, probably for more than $10MM per year based on this layered interest. The Bears, though, would be hit hard if Jeffery left, considering Kevin White has not proven to be reliable. The former first-round pick has missed almost every game during the first two years of his career.
Eagles To Sign Torrey Smith
The Eagles have landed Torrey Smith. The veteran wide receiver will get a three-year, $15MM deal, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). 
The Ravens were said to be nearing a deal to bring Smith back to Baltimore. Apparently, that fell through. Now, the Eagles have added Smith as another weapon for quarterback Carson Wentz to work with.
The Eagles have been in the market for a deep-threat wide receiver this offseason and Smith fits the bill. The bigger question now is whether they have given up on their Brandin Cooks pursuit. The Patriots are reportedly mulling a deal which would see Malcolm Butler go to New Orleans (perhaps as part of a package) in exchange for Cooks.
Smith, 28, floundered during the past two seasons in San Francisco, but he’s now heading to a much better offensive environment. The Eagles reportedly mulled a trade for Smith last season, but no agreement was ever reached. Smith, who’s averaged 17 yards per catch during his six-year career, will slot in as Philadelphia’s top pass-catcher for the 2017 campaign.
We ranked the veteran as the eighth-best available wideout.
Eagles Will Not Tender Kenjon Barner
The Eagles will not place an RFA tender on running back Kenjon Barner, tweets Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer. 
Barner, 28 next month, has spent the past two seasons with the Eagles, racking up more than 55 carries during that time. While he’s managed 4.6 yards per carry in that span, he was never able to garner a larger workload. A low tender offer would have cost nearly $2MM, so it’s possible Philadelphia will non-tender Barner now before re-signing him on a cheaper deal.
For now, the Eagles’ backfield is comprised of Ryan Mathews, Wendell Smallwood, Darren Sproles, Byron Marshall, and Terrell Watson, though Mathews is thought to be a candidate for release.