Eagles Release Connor Barwin
The Eagles announced they have released veteran defensive end/outside linebacker Connor Barwin. It has long been rumored that the Eagles could cut Barwin loose. 
The Eagles first tried to find a suitable trade for Barwin, but that never came about. Barwin will certainly find a market for himself this week, but his contract was unpalatable. Barwin was in the midst of a six-year, $36MM contract he signed in 2013. Last year, the 30-year-old totaled 34 tackles, five sacks, and one forced fumble. He appeared in all 16 regular season games for the sixth consecutive season.
“If they cut him, teams will be lining up for him,” a pro personnel man said in February. “He wouldn’t be out of a job for long. I would think they could trade him and get something back. He has value. His deal this year isn’t that bad.”
By cutting Barwin, the Eagles will save $7.75MM against the cap and carry just $600K in dead money.
Chiefs Officially Decline Nick Foles’ Option
As expected, the Chiefs officially declined Nick Foles‘ option today, making him a free agent (Twitter link via Mike Garafolo of NFL.com). If the Eagles move Chase Daniel, he adds, a return to the Eagles should not be ruled out. 
The Eagles missed out on one nostalgia opportunity when DeSean Jackson signed with the Buccaneers, but they could bring back a familiar face in Foles. Daniel, reportedly, has been garnering trade interest for the last couple of weeks. Foles could be then be the new guy to serve as the backup and mentor for Carson Wentz. Foles had his breakout year in 2013 under Chip Kelly in Philadelphia, but he has yet to have another year in that mold.
Foles, at worst, could be a solid backup somewhere and could maybe serve as a one-year transitional option for a QB-needy and cash-strapped club (Jets, we’re looking at you). Foles’ declined option was for $6.4MM and it’s a safe bet that he’ll make less on his next deal.
Last year, Foles appeared in three games and got one start while Alex Smith was sidelined. In that limited sample, he completed 65.5% of his passes while throwing three touchdowns and zero interceptions.
Eagles To Re-Sign LB Najee Goode
The Eagles will re-sign linebacker Najee Goode to a one-year deal, reports Dan Graziano of ESPN.com. The pact is worth $875K, per Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap, and contains a $50K signing bonus and a $50K workout bonus.
Goode, 26, is almost exclusively a special teams player. In 2016, he played all of two defensive snaps, but did see time on more than two-thirds of the Eagles’ special teams plays. Although he’s spent the past four years in Philadelphia, 2016 marked the first season in which Goode appeared in all 16 games. Originally a fifth-round pick of the Buccaneers, Goode has played in 48 games during his five-year NFL career.
The Eagles re-signed Goode to a one-year pact last offseason, as well, and although he was released at final cutdowns, Goode re-upped with Philadelphia before the club’s first regular season contest.
Eagles Shopping Connor Barwin, Mychal Kendricks
The Eagles continue to explore trades for linebacker/defensive end Connor Barwin and linebacker Mychal Kendricks, reports CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora (via Twitter). If the front office doesn’t find a trade partner, the duo could ultimately be cut.
There have been lingering rumors that the Eagles could look to move on from Barwin, and a February report indicated that several teams would have interest in the veteran. The 2009 second-round pick has spent the past four seasons in Philadelphia after inking a six-year, $36MM contract in 2013. The 30-year-old played in 16 games this past season for the sixth straight year, compiling 34 tackles, five sacks, and one forced fumble.
The 30-year-old is set to make $7.75MM next season, and his cap hit is $8.35MM. Barwin is set to make another $10.25MM in 2018. Cutting the eight-year veteran would save the franchise that $7.75MM, leaving the team with only $600K in dead cap.
It was reported last week that the Eagles were shopping Kendricks, and that still seems to be the case. The 26-year-old carries a $6.6MM cap number next season, but the Eagles will only clear $1.8MM in cap space by trading the linebacker. During his fourth season in Philadelphia, Kendricks collected 34 tackles, one forced fumble, and five sacks.
Vikings, 3 Others Pursuing Domata Peko
After playing 11 years with the Bengals, Domata Peko could be heading elsewhere. A healthy market exists for the 32-year-old defensive tackle, with the Vikings, Eagles, 49ers joining the Bengals in pursuit of Peko, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press tweets.
Tomasson reports the Vikings have reached out to Peko’s representatives regarding a possible free agent pact. Peko’s Bengals tenure overlapped with Mike Zimmer‘s time in Cincinnati, and Tomasson notes the Samoan is a favorite of the Minnesota coach. The Vikings have brought former Bengals Terence Newman and Emmanuel Lamur to the Twin Cities under Zimmer, and the team has some uncertainty at defensive tackle. Linval Joseph‘s counterpart, Sharrif Floyd, saw injury derail 15 games of his 2016 season.
The Eagles could be in the market for a new running mate for Fletcher Cox, with Bennie Logan taking part in the legal tampering period as a first-time UFA. The 49ers are planning to convert to a 4-3 scheme under new DC Robert Saleh, and although they have 5-technique ends DeForest Buckner and Arik Armstead, the rebuilding team could be hunting for depth on a team that doesn’t have much. The 49ers, though, may need Peko least among his primary suitors after adding Earl Mitchell as well.
Peko did not record a sack last season but registered a career-high five in 2015. However, he’s proven incredibly durable during his lengthy NFL run, having started in 16 regular-season games in each of the past seven seasons. He only graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 106 interior defender last season, playing 593 snaps. The Bengals have Pat Sims and Andrew Billings accompanying Geno Atkins on their defensive tackle depth chart.
Torrey Smith To Land With Ravens Or Eagles?
Back in free agency after a 49ers release, Torrey Smith looks like he will be returning to the east coast. Two teams, the Ravens and Eagles, appear to be the leaders to land the deep threat, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com notes (on Twitter).
Each holds a connection to the sixth-year wideout. The Ravens selected Smith in the second round in 2011, and he went on to have four productive seasons in Baltimore. The Ravens added Mike Wallace last year after the Vikings released him; Smith would be an obvious comparison if he returned to Maryland. Wallace is under contract for the 2017 season, and despite looming as a possible cap cut is expected to remain with the team. Kamar Aiken, though, is a UFA, and Steve Smith retired to leave the Ravens with some vacancies at wide receiver.
The Eagles discussed a Torrey Smith trade with the 49ers and have been connected to virtually every higher-end receiver on this year’s market, including Alshon Jeffery, DeSean Jackson and Kenny Stills. Jackson and Stills will command more money for their deep-threat skills, so Smith would profile as a more reasonable addition.
With the 49ers, Smith’s production lessened in 2015 before cratering in ’16. San Francisco’s shaky quarterback situation helped limit Smith to 267 air yards — nearly 400 fewer than his previous career-low mark — before he became one of the many 49ers to finish the season on IR.
Latest On Brandin Cooks Trade Talks
The Saints are still in discussions with the Eagles, Titans, and Patriots regarding a potential Brandin Cooks deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Saints are looking for draft picks or a front seven player that can pressure opposing quarterbacks, Rapoport adds. 
Saints head coach Sean Payton has publicly denied that the team is shopping Cooks, but he did stress that the club is willing to listen to any offer on any player. In short, he wants rival clubs to know that he will not just give away the star wide receiver, but he can be had for the right price. Cooks offers more talent and potential than any wide receiver on this year’s open market and he’s under control at a very team friendly rate for the next two years, so the Patriots, Eagles, and Titans have not been warded off by the Saints’ demands.
The Titans are said to have a leg up on the Patriots and Eagles in the Cooks chase. The Patriots are said to be dangling their No. 32 overall pick in a package for Cooks, so that appears to be the floor for any return on the 23-year-old. However, the Titans are armed with the Nos. 5 and 18 overall picks, so they can pretty much top any offer in terms of draft compensation. The Eagles have the No. 14 overall selection and they could perhaps sweeten the pot with linebacker Mychal Kendricks.
Cole’s Latest: Jackson, Zeitler, Poe, Williams
DeSean Jackson looks set for a raise despite having turned 30 during the 2016 season. His market is heating up on Day 2 of the legal tampering period, and it’s expected to clear the $11MM mark in terms of AAV, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report notes (on Twitter). The 10th-year deep threat is likely to leave Washington, and two Redskins rivals — the Cowboys and Eagles — remain interested, per Cole. He adds the Patriots and Buccaneers are in on Jackson as well. We’ve heard Jackson’s salary could climb toward the $12MM-per-year neighborhood. That would lean toward a team like the Bucs ($58.3MM in cap space), with the Cowboys and Eagles on the lower end of the cap-room hierarchy and the Patriots not big on monster skill-position contracts. Dallas’ interest, though, has been disputed, with Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reporting the team isn’t interested. The Cowboys have just $8.3MM in cap space.
Here’s more from free agency, courtesy of Cole.
- Kevin Zeitler may raise the guard salary ceiling, and the Jaguars continue to come up in connection to the former Bengals first-round pick, Cole tweets. The Jags re-signed guard Patrick Omameh on Tuesday, but at $775K, that won’t figure to preclude them from making a splash to upgrade their front. Zeitler’s been connected to a $12MM-per-year deal on a heated guard market. Kelechi Osemele‘s $11.7MM currently tops all guards. Jacksonville has $75.6MM in cap space. The Jags’ line does not have a veteran contract on its interior, with rookie-deal cogs Brandon Linder and A.J. Cann having been the primary starters last season, along with Omameh.
- Dontari Poe might not get the kind of long-term security he wants this year, and Cole tweets the five-year Chiefs starting nose tackle could opt for a one-year deal and re-enter free agency in 2018. The Chiefs prioritized Eric Berry among their big two free agents, signing the cornerstone safety to a record extension. They also drafted Chris Jones in the second round in 2016 and are short on cap space, with a league-low $4.6MM presently. Poe made Pro Bowls in 2013 and ’14, but a 2015 back surgery slowed him. And Poe’s 2016 season, per Pro Football Focus, didn’t compare with his work at his peak. Cole notes Poe could look for a team that wants him to rush the passer more. Poe made just more than $6MM in 2016 on a fifth-year option.
- Conversely, Ravens 3-4 nose Brandon Williams looks like he’ll do well in his first UFA foray. Cole tweets the fifth-year defender could well sign for around what the Giants paid Damon Harrison last year (five years, $46.25MM). That would bridge the gap for 3-4 nose players between Marcell Dareus and the field, and it might be more than the Ravens ($12MM-plus in space) can afford.
- After one tampering day, Cole notes (on Twitter) Andre Branch could have a strong market. Cole associates the veteran defensive end as being worth between $7-9MM per year. Branch recorded 5.5 sacks on what could be a short-term stay with the Dolphins in 2016. As of January, the Fins wanted to keep Branch in Miami, but not much has surfaced on the now-two-time free agent since.
- The Tony Jefferson rise seems real, with Cole now reporting (on Twitter) the Cardinals safety could earn more than $9MM annually. Previously, Cole had Jefferson — likely the market’s top safety after Berry re-signed in Kansas City — pegged to command around $7MM per year. But Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com attached the safety to a market around nearly $10MM AAV.
Redskins, DeSean Jackson Expected To Part Ways
Following three seasons with the organization, it sounds like DeSean Jackson‘s tenure with the Redskins is over. According to Mike Jones, Master Tesfatsion, and Liz Clarke of The Washington Post, it’s expected that the two sides “will part ways.” Meanwhile, the trio report that the Patriots, Eagles, Buccaneers, and Cowboys have inquired on the 30-year-old.
Following an underwhelming 2015 campaign, Jackson bounced back in 2016. In 15 games, the veteran hauled in 56 receptions for 1,005 yards and four touchdowns. In nine NFL seasons, the wideout has averaged 55 receptions, 980 yards, and five touchdowns in 14 games per season.
The Buccaneers would be an intriguing option, as Jackson could team up with Mike Evans to provide Jameis Winston with a pair of dynamic receiving options. The veteran would easily fit the role of the veteran long threat in New England, and he’d provide the Eagles with the receiver they’ve been seeking since they lost Jackson following the 2013 season. The Cowboys would be an intriguing option, but it’d be hard to envision Jackson replacing Dez Bryant and Cole Beasley from the starting lineup.
Eagles, Dolphins Interested In Kayvon Webster
Broncos special teams captain Kayvon Webster could be joining another team this offseason. According to Brandon Krisztal of KOA News Radio (via Twitter), both the Eagles and Dolphins have interest in the defensive back.
The former third-round pick has spent his entire four-year career in Denver. After serving as a backup cornerback during his first two years in the league, Webster has mostly played special teams the past two seasons. In 13 games, the 26-year-old collected eight tackles and one pass defended. His season ended on the injured reserve as he recovered from a concussion. As a rookie, he compiled 41 tackles, nine passes defended, one interception, and one forced fumble.
The Eagles seemingly need to add a cornerback, as they currently have Jalen Mills, Ron Brooks, and Aaron Grymes on the active roster. Meanwhile, the Dolphins depth chart is a bit more crowded. Byron Maxwell and Tony Lippett are slotted in as the starters, while Xavien Howard, Bobby McCain, Jordan Lucas, and Ifo Ekpre-Olomu are current backups.