June 02, 2019
Perhaps the biggest storyline of the Philadelphia Eagles' offseason will be whether or not Carson Wentz signs a contract extension [update/spoiler alert: he did], and how much it will cost. Wentz aside, the Eagles have some other extension candidates. Here's a look at who the Eagles could approach about new deals:
• QB Nate Sudfeld: Sudfeld's upcoming free agency in 2020 is flying under the radar a bit, but the reality is that assuming he is the No. 2 quarterback, he is a very important player to the Eagles, especially considering the fact that Wentz has been unable to finish the last two seasons.
The Eagles have pretended as if there's competition for the No. 2 job, but barring any other surprise quarterback additions, Sudfeld is clearly the guy. Perhaps the Eagles are holding off naming him the definitive No. 2 because they hope that Sudfeld will take a little less money in lieu of the security of knowing he's Wentz's immediate backup?
• RB Jordan Howard: The Eagles traded for Howard when he had just one year left on his deal. To be determined if he's a one-year lease, or if the Eagles view him as having long-term potential. The guess here is that they'll wait and see how he performs in the Eagles' offense. If all goes well, the Eagles could try to get an in-season extension done, much like they did with Alshon Jeffery in 2017.
• LB Kamu Grugier-Hill: Grugier-Hill is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent next offseason. He has been a core special teamer over the last three years, appearing in 49 games (including the playoffs), and has become a capable third linebacker who still possesses some upside.
Grugier-Hill is scheduled to make $720,000 in 2019. The Eagles would be smart to try to extend him early with a significant raise, but yet still a team-friendly deal, like they did with Isaac Seumalo this offseason.
• CB Jalen Mills: The Eagles' fan base doesn't always love Mills, but it's clear that Jim Schwartz values him highly. Due to a performance-based pay bump, Mills' final year of his rookie contract is worth a little over $2 million, which gives the Eagles a little less leverage than they might have over a guy like Grugier-Hill above. Is Mills' future at corner or safety? What is his realistic market, and what does Mills think his market will be? Those are questions that make an extension with Mills difficult to predict.
• S Malcolm Jenkins: And then, of course, there's Jenkins, who is skipping OTAs after a long-standing history of showing up for everything. He undoubtedly is looking for more money after the safety market exploded in free agency this offseason. The Eagles could certainly extend Jenkins, whose contract runs through the 2020 season. However, at that point he'll be 33 years old and will have 12 years of NFL wear and tear on his body. The guess here is that the Eagles would prefer to simply bump Jenkins' pay a bit without extending him, if they're amenable to making him happy.
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