March 07, 2024
The Eagles have three major holes on defense right now — at cornerback, safety and linebacker. And it just so happens that a ton of talent has been very recently released into the free agent market over the last few days as NFL teams get a handle on their salary cap and positional priorities ahead of the start of the new league year next week.
It's likely Howie Roseman and Philadelphia have around $44 million to work with, which means that at least one of — of not a few of — the players we'll list below are realistic options to join the team at the right price.
Here are 10 players who have proven track records, and who were not on the free agent market as recently as one week ago:
Quandre Diggs
Diggs is a nine-year veteran who was cut by the Seahawks. He's been extremely durable — he has not missed a single game in four seasons — and he's a bit of a ball hawk which is something Philly's secondary desperately needs. He's had 15 interceptions over those past four seasons, though only one last year. If the Eagles can be convinced he hasn't lost a step, he's a short term fix with three Pro Bowls on his resume.
J.C. Jackson
An All-Pro in 2021 with the Patriots, he led the entire NFL with 23 passes defended that year. He had eight picks in 2021 and nine in 2020, but just one since. The 28-year-old has pretty good size as well, at 6-foot-1, 198 pounds.
Isaiah Oliver
Oliver isn't a superstar like the two corners mentioned prior, but he played in 17 games for the NFC champion Niners and had 67 tackles. He is 27.
Justin Simmons
Here's a true superstar. Simmons was a surprising cut by the Broncos Wednesday. He's 30 years old and has been named a second-team All-Pro four times. In eight seasons in Denver he has 30 interceptions, and has very rarely missed a game. He also has a connection to new Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio from his days with the Broncos.
Jordan Poyer
Poyer was a Pro Bowler in 2022 and an All-Pro in 2021, and has 24 interceptions over his 11 year career. His age works against him, as he will be 33 when the next season starts. A short-term deal for a win-now contender makes sense.
Jamal Adams
When healthy, Adams is one of the best safeties in football. He had three straight Pro Bowl and All-Pro seasons from 2018-20, but since that time he's been unable to put together a full season. He's played just 10 of 34 games over the last two seasons. If he's healthy, still at 28, the Eagles should be interested.
Rayshawn Jenkins
Jenkins has been extremely durable for the Jaguars, starting in 17 games in each of the last two seasons and at least 14 in the last five. He is also a good tackler — he had 101 last year and 116 the year before that. At 30, he's got a skill set the Eagles defense desperately needs.
Shaquil Barrett
Barrett started 16 games with the Bucs last season. He's a one-time superstar who had 19.5 sacks in 2019 and has been to two Pro Bowls. At 31, the Eagles will have to decide whether he's a good fit to play in a Hasson Reddick type of role should the Eagles trade their top pass rusher.
Eric Kendricks
The brother of former Eagles linebacker Michael, Kendricks has been a tackling machine over his nine year NFL career, totaling 1,036 of them. He just turned 32 and could be a short term fix at a position the Eagles are extremely thin and inexperienced at.
Jerome Baker
Baker is another durable linebacker who gets to the ball. He is 27 and has sacked the quarterback 22.5 times and tackled ballcarriers 587 times over a six year NFL career, all with the Dolphins.
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