Each day, the NFL Players Association updates every teams' salary cap space and generates a report, for those of you who ask how much room the Eagles have under the cap.
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This past week, the Eagles made a few roster moves, trading guard/tackle Allen Barbre to the Denver Broncos and releasing draft bust Marcus Smith. With those two moves, the Eagles freed up some extra money. They are now $9,655,610 under the cap, according to the NFLPA's report, which would be the 25th most cap space space in the NFL. While still in the bottom eight teams in terms of cap space, that's an improvement over where they've been most of the offseason.
The Eagles' cap space will rise further whenever they release Ryan Mathews. If Mathews is released with a clean bill of health after he seriously injured his neck last season, that will be an additional $4 million in savings. If the Eagles have to release him with a failed physical designation, that could potentially put them on the hook for his Injury Protection Benefit, which would be 50 percent of his salary, up to $1,150,000. In Mathews' case, the $1,150,000 payout would count toward the Eagles' 2017 salary cap, lowering the savings on his release from $4 million to $2,850,000.
Got it, nerds? Alright, good. So what are they going to spend all that newfound cash on?!?
Not much, likely. Under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, teams can roll unused salary cap space into the next year. Next offseason, the Eagles will have decisions to make on newly acquired players Alshon Jeffery and Tim Jernigan, who are scheduled to be unrestricted free agents after this season.
If Jeffery plays well and stays healthy, the Eagles will likely make it a priority to lock him up long term, and even use the franchise tag if need be. As for Jernigan, the Eagles probably would not have traded for him if the team didn’t see him as more than a one-year fix at DT after the departure of Bennie Logan.
As for potential contract extensions, Jordan Hicks will almost surely be approached by the team next offseason about signing a long-term deal, assuming he continues to play like he has over the first two years of his career. That could be pricey as well.
The Eagles could certainly try to add a cornerback before the start of the 2017 season, but if you think the Eagles are going to drop $8 million on, say, Darrelle Revis, don't hold your breath. They're going to need their added cap space more next offseason on actual good players, not pricey one-year Band-Aids.
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