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The Philadelphia Eagles are Spending Money in Free Agency, But this is no Dream Team

By Mike Lacy

Oct 19, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles outside linebacker Connor Barwin (98) reacts with the crowd after a stop against the New York Giants during the second half at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles won 27-7. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 19, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles outside linebacker Connor Barwin (98) reacts with the crowd after a stop against the New York Giants during the second half at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles won 27-7. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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Howie Roseman and the Philadelphia Eagles are making me waste a lot of time. Just last week, I said that the team probably wouldn’t have an exciting offseason. Earlier this week, I was working on an article explaining why Doug Pederson had to find a way to make DeMarco Murray succeed. And then yesterday, I began to write about how the post-trade Eagles had a lot of holes that needed to be filled. Oh well.

The Philadelphia Eagles were extremely busy yesterday (Here’s a helpful guide to keep track of what went down), and any time the Eagles have a busy day in free agency, it conjures memories of 2011’s “Dream Team” free agent spending spree. Those were exciting times for Eagles fans. Every day it seemed like the Philadelphia Eagles added another big name player. Nnamdi Asomugha! Jason Babin! Ronnie Brown! Vince Young!

As it turned out, most of those guys were tremendous busts. Asomugha was one of the most disappointing free agent signings in league history; Babin was a locker room cancer whom the team simply released in the middle of the 2012 season, and Ronnie Brown gave us this memorable play:

It seems that Howie Roseman may have learned something from his past forays into the free agency field. While they spent a good deal of money yesterday, it feels like they spent their money wisely.

The Eagles’ most successful free agent signings of the past three years are arguably Connor Barwin and Malcolm Jenkins. Both players were of similar profiles when they hit free agency: Twenty-six years of age with solid, but unspectacular careers up to that point. Neither player was considered one of the top options at his position and, therefore, didn’t require cap-busting contracts. Both men were also thought of as good fits for the system that then Eagles defensive coordinator Billy Davis was running.

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Most of the guys the PhiladelphiaEagles targeted yesterday were of similar profile. Nigel Bradham, Brandon Brooks and Rodney McLeod have zero Pro Bowl berths between them, but they’re all in their mid-twenties and have been regarded as good starters throughout their careers. It’s not unthinkable that they could develop into Pro Bowlers, similar to how Barwin and Jenkins did.

It’s also not a coincidence that the Philadelphia Eagles went after players who have played – and for the most part, played well – for defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz in the past. The team has a decent idea of just how guys like Bradham and Leodis McKelvin are going to perform in Schwartz’s system, because they have actual evidence. This won’t be a case of taking Nnamdi Asomugha and shoving him into an unfamiliar system that doesn’t play to his strengths.

Next: Eagles sign guard Brandon Brooks to a 5-year deal

The offseason is far from over, so Roseman and the Philadelphia Eagles may still have a big move or two up their sleeves. But for now, they have avoided the flashy, expensive names in favor of guys who make the most sense for the Philadelphia Eagles roster. Based on history, that’s probably a very good thing.

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