Philadelphia Eagles: 5 potential replacements for Mychal Kendricks

Manti Te’o

If the Eagles decide to make a trade to acquire a versatile linebacker to sure up their roster going into 2018, an intriguing name to watch may be current New Orleans Saint Manti Te’o.

Te’o, the runner-up for the 2012 Heisman Trophy, may have at one point been more famous for his love life than his play on the field, but while the hysteria around his very public catfishing eventually subsided, his play on the field remained incredibly consistent.

After being selected 38th overall in the 2013 NFL Draft, Te’o started 34 of the 38 games he appeared in for the the-San Diego Chargers, recording 160 tackles and 1.5 sacks as the team’s middle linebacker.

Though he never made it to a Pro Bowl, or even recorded 100 tackles in a single season, Te’o was named a team caption in 2016 and played well enough to earn a second contract when he became an unrestricted free agent, earning a two-year deal to join the New Orleans Saints six months after suffering a torn Achilles in September 28th.

While Te’o did have a down season in 2017, only recording 47 total tackles 16 games of action, he still could serve as a solid contributor on the inside for a team like the Eagles who need a versatile inside linebacker who can fill multiple roles. With Te’o currently fighting an uphill battle for a starting spot in the Saints’ 4-3 defense against incumbent starter A.J. Klein, 2017 third round pick Alex Anzalone, and 2018 free agent acquisition Demario Davis, it’s entirely possible that he could be had for a late day three draft pick if the New Orleans want out of the final year of his two-year $2.5 million deal going into 2018.