Philadelphia Eagles: Re-signing Timmy Jernigan has no downside

After failing to land a long-term deal elsewhere, the Philadelphia Eagles knocked it out of the park by re-signing Timmy Jernigan to a one-year deal.

Most fans in the 215 eagerly await the start of the 2019 NFL Draft, Howie Roseman clearly had other things on his mind.

Don’t get me wrong; I’m sure the grizzled executive has been hard on the phone’s plotting out his draft board preparing the Philadelphia Eagles for every possible scenario when the opening bell rings, but against all the odds he somehow found time to re-sign Timmy Jernigan to a brand-new one-year contract.

And with this move, the Eagles are able to have their cake and eat it too.

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This time last year, the idea of letting Jernigan walk seemed ludicrous, as he just signed a four-year, $48 million contract to remain with the team through the 2021 season, after suffering a surprise offseason injury that required surgery, landing the Florida State product on IR to the first weeks of the season, it was clear the relationship between the two parties was fractured.

When actually on the field, Jernigan gave Fletcher Cox the best partner in crime he’s had thus far in his seven-year career, forcing opposing teams to play the line honestly, and avoid double-teaming the four-time Pro Bowler snap-after-snap. But in the NFL, the best ability is availability, and at the first chance they got, the Eagles voided the remainder of Jernigan’s contract and set him free to test the open market.

Now there was always speculation that the team would consider bringing back Jernigan on a more team-friendly deal, but that idea was quickly squashed when the team signed ex-Jacksonville Jaguars tackle Malik Jackson to a three-year, $30 million deal, presumably to serve as Cox’s new, new partner in the trenches.

And as for Jernigan? Well, not a whole lot happened with him since free agency opened up last month.

Sure, he drew some interest here and there, but no team was willing to give him the kind of long-term deal he earned one season prior, and it seemed like the 26-year-old tackle was destined to be a post-draft signee on a team that missed out on their desired player.

However, maybe Jernigan didn’t want to wait that long.

Maybe Jernigan realized that his previous offseason injury, when coupled with the lack of production in 2018, severely damaged his stock around the league, and by returning to Philly on a one-year deal, gave him the best chance to rehab his career in arguably the most compatible scheme he’s played in as a pro.

And for the Eagles, there’s really no reason not to do this deal.

After watching 2018 reserve Haloti Ngata retire from the game, and briefly flirt with the idea of playing rugby in Utah, the Eagles top reserve tackle pre-draft was Treyvon Hester, a player who will forever be remembered for blocking Cody Parkey‘s potentially game-winning kick in the Wild-Card round of the 2018 NFL playoffs, but has only recorded one sack and 32 tackles over 26 games split over two teams.

The Birds now have three legitimate starting-caliber defensive tackles, including one in Jackson who can also play outside, giving Jim Schwartz an absolute cornucopia of options on his already stacked defensive line.

Could we potentially see a run stuffing, goal-line front featuring Jackson, Jernigan, Cox, and Vinny Curry, who’s also a 279-pound hybrid end/tackle? Could we also find Philly running a hybrid 3-4 front with Jackson, Jernigan, and Cox on the inside, and a pair of speed rushers like Brandon Graham and Derek Barnett on the outside?

Though Schwartz may be historically known for his aversion for calling exotic blitz packages, he may soon have to rethink his exclusively wide-9, rush four philosophy with a new bevy of options now in place.

Ultimately, whether Jernigan is able to show out magnificently and recapture his starting spot, he serves as a solid rotational piece, or fails to latch on in what is technically his second tenure with the team, the decision to re-sign Timmy Jernigan to a one-year deal has almost no downside for the Philadelphia Eagles, and frees the team up even more in the 2019 NFL Draft to go best player available.