Philadelphia Eagles: Scapegoating Orlando Scandrick feels reactionary

Despite an ugly overall showing against the Dallas Cowboys, the Philadelphia Eagles’ decision to release Orlando Scandrick feels woefully reactionary.

When the Philadelphia Eagles turned in one of their worst losses in recent memory on Sunday night, to the Dallas Cowboys, on national television, it felt like some changes were in order.

I mean, how couldn’t they be? The receiving corp has been a mess, the defensive backfield has somehow been worse, and the team’s once-dominant rushing defense was gouged for 189 yards on 36 carries in their first game without Zach Brown (and Nigel Bradham) anchoring the middle.

However, the players Howie Roseman and company decided to release are… strange.

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First, but not least, Akeem Spence, the Week 2 pickup from Miami who the team somehow thought could contribute as a pass rusher, despite having never logged more than three sacks in a season. Welp, despite receiving 151 snaps to make his case to finish out the season, Spence recorded all of seven tackles, no fumbles, and no sacks in what could end up being his final stint on an NFL roster.

But if we’re being honest, that move was kind of expected.

What wasn’t, however, expected was the decision to cut mid-season acquisition Orlando Scandrick the day after his first start of the season.

Did Scandrick play well in his first trip back to Jerry World in midnight green? No, he was probably the team’s second-worst cornerback behind Rasul Douglas, but two weeks, just two glorious weeks earlier, the 32-year-old former fifth-round pick lit up the New York Jets to the tune of three tackles, two sacks, and a defensive touchdown; the second touchdown of his 10-year career.

Think about that for a second, in three games, Scandrick has more sacks than every player on the Eagles defense not named Derek Barnett or Brandon Graham – how could that be?

If Howie Roseman, or Doug Pederson, or whoever is in charge over at the NovaCare Center is serious about sending a message to the locker room that a lack of effort is unacceptable, Nelson Agholor should have been the first player to go over Scandrick, Brown, and even Spence but I digress.

Now, the Eagles must prepare for an even more must-win game against the Buffalo Bills‘ elite defense with an even more undermanned defense – a task that felt monumental even before this string of moves.

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Really, is there any positivity to take from this string of moves? Well, after signing nose tackle Anthony Rush off of the Oakland Raiders practice squad, the team does have an open roster spot, but after watching yet another solid, starting cornerback in Gareon Conley (ironically also from Oakland) get traded to the (actually contending) Houston Texans for a third-round pick, the Philadelphia Eagles are running out of options to get their you-know-what together before a playoff berth become a distant memory. Your move Mr. Roseman, please make it.

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