Philadelphia Eagles: Brandon Brooks’ return is better than any free agent
Is Brandon Brooks the Philadelphia Eagles‘ best player?
Seriously, I’m genuinely asking. With Carson Wentz, Jason Peters, DeSean Jackson, etc. all gone, could Brooks be the best overall player on the Eagles?
I mean sure, there’s Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox, both of whom are among the best players in the league at their respective positions and will forever hold a special place in the hearts of fans for being home-drafted products, but neither is the next player at their respective position, not according to Pro Football Focus anyway.
Brooks, on the other hand, was actually named the best overall offensive lineman in the NFL grade-wise by Pro Football Focus in 2019, and even coming off of a torn Achillies, that shouldn’t change all that much, especially when you consider just how well Brooks takes care of his body during the offseason.
Either way, the fact that the Eagles will get a player of Brooks’ caliber back in 2021 without having to surrender any draft picks or having to duke it out on a shoestring budget in free agency may just be the biggest boon for a team in serious need of an influx of talent pretty much across the board.
Brandon Brooks’ return unquestionably makes the Philadelphia Eagles better.
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If you recall back to the 2016 offseason, many a fan viewed Brandon Brooks as a consolation prize after the Philadelphia Eagles missed out on ex-Kansas City Cheifs’ guard Jeff Allen to the Houston Texans.
Brooks, ironically enough, was drafted by the Texans with the 76th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft and was allowed to hit the open market in favor of signing Allen, who agreed to a deal worth $28 million over four years. With Allen off the board, Roseman scooped up Brooks one day later and actually paid him more money on a longer contract via a five-year, $40 million contract.
In hindsight, I bet the Texans wish the roles were reversed, as they waived Allen two seasons into his tenure while Brooks became arguably the best right guard in the business.
Since arriving in South Philly, Brooks has put in work, allowing four sacks and 11 penalties over 4,198 regular season snaps. Brooks actually played so well over his first three-plus years with the Eagles that the front office handed Brooks a four-year, $54.2 million extension fresh off a torn Achillies at the end of the 2018 season.
Brooks is built like a freakin’ superhero, with a shredded core, a strong frame, and a wide base. He’s a talented pass blocker and an even better run blocker who can quite literally move men at will to open up lanes in the Eagles’ zone-blocking scheme. Though some will knock the former Miami of Ohio alum for missing an occasional game due to his well-documented stress-related anxiety disorder, I found his personal approach to addressing mental health as a professional athlete with a massive platform incredibly brave and frankly inspiring.
There isn’t a team in the NFL who wouldn’t want to have Brandon Brooks on their roster or in their locker room, and if he were released tomorrow, all 31 teams would either have an active interest in his services or wish they could afford them.
Fortunately, that isn’t going to happen, and it’ll be the Eagles who get the boost of having Brooks lineup next to their center – hopefully a non-retired Jason Kelce – as they prepare to push for a playoff spot after missing the big show in 2020.
Huh, the Eagles have made the playoffs in every season where Brooks appears in 16 regular season games. I wonder if there is any sort of correlation between those two stats? Hmm…
Next. 3 more prospects to keep an eye on in the third round. dark
With eight draft picks, a young quarterback (one way or another), a new head coach, and negative $40.5 million in cap space heading into the 2021 NFL calendar year according to Spotrac, the Philadelphia Eagles are going to look a whole lot different and younger heading into the new league year. Will all of that change be just what the doctor ordered for a speedy return to playoff prominence or set the Birds up for a long-term rebuild the likes of which they haven’t really undertaken in decades? Only time will tell, but it’s safe to say the continuity of having Brandon Brooks lined up at right guard will surely make life easier for whomever the Eagles decide to trot out under center when the regular season rolls around. He just might be their best player, after all.