The Philadelphia Eagles have one of the most stacked rosters in all of football. Of course, that also means making concessions and letting go of players, even when they don't want to, as there's only so much money to spread around the roster.
That's why they had no choice but to let Milton Williams walk away in free agency. He was due for a significant pay raise, but the Eagles chose to allocate those resources elsewhere. Williams ultimately signed a four-year, $104 million deal to join the New England Patriots.
Eagles Found a Gem in Moro Ojomo
The Eagles chose to roll with backup DL Moro Ojomo to replace their former starting tackle. He's making $827,000 this year, but he's had seemingly better production than his predecessor, who's up to $32 million this season. If you factor in that Ojomo is going to make just over $1 million next season, this deal is even more of a bargain.
Ojomo is midway through his third year in the league, and while the Eagles developed him since he turned pro, not even the most optimistic fan thought this gamble would pay off this way.
He only made one start last season, and he's already up to four starts in nine appearances this year, logging 20 total tackles (nine solo), eight QB hits, four tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, and one pass defensed. That has been good for a Pro Football Focus grade of 78, which is the eighth-highest among eligible defensive linemen this season.
Ojomo may have also saved the day against the Green Bay Packers, as he called an inside zone run as soon as they lined up for a crucial 4th-and-1. The Eagles stuffed Josh Jacobs for a four-yard loss and sealed the game shortly thereafter. He's been instrumental in helping Vic Fangio's defense allow just 21.3 points per game, the tenth-best mark in the league.
This is the second year in a row that Vic Fangio has brought the best out of a low-money player. They did the same with Zack Baun last season, and he wound up signing a three-year, $51 million deal in free agency. Ojomo still has another year left in his deal, but if he keeps this up, he will also be in for a big payday.
The Eagles must be careful with the investments they make in the offseason. They already have a logjam to fix with Nakobe Dean, rookie Jihaad Campbell, and the aforementioned Baun, as there might be just too many mouths to feed.
That makes GM Howie Roseman's work so crucial. He's always been a master of maneuvering the cap to address the needs of the roster. And after watching yet another one of his gambles pay off, it's only right to give him the benefit of the doubt.