4 Eagles Philadelphia Can't Afford to Let Hit Free Agency in 2024

The Philadelphia Eagles have 19 pending free agents this offseason, per Spotrac. Here's a look at four of those names that they can't afford to let hit the open market in March.

DT Fletcher Cox is one of four Eagles that Philadelphia can't afford to let hit free agency next month. / Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

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3. LB Shaq Leonard

Shaq Leonard was a late addition to last year's Eagles squad as injuries to the team's linebackers piled up. The three-time Pro Bowl defender became a free agent in the middle of the season when he was released following five years with the Indianapolis Colts.

Leonard, for the most part, was solid for the Eagles. He tallied 12 solo tackles with a sack across five games (3 starts), playing an average of 33 defensive snaps per outing. Once the dust settled, he finished with a 66.6 defensive and 78.2 pass rush grades in his Philadelphia appearances.

Fast forward to the offseason where Leonard is contemplating his own future. He's had multiple back surgeries in a short period of time, so it wouldn't be that surprising if he called it a career. At the same time, the fact that he's yet to win a Super Bowl ring could entice him to return for at least one more season.

If Leonard is down for another year, the Eagles must re-sign him. We already saw how disastrous a lack of LB depth could be last season, so let's avoid an encore in 2024. Besides, Leonard already has a connection with head coach Nick Sirianni from their time in Indianapolis, so I'm interested in seeing how the veteran LB would perform after a full offseason with Sirianni.

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