Unlike most NFL teams that are considered contenders, the Philadelphia Eagles aren’t heading into the offseason with a tight salary cap. Despite paying premium money to Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, and Haason Reddick, they still have more than $20 million in cap space available.
This is a testament to the work Howie Roseman has done not only building a deep roster but a sustainable one as well.
While that’s true, the Eagles could decide to make some huge changes this offseason. They started out as the hottest team in the league but then fell apart down the stretch. They now have a new offensive coordinator in Kellen Moore and defensive coordinator in Vic Fangio. As they re-work their roster to fit their strengths, these 6 players could find themselves in danger of being salary-cap casualties.
6. Marlon Tuipulotu, DT
Pre-June 1 Savings: $1.06 million
Pre-June 1 Dead Money: $48,978
Post-June 1 Savings: $1.06 million
Post-June 1 Dead Money: $48,978
The defensive line has been a strength for Philly over the past decade thanks in large part to Fletcher Cox. The veteran enters free agency and there are rumors he could decide to retire. If he does, the Eagles will still be in good hands with Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, and Milton Williams all in the mix.
That’s good for them but not so much for Marlon Tuipulotu, a 2021 sixth-round pick from USC. Tuipulotu had 22 tackles and 2.0 sacks this past season but was the lowest graded defensive tackle on the team according to PFF. He could now find himself on the chopping block, especially since there’s almost no dead money should he be released.
5. Grant Calcaterra, TE
Pre-June 1 Savings: $941,465
Pre-June 1 Dead Money: $87,070
Post-June 1 Savings: $985,000
Post-June 1 Dead Money: $45,535
Originally a member of the Oklahoma Sooners program, Grant Calcaterra had a strong sophomore campaign in 2018 when he recorded 26 receptions for 396 yards with six touchdowns. He struggled to stay on the field the following year and then walked away from the game for a year due to multiple concussions.
Calcaterra decided to make a comeback and in 2021, he joined the SMU Mustangs where he had 38 receptions for 465 yards with four touchdowns. It was enough for him to get a shot in the NFL as the Eagles selected him in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
After two seasons with the team, Calcaterra hasn’t been able to make much of an impact. He’s appeared in 30 games but has just nine receptions for 120 yards with no touchdowns. The 240 pound tight end has been better at in-line blocking than anticipated but that’s still not an ideal role for him.
Under Kellen Moore, there’s a chance he could be used more as a receiving threat. There’s also just as strong of a chance he could be let go as they look to rebuild behind Dallas Goedert. Doing so would save them just under $1 million with a very minimal hit against the cap.
4. Fred Johnson, OT
Pre-June 1 Savings: $1.13 million
Pre-June 1 Dead Money: $100,000
Post-June 1 Savings: $1.13 million
Post-June 1 Dead Money: $100,000
The Eagles offensive line could look vastly different this season — even though most of their players are returning. Jason Kelce, who has been the starting center since 2011, is considering retirement. One of the most recognizable centers of all-time, Kelce has become a fan favorite — in the entire NFL not just Philly — due to his sense of humor and relatability.
With him potentially leaving, Cam Jurgens will likely slide to center and that could free up a spot at guard. There won’t be much change at all at tackle but one player who would like to be able to compete for more time is Fred Johnson, an undrafted free agent from Florida in 2019 who has spent time with four teams now.
At just 26 years of age, Johnson has gone from Pittsburgh to Cincinnati to Tampa Bay and finally joined the Eagles in 2023. He signed a reserve/future contract with the team after appearing in 17 games, although that was mostly on special teams.
Philadelphia feels good with Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata as their starters, and they’re both very durable. The question for Johnson will be whether or not they want to keep him as a swing tackle or free up more than $1 million and allow someone else to compete for the spot.
3. Kenneth Gainwell, RB
Pre-June 1 Savings: $1.06 million
Pre-June 1 Dead Money: $83,881
Post-June 1 Savings: $1.06 million
Post-June 1 Dead Money: $83,881
In 2023, the Eagles were eighth in the NFL in rushing yards with 2,190 yards. D’Andre Swift led the way with 1,049 yards and quarterback Jalen Hurts tacked on another 605. Hurts also had 15 touchdowns, which was aided by the “Brotherly Shove.” As for their No. 2 running back, Kenneth Gainwell had a respectable season with 364 yards and two touchdowns while averaging 4.3 yards per rush. He added 183 yards on 30 receptions as well.
As it stands right now, he’s one of the few backs under contract in Philadelphia. Swift is a free agent after being traded from Detroit as is Rashaad Penny. Typically that should mean Gainwell would have nothing to worry about but there’s still an outside chance Kellen Moore comes in and changes things up completely.
First, Moore is going to want to secure a No. 1 back and re-signing Swift makes a lot of sense. He proved he can thrive in a featured role and since he wasn’t a workhorse for the Lions, he doesn’t have a ton of mileage just yet. Should they re-sign Swift, the Eagles will surely look to build up the depth behind him. Again, Gainwell seems as though he should be in the plans but if Moore wants to bring in some rookies to compete, the front office might decide to free up some space.
Moving on from Gainwell would create just over $1 million with just under $84,000 in dead money.
2. Avonte Maddox, CB
Pre-June 1 Savings: $1.96 million
Pre-June 1 Dead Money: $7.72 million
Post-June 1 Savings: $7.12 million
Post-June 1 Dead Money: $2.56 million
A fourth-round pick out of Pitt back in 2018, Avonte Maddox has been able to carve out a nice NFL career thus far. At just 5-foot-9 and 184 pounds, he’s undersized for his position but has been able to use his quickness and instincts to develop into a trusted slot corner.
In 64 career games, he has 250 tackles, 3.0 sacks, 31 pass defenses, and four picks. He’s also surrounded by players who underperformed last season which begs the question of why he would even be considered a potential cap casualty.
The answer there is durability. Maddox has never played a full season and while he came close in 2021 when he missed just one game, he’s been out a grand total of 35 games and played in just 13 over the past two seasons. A toe injury limited him to nine games in 2022 and a pectoral issue kept him sidelined in 2023 for all but four games.
Now with a new defensive coordinator, who will be tasked with fixing a broken pass defense, Maddox could be released as a Post-June 1 cut. The money wouldn’t be available until after June, but it would still free up more than $7 million.
1. Kevin Byard, S
Pre-June 1 Savings: $13 million
Pre-June 1 Dead Money: $1.39 million
Post-June 1 Savings: $14 million
Post-June 1 Dead Money: $346,500
Already the top team in the NFL, the Eagles decided to swing for the fences at the trade deadline. Knowing they needed to improve their secondary, they pulled off a trade for Kevin Byard, a former Pro Bowl safety with the Tennessee Titans.
Byard played in 10 games for the Eagles and had 75 tackles and an interception. While he played well in his role, the defense as a whole continued to struggle against the pass. With Vic Fangio taking over, this is going to be a major point of emphasis as he aims to get the secondary on track.
With that being the case, he’s likely going to have a role for Byard — but there’s also a chance he could be someone they look at potentially moving on from.
Byard will turn 31 before the season begins and he’s one of the highest paid players on the team. He also has a contract they can get out of without much penalty. As a pre-June 1 cut, the Eagles could save $13 million with just $1.39 million in dead money. That dead money falls to $346,500 with $14 million in relief as a post-June 1 release.
It will all come down to whether or not they want to use that money to improve the defense as a whole, or if they’re comfortable paying Byard while still needing to fill holes around him.