Eagles Add Elite Backfield Defender in ESPN’s Bold Move Prediction
By Cem Yolbulan
After the NFL announced an unprecedented increase in salary cap projections for 2024, the Philadelphia Eagles are now in an excellent spot to strengthen their roster in the offseason. With a cap space of over $27 million, according to OverTheCap, Philadelphia will look to make impactful free agency acquisitions to help get them back to the Super Bowl next season.
One of the main areas of need for the Eagles is the secondary. The defensive backfield was disappointing last season, especially in the second half of the year. There will certainly be multiple additions to the cornerback and safety rotation in Philadelphia.
Eagles Projected to Make Changes in Their Secondary
Aaron Schatz of ESPN predicts a bold move for the Eagles on that front. In his latest, Schatz projects Philadelphia to sign one of the best safeties on the market.
The three safeties identified by Schatz as a potential Eagles target are Antoine Winfield Jr (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Xavier McKinney (New York Giants), and Kyle Dugger (New England Patriots).
This should not come as a surprise. Winfield Jr, McKinney, and Dugger are probably the three of the four best safeties on the market, along with the Commanders' Kamren Curl. The Eagles would pounce at the opportunity to add one of these elite options.
Philadelphia has the cap space to sign one of these defenders outright, but Schatz predicts that the Eagles will cut safety Kevin Byard to open up more cap space. Byard has been decent since being acquired mid-season in 2023, but letting him go would open up $13 million on the cap. That seems like a no-brainer.
Which safety the Eagles will choose to acquire remains to be seen, but there will certainly be new faces in Vic Fangio's defensive unit.
The Eagles currently have the eighth-best odds in the NFL to win Super Bowl LIX. A good offseason could help bolster these odds. Head over to FanDuel Sportsbook to back the Birds, and don't forget to claim your sign-up bonus of $150.
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