In an expansive article for CBSSports.com, former agent Joel Corry details how the Eagles have returned to their front office roots, extending players who fit their system before they hit the market in order to lock in cheap(er) contracts. Howie Roseman, back at the helm of the personnel staff after being re-installed as de facto GM over the offseason, has handed out more than $280MM in guarantees over the past several months, but has also rid the club of unattractive contracts attached to players like DeMarco Murray and Byron Maxwell. As the salary cap continues to rise, clubs can spend more freely without having to worry about financial wiggle room, and while Philadelphia might be up against the cap in 2017, it can clear space by releasing (or trading) veterans like Sam Bradford and/or Jason Peters. The key, as Corry writes, is that the Eagles hit on the players — like quarterback Carson Wentz, tight end Zach Ertz, and defensive end Vinny Curry — on which Roseman has staked his reputation.
Let’s take a look at more from the NFC East:
- Veteran wide receiver Anquan Boldin would make for a solid Giants addition, argues Jordan Raanan of NJ.com, but that certainly doesn’t mean the club will sign the well-traveled pass-catcher. New York’s receiving options are lead by the dominant Odell Beckham Jr. and talented rookie Sterling Shepard, but the rest of the depth chart remains unclear, as Roster Resource shows. Victor Cruz is essentially a complete question mark at this point, but Raanan does point to 2015 sixth-round pick Geremy Davis as a potential Boldin-esque option, noting that the sophomore receiver could as a possession receiver for Eli Manning. Boldin, for his part, has taken two known free agent visits, with the Redskins and Lions.
- The Giants spent a lot of capital — both money and draft picks — improving their secondary over the offseason, but Tom Rock of Newsday wonders how the club will ultimately align during the regular season. None of New York’s top three corners — Janoris Jenkins, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, and rookie Eli Apple — has much experience playing in the slot, which could leave Trevin Wade to play the nickel role. It wouldn’t be ideal to sit one of the aforementioned corners on the bench while the journeyman Wade spends time of the field, so the Giants have to hope the situation works itself out.
- Earlier today, Rich Tandler of RealRedskins.com looked at the Redskins‘ running back situation, and examined whether the club should consider adding free agent runner Arian Foster.