Philly Front Office

*Unless they are something

While the league has spent a collective $3.7b in free agency, the Eagles have been working the fringes bringing in two types of players with something very specific in common: they are signing minimum or close to minimum contracts. One group is young guys who might be damaged goods, but could still have a future. The other is your veterans who might still have a little bit of juice left if needed. If someone in the former group doesn’t pan out, then someone in the latter group will be called upon. None of these recent signings are guaranteed a roster spot. I will update this post as necessary. [UPDATE: Azeez Ojulari!]

Something to know beforehand. In the NBA, there is a minimum contract exception that allows you to go over the salary cap. In the NFL, it is called the Top-51 rule. Only the Top 51 most expensive cap hits actually count against the cap. This means that if someone signs for the minimum, it will not likely count against the cap at all. However, let’s say someone signs for like $1.5m and the 51st player on the list was at $1m. Well, that new contract only decreases the cap available by $.5m because that other contract is pushed below the Top-51 threshold. So, don’t think any of the guys below are a waste of money. They aren’t costing the team any money that they actually care about.

Young Guys

• Avery Williams – KR/PR – Williams was with the Falcons last year and is out of Boise State. He is a RB who converted from DB but never gets the ball. Instead, he returns kicks and punts because his athleticism is crazy. At only 5’9″ and 200 pounds, he really does not have the body to do much other than special teams. He will be 27 years old this season. With the loss of Britain Covey, Williams looks like a lock for the specialist job.
• Patrick Johnson – EDGE – The prodigal rusher has returned. He is now 27 and after a year with the Giants is back in midnight green. The Eagles wanted to keep him last year, but got a little too cute by trying to stash him on the practice squad.
• Kenyon Green – OG – This was a trade, but it still fits the bill. Instead of his $2.8m salary, he is basically going to cost nothing because Houston is kicking in $1.5m of his salary. He was picked 15th overall in the 2022 draft, right after Jordan Davis. The knock in him is that he is still very raw due to the inept offensive line coaching in Houston. We’ll see if he is a bust or the next graduate of Stoutland U.
• Josh Uche – EDGE – It isn’t nothing to have an 11.5 sack season in the NFL. Explain it away however you want, but Brandon Graham never had that many. There is talent there and Uche will be expected to compete in the ever-crowding role of 3rd down pass rush specialist where he will compete with Ojulari and the corpse of Bryce Huff.
• Harrison Bryant and Kylen Granson – TE – Both are 27-year-old former 4th round picks that profile as solid back up tight ends…not unlike incumbent Grant Calcaterra. Considering Dallas Goedert’s status, these are interesting signings. There is a strong possibility that Goedert is traded and the Eagles miss out on a top TE pick in the draft. These two have possible upside and could be called upon for a much bigger role than they anticipate.
• Dorian Thompson-Robinson – QB – DTR can run and jump way better than he can throw. He gets gassed up online for being one of the worst QBs in the league, but that isn’t really fair. He has unique tools more in the Taysom Hill mold than a pocket passer. I can see him used as more of gadget player while he works on other parts of his game. As a 3rd QB, he could have some decent utility.
• Azeez Ojulari – EDGE – Ojulari is much more than a minimum contract, and I don’t just mean the money. Sure, he is getting $4m, but that will end up being even less when the cap numbers come out. Ojulari is coming off solid but disappointing to the Giants production in his 4 seasons. He is a former 2nd round pick out of Georgia.

Veterans

• Adoree’ Jackson – Jackson will turn 30 right after the season starts and is no lock to make the team. He is a pro though and a cheap one at that. Assuming he is on the roster, he will be asked to play the Isaiah Rodgers role from last season. First guy off the bench on the outside, break in case of emergencies. He has had a weird career, remember when the Titans cut him because no one would trade even a 7th rounder for him and the Giants ended up paying him even more money? What a joke that team is.
• AJ Dillon – Because he is a running back, he gets the veteran tag even though he is only 27. Do yourself a favor and look up a video of him working out. Quadzilla is an appropriate nickname because his legs do not look human. I know he is a name we all remember, but he will be limited to RB3/short yardage duties if he even makes the team. The Eagles believe in Will Shipley.
• Charley Hughlett – LS – This isn’t fair because unlike the rest, he WILL have a job. He is replacing Rick Lovato who inexplicably had two false starts in the Super Bowl. What the hell was that? I remember when it happened it was very surprising. He has one job! Something was definitely weird. Now we have an ending but with no story to go with it.