There is less than a week remaining before the dominos start falling for the Eagles.
They’ll have nearly 20 free agents but limited salary cap space to re-sign them. That means you might have to get used to the sight of franchise legends like defensive linemen Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox in a different uniform next season.
And it could also mean that some of their best players like defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, cornerback James Bradberry, right guard Isaac Seumalo and running back Miles Sanders will sign for big-money contracts elsewhere as well.
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman set the stage for that inevitability last week at the NFL Scouting Combine.
“Are we going to get all the free agents back? We’re just not,” Roseman said. “We’re not capable of getting all those guys back.”
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Eagles fans seemed to realize this as well. Recently, you weighed in on which free agents should stay and which should go. We received just about 1,100 responses, and they were mostly based on the realities of the salary cap as opposed to sentimentality.
There were a few exceptions, such as with center Jason Kelce, who is contemplating retirement for a fifth straight offseason. Kelce was a near unanimous choice to return. No doubt, the Eagles feel the same way. That decision, unlike the others, will be entirely up to Kelce.
Here, then, are the results of the reader survey, along with my comments on why a player should either stay or go:
Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, safety
Fans: Stay 93.4%, Go 6.6%
Martin Frank: Go. The Eagles didn’t put the franchise tag on Gardner-Johnson. At 25 years old, he will become one of the most sought-after free agents, likely commanding more than $15 million per season. That’s too much for the Eagles, who have bigger needs elsewhere.
Marcus Epps, safety
Fans: Stay 40.9%, Go 59.1%
Frank: Stay. Epps isn’t nearly as good as Gardner-Johnson, but he is good enough and he’ll be much cheaper. The Eagles also have Reed Blankenship, and they can add depth in the draft and with a lower-cost veteran free agent.
Miles Sanders, running back
Fans: Stay 36.4%, Go 63.6%
Frank: Go. Sanders had a career year, with 1,269 yards rushing. But the Eagles don’t pay for running backs, and Sanders moves to the top of free agent running back list with Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs and Tony Pollard getting the franchise tag.
T.J. Edwards, linebacker
Fans: Stay 70.7%, Go 29.3%
Frank: Stay. Both linebackers in Edwards and Kyzir White are eligible for free agency. But at least one will go because Nakobe Dean will start. Edwards gets the nod to stay over White because he’s home grown, and he had 159 tackles last season, second most in franchise history.
James Bradberry, cornerback
Fans: Stay 53.8%, Go 46.2%
Frank: Go. Bradberry had a Pro Bowl season and was a key part of the Eagles’ secondary. But he played last season on a one-year prove-it deal, and he proved it. Some team will offer Bradberry both more years and money than the Eagles.
Kyzir White, linebacker
Fans: Stay 29.2%, Go 70.8%
Frank: Go. White had a good year as an every-down linebacker. But the Eagles don’t pay for linebackers, and if they’re keeping Edwards, they won’t keep White with Dean waiting in the wings.
Javon Hargrave, defensive tackle
Fans: Stay 78.6%, Go 21.4%
Frank: Stay. The Eagles will likely prioritize paying Hargrave, who had 11 sacks last season, over Gardner-Johnson. That’s because the Eagles have four free agents at defensive tackle. Hargrave will be expensive after outperforming his previous contract that averaged $13 million per season.
Andre Dillard, tackle
Fans: Stay 35.5%, Go 64.5%
Frank: Go. Dillard, the Eagles’ 2019 first-round draft pick, is a fine backup, but some team will give him the chance to start and a salary to go with it. The Eagles won’t.
Brandon Graham, defensive end
Fans: Stay 80.4%, Go 19.6%
Frank: Stay. Graham, the Eagles’ first-round pick in 2010, thrived last season in a rotational role with 11 sacks. No doubt, Graham would like to spend his entire career with the Eagles. But if Graham gets a multi-year offer elsewhere, he could leave.
Robert Quinn, defensive end
Fans: Stay 14.1%, Go 85.9%
Frank: Go. Quinn, 32, was a disappointment after the Eagles traded a fourth-round pick for him in October.
Isaac Seumalo, right guard
Fans: Stay 56.4%, Go 43.6%
Frank: Go. The Eagles would be more inclined to bring Seumalo back if Kelce retires, but he would likely get a bigger deal elsewhere. Cam Jurgens can take over assuming Kelce returns.
Jason Kelce, center
Fans: Stay 93.4%, Go 6.6%
Frank: Stay. Kelce, even at 35 years old, is still a Pro Bowl center. Roseman said the decision is entirely up to Kelce, and that he’ll wait as long as Kelce needs. If Kelce retires, Jurgens will replace him.
Ndamukong Suh, defensive tackle
Fans: Stay 27.6%, Go 72.4%
Frank: Go. Suh was a midseason pickup last season who played well enough. But he’s 36, and if he keeps playing, he’ll likely want to pick his team in midseason like he did in 2022.
Linval Joseph, defensive tackle
Fans: Stay 27.9%, Go 72.1%
Frank: Go. Another mid-season pickup, Joseph’s situation is similar to Suh’s.
Fletcher Cox, defensive tackle
Fans: Stay 39.8%, Go 60.2%
Frank: Go. Cox will go down as an all-time great Eagle after he was their first-round pick in 2012. But the Eagles showed last season that they can no longer afford Cox. They released him, only to re-sign him to a one-year deal at a lower salary. Cox, who’s 32, will likely get a multi-year offer elsewhere.
Boston Scott, running back
Fans: Stay 78.0%, Go 22.0%
Frank: Go. Scott was serviceable filling in for Sanders and did a good job on special teams. But the Eagles have Kenny Gainwell and Trey Sermon under contract, and they can draft a starting back.
Gardner Minshew, quarterback
Fans: Stay 20.1%, Go 79.9%
Frank: Go. Minshew wants a chance to start and that’s not happening with Jalen Hurts ahead of him. The Eagles will find a backup QB at a reasonable price in free agency.
Zach Pascal, wide receiver
Fans: Stay 35.5%, Go 64.5%
Frank: Stay. Pascal serves a purpose as a blocking receiver and a special teams stalwart. He signed a low-cost, one-year deal last year, and that should be enough to keep him again.
Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @Mfranknfl.
