Getty Steven Nelson and TJ Edwards combine on a tackle for the Eagles in a game against the Chargers in 2021.
The Philadelphia Eagles have hard decisions to make on several key veterans in free agency. The cornerback spot is one of the biggest conundrums as starter Steven Nelson is about to hit the open market.
The Eagles inked the savvy veteran to a one-year deal worth $3.01 million, with $1.5 million guaranteed at signing. Nelson was coming off a contentious breakup from the Pittsburgh Steelers and looking for a fresh start. Which he got opposite Darius Slay in Philly. Now Nelson is set to enter free agency in 2022 and apparently, he’s looking forward to it The Eagles can begin negotiating with him starting on March 14.
Month out
The 29-year-old was solid in 16 games – not lockdown but a tough, physical presence on the outside – and finished with one interception, seven pass breakups, and 50 tackles. Pro Football Focus ranked him No. 57 among qualifying cornerbacks: 62.9 overall grade.
Slay has already lobbied for bringing Nelson back. The four-time Pro Bowler told reporters he hoped his teammate in the Eagles’ secondary gets a bank-breaking contract. Slay believes he earned it.
“It’s sad to say but when that time come I hope he earns what he deserves because he’s earning a lot of money right now,” Slay said. “Because he’s been out there playing his best game, tackling well, covering well, been a smart dude so he’s been a great addition to us for sure.”
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Eagles Deciding on 14 Free Agents in 2022
The Eagles have 14 total players set to hit the open market this March including four starters in Rodney McLeod, Anthony Harris, Derek Barnett, and Steven Nelson. They also have four part-time starters who played vital roles in 2021 ready to test free agency: Boston Scott, Alex Singleton, Greg Ward, Nate Herbig.
Looking at 2022: #Eagles have 14 upcoming free agents, including nine players who are set to become UFAs at the start of the new league year.
Rodney McLeod, Anthony Harris, Derek Barnett, and Steven Nelson are among the top names that fall into that category.
It doesn’t sound like a stretch to say that McLeod and Harris will definitely be back. They were the starting safety tandem last season and serve as strong team leaders in the locker room. Barnett? Well, his penchant for picking up dumb penalties at inopportune times, combined with a dip in production, makes him expandable. The decision on Nelson will likely come down to what the Eagles are willing to pay for an aging corner. The Eagles have three first-rounders in this year’s draft, one loaded with talent at the cornerback position.
Philadelphia #Eagles biggest cap hits going into 2022…
Darius Slay | 22M
Javon Hargrave | 17.8M
Lane Johnson | 15.7M
Overall Cap Space: 21.5M
Stats via OverTheCap
Scott, Singleton, Ward, and Herbig are all highly regarded role players within the organization. Expect all of them to remain in the nest on affordable multi-year deals. And remember, Jalen Hurts is tight with Scott and Ward. Other guys in limbo include Ryan Kerrigan, Hassan Ridgeway, Jason Croom, Jordan Howard, Andre Chachere, and Genard Avery.
Howie Roseman Outlined Free Agency Strategy
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman used the word “build” to describe his plans for the upcoming draft and free agency. He talked about evaluating the roster and locking up his homegrown talent, while getting back on a championship trajectory.
“For us, what we are doing right now is we are evaluating our team and continuing to figure out ways to build,” Roseman told reporters on January 19. “We are not happy about the fact that our season ended in the playoffs. We want to build a team that has home playoff games, gets to play in front of our fan base and really build a team that gets a bye.”
@MySportsUpdate @mortreport My GM has fleeced another team🙏