Jalen Hurts can no longer be lumped into the bargain bin after inking a $255 million contract. He’s a rising star at the quarterback position with the coaching staff predicting another “jump” in 2023. He’s the straw that stirs the drink of the Philadelphia Eagles for the foreseeable future.
But the Eagles do have a number of key starters playing on cheap deals, well, let’s call them team-friendly contracts. DeVonta Smith headlines that list as he plays out his 4-year, $20 million rookie deal. Ditto for Landon Dickerson as whispers of an extension slowly start chirping down the lane.
CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin called out two important Eagles veterans in a list of the “Best Bargains at Premium Positions,” highlighted by Pro Bowl linebacker Haason Reddick who recorded a career-high 16 sacks in 2022. Reddick might be the most underrated stand-up edge rusher in the NFL, especially at $15 million per year:
Benjamin wrote: “The Eagles gambled that Reddick would build on his double-digit sack marks with the Cardinals and Panthers, and he did a lot more than that, terrorizing QBs as a clutch Defensive Player of the Year candidate during a title bid. With 39.5 sacks and 60 QB hits the last three years, he might still be one of the most underrated stand-up edge rushers in the NFL.”
The explosiveness and counter move ability of Haason Reddick has been one of the biggest challenges for Jordan Mailata.
Now he gets to practice and get better against him every day 💪
#Eagles
The other player singled out was left tackle Jordan Mailata who signed a 4-year, $64 million contract in 2021. The Eagles restructured Mailata’s deal this offseason to create more cap room. They added dummy years to it and created $29.8 million in dead money.
Monitoring Dallas Goedert’s Contract Situation
Dallas Goedert inked a 4-year, $57 million contract in 2021 in what was widely regarded as an affordable price for the rising star tight end. Freak injuries have slowed down his production, yet Goedert has still inserted his name into the elites at the position. He’s a double-threat playmaker thanks to his ability to hold blocks at the line of scrimmage and down the field. Goedert is probably going to be looking for another extension soon, especially if he finally gets that elusive Pro Bowl nod.
Is Dallas Goedert the most underrated player in the NFL?
It is INSANE that a TE leads the NFL in efficiency the last two seasons.
(h/t @JimmyKempski for stat)
The crew at Inside the Birds (Geoff Mosher, Adam Caplan) recently broke down the situation and crunched the numbers. Look for the Eagles to restructure the deal before the guaranteed money runs out:
Adam Caplan: “His cap number this year is only $6.46 million. Next year, due to the option bonus proration and salary that has not been restructured, his cap number goes from $6.4 million to $19.52 million, but there is no fully guaranteed money next year. This year, everything is fully guaranteed.”
Geoff Mosher: “If he has no guaranteed money left after this year, it means that if they have a nice year this year, they will probably look to restructure going into next year or extend.”
Eagles Have $13.8 Million in Salary-Cap Space
The Eagles have $13.85 million in salary-cap space which ranks 15th in the NFL, per OverTheCap. They have a whopping $54.72 million in dead money. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Rams, and Green Bay Packers are the only teams higher than the Eagles in the dead-money department.
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Eagles ‘Gambled’ on Contract for $45 Million Star: Analyst