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They already lost linebacker Davion Taylor for the foreseeable future. And fellow starter T.J. Edwards has been dealing with a nagging ankle injury in recent weeks. If any team was primed to sign a linebacker, it is the Philadelphia Eagles.
Enter Zach Cunningham. The Houston Texans released the stud linebacker on Wednesday, December 8 for disciplinary reasons. He was late for a COVID-19 test and left inactive in Week 13 against the Indianapolis Colts. It was the second time this season that Cunningham violated team rules.
Off-the-field issues aside, the 26-year-old has been a tackling machine during his five-year NFL career. He has the second-most tackles for Houston in 2021 — behind only former Eagles cast-off Kamu Grugier-Hill — after leading the entire league with 164 tackles (106 solo) in 2020. The 57th overall pick from the 2017 draft is subject to waivers and any team can put in a claim for him.
The Eagles certainly could use a boost at the linebacker spot. And the price is right. The four-year, $58 million contract extension he signed in August 2020 is null and void. Houston has to eat $18.4 million in dead cap hits (via Spotrac) over the next two years. Meanwhile, any team claiming him gets him for a ridiculously cheap $275,000 for the rest of the 2021 campaign. Philadelphia owns the 12th-best waiver priority by virtue of a 6-7 record. Cunningham would have to clear 11 other teams.
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Cunningham Player on Steep Decline
Buyer beware when it comes to claiming Cunningham. He’s considered a one-dimensional player who excels at stopping the run and struggles in coverage. The Vanderbilt product has posted a career-low 40.4 grade in coverage (via Pro Football Focus) in 2021 while allowing 289 yards on 34 catches.
Opposing teams are targeting him, too. Making matters worse, Cunningham has seen a dip in his run-stuffing numbers this season. He might not be that much of an upgrade over Alex Singleton who has tallied 20 tackles (three for loss) in back-to-back starts.
Then again, the Eagles don’t have much depth there. Genard Avery saw 14 uneventful snaps in Week 13 and Shaun Bradley remains locked up on special teams. The second-year player out of Temple hasn’t seen a defensive snap since Week 8.
Eagles linebackers in coverage against the Jets:
• TJ Edwards: 4 receptions for 30 yards
• Alex Singleton: 6 receptions for 81 yards
Bottom line, Philadelphia needs better linebackers. Whether they take a flier on Cunningham now or throw draft capital at the position in 2022 – remember, they have nine picks in the first five rounds – something has to change. Linebacker needs to be prioritized.
Full Vote of Confidence for Singleton
Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon has never wavered in his confidence in Singleton. He jumped into the starter’s role in Week 11 after Taylor injured his knee in the first quarter. The defense didn’t skip a beat, with Gannon praising the undrafted kid’s play and “high football character.”
“I was really excited for Alex, because when he got in there, he played well,” Gannon told reporters on November 23. “And that’s really a testament to him to not – sometimes when your snaps get diminished, you kind of — a lot of guys I’ve seen go in the tank a little bit — and that hasn’t been him because he’s got high football character. And that’s the guys we want to be there.”
Jonathan Gannon says Davion Taylor was doing well before his knee injury but says he is still confident in Alex Singleton and the other linebackers to fill in for him.
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NFL Rumors: Should Eagles Pounce on Ex-Texans Tackling Machine?