Players Eagles Should Think About Cutting Before NFL Free Agency in 2024
The Philadelphia Eagles have a lot more questions going into the 2024 offseason than they had the year they advanced to the Super Bowl.
Regretfully, the season will be most remembered for the spectacular collapse that saw the once-dominant 10-1 football team turn into a 1-5 squad in the final stretch before falling to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a wildcard game.
The Eagles have already demonstrated their willingness to take decisive action when it comes to organizational problems. After firing Brian Johnson and Sean Desai from their respective positions, Kellen Moore was hired in as the offensive coordinator and Vic Fangio to oversee the defense.
When it comes to the roster, they will have to make comparable choices. According to Spotrac, the Eagles have $20.1 million in cap space. But if they hope to be able to sign some big-name free agents, they’ll need to build up a bit more cash.
That ought to make them consider who they can let go of in order to create cap space or give someone else a chance to play a part.
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The Eagles made the right decision in acquiring Kevin Byard at the trade deadline. In order to add an All-Pro safety to a weak defensive backfield, they forfeited safety Terrell Edmunds and fourth- and fifth-round draft selections in the 2024 draft.
To be fair, Byard didn’t have a bad game. In his ten games with the Phillies, he surrendered a passer rating of 103.3 when targeted, but according to PFF’s stats, he also finished as the 22nd-highest-graded safety in the league.
The issue is that Byard obviously wasn’t part of the team that turned things around, and the Eagles stand to lose a lot of money if they cut ties with him. The Eagles may save $13.5 million by releasing him even though he is expected to have the third-highest budget charge for the upcoming season. Almost none of his salary is guaranteed.
Though it’s difficult to claim that this defense is lacking a $14 million safety, a restructured deal may be considered.
Simply said, Byard wasn’t productive enough during his 10-game tenure with the team the previous season to justify his present salary. He only had three passes defended and one interception. This money would have been better used elsewhere, especially considering the defense’s troubles at the conclusion of the season.
Throughout his six-year tenure with the Philadelphia Eagles, the 27-year-old has been a reliable nickel corner. Despite the fact that he has participated in 64 games and started 38, releasing him may free up $2 million in salary cap space for Philadelphia, or $7.1 million if it is considered a transaction that occurs after June 1.
It’s hard to hold Maddox responsible for the downfall of this season. Because of a torn pec that he sustained in September, he was limited to just four games. He did, however, manage to get back into the starting lineup for the final two regular season games and participate in the postseason game.
I’m sure the injuries had a part, but he didn’t seem well in that picture. Four times during the regular season, he gave up
14 catches for 202 yards on 17 targets without a pick. He gave up 41 yards on four targets and a touchdown throw in the playoff game.
Whether the Eagles should release Maddox may not be the main concern; rather, it may be more advantageous to have $2 million in cap space when free agency begins or to hold out until after June 1 in order to receive $7.1 million that may be utilized to finish the season.
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