It's spring football, and it doesn't mean much, but it's safe to say Doug Pederson and company will have a better understanding of their roster after OTAs wrap up this Thursday.
The Eagles have done a great job of addressing the holes on their roster through the Draft and the initial run of free agency, but they could still stand to add a few of the remaining veterans sitting at home, waiting for a shot to help an NFL team.
Here are five guys that could potentially pique the Eagles interest between now and the start of training camp on July 28.
RB Chris Polk, HOU - Polk may seem like a Chip Kelly retread, but he was originally an Andy Reid guy. Reid thought so much of the Washington product that he carried four running backs on the roster in 2012, despite Polk never seeing any game action his rookie season. Polk is a good receiver out of the backfield and an extremely tough runner.
His injury history is what has caused him to fall out of the draft and is the reason he remains unsigned this far into the offseason. Since Reid liked him, it would make sense that Pederson wouldn't mind bringing in another back to compete for a roster spot at a position that has a lot of bodies, but not a lot of guys who are total fits in this offense.
FB Will Tukuafu, SEA - As it stands today, Trey Burton is the only player on the Eagles roster who could potentially play fullback. Burton would be a good receiver out of the backfield and a decent runner, considering his experience as a college running back. However, the one area the third-year tight end would struggle with is lead-blocking.
Enter, Tukuafu.
The former Seahawk is a load at 6'2" and 280 pounds (yes, 280) and as Pete Carroll describes, "He brings the wood." Naturally, someone of his size isn't a natural fit in a pass-heavy, west coast offense, but if the Eagles are looking for someone who can step in and open holes for Ryan Mathews and company, Tukuafu is their guy.
G Amini Silatolu, CAR - A torn ACL in November robbed Silatolu of cashing in this offseason and that injury has to be the reason teams have been weary of signing the powerful guard. The Eagles still have a hole to fill at left guard and, if his health checks out, Silatolu would represent a major upgrade over Allen Barbre.
This late in the game, Silatolu will not be able to command a lot of money and could be had cheap for a one-year deal. It would help the Eagles plug a hole in their O-line and it would give him a chance to prove to the team and the rest of the league that he is still capable of playing at a high level.
DL Billy Winn, IND - Winn spent last year in Indianapolis, but an injury cut his season short after just 12 games. In those games, he recorded 14 tackles and recovered a pair of fumbles. Winn is a product of Boise State and is versatile enough to play all over the line, albeit in a reserve role.
The Eagles are lacking in depth along their interior and adding a quick, penetrating guy like Winn could help shore up the second unit's pass rush while Fletcher Cox is on the bench.
LB Donald Butler, SD - Butler is probably the most recognizable name on this list, besides Polk, and he is just two years removed from signing a massive deal with the San Diego Chargers. However, after signing that deal, he showed up to training camp out of shape and spent the past two years trying to return to form and was subsequently cut after the 2015 season.
The Eagles lacking of linebacker depth has been well-documented and a veteran like Butler would certainly improve that unit dramatically. It would be interesting to see if Butler would sign with a team that has three starters pretty much in place, but a one-year deal makes sense for the veteran who is trying to prove to the league he's still got it. Plus, with Jordan Hicks' injury history, he could find the field quite often.
Tucker Bagley is a columnist for Eagledelphia. Follow him on Twitter @tbagley515.
