Eagles
NFL Free Agency- Stay or Go: Isaac Seumalo
Penn State Great Valley MBA, Penn State Berks Undergrad, Eagle Scout and Vigil Honor, IT Service Manager. I joined Sports Talk Philly in 2017 and root for all the Philly teams (as well as their minor league counter parts).
All posts by Paul BowmanPublished08 Mar 2023
The Philadelphia Eagles have 20 free agents heading into the NFL offseason according to contract supersite Sportrac.
Of the pending free agents, 13 of 20 were key contributors to the Eagles run towards another Lombardi Trophy.
The staff from Sports Talk Philly –editors Paul Bowman and Michael Lipinski and Eagles writers Jennifer McGraw and Maranda Jo Shinn– have decided to play a game of “stay or go” with Jeffery Lurie’s money!
The crew deliberates on offensive lineman Isaac Seumalo.
Name: Isaac Seumalo
Position: OL
Age: 29
Acquired: 2016 NFL Draft
Achievements: N/A
2022 Regular Season Stats: 17G/17GS
Market Value: $12.1MM/year
Potential Contract: 2-years/$24.3MM
COMPARABLE PLAYERS
Comparable players based on Sportrac’s formula for age, contract status, and statistical production.
| PLAYER | LENGTH | VALUE | AVG. SALARY | AGE WHEN SIGNED |
| Brandon Scherff | 3 | $49,500,000 | $16,500,000 | 30 |
| Elijah Wilkinson | 1 | $1,187,500 | $1,187,500 | 27 |
| Lucas Patrick | 2 | $8,000,000 | $4,000,000 | 28 |
| A.J. Cann | 2 | $8,500,000 | $4,250,000 | 30 |
| Averages | 2.8 | $16,796,875 | $8,398,438 | 28.8 |
Related- Stay or Go: Javon Hargrave
Related- Stay or Go: TJ Edwards
Related- Stay or Go: James Bradberry
Related- Stay or Go: Miles Sanders
Related- Stay or Go: CJGJ
Paul Bowman, STP Editor: Regarding the contract, I just can’t see Seumalo being offered the same deal as Brandon Scherff. Conversely, I think it’s disrespectful to throw Elijah Wilkinson’s contract in there as comparable (if that’s his best offer, the Eagles have to bring him back). The Eagles love to build on the line and to keep their own players, but this seems like it is playing into a similar situation as when Big V departed after Super Bowl LVII. The major differences are that Seumalo is older and has a more extensive injury history (this is just the second season since 2018 that he was able to play each game) but he also offers more flexibility to play really any interior position.
If he has an interest in staying and taking a team-friendly deal, he’ll be back. I think if Kelce is hanging it up, he’s back in that case as well (assuming the team knows about it before he signs). If Kelce returns, however, the Eagles do have Jack Driscoll and Cam Jurgens as quality linemen without a place and could slot one of them in as a starter. They also have Brett Toth with the team (who looked impressive before he went on PUP and missed the 2022-23 season) and will surely bring in additional lineman via the draft or undrafted free agency where they seem to find at least one player who sticks each season. While a return would be great, ultimately, I think that Seumalo will receive a ton of interest on the open market and the Eagles, unable to match those offers, will look to rebuild their depth on the line.
Verdict: Go
Michael Lipinski, STP Editor: Issac Seumalo has played himself into a payday…but it won’t be in Philadelphia. The Eagles’ 3rd round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft has been a key cog in the Birds’ offensive wheel. When healthy, Seumalo is one of the better guards in the National Football League but the Eagles can’t afford to drop a big dollar contract on a guard. There are some options on the free agent market that are likely more palatable for Howie Roseman and Company. Another possible replacement could be free agent offensive lineman Andre Dillard. But more on that one later…
Verdict: Go
Jenn McGraw, Eagles Writer: Isaac Seumalo had an impeccable and quiet past few seasons with the Eagles. I think his skill set and what he’s been able to do on the offensive line to keep the Eagles offense being one of the sharpest in the NFL is incredible. That being said, with so many off-season moves the Eagles have to make, I think Seumalo is better suited to find another team who could use his skills.
Verdict: Go
Maranda Jo Shinn, Eagles Writer: Issac Seumalo has quiet confidence that has led him to two very good seasons for the Eagles in 2021 and 2022. He will be entering his eighth season in 2023, offers versatility to play guard and center, and has even played both tackle spots for the Birds. With plenty of teams looking for quality offensive line starters, I’m sure he will get lots of attention on the market. This leads me to believe he will be seeking a lot of money that we just don’t have. I feel that we will have no choice but to let him go, sadly.
Verdict: Go
Consensus: Go
The Eagles will likely look to be replacing one of their offensive line starters this year and unless that’s Jason Kelce, it’d seem likely that Seumalo is going to get a major deal with his next team.
