It was a busy weekend for everybody. Mostly, people got together to see a lot of disappointingly somber commercials & a halftime show highlightted by dancing sharks & Missy Elliott. For those looking to fill the NFL hangover this morning, we continue our division-by-division look at the impending free agents that could help the Eagles succede the Patriots in 2015. Let's get to it…
Houston Texans
Kareem Jackson, Brooks Reed, Ryan Mallett, Akeem Dent, Kendrick Lewis
When did the Houston-to-Philadelphia pipeline start? Seriously, is there a series of container ships continually running from Trinity Bay to the Navy Yard? Quick tangent…consider the names: Trent Cole, Connor Barwin, Bryan Braman, James Casey, Donnie Jones, Andrew Gardner, Jeff Maehl. That’s not all. Phillies: Hunter Pence, Roy oswalt, Brad Lidge. Sixers: Sam Hinkie. Flyers: ok…you got me. Who’s next?
Maybe a starting CB. Jackson may be small for a Chip Kelly CB at 5’10” & 192 lbs. but he isn’t afraid to stick somebody: registering 48 solo & 57 total tackles last year. He logged 3 interceptions last year laying the left side opposite Johnathan joseph. Jackson played college ball at Alabama from 2007-2009: sharing time in Tuscaloosa with new Eagles VP of Player Personnel Ed Marynowitz. Reed was a second round pick out of the University of Arizona in 2011. In 2013, his best NFL season to date, he had 3 sacks & 87 tackles, nine for loss. He is a versatile option who can play both inside & outside: an ideal fit for a scheme guy like Billy Davis. Ryan Mallett: your guess is as good as mine. He doesn’t exactly have a portfolio overflowing with NFL game experience. By all accounts, he has a big-time NFL arm but he is still a relative unknown. He’ll be a backup somewhere but probably not in Philly. Akeem Dent was acquired by the Texans in the trade that sent TJ Yates to Atlanta. He is an Ike Reese type that could make an impact on an already good special teams unit but will not likely upgrade the defense any more than a rookie will. Kendrick Lewis was a fifth round draft pick in 2010 who spent his first four seasons disappointing Chiefs fans in Kansas City. He was signed the Texans last season and had an average-to-above-average season: 84 tackles, two interceptions, returning one for a score, and forcing 3 fumbles while recovering one. He could be a playmaker to line up opposite Malcolm Jenkins.
Indianapolis Colts
Hakeem Nicks, Dan Herron, Darius Butler, Josh Gordy, Jerrell Freeman
Starting on the offensive side. Nicks, all too familiar to Eagles fans, would immediately replace Riley Cooper as the big bodied WR the Eagles need in the red zone. Sharing time with TY Hilton, Reggie Wayne & rookie Donte Moncrief, he still chipped produced greater than 10 yards per catch & 4 touchdowns. Still, Chip Kelly isn’t going to throw more resources into the WR position when he can draft younger talent. Any free agent WR additions would have to have more talent and better attitudes than Nicks. It is no secret the Colts have been scrambling for a starting RB since trading for Trent Richardson. Herron added stability to a seriously lackluster RB position in Indy. Herron has averaged 4.5 yards/carry in his short career and chipped in 21 receptions for 173 yards. He has the talent to contribute somewhere and be paid well to do it but, at 25 years old and in just his second season, it won’t be in southeast Pennsylvania. Butler & Gordy are both league average cornerbacks at best but are not appreciably better than that. If the Eagles are going to attempt to upgrade the position through free agency, they can’t expect it to be with these two guys. Freeman is a 28 year old inside linebacker who registered nearly 100 total tackles last year in a down year. He could come in and be the run stuffing counterpart to Mychal Kendricks’ athletic coverage backer. The tandem could work extremely well together. He is a name to consider strongly if you are Kelly/Marynowitz.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Cecil Shorts, JT Thomas III…
…and that’s it. How in God’s name did this team lead the Eagles for the majority of their Week 1 meeting? Shorts: too many injuries, not enough production. No thanks. Thomas had a solid year manning the middle of the defense for Jacksonville: 84 tackles, 10 passes defensed, 2 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles with 1 recovery. To be fair, he was the only one producing on a terrible defense. Would he be as productive playing inside backer in a 3-4? Could he handle the responsibility of taking over for Demeco Ryans? Probably not. With his production & Jacksonville being as bad as they are he is probably back in north Florida next season.
Tennessee Titans
Kris Durham, Derrick Morgan, Eric Olsen
Durham was signed off waivers from Detroit in early September but did little in Nashville. Helping spell an injured Calvin Johnson in 2013, Durham had 38 catches for almost 500 yards & a pair of touchdowns. The Titans likely thought they had pulled a rising prospect off a scrap heap: displaced by Detroit’s off season acquisition of Golden Tate. Instead, they got a special teams contributor. We’ve got enough big-bodied white receivers who contribute too little: looking at you, Riley. Morgan was drafted by the Titans in 2010 out of Georgia Tech. He has had at least 6 sacks in each of the last three seasons. Last season he added two forced fumbles & seven passes defensed. He looks to be a guy that could contribute on the outside opposite Connor Barwin. If the Eagles brass is as skeptical about Marcus Smith’s future potential as the fans, Morgan could be a great fit. Olsen is a 26 year old OL who can play both guard spots & center. He isn’t a talent that is going to come in and steal a starting spot but could push Andrew Gardner, David Molk, and the rest of the Eagles backup lineman in the right direction.
After two weeks of miserable divisions to sift through, up next week is the NFC North: where legitimate contributors can be found.
