We are not even 24 hours into the legal tampering period, and there are a number of updates for the Eagles.
Byron Maxwell
First, news on arguably the most popular player in Philly right now. According to Jayson Braddock, the Eagles and Maxwell are close to striking a big money deal. How big?
Eagles and free agent CB Byron Maxwell are getting very close. Hard to see Jacksonville or Atlanta beating Philly out. Forget climate, $$$
— Jayson Braddock (@JaysonBraddock) March 8, 2015
Just to prepare you for sticker shock, Eagles' fans: Don't be surprised if this comes in Top 3-5 in CB $$. Philly really wants him there.
— Jayson Braddock (@JaysonBraddock) March 8, 2015
How much could that cost the Eagles? Per overthecap.com, here are the top five cornerbacks salaries in the NFL
- Darelle Revis: $16 million
- Patrick Peterson: $14 million
- Richard Sherman: $14 million
- Joe Haden: $13.5 million
- Brandon Carr: $10.02 million
So we are talking about anywhere between $10 to $14 million for Maxwell. If the Eagles pay him $10 million, I will be OK with that number. It will be a little too high, but given the issues the Eagles have had in the secondary, I can understand spending more to get your guy.
But I wrote before about my concerns with Maxwell. He's a good player, but he is not a great player, at least not yet. If the deal starts to creep towards the $12-14 million range, it says here that the Eagles will have vastly overpaid for Maxwell and will regret this deal.
Jeremy Maclin
Jeff McLane had an interesting note regarding the snag in the Eagles negotiations with Jeremy Maclin:
Jeremy Maclin wanted around $11 mil a year. #Eagles got to $9 mil during season. He won't get to $11 in free agency w/ Randall Cobb ahead.
— Jeff McLane (@Jeff_McLane) March 8, 2015
My first reaction was that was too much money for Maclin. But per overthecap.com, here are some of the top paid wide receivers in the NFL:
- Calvin Johnson: $16.2 million
- Percy Harvin: $12.8 million
- Dez Bryant: $12.8 million
- Demaryius Thomas: $12.8 million
- Mike Wallace: $12 million
- Vincent Jackson: $11.1 million
- Larry Fitzgerald: $11 million
- Brandon Marshall: $10 million
- Jordy Nelson: $9.7 million
- Andre Johnson: $9.6 million
- Greg Jennings: $9 million
- Victor Cruz: $8.6 million
- Pierre Garcon: $8.5 million
- Antonio Brown: $8.3 million
- DeSean Jackson: $8 million
These numbers are hard to square away. Mike Wallace, Vincent Jackson and Larry Fitzgerald seem overpaid. But Antonio Brown and Jordy Nelson seem vastly underpaid. So a reasonable argument can be made that Maclin is worth $11 million a year.
My gut instinct is Maclin tests the market, but ends up striking a deal with the Eagles for around $10 million a year. And right as I was writing this, news broke that Randall Cobb signed a 4 year, $4o million deal to stay with the Packers.
Randall Cobb back to Green Bay on a 4-year, $40 million deal, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 8, 2015
I think Maclin should command a similar number. Then again…
Will Mac do same w/Eagles? RT @RapSheet Cobb had 6-7 offers, I’m told. turned down considerably more money elsewhere to sign with/#Packers.
— Geoff Mosher (@GeoffMosherCSN) March 8, 2015
Devin McCourty
According to multiple news outlets, the Eagles have made Devin McCourty a top free agent priority. While I have reservations about the Eagles over paying for Maxwell, I see McCourty as the only elite free agent option in the secondary. Per Pro Football Focus, McCourty ranked as the 8th best safety in football last year. I think that ranking is a little low; I see McCourty as a top 3-5 safety in the league. Even if the Eagles sign Maxwell and Maclin, I want to see the Eagles go after McCourty. A secondary of Maxwell, McCourty and Jenkins would be a significant upgrade over last year.
LeSean McCoy
Apparently there was more to the trade of LeSean McCoy than was initially thought. It was common knowledge that the Eagles were going to ask McCoy to restructure his contract given his $11 million cap figure. While McCoy publicly said he was open to restructuring his deal to stay with the Eagles, privately it seems he was actually seeking a raise. I could understand McCoy asking for guaranteed money, since his remaining contract was non-guaranteed. But a raise? That's a tough pill to swallow.
Mark Ingram
According to Adam Schefter, Mark Ingram will return to the New Orleans Saints on a four year deal. Once thought to be a target of the Eagles, Geoff Mosher dispelled that notion:
Nevermind. Source tells me #Eagles didn't not show interest in Mark Ingram. Also told no interest in Reggie Bush.
— Geoff Mosher (@GeoffMosherCSN) March 8, 2015
Kareem Jackson
Finally, mark off Kareem Jackson from your list of potential cornerback targets for the Birds. To underscore how seriously the Eagles see upgrading the secondary, consider this:
Eagles were reportedly in on Kareem Jackson, who is approximately this much taller than Brandon Boykin. pic.twitter.com/sB2oOd2v4y
— Jimmy Kempski (@JimmyKempski) March 8, 2015
