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Philadelphia Eagles Look Ahead to Free Agency

By Regina Ham

Dec 20, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson (31) is tackled by Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Fletcher Cox (91) and strong safety Walter Thurmond (26) during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 20, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson (31) is tackled by Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Fletcher Cox (91) and strong safety Walter Thurmond (26) during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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There is more work ahead during the off-season for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Making sure Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford would return was priority number one for the team. They needed a man in the pocket that not only will be familiar with the system but will be willing to work with the new Eagles head coach Doug Pederson. Bradford never wanted to leave Philadelphia and it might be seen as a good sign that a deal has been struck. His new contract was a two-year, $36 million deal with $26 million guaranteed. It had been weighing on many minds of the Eagles coaching staff and it is now a settled deal. There is still a lot of the offseason left to go and many think that the Eagles still need to draft a quarterback and it might be wise to do so. Yet there are other position that will need to be addressed and with free agency coming up, it’s time for the Eagles to look ahead to see what is going to be the next primary concern.

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Securing Walter Thurmond and Cedric Thronton

One of the people on the agenda for the Eagles is Walter Thurmond. They’ve made deals with Brent Celek, Zach Ertz, Lane Johnson and Malcolm Jenkins. With the team dealing with eight free agents, there are some names that need attending to. Thurmond is one of the Eagles’ top free agents and played in 16 games with the team. Thurmond moved from cornerback to safety.  He had one of the best seasons of his career and deserves to have a longer contract if the Eagles are planning on keeping him. Thurmond has been playing on yearly contracts and it would be a disservice to him to continue doing so. What makes him a valuable asset is that he can play at both cornerback and safety. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Thurmond has expressed what makes this contract negotiation different. “This contract could potentially be my last, depending how long it is. It’s going to come down to what’s best for me, the fit, the coaches here, who’s going to be here.”

“This contract could potentially be my last, depending how long it is. It’s going to come down to what’s best for me, the fit, the coaches here, who’s going to be here.”

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    • It would be a benefit for the Eagles to also extend an offer to defensive lineman Cedric Thornton. He’s been playing strongly since he was signed to the practice squad. He joined the team as an undrafted rookie and has now started in 45 games over the past three seasons. He would fit in with the Eagles’ new 4-3 system as a defensive tackle and he might even see time playing at a different position. Thornton loves working with the Philadelphia coaching staff and it would be a welcome sight to see a returning veteran.

    Eagles looking to spend in free agency

    There is no doubt that the Eagles have some money to spend in free agency. Not placing the franchise tag on Sam Bradford saved the team $7.453 million in the salary cap. They have about $18 million to spend and that is a considerable sum. Eagles general manager Howie Roseman is aggressive when it comes to personnel and it is going to be interesting to see what might come of it. The Eagles need to decide what to do about Fletcher Cox. He would be deserving of a decent contract and the team could even fill up more cap space but releasing players, such as Mark Sanchez. The team needs to upgrades its offensive line and that has to remain a top priority. It would also be best for them to keep Thurmond and cornerback Nolan Carroll. Carroll had one of his best seasons with the Eagles and it is a priority to keep top talent. With some serious money to play around with, it’ll be interesting to see who the Eagles are going to be pursuing in the upcoming weeks.

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