Philadelphia Eagles sign LB Dannell Ellerbe to one-year contract
The Philadelphia Eagles added depth to the linebacker position on Monday.
As the Philadelphia Eagles return from their week off, they will return with a new face in the locker room. The team has announced that they have signed the nine-year veteran, Dannell Ellerbe to a one-year contract late Sunday night. Ellerbe signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He spent four seasons in Baltimore before signing with the Miami Dolphins and eventually being traded to the New Orleans Saints.
It was clear that the Eagles needed to add depth to the linebacker position when Jordan Hicks went down. Although Joe Walker has been serviceable, it is clear that the Eagles will need all the veteran help they can get at linebacker as the unit is thin in depth.
The announcement:
Roster Move: #Eagles have signed LB Dannell Ellerbe to a one-year contract and waived CB Dexter McDougle.#FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/7oWx8jxy4x
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) November 13, 2017
Adding Depth:
With the return of cornerback Ronald Darby, the Eagles seem to have a surplus of cornerbacks now. They have chosen to release cornerback Dexter McDougle in order to free up space for Ellerbe. Although Ellerbe is a solid addition, his past health issues could also raise some red flags for the Eagles.
Over the past three seasons, Ellerbe only managed to play in 16 total games. The injury bug continued to bite him into the 2017 offseason. While with the Saints in the summer, Ellerbe suffered a foot injury that got him placed on the injured reserve. Later on into the preseason, Ellerbe was cut from the Saints before the start of the regular season.
Next: Should Ronald Darby be in starting lineup right away?
While healthy, Ellerbe could be a solid contributor to the Eagles defense. In his last nine games, he came up with 44 combined tackles along with four sacks. With Nigel Bradham and Mychal Kendricks playing lights out football, Ellerbe could be a very solid addition. It is clear that the Eagles wanted to bring in another linebacker with experience rather than throw the young guys in the fire. This shows that the Eagles are truly trying to make a run this season.