Philadelphia Eagles sign DT Haloti Ngata to a one-year deal
The Philadelphia Eagles just keep bringing in the big men up front.
Finally, the Philadelphia Eagles begin to start signing some free agents as they just announced they cleared up some much-needed cap space. Don’t think they are spending it on the flashiest guys just yet, though. The Eagles continue to beef up the trenches as they sign, yet, another defensive lineman.
According to ESPN insider Adam Schefter, the Eagles will be bringing in former Detroit Lions defensive tackle, Haloti Ngata. Another one year deal for an aging veteran up front. Ngata has a significant track record in the NFL, as he has been in the league since 2006. Heading into his 13th season, Ngata racked up a total of 31.5 sacks during two his time with the Baltimore Ravens and the Detroit Lions.
Now, Ngata will continue his journey as a rotational player in Philadelphia, which is considered to be one of, if not, the best defensive line in the game right now.
The official news:
Former Lions’ DT Haloti Ngata intends to sign a one-year deal with Eagles, per @mortreport and me.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 13, 2018
You might ask why the Eagles keep signing defensive lineman. The answer is pretty simple. The Eagles love to use a heavy rotation up front to keep guys fresh. Considering that the Eagles are most likely going to lose Beau Allen in free agency, they are filling in for a dynamic player who flew under the radar during his time here.
Just because Ngata is much older than Allen, doesn’t mean he is washed up, though. Ngata has consistently produced when healthy throughout his career. Obviously, the key word here is healthy. Ngata hasn’t played in a full season since 2011. Just last year, he only managed to play in five games.
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Fortunately for Ngata, the Eagles will not count on him to be a full-time starter. He will get plenty of rest behind guys like Fletcher Cox and Timmy Jernigan. If he can stay healthy for the most part, there is a good chance that he can eat up front with the muscle around him. There isn’t a big future for Ngata and the Eagles, but he could play a very significant mentor role to the young guys as well during the 2018 season.