Philadelphia Eagles sign linebacker L.J. Fort to a three-year deal
The Philadelphia Eagles find a solid special teams contributor in former Pittsburgh Steelers’ linebacker, L.J. Fort.
The loss of Jordan Hicks doesn’t seem as significant now since the Philadelphia Eagles currently are not in season. Although Hicks has spent his first four years frequently injured, he was still a key piece to the defense when on the field. Now, Hicks will continue his career with the Arizona Cardinals, as the Eagles look to find their replacement either through Free Agency, or the 2019 NFL Draft this year.
With a lot of big named linebackers already inking deals, there aren’t too many guys left that are worth spending money on. However, the Eagles made sure to snag a low-risk, high-reward guy in former Pittsburgh Steelers’ linebacker, L.J. Fort. We’ve seen this kind of move made often. Last year, the Eagles signed veteran linebackers like LaRoy Reynolds, Paul Worrilow, and Corey Nelson.
Although none of those guys ended up making a major impact on the team, it’s clear that the Eagles like to get a linebacker that at least has experience on special teams, which the Eagles clearly need some help on. With the loss of Chris Maragos and the absence of Mack Hollins, the Eagles special teams had a significantly different look last season. They will look to get Hollins back, but now they need a linebacker to play a key role there as well. They have Worrilow inked on for next season, but now they also have Fort signed on with a three-year deal.
What to know about L.J. Fort
New #Eagles linebacker LJ Fort can make up to $10 million on his three-year deal. He got $1.9 million guaranteed, per league source.
— Mike Kaye (@mike_e_kaye) March 14, 2019
The former Pittsburgh Steelers’ linebacker is an undrafted free agent, who is joining his fifth team with the Eagles. He bounced around for his first two years in the league but has spent the last four seasons with the Steelers. Last year, the Steelers gave Fort his first real chance to step up in a higher role on defense, and he did a decent job. He ended up appearing in 15 games, despite only starting in two. Fort collected 48 total tackles, three of which, were for losses.
Next. Nelson Agholor’s salary is now guaranteed. dark
Will Fort make a significant impact on the Eagles defense? It’s doubtful. But at least they have a special teamer who has proven that he can rotate in on the defense when called upon. Now, Fort will be competing for snaps with guys like Kamu Grugier-Hill and Nathan Gerry. We will see if the Eagles look to snag another linebacker in Free Agency or focus on drafting one next month.