Here’s what Philadelphia Eagles releasing Nigel Bradham really tells us

The Philadelphia Eagles’ decision to release Nigel Bradham wasn’t totally surprising, but it does make a few less talked about theories more obvious.

Every off-season, there’s speculation about the “surprise cuts” on every NFL team. Fans nail it on some of their guesses. They totally miss on others. To some, the Philadelphia Eagles‘ decision to move on from linebacker Nigel Bradham was surprising.

A favorite among many fans, Bradham won his teammates over with his hard-nosed style. Though his release shouldn’t be shocking (Philly had an out and Bradham is past 30 and expensive), Philly’s now moved on from their best linebacker. The question is what’s next?

Looking around the league and at trends tells us that most could have gathered that the writing was on the wall for Bradham. It’s obvious that a higher premium is placed league-wide on some positions, quarterback for instance, but if you take things a step further, different teams seem to value certain positions above others.

For instance, there’s a certain aura about being the Chicago Bears‘ middle linebacker or the next in a great lineage of their running backs, and even the most casual of a football fan can always tell you who the Dallas Cowboys‘ quarterback is.

The other side of that token is this. Some teams just can’t get certain positions right. The Eagles can’t draft corners or figure out the linebacker position to save their lives.

Jordan Hicks was good, but he couldn’t stay healthy. One almost has to go back to the days of Jeremiah Trotter to find a “stud” at the position. Before the ‘Axe Man’, there was William Thomas, Seth Joyner, and Byron Evans. Their era was preceded by Bill Bergey and the great ‘Concrete Charlie’,  Chuck Bednarik.

Even with all of that being said, Philly’s history isn’t one that’s often spoken of in conjunction with great on-field play at the linebacker position. Not only that, recently they haven’t shown any interest in improving the position.

They have selected one in the first round of any draft since they selected Jerry Robinson out of UCLA in 1979. He was voted to the Pro Bowl in 1981. The Eagles just don’t place a ton of value in the linebacker position, and it’s a trend that is now seemingly growing across the current NFL landscape.

This just isn’t an Eagles thing though with linebackers, it’s a league-wide growing phenomenon. Simply put, “the quarterbacks of the defense” aren’t nearly as valuable as they once were, and now, the unexpected retirement of the Carolina Panthers’ star, Luke Kuechly, means the only real bonafide stud at the inside linebacker position is the Seattle Seahawks’ leader on defense, Bobby Wagner.

Sure, Darius Leonard of the Indianapolis Colts is a star in the making. So is the Cowboys duo of Leighton Vander Esch and Jaylon Smith, but it’s also worth noting that every one of the names mentioned belongs to guys who have battled injury.

Most of the interest now seems to be on outside linebackers who can wreak havoc and creat bad days for opposing quarterbacks. Chicago’s Khalil Mack and Von Miller of the Denver Broncos. come to mind. These days, most teams feature three cornerbacks in their base defense, a “pure” or “natural” linebacker, and a second linebacker that is essentially a converted and larger safety.

That’s what the Eagles have done for the most part, and now after cutting ties with their best linebacker, Nathan Gerry, one of those aforementioned converted safeties, steps to the head of the class.

It’ll be interesting to see how this offseason plays out for Philadelphia, especially when it comes to the linebacker position, but don’t expect any major splash signings. Still, even with that being said, eagles fans can expect some real surprises in the coming weeks. They’re always good for one or two at this time of the year.