6 Things Philadelphia Eagles 2021 cap issues tells us about their future
By Ben Swanger
3. Philly must, once and for all, say farewell to a Super Bowl champion.
With each team averaging around five players with cap hits greater than $10 million, Roseman and company have a lot of work to do to decrease their 12 back down to a more reasonable number. Even if that number shrinks to around seven or eight players, that would be a win.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have eight players with cap hits north of $10 million. The Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons, and Arizona Cardinals all have seven. Those are five wildly inconsistent franchises. The ones that are normally elite hover around the league average, which is where the Eagles are right now.
So, who does Philly get rid of? Look no further than one of the most head-scratching deals Philly has on the books, Alshon Jeffery‘s deal.
Some might be surprised to hear that he isn’t just under contract for 2020. He’s also under contract through 2021.
In 2020, Jeffery’s cap number is a smidge more than $15 million, but wait, it gets worse. In 2021, he represents nearly $18.5 million. It’s hard to explain or imagine what Roseman was thinking.
Jeffery will probably start the 2020 season on Philly’s PUP (physically unable to perform) list, and he could possibly contribute later in the year if he’s activated. How effective should we expect him to be though?
Jeffery might catch a few passes from Wentz in 2020, but that certainly won’t be the story in 2021. If the Eagles cut Jeffery after the 2020 season the team saves $8 million, but they’ll still be on the hook for $10 million. It’s a price the team has to pay for Roseman’s decision, but cutting Jeffery should be a no-brainer (if he’s even here at that time).
Jeffery’s deal isn’t the only head-scratcher, however. Here are a few others.