5 Homegrown Philadelphia Eagles this team can’t lose to free agency

Greg Ward is a franchise slot receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Veteran wideout Greg Ward has been waived by the Philadelphia Eagles more times than he’d like to remember but heading into 2021, the former quarterback is more than deserving of a multi-year contract extension. The common theme between Ward and the four free agents to follow is the oddity that all of them were undrafted or late-round pickups.

Howie Roseman can hang his hat on the signing and his team’s development of Ward. The former quarterback led his Houston Cougars to a 13-1 season in 2015 that was capped by a Peach Bowl victory against the Florida State Seminoles. Now, in 2021, he’s completed the transformation into one of the shiftiest slot receivers in the game. He’s certainly the Eagles’ top route-running technician. In a 2020 season filled with turmoil, Ward was the one constant threat in the offense for all 16 games.

He racked up 59 catches for 419 yards and six touchdowns in his first full season as a starting receiver. It’s not an impressive yard-per-catch output, but most of the time, Ward was only utilized as a security blanket for Carson Wentz and Jalen Hurts.

He’s entering the 2021 offseason as an ERFA (exclusive rights free agent). That’s a title used for players who have fewer than three accrued seasons under their belt and have an expiring contract. The rule for ERFAs states that Philadelphia could offer Ward a one-year contract that pays the league minimum. Ward’s camp would be unable to negotiate with other teams, so, in essence, the only way he wouldn’t return to Philly in 2021 is if Roseman didn’t offer him the league-minimum.

The 26-year-old receiver is deserving of much more than a minimum deal, but Philly would be hard-pressed to find a more reliable slot receiver and do so for what Ward would probably be making. Ward must return to Philly in 2021. Let’s move on to another budding star.