The NFL is almost officially back, and people should get excited because free agency starts on March 13. The legal tampering period for teams to talk and discuss contracts with free agents begin on March 11, and they can officially sign the dotted line on March 13.
The Eagles go into this offseason with more questions than answers. They have holes, injuries, and aging issues throughout their entire team. The team has four big issues that they need to address and fix in free agency. On the offensive side of the ball, the Eagles need an every-down running back that they can rely on and they need a wide receiver that is a real deep threat and can help spread the field.
On defense, the Eagles need an inside pass rusher that can also stop the run and they need help at linebacker. Philly can fix these four glaring holes when free agency starts. General manager Howie Roseman has helped the Eagles clear up close to $18.8 million in cap space prior to the start of the league year.
Two offense free agent targets the Eagles can and should have their eye on are running back Tevin Coleman and wide receiver John Brown. Brown is still twenty-eight years old, and he is younger than the last two free agent wide receivers the Eagles have brought in during the previous two years.
At the combine, Brown ran a 4.34 40-yard dash and still has good speed. Over his five-year career, Brown has 109 deep targets and has averaged 15 yards per catch. Brown would be an excellent fit for the Eagles because he can stretch the field and he has some punt returning experience as well.
Coleman is a twenty-five-year-old five-year veteran who could be the Eagles answer to finding an every down back. In 2018, Coleman had 800 yards on the ground and 276 yards through the air in limited time. He is one of 10 players to have 2,300 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving over the last four years. Brown and Coleman would answer two big questions for the Eagles on the offensive side of the ball.
Two players on the defense side of the ball the Eagles should target in free agency are linebacker C.J. Mosley and defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson.
Mosley is a five-year veteran who can answer the Eagles issues at the linebacker position. He is a four-time Pro Bowler and four-time second-team All-Pro. During his career, Mosley has 579 total tackles, 8.5 sacks, nine interceptions, 35 pass deflections, six forced fumbles, and six fumble recoveries. Mosley is the guy the Eagles should target and sign first when free agency starts because he answers all of their questions when it comes to linebacker.
With the Eagles not picking up Timmy Jernigan’s option for 2019 there is a hole at the defensive tackle position, and the best player to replace him is Sheldon Richardson. Richardson can stop the run up the middle and get pressure on the quarterback which the Eagles will need because of the double teams that Fletcher Cox draws every snap.
Richardson has been in the league since 2013 and is a former Defensive Rookie of the Year and Pro Bowler. In 2018 he recorded 18 run stops on 272 run-defense snaps. He also recorded 47 total pressures on 407 pass-rush snaps. Throughout his career, Richardson has recorded 333 total tackles and 23.5 sacks.
These four players can help solve the Eagles questions on offense and defense and possibly turn them back into the team that won Super Bowl LII and starts to build a dynasty in Philly. Free agency should be a period of great intrigue in the City of Brotherly Love.
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