One of the Eagles’ longtime leaders on and off the field is hitting the open market this offseason. Rodney McLeod is entering free agency, and for the first time in a while, his future in Philadelphia is murky.

McLeod was once a staple of the Eagles’ defense, but age and injuries have slowed him down. The Eagles’ captain will be 32-years-old in June, and Howie Roseman could look to get younger in the secondary.

Coming off a torn ACL, McLeod graded out at 64.8 on the season according to PFF, his lowest grade since 2013. Amongst all starting safeties (50% of snaps played), McLeod ranked 39th out of 64 eligible players.

In 2020, he signed a two-year deal worth $8.6 million, and any deal will likely be less than that. Philadelphia has K’Von Wallace and Marcus Epps rostered, alongside a hefty amount of draft capital.

Safety is arguably the weakest position group for the Eagles, and it makes a lot more sense to get younger and lock someone up long-term instead of short-term deals for veterans.

Like several other Eagles hitting free agency, if there is no market for McLeod, it could make sense to bring him back. His locker room presence is vital to the Eagles’ culture, and paying him $1-$2 million is worth that for their young core.

Even though his play is declining, the former Super Bowl champion is still serviceable. He can thrive as a depth piece or as part of a stacked secondary with fewer responsibilities than before.

There’s a good chance someone will want to snag him up in hopes he still has some left in the tank. Unless the market drastically shifts, McLeod’s time in Philadelphia has likely come to an end.

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