Arguably the most underrated free agent for the Philadelphia Eagles this off-season is guard Nate Herbig. The 23-year-old has stepped up for Philadelphia on several occasions and has proven worthy of being a full-time starter.

Herbig joined the Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2019 and saw a lot of playing time due to injuries over the last two seasons. When Brandon Brooks and Isaac Seumalo went down for the season early in 2021, Herbig filled in beautifully.

Over ten games last season, Herbig only just one sack and four quarterback hits in 252 passing plays. If you take away one bad game against the Giants in Week 16, he only allowed one QB hit and a single sack.

The Eagles are known for wanting significant depth on their offensive line, and at this point, that’s all that Herbig would be. Jason Kelce looks like he will be returning, and Seumalo and Dickerson are both still better than Herbig. Even if Kelce retires, the Eagles could look to draft Iowa center Tyler Linderbaum.

Herbig’s situation isn’t so cut-and-dry. He is currently a restricted free agent, and the Eagles get the chance to match any offers on Herbig. Usually teams receive draft compensation if a RFA is lost in free agency, but since Herbig was undrafted, the Eagles don’t get anything if he walks. So the question now is, do the Eagles want to match any hefty contract offered to him?

His 68.1 PFF grade ranked him 30th out of 79 starting guards this season. Alongside his success, Herbig has shown flexibility in where he can play, which boosts his value even more.

If the Eagles can somehow bring him back on a decent contract, it’s a no-brainer to re-sign Nate Herbig. However, offensive linemen are a premium these days, and there’s a good chance someone could throw a lot of money at Herbig with the success he’s had at such a young age.

With Jack Driscoll, Sua Opeta, and Andre Dillard, Philadelphia is in good hands with their backups, but losing Herbig will definitely sting.

Mandatory Credit: AP Photo