eagles

Eagles Mailbag: What does Haason Reddick’s future look like? Eagles expected to be active in Free Agency?

Yesterday, I asked my followers for some questions for an Eagles mailbag. Well, here it is! I had a lot of fun doing this and would love to do it again in the future. I appreciate everyone who submitted questions. Let’s get into it.

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@2X.prime: Which players are gonna take on a bigger role in 2024? (IG)

Thanks for the question, prime! This is always an interesting topic to talk about in the offseason, and there are many potential names. Starting off, 2023 first-round pick Nolan Smith Jr. feels like an obvious choice. Smith only played 165 snaps his rookie season and had minimal production. That was the expectation going into 2023 and Nolan was always viewed as a developmental piece. It’s safe to assume he’ll see an extended role in 2024, especially with the uncertainty with All-Pro Haason Reddick.

Sticking to the defensive side of the ball, Nakobe Dean is a player who has the opportunity to breakout next season. In 2023, he faced a ton of injuries that limited him to five games. Dean is a player with a ton of upside, but he needs to be able to stay on the field. We’ll have to see what the Eagles do at linebacker this offseason, but Howie Roseman offered Dean a vote of confidence at the team’s end season presser. 

Lastly, Milton Williams is entering a contract year in 2024. It wouldn’t shock me if the Eagles and Williams agreed on a contract extension this off-season, but as of now he’s only under contract through next season. Williams has always been a rotational player on a stacked defensive front. It’s safe to assume he’d be a starter on many teams in the NFL. With Philadelphia legend Fletcher Cox likely departing this off-season, whether it’s via retirement or signing with another team, Williams’ role should increase and he could be in line for a breakout season.

@ImKnotImpressed: Do we expect any changes to the front office/scouting department? Departure or additions? (X)

Thanks for the question, J.R.! My understanding is there have not been any major changes in either the front office or scouting departments. That can always change and guys can be hired elsewhere, but at the moment there has been no movement. 

There could be some minor moves, which is very common. We’ll likely find out when the team releases the entire staff.

@Brunostosur: Do you think Howie [Roseman] will be active in free agency? (IG) 

Thanks for the question, Bruno! It’s safe to assume the Eagles will be active in free agency, especially on the defensive side of the ball. They currently sit at $19,923,513 in cap space, according to OverTheCap. 

The expectation around league circles is that safety Kevin Byard will ultimately be released. That’ll clear up $13,031,088 in cap space, per OverTheCap. A return for Byard on a cheaper deal isn’t out of the question, but he won’t be back on his current deal. 

The whole Haason Reddick saga will likely end up in some 2024 cap relief for Philadelphia, regardless of if he stays with the Eagles or not. Reddick won’t be back on his current cap number of $21,877,000, whether it’s a trade or extension, that’ll go down and clear some space. Extensions to DeVonta Smith and Landon Dickerson will clear some space as well. So, the Eagles will have money to play with. 

Now that we have that settled, the Eagles will be active in free agency. It’s safe to assume they’ll add a starting safety and linebacker. We’ll see what happens with Jason Kelce. If he retires, they could look to bring in a veteran interior offensive lineman. They’ll probably bring in a wide receiver or two, as well.  

@Jayistoswag: Do you think Haason Reddick will sign an extension with the Eagles? (IG)

The Haason Reddick situation is going to be a very interesting storyline this off-season. I reported on Super Bowl Sunday that Reddick is seeking an extension that’ll pay him over $25 million a season. That was later confirmed by Cam Marino. 

Reddick probably won’t get that from any team. The Eagles granted his agency to seek a trade last weekend. What does that mean? They can scan the market and see what’s out there. I’d be floored if there’s a team knocking on their door saying they’ll pay that price. 

Reddick is a great player who undoubtedly deserves a raise from his current contract. He’s going to get that, but I doubt it’ll be top 5 money. If I had to make a prediction, I’d say he returns to Philadelphia and they find a middle ground. My prediction: 

  • 3-years 
  • $65.25 million extension 
  • $48 million GTD 
  • Provides 2024 cap relief 

Pure speculation guess there, but Reddick will get paid. He wants to stay in Philadelphia and I think he ultimately will. 

@Rennat._: Any 2024 draft prospects catching your eye so far? (IG)

Thanks for the question, Rennat! As most of y’all know, the Senior Bowl and East-West Shrine Bowl took place recently. Those are great places for prospects to really show out in front of NFL teams. It’s also a great place for fans to learn some names in the upcoming draft. 

One name that really stood out to me was Missouri EDGE Darius Robinson. He met with the Eagles at the Senior Bowl. He really balled out down in Mobile, and might’ve risen his stock. He is a powerful player who can both rush the passer and defend the run. His pro comparison to me is Keion White. 

@Rhayes208: Is [Jalen] Hurts on the hot seat if he underperforms in 2024? (IG)

Thanks for the question, Ryan! Boy, is this a loaded one or what? It’s safe to say Jalen Hurts took a step back in 2023 compared to his 2022 season. However, Hurts was still a top 10 quarterback based off the top advanced metrics we have to evaluate quarterbacks.

However, Hurts definitely wasn’t the MVP candidate we saw when the Eagles made the Super Bowl. I think that’s more attributed to the worst coaching staff in football more than Hurts himself. But that doesn’t mean he’s without blame for it. 

So, let’s hypothetically say Hurts has another disappointing season in 2024 with a rejuvenated staff. I’d think there would be some serious eyebrows raised about Hurts and what he is as a player. But, the financial aspect doesn’t favor the Eagles moving on from Hurts. If the Eagles moved on from Jalen Hurts after this season, they’d take on a $90,772,400 dead cap penalty. In other words, Jalen Hurts is here through 2025 no matter what. 

So, yeah if he isn’t back to that elite form in 2024, the pressure will certainly be on him. But, a divorce between Hurts and the Eagles anytime soon is simply unrealistic. I’m very confident we’ll see a version of Hurts more comparable to his 2022 self than his 2023 self, anyway. So I don’t think this discussion will even surface this time next year. 

Thank you guys again for all the questions! I hope you enjoyed this and I look forward to doing it again in the future.

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