NFL free agency starts in less than one month on March 9 at 4:00 PM EST. The "legal tampering" window begins two days earlier on March 7. When the new league year begins, unrestricted free agents will be able to sign with any team that offers them a deal. The Eagles have 9 players of their own who are scheduled to be free agents.
A recent poll on BGN reveals that most Eagles fans think offensive line is the biggest position of need this offseason. It's no secret that the Eagles need some new bodies up front. Jason Peters will be 35 after this season. Jason Kelce struggled in 2015. The Eagles could really use two new starting guards.
Quarterback is also obviously a big need for the Birds. It's also the most important position in the game. There aren't a lot of great quarterback options in free agency, which is typically the case. Some will argue Sam Bradford is Philadelphia's best option when it comes to that position.
I could be wrong, but I don't think the Eagles will look to be big spenders, especially after the team splurged last year with guys like Byron Maxwell and DeMarco Murray. Here are some options for the Eagles when it comes to free agency.
Sam Bradford, QB, Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles can franchise tag Bradford up until March 1. If that doesn't happen, which is expected, they'll have less than a week until his agent can start talking to other teams. You can bet that Bradford is in line for a big pay day. There will be a competitive market for his services. There's a case to be made for Philadelphia to keep Bradford, but I don't think he's going to be worth the risk. Plus he might not even want to come back to the Eagles. The San Francisco 49ers seem like a logical landing spot for Bradford. We know for a fact that Chip Kelly likes Bradford a lot. Why wouldn't he pound the table hard to get his QB?
Other free agent QB: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Kirk Cousins, Chase Daniel, Brock Osweiler, Matt Moore, Michael Vick
Jeff Allen, OG, Kansas City Chiefs
Remember how everyone used to link Oregon players to Chip Kelly? Well now #ChiefsBias is the new #DuckBias with Doug Pederson in charger. Kansas City's starting left guard is set to be a free agent and the Eagles need two new starting guards. Adding at least one through free agency would be wise and Allen is an obvious fit for Pederson's scheme. Allen ranked as the 19th best guard by Pro Football Focus in 2015. The 26-year-old lineman has started a few games at both left tackle and right tackle, so he also has some versatility.
Other free agent OG: Alex Boone, Kelechi Osemele, Richie Incognito, Ramon Foster, Jahri Evans, Geoff Schwartz, Evan Mathis
George Iloka, S, Cincinnati Bengals
The Eagles are going to need a starting safety to pair with Malcolm Jenkins depending on what the team does with Walter Thurmond. Thurmond and the Eagles reportedly haven't discussed a new contract yet. The Birds might not view Thurmond, who had never played safety in his career prior to 2015, as a long-term answer on the back end. The 25-year-old Iloka has intriguing size at 6-4, 225 pounds.
Other free agent S: Eric Berry, Eric Weddle, Reggie Nelson, Tashaun Gipson, Rashad Johnson, Tyvon Branch
Rishard Matthews, WR, Miami Dolphins
Rishard Matthews? Why not Alshon Jeffrey? First, I just don't think Jeffrey will make it to the market. The Chicago Bears are probably going to hit him with the franchise tag. Second, yeah, this year's free agent wide receiver class is pretty undesirable. Average guys are going to get overpaid just because teams need new pass catches. The Eagles don't need to overpay for a new receiver, but they could afford to bring a new body in. Jordan Matthews is the team's only proven receiver right now. 2015 first round pick Nelson Agholor has potential and maybe Josh Huff will turn into something, but it's not a sure bet. Matthews has been quietly productive for Miami. He ranked tied (with Arizona's John Brown) for 23rd in yards per reception and 16th in YAC per reception. The Eagles aren't going to land a dynamite receiver in free agency. They should be aiming for an undervalued guy with potential.
Other free agent WR: Alshon Jeffrey, Travis Benjamin, Marvin Jones, ANQUAN BOLDIN, Jason Avant, Riley Cooper