The Lions have finally released Stephen Tulloch, according to a report from Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk. The veteran linebacker's termination was only a matter of time. It was reported back in March that Detroit was going to cut Tulloch if they were unable to trade him. And no one was ever going to trade for his $7.3 million cap number.
Now that Tulloch is officially a free agent, the question on everyone's mind is: will the Eagles sign him? Many have wondered if Philadelphia will have interest due to his experience playing for Jim Schwartz. Tulloch played for Schwartz in both Detroit and Tennessee.
A reunion in Philadelphia doesn't seem impossible. The Eagles signed a number of former Schwartz player earlier this offseason, including Leodis McKelvin, Nigel Bradham, and Ron Brooks. Not to mention the Birds have a need for linebacker depth.
The 31-year-old Tulloch's best days are clearly behind him. At best, he's a two-down middle linebacker at this point. The Eagles already have three starters in Jordan Hicks, Mychal Kendricks, and Bradham. The depth behind them, aside from Najee Goode, is thin, however. Tulloch would give the Eagles a reliable backup who knows Schwartz's scheme.
A potential issue with signing Tulloch is that he might not be best suited for playing special teams. Most teams require their backup linebackers to fill that special teams role.
The Eagles currently have an open roster so they don't have to cut anyone to free up room for Tulloch. This situation is something to keep an eye on as training camp slowly approaches.
UPDATE: Some information on why it took so long for the Lions to cut Tulloch.
The full story with Stephen Tulloch: He had off-season surgery, didn't pass a physical until today, which is why Lions waited to release him
— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) July 5, 2016
Had the Lions cut Tulloch earlier this off-season, they would have been on the hook for a bigger cap charge.
— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) July 5, 2016