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Zach Brown, Eagles agree to contract

There’s your linebacker help.

NFL: Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The Philadelphia Eagles are signing free agent linebacker Zach Brown to a one-year contract, according to an official announcement from the team. Pro Football Talk reports the deal is worth $3 million.

We previously mentioned Brown as a potential Eagles target with Jordan Hicks leaving to sign with the Cardinals. Philadelphia had a hole to fill at linebacker.

Brown, now 29, originally entered the league as the Titans’ second-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. He spent four years with Tennessee before signing with the Bills in 2016. Brown’s efforts in Buffalo earned him Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors.

Brown left the Bills to sign a one-year contract with Washington in 2017. He played well enough to get re-upped for 2018. Brown ultimately got benched late in the 2018 season, however, before getting cut in the offseason.

It’s fair to wonder just how good Brown can be for the Eagles. There is certainly reason for optimism; he actually finished the 2018 season as the third highest graded linebacker by Pro Football Focus. Anecdotally, I’ve always felt like Brown has been an active defender when I’ve watched Washington play. He sure doesn’t lack experience considering he has 74 career starts in 94 games played. Brown has logged 632 total tackles, 57 tackles for loss, 32 quarterback hits, 20 passes defensed, 17.5 sacks, seven interceptions, and six forced fumbles during that span.

Again, the Eagles were in need of linebacker help after losing Hicks and failing to address the position in the 2019 NFL Draft. Brown is a strong contender for playing time alongside Nigel Bradham. The Eagles still have Kamu Grugier-Hill, L.J. Fort, Paul Worrilow, and Nathan Gerry on the roster as well. The team is also reportedly set to sign undrafted rookie free agent T.J. Edwards. It feels like the team should be set at linebacker now.

For those wondering, this signing does not impact the Eagles’ compensatory pick formula since Brown was released by Washington earlier this offseason.

Spider graph via Mockdraftable:

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