Before the start of NFL Free Agency, I will attempt to break down as many of the Eagles’ free agents as I can. Each article will include stats, the player’s strengths and weaknesses, and my overall thoughts on whether the player should be re-signed or not. All rankings only include players with at least 20% of the snaps this year. All statistics are via Pro Football Focus unless mentioned otherwise!

Statistics

Javon Hargrave’s stats point to an elite pass rusher but a below-average run defender, which is precisely what I expected to see! The big numbers are obviously the pressures, sacks, pass-rushing win %, and pass-rushing productivity. They are all top 5 which is huge.

Strengths

+ One of the most explosive defensive lineman I have watched. Can explode off the line of scrimmage and win quickly.

+ Has an explosive bullrush where he can get low and force offensive linemen off balance. Consistently collapses the pocket from the interior

+ Has fast and violent hands to fight through contact and defeat one-on-one blocks.

+ Has the athleticism to bend and re-direct around offensive guards without being forced upfield.

+ Has a fantastic understanding of how to run a T/E stunt and has the athleticism to be a threat when attacking outside of the tackle. This became a feature of the Eagles' 3rd and long pass rush as the season went on.

+ Has the athleticism to finish plays. Doesn’t just get pressure but can turn those into sacks, even when a quarterback attempts to escape the pocket

+ His explosiveness and quick hands enable him to blow up running plays in the backfield too.

Weaknesses

- Gets moved in the running game far too often. Doesn’t anchor well enough and can leave big gaps for opposing teams to exploit. Can be too aggressive by jumping upfield early and losing his gap.

- Doesn’t have the size, strength, or anchor to play as the nose or a 1-technique. Can only play as a 3-technique

- Benefits from playing on an exceptional defensive line where he isn’t double-teamed that frequently

Overall

This is hardly groundbreaking analysis, but Javon Hargrave is a stud. He’s one of the best interior pass rushers in the league and just had the best season of his career. Obviously, the Eagles should try and re-sign him and I really hope they manage to get a deal done because I am sure they will attempt to re-sign him. Personally, I would rank him as the 2nd most important free agent signing behind C.J. Gardner-Johnson. I think Hargrave will be greatly missed if he is not back next year.

I’m not going to get too deep into the numbers but Spotrac projects Hargrave’s market value to be 3 years $60m. This would rank 3rd amongst current defensive tackles. Based on the numbers I posted at the start, Hargrave is worth this kind of money. Hargrave is 30 years old so whether he can sustain this level of play and explosiveness for 3 years is questionable, but I am certain that there will be an NFL team who will pay him elite defensive tackle money if the Eagles don’t.

I can see why the Eagles may not be willing to splash ‘huge’ numbers on Hargrave. As mentioned above, he is now 30 years old. As well as that, the Eagles spent a 1st round pick on a defensive tackle last year and they have Milton Williams who had a really good 2nd season. I am sure the Eagles are looking to improve their run defense and Hargrave is not a great run defender. Despite this, there is no doubt the Eagles will be short at defensive tackle if they lose Hargrave. With two 1st round picks, they may decide that replacing his production is possible via the draft. That will be a huge gamble to take.

Should they re-sign = YES