Eagles Stay or Go 2023: Interesting decisions at linebacker

Reuben Frank and Dave Zangaro bring back Stay or Go in 2023, trying to figure out the futures of every Eagles player on the roster.

We already looked at cornerbacks and receivers.

Up today: Running backs and linebackers.

Shaun Bradley

Roob: Three years into his Eagles career, we know Bradley is a decent special teamer but it’s hard to get a sense of what sort of defensive player he is. Bradley played 131 defensive snaps his first two years but none this past year. With the possibility that T.J. Edwards and Kyzir White could both leave in free agency, someone like Bradley could get a long look on defense this summer. Bradley, who missed the postseason with a wrist injury, has decent size and is pretty athletic, but can he put it together to be a factor on defense? Either way, you’re talking about a 6th-round pick on a rookie contract, and those are the kinds of guys the Eagles need to make the balance sheet work. Even if he just plays special teams, Bradley makes sense for another year.

Verdict: Stays

Dave: I was on the fence about Bradley. He was a huge special teams contributor early in his NFL career but ended this past season on IR and Christian Elliss might have overtaken him as the Eagles’ top special teams linebacker. But I still think Bradley is worth keeping around for his role on special teams. It’s hard to believe he’ll be entering his fourth year in the NFL in 2023. He’s never really gotten a shot to play on defense and I still don’t think that changes. But he can return to his form as a core special teamer.

Verdict: Stays

Nakobe Dean

Roob: He’s got to be a starter in 2023, and I think he’ll be fine. We saw Dean in small doses during the year and he seemed to pop when given an opportunity. Remember, Dean just turned 22 in December. He’s one of the youngest players in the league, and this was a valuable year for him to help out on special teams, learn how to play NFL defense and work on his strength and fitness. There’s no way the Eagles are keeping both starters – heck, they might not be able to keep either one – so Dean is the next man up, and I’m excited to see what he brings to the table.

Verdict: Stays

Dave: It’s obvious that Dean will return for his second NFL season but what will his role be? I’m still very bullish on Dean, who didn’t get to play much at all on defense this season. My early guess is that he’s going to play a lot in his second year. I think if the Eagles needed him to play in 2022, he would have been just fine. But now he has a year of NFL experience under his belt and I think he should be a starer in 2023.

Verdict: Stays

T.J. Edwards

Roob: This is a big one. Edwards was terrific this year, his best season yet. As an undrafted player, Edwards has never made much money (relatively) – just over $4 million for his first four seasons – and he might be harder to sign than you’d think. Above average linebackers make $10 million per year plus, and depending where he sits in Howie Roseman’s priority list, that may not be doable. The Eagles would love to have him back for his consistency, production and leadership and I think ultimately it will get done. But this one could go either way.

Verdict: Stays

Dave: Edwards is a free agent so the money is what matters here. Spotrac estimates his value at just under $12 million per season, which would put him in the top 10-15 range among NFL linebackers. Is Edwards worth that? It’s a fair question. But there’s no doubt that he’s improved a ton since he joined the Eagles as a UDFA in the 2019 season. And he meant so much to the team as the green dot on defense. I’m willing to overlook some of his physical limitations and see that he had a really good season in 2022 and is worth bringing back.

Verdict: Stays

Christian Elliss

Roob: Another young undrafted defensive player, Elliss gave the Eagles a lift on special teams when he was activated in Week 13, although his production tailed off after the first few weeks. This whole off-ball linebacker position is a work in progress because we don’t know what’s going to happen with Edwards and Kyzir White. Elliss showed enough that he’ll get a look in training camp, and you really like his physicality. But my hunch is the Eagles go in a different direction.

Verdict: Goes

Dave: The Eagles began the season with Elliss on their practice squad but there was no question their special teams units got better when they started elevating him and then signed him to the active roster. With at least one of these linebackers leaving as a free agent, I think there’s going to be a spot for Elliss on this team. Now, that could change if the Eagles draft a linebacker or two. But for now, I have Elliss landing on the roster.

Verdict: Stays

Davion Taylor

Roob: The one-time 3rd-round pick spent the entire season on the practice squad and hasn’t played a snap since Week 11 of last year. There was a point where Taylor looked like a potential long-term starter. He’s fast and athletic and plays hard. Then he got hurt last November against the Saints and hasn’t played since. But he’s still only 24 and with the changes expected at linebacker there’s no reason to think he won’t get another chance to show what he can do. There are things to like about Taylor’s game, but he does face an uphill battle.

Verdict: Goes

Dave: The former third-round pick showed some promise at the end of the 2021 season and it was enough to even make you think he had starter potential in the NFL. But then he got hurt and injuries popped up again in training camp. He spent the entire 2022 season on the practice squad and it might be time to give up on this experiment. It was a late third-round pick (No. 103) but sometimes you just have to cut your losses.

Verdict: Goes

Kyzir White

Roob: It was a strange year for White, who started the season playing at a very high level, then flattened out for a good chunk of the season before finishing strong. Edwards was the more consistent player but White may have a little higher ceiling. I don’t see how the Eagles can keep both. White may be a little cheaper, but I think Edwards stays and White hits free agency.

Verdict: Goes

Dave: White had a really good training camp and I thought he was going to end up having a big season in 2022. But that just didn’t really happen. He was solid all year but with Dean waiting in the wings, it’s probably time to let him walk. If the Eagles wanted to go a cheaper route, they could let Edwards walk and re-sign White. But I think Edwards is much more important to the defense. The nice thing is that Dean can play the MIKE or the WILL so I think he’ll be a starter no matter which guy comes back.

Verdict: Goes