With free agency quickly approaching – the legal tampering period opens March 16 and players can sign with new teams on March 18 we thought we’d grade every free agent Howie Roseman has signed in his decade as Eagles general manager.
Well, not quite EVERY one.
Not included are guys who signed during training camp or significantly after the initial free agency flurry. Also not included are inconsequential players who didn’t get a bonus or any guaranteed money, as well as players Roseman acquired in trades, although several of them wound up with new contracts within the next few days.
On Wednesday, we took a look at Roseman's first five drafts, from 2010 through 2014 (see story). Now we look at his last four, along with the Eagles' draft in 2015, when Chip Kelly was general manager.
2015 [Chip Kelly was GM]
March 10, CB Byron Maxwell, 6 years, $63 million, $25 million guaranteed
• B-Max was not really a fan of playing football. He was washed up at 27. GRADE: F
NFL
March 11, S Walter Thurmond III, 1 year, $3.25 million, $2 million guaranteed
• Was at least a functional player opposite Malcolm Jenkins for a year before retiring at 28 to become a filmmaker. As a filmmaker, he gets an A+. As a d-back? GRADE: C
March 12, RB Ryan Mathews, 3 years, $11 million, $5 million guaranteed
• Mathews played hard but couldn’t stay healthy. Averaged a healthy 4.6 yards per carry for the Eagles in 2015 and 2016 - 3rd-highest by a RB in franchise history - but never played again. GRADE: B-
March 12, RB DeMarco Murray, 5 years, $40 million, $21 million guaranteed
• Yeah. This one didn’t go so well. GRADE: F
March 31, WR Miles Austin, 1 year, $2.3 million, $1 million guaranteed
• The two-time Cowboys Pro Bowler caught 13 passes in 11 games before the Eagles jettisoned him. GRADE: F
April 7, WR Seyi Ajirotutu, 1 year, $825,000, $80,000 guaranteed
• Only caught one pass but was mainly a special teamer in his one year with the Eagles. Like so many of these guys, he never played again. GRADE: C-
2016
March 8, CB Leodis McKelvin, 2 years, $6.2 million, $3 million guaranteed
• Was a solid player for eight years with the Bills. Was terrible here. Lasted one season. Made $3 million. Never played again. GRADE: D+
March 9, OL Brandon Brooks, 5 year, $40 million, $21 million guaranteed
• Another of Howie’s best UFA moves. GRADE: A+
March 9, CB Ron Brooks, 3 years, $5.5 million, $1.55 million guaranteed
• Lasted only six games before injuries ended his career a week after his 28th birthday. GRADE: Incomplete
March 9, LB Nigel Bradham, 2 years, $7 million, $4.5 million guaranteed
• Had a few solid years, in particular the Super Bowl season, before the Eagles cut ties with him last month. GRADE: B
March 9, S Rodney McLeod, 5 years, $35 million, $17 million guaranteed
• Underrated safety who was huge during Super Bowl run. GRADE: B+
March 16, WR Chris Givens, 1 year, $840,000, $180,000 guaranteed
• Once-promising receiver who couldn’t catch a football. GRADE: F
March 23, WR Rueben Randle, 1 year, $1.025 million, $500,000 guaranteed
• Yeah, oops. GRADE: F-
April 4, OL Stefen Wisniewski, 1 year, $1.51 million, $500,000 guaranteed
• Wasn’t exactly part of the initial free agency rush but an important addition who became a Super Bowl starter. GRADE: A
2017
March 9, WR Torrey Smith, 3 years, $15 million, $500,000 guaranteed
• Smith didn’t do a lot in his one regular season here but had a very good postseason. Still, for $4.9 million you expect more than 36-for-430-2. GRADE: C
March 9, WR Alshon Jeffery, 1 year, $9.5 million, $8.75 million guaranteed
• Jeffery’s original deal was a one-year contract and while his second deal and restructure would probably get an F, the initial deal was a very good one. GRADE: A
March 9, OL Chance Warmack, 1 year, $2.5 million, $1.25 million guaranteed
• He was a college All-American and had been a top-10 pick just four years earlier, but even playing with his old college coach, Jeff Stoutland, Warmack simply couldn't function well enough to play. GRADE: F
March 13, QB Nick Foles, 2 years, $11 million, $7 million guaranteed
• Super Bowl MVP. What else can you say? GRADE: A++++
March 28, DE Chris Long, 2 years, $4.5 million, $1.5 guaranteed
• Long meant more to the Eagles than his numbers. He was a solid third defensive end and had 11 1/2 sacks in two years, along with six forced fumbles - sixth-most in the NFL during that two-year span. But he was a tremendous leader and locker room presence and a huge part of the super Bowl run. GRADE: A
2018
March 14, LB Corey Nelson. 1 year, $1.6 million, $600,000 guaranteed
• All you need to now about Nelson is that he was released during training camp so the Eagles could sign Jaboree Williams. Nelson made $600K for training camp. He played eight more games for the Falcons and Broncos and was out of the league at 27. GRADE: F
March 15, DT Haloti Ngata, 1 year, $3 million, $2.6 million guaranteed
• Ngata had been a five-time Pro Bowler and two-time all-pro. By the time the Eagles got him he was over-priced and ineffective. He retired after a completely non-descript 2018 season. GRADE: F
March 22, WR Mike Wallace, 1 year, $4 million, $1 million guaranteed
• Zero catches for $4 million. He did miss most of the 2018 season and never played again. I'm torn between "incomplete" and an "F," but the deal didn't make sense even before he got hurt. He looked done when he was healthy. GRADE: F
April 3, LB Paul Worrilow, 1 year, $880,000, $90,000 guaranteed
• Could never get healthy. GRADE: Incomplete
April 4, TE Richard Rodgers, 1 year, $880,000, $245,000 guaranteed
• It wasn’t much money, but Rodgers barely even played on that initial deal. Just 42 snaps all year on offense (one catch) and 77 on special teams. GRADE: D
2019
March 13, DT Malik Jackson, 3 years, $30 million, $17 million guaranteed
• Got hurt one game into his Eagles career. Eagles need him in 2020. GRADE: Incomplete
March 14, LB L.J. Fort, 3 years, $5.5 million, $1.9 million guaranteed
• Had a heck of a year. Unfortunately, it was for the Ravens. GRADE: F-
March 18, S Andrew Sendejo, 1 year, $1.3 million, $500,000 guaranteed
• Lasted nine games. Got cut. GRADE: F
March 21, DE Vinny Curry, 1 year, $2.25 million, $2 million guaranteed
• Vinny played hard and picked up five sacks in his return to the Eagles. GRADE: B-
Contract information from Spotrac, Over the Cap, league sources and published reports.
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