It took a while, but Isaac Seumalo finally has a new home.
Seumalo, one of only a handful of players remaining from the 2016 Eagles, signed a three-year contract with the Steelers, according to NFL reporter Jordan Schultz.
The Eagles were never involved in talks with Seumalo, who started 60 games for the Eagles and is one of only seven players to play in both the 2017 and 2022 Super Bowls.
When healthy, Seumalo is a very good player, but injuries derailed his 2020 and 2021 seasons, when he was limited to a total of just 12 games. He bounced back to start all 20 games this year and played at a very high level.
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With the Eagles’ 2022 second-round pick Cam Jurgens waiting in the wings to take over at either center or right guard, depending on what Jason Kelce did along with Seumalo’s anticipated large contract, and the Eagles’ cap issues, there was never a chance Seumalo would be back for an eighth year with the Eagles.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported Sunday afternoon the deal is worth $24 million over three years. The $8 million average is well below the $12 million annual figure Spotrac projected for Seumalo and makes him the 19th-highest-paid guard in the NFL in 2023, for now.
Former Ravens guard Ben Powers got $12.875 million per year over four years from the Broncos, and Nate Davis of the Titans got $10 million per year over three years, so Seumalo’s deal is third-highest among guards so far in free agency.
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But Seumalo is very good. Pro Football Focus ranked him 10th of 79 guards who played at least 300 snaps this past year with a 72.7 grade.
Seumalo was originally the Eagles’ third-round pick in 2016. He began the 2017 Super Bowl season as the starting left guard but lost his job to Stefen Wisniewski four games into the season and spent the rest of the year as a backup.
He regained the job midway through the 2018 season and remained there through 2021. After Landon Dickerson blossomed in 2021 at left guard while Seumalo was out, Seumalo switched this year to right guard and played well while Dickerson made the Pro Bowl in his second year as a starter.
Seumalo’s 60 starts at guard are eighth-most in Eagles history, behind Ron Baker (106), Todd Herremans (96), Jim Skaggs (77), Wade Key (74), Jermane Mayberry (74), Mark Nordquist (65), Brandon Brooks (64) and Steve Kenney (63).
With Dickerson – who turns 25 in September – and Jurgens – who turns 24 in August – the Eagles will have their youngest pair of full-time starting guards since 2006, when Herremans and Shawn Andrews were both 24.
With Seumalo leaving for Pittsburgh, only seven players remain on the roster from the 2017 Super Bowl season: Jason Kelce, Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox, who all signed one-year contracts last week, as well as Lane Johnson, Derek Barnett and specialists Jake Elliott and Rick Lovato.
In addition to starters Dickerson and Jurgens, the Eagles have Jack Driscoll and Sua Opeta on the roster as experienced backups. Driscoll has started 16 games, and Opeta has started five.
In Pittsburgh, Seumalo rejoins guard Nate Herbig, his teammate with the Eagles from 2019 through 2021. Herbig spent last year with the Jets. Both became Eagles during the Eagles front office tenure of current Steelers assistant general manager Andy Weidl.
The Eagles have now lost six starters from the 2022 NFC Champions – Javon Hargrave (49ers), T.J. Edwards (Bears), Marcus Epps (Raiders), Kyzir White (Cards), Miles Sanders (Panthers) and Seumalo (Steelers) as well as backups Gardner Minshew (Colts) and Andre Dillard (Titans).
They’ve signed Kelce, Cox and Graham, as well as James Bradberry, Boston Scott, Rashaad Penny, Greedy Williams and Marcus Mariota.