Besides what happens with the entire coaching staff and scheme, one of the biggest questions all of us have for the Eagles offseason is do they actually break their old ways and look to solve the linebacker position?
We all fear another year of cheap rentals but that’s not what I am here for. It’s time to fix the position. I’ve been high on Blake Cashman and have him as the top free agency target, but we can’t lock on one player – maybe he doesn’t want to leave Houston, maybe another team outbids the Eagles.
Here I dig through free agency, potential trade options, and the draft to look at the options to actually fix this position. It won’t be as easy as most think as options as some are expensive. But here are 15 options:
- Potential anchors: Patrick Queen, Blake Cashman
- Betting on upside: Oren Burks, Tyrel Dodson, Willie Gay, Mack Wilson Sr., Malcolm Rodriguez
- Bridge guys: Bobby Wagner, Foyesade Oluokon, CJ Mosley
- Draft options: Edgerrin Cooper, Payton Wilson, Junior Colson, Jeremiah Trotter Jr.
- And a crazy idea… Derwin James (yes, I know… hear me out below on why)
Free agency
The good news, there are 101 free agent linebackers this offseason. The bad news, if you actually want to improve the position there are only a handful of real options.
You can quickly eliminate 40% of the free agents. Over a third – 36 guys – have been out of football for two years or more or are special teams only players. The biggest names on this list are guys like Tanner Muse, Neville Hewitt, and Philly’s own Shaun Bradley. Pass.
Another 7 guys last played in 2022, missing this season due to various reasons. Sometimes this is a good list to look at as guys are coming back from an injury and could be a good value signing. But there’s nobody this year that is going to solve problems. The biggest name is the Lions’ 2017 1st round pick Jarrad Davis. Again, pass.
The top free agents
The past few years, the top LB free agent contracts have been in the $15-20M AAV range:
2023 signings: Roquan Smith $20M, Tremaine Edmunds $18M, Bobby Okereke $10M
2022 signings: Foyesade Oluokon $15M, De’Vondre Campbell $10M, Dre Greenlaw $8.2M
2021 signings: Fred Warner $19M
There have been only a couple of exceptions that weren’t paid top dollar: Dre Greenlaw was coming off an injury-shortened year and was extended on a 2-year deal before hitting free agency while De’Vondre Campbell technically hit free agency but was re-signed by Green Bay on a 5-year, $50M deal.
And the young LBs are the ones really getting paid: Roquan, Edmunds, and Fred Warner were all 25 while Foyesade was the old guy in the group at 27 when he signed.
Below are the projected top 10 free agent LBs this offseason (projected AAV are ranges coming from various sources like Sportrac and PFF).
| Player | Age | 2023 Grade | Projected AAV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patrick Queen | 24 | 73.9 | $18.0-20.0M |
| Frankie Luvu | 27 | 78.5 | $11.0-14.0M |
| Jordyn Brooks | 26 | 57.3 | $10.0-12.0M |
| Lavonte David | 34 | 72.7 | $5.0-12.0M |
| Devin White | 26 | 46.0 | $5.0-12.0M |
| Bobby Wagner | 34 | 82.4 | $8.0M |
| Azeez Al-Shaair | 26 | 64.7 | $7.0M |
| Willie Gay Jr | 26 | 54.0 | $7.0M |
| Anthony Walker Jr | 28 | 71.1 | $5.0M |
| Blake Cashman | 26 | 82.9 | $5.0M |
| Oren Burks | 29 | 71.3 | $4.0M |
Two that could fix the LB room
Blake Cashman, Houston
I included Cashman in my offseason mock here and he should be the Eagles number one free agency target. At only 26 years old and a top-10 linebacker, he is one of the only guys on this list you could sign and solidify the position for several years. And probably the only realistic financial option.
The only knock is Cashman only has one year on his resume. But finally getting a chance to start in 2023, here’s what Cashman has done:
- 7th best LB at preventing separation
- 9th lowest completion rate
- 11th best run stop rate
Patrick Queen, Baltimore
Yes, Queen would fix the position. No, I can’t see it happen… unless Howie suddenly changes a decade-long view on positional value and free agency.
Remember, Howie has not only never signed a top free agent at any position, let alone LB, he’s barely signed a top-20 free agent. When he has, it has only been on the defensive line: Haason Reddick was the 10th biggest contract, Hargrave the 11th, and Malik Jackson the 19th. Queen isn’t happening.
Queen sits alone as the headliner in this class and would immediately upgrade the LB unit. But at 24 years old and able to do everything, he’s going to sign a multi-year deal at $20M+ a year.
Passing on the these other big-name LBs
The next tier has some popular names, but they aren’t good fits for what the Eagles need. Frankie Luvu, Devin White, Jordyn Brooks, and Azeez Al-Shaair all bring value as pass rushers or run defenders, but aren’t great coverage LBs.
- Luvu most likely stays in Carolina but with a new staff and a lot of free agency priorities, he could hit free agency.
- Devin White wants a massive deal but besides having the pedigree of being a top-5 draft pick, he has nowhere near the production to justify it.
- Azeez I don’t think is much different from what the Eagles currently have at a cheaper price.
- Jordyn Brooks may be the one interesting name on this list but will probably be overpriced for a LB that is limited in coverage
A couple of guys that could make sense
Oren Burks, San Francisco
Like Cashman, Burks really didn’t get on the field or show anything until recently. A college safety who converted to LB, he has really good athleticism at the LB position.
Still primarily a part-time player in SF, he has made the most of his playing time there:
- 6.3% missed tackle rate, 11th best in the league and a better rate than the Eagles have had in years
- 68.6 passer rating allowed, 4th best this season
- 6.3 yards per target allowed, 2nd best this season
Bobby Wagner, Seattle
I generally hate signing big-name, older players as the performance cliff comes quickly in football, but Wagner is still really good at 34:
- 130 tackles, 2nd most in the NFL this year
- 4.8% missed tackle rate, best in the NFL
It is really hard to see him leaving Seattle, but with a new staff coming in and the Seahawks $9.7M over the cap, he may hit the street. He would be another rental for the Eagles, but if they went young with Nakobe and another draft pick, somebody like Wagner could be a really nice add.
Looking deeper in free agency
Tyrel Dodson – Buffalo
Dodson is really interesting. At 26 years old, he is another guy that his best playing days may be ahead of him. This season was his first starting, playing 550 snaps for the Bills and one of the top coverage LBs this year:
- 6th best LB at preventing separation
- 86.8 coverage grade for the season
- Against the Eagles, Chiefs, Cowboys, and Dolphins, he allowed 5 receptions on 9 targets for 32 yards (6.4 yards per completion)
Mack Wilson, Sr. – New England
Wilson announced he wants to return to New England after they hired Jerod Mayo and he will probably be a priority to re-sign as New England has plenty of cap space. He’s graded well in coverage but caution that he just isn’t put into coverage often – I think he would need to be used more as a pass rushing / run defending LB.
Willie Gay Jr. – Kansas City
This is @TempDaddy’s guy that is still a bit under the radar. Gay is probably the odd man out in Kansas City… ya know, because the Chiefs keep drafting LBs with three day 2 picks since 2020 – Gay (2022 R2), Nick Bolton (2021 R2), and Leo Chenal (2022 R3).
Gay, at 26 years old, is coming off a down year in Kansas City and his worst year as a pro. But he was dealing with two injuries throughout the season and you can see his drop in play with those.
You sign him with the belief that what he showed in past years, and in the first half of 2023 before he suffered a couple of injuries, is what he can return to. At an expected $7M a year, he is a good option if 2023 was an anomaly.
Potential trade targets
Projecting trade targets is nearly impossible. Beyond if somebody is actually available, the issue is the guys actually made available are generally older, expensive, or about to get expensive. Teams aren’t looking to trade good, young, cost-controlled LBs like Devin Lloyd or Markquese Bell.
But the place to look are teams that may have a logjam at a position, guys that may be entering their last year before a free agency payday, or teams that are going to need cap relief:
- 2025 free agent LBs: CJ Mosley, Foyesade Oluokon, Damario Davis, Dre Greenlaw, Eric Kendricks, David Long
- Teams with cap issues: Saints, Chargers, Bills, Dolphins, Broncos, Cowboys, Browns, Steelers, Seahawks
From the above, there are only a couple of guys that could be interesting:
Foyesade Oluokun – Jacksonville
Foyesade is probably the headliner of the 2025 LB free agent class and Jacksonville has two young guys, Chad Muma and Devon Lloyd, to play. Would they part with a 28 year old LB? He’s still very good – he plays a ton of snaps and is a tackling machine (rated as the 4th best tackles over expected and had the 3rd most tackles in the league this year). He’d cost $15M to the acquiring team including roster bonuses and would need to be extended, definitely steep.
CJ Mosley – New York Jets
Mosley at 31 would be another rental and an expensive one – he’d cost the acquiring team $17M in 2024. I’m not sure why the Jets would want to get rid of him except they, first, need some cap room in 2024 (but only $2.6M over in effective cap space) and, second, if they wanted to re-build some of their lost draft capital they traded away. He’s still a very good LB, coming off his best season and the league’s top-rated coverage LB this year. Like Wagner, he would be a guy to bridge the time if the Eagles went for youth.
Malcolm Rodriguez – Detroit
This one I have to credit @BoltsDraftTalk for bringing up (if you aren’t following him, go do so – one of the better draft accounts out there). Malcolm was a trendy late round 2022 draft favorite of many because of his athleticism but knocked down boards because of his size (5’11”). After playing a good amount his rookie year, the Lions took Jack Campbell in the 1st round and Malcolm is now buried on the depth chart to the point that Detroit started playing him at fullback this year. If Detroit traded him, this would be a cheap “lottery ticket” type trade.
And now the crazy idea that I actually like the more I think about it…
Derwin James – LA Chargers
You want a big name signing? Here it is.
If I had a separate article on what to do at safety, this would be the equivalent of a TV-crossover with Derwin James showing up here. Yes, I know James is a safety and yes, he is expensive. But it’s in the “maybe crazy enough to work” category:
- James plays a ton up at the line as a nickel LB and slot CB, and has had his best seasons there.
- The Chargers have a ton of needs and are $54M over the cap.
- It could improve safety and linebacker, both needs for the Eagles.
Before you call me crazy, this isn’t different from how the Eagles used Malcolm Jenkins the last several years he was here. It isn’t a pure LB play but Derwin excels at handling RBs and TEs in the passing game and is still one of the better run defenders.
On the financial side, James is signed for 3 more years and has cap hits of $20M in 2024 and $24M in both 2025 and 2026. But $7.1M of that is a pro-rated bonus which the acquiring team would not pay, meaning his 2024 cost is “only” $12.7M – still high but not as insane as most would think. And, after 2024, there is no guaranteed money meaning he could be moved or cut.
Cutting Byard and finding a way to acquire Derwin actually saves just under $300K to the cap in 2024.
I have no idea if LA would want to trade him, the price would have to be reasonable (it’s not a Minkah-level price tag given age and contract), and he would need to be restructured if you wanted to keep him. But he would absolutely make this defense better in several ways and can stay on the field in 2 or 3 different roles.
The draft…
Like most positions, the top guys are drafted early. Of 18 NFL LBs that have two or more 70+ graded seasons in the last 5 years, 14 or almost 80% came from the first two days of the draft. And 33% came in the 1st round.
These highly drafted and top LBs (and the ones that are going to $10M or $15M+ in free agency) are the names everybody wishes we had – Patrick Queen, Roquan Smith, Fred Warner, Demario Davis, DeVondre Campbell, and CJ Mosley.
And to be fair to Howie, he is taking day two swings in the draft but there are two issues:
- First, even though he is picking on day two, these picks are late – Davion was the 14th LB off the board in 2020 and Nakobe was the 9th in 2022. While both were “day 2 picks”, they were deep down the board.
- And second, these picks haven’t hit yet – Davion had traits but did not pan out, Nakobe just hasn’t stayed on the field but has the traits to be good (and I believe will be good).
Options in the 2024 LB draft class
The 2024 linebacker class is pretty universally un-loved with pre-draft boards having the first LB as the 65th prospect, meaning the Eagles could take LB1 with their third pick at 54 in the second round.
But as I wrote previously here, LBs will go higher than that. No matter what people say on the de-valuing of the position and even if this is a down year for LBs, they get drafted – on average, between 3-4 LBs are taken in the first two rounds.
Remember above when I said the Eagles took the 9th and 14th LB off the board with Davion and Nakobe? This year, with two 2nd rounders Howie could be sitting there with a choice of one of the top LBs, if not the top guy. And given the limited and expensive options in free agency, this makes sense.
Edgerrin Cooper, Texas A&M
A menace near the line with violent downhill closing speed, navigates through traffic extremely well to make plays
- Quick and decisive attacking ball carriers, his 15.1% run stop rate is behind only Payton Wilson
- 27 pressures and 10 sacks on only 87 pass rush snaps, best in this class
- Plays near the line of scrimmage, had one of the lowest ADOTs in this class at 0.7 yards
Payton Wilson, NC State
Explosive and maniacally relentless, he is always going to be around the ball
The only knock on Wilson is his age and injury history – he had an ACL in high school, another knee injury his freshman year, and shoulder surgeris in 2021. None are long-term concerns and he has played the past two seasons. And he’s very good:
- High level athleticism, sub-4.5 speed that is apparent on the field as he so often makes plays he is nowhere near
- Misses no tackles – his 4.7% missed tackle rate is tied with Junior Colson for best in this class
- Relentless and explodes when he gets near the ball carrier, his 16.3% run stop rate is the highest in the last 5 drafts
- Playmaker with 2 forced fumbles, 3 interceptions, and 3 PBUs in 2023
- Won’t find a lot of pure man coverage snaps on film as he just wasn’t put in man, but has the speed and traits to cover and you will see him downfield more than most LBs
When you watch Payton, he is a guy that moves at a different speed than others on the field and several clips reminded me of Kyle Hamilton in how he can cross the field and make a play he had no business being in (not comparing him to Hamilton to be clear).
Junior Colson, Michigan
Quick diagnosing LB that will bring sure tackling and stopping power to the NFL, also shows good ability to carry pass catchers downfield
The forgotten man among the top names this year, he’s one of the bigger LBs at 6’3″ 247lbs. And honestly one of my favorites in this class.
- Has stopping power which his 4.7% missed tackle rate in 2023 and 6.2% career missed tackle rate shows
- Combines quick closing speed and high-level play recognition – his 4.8 YAC per reception allowed is best in this class
Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Clemson
Instinctive in both the run game and coverage, if you want a LB that can man-up receivers, it’s Trotter
A lot of Eagles fans will (wrongly) criticize Nakobe Dean’s size but then want Trotter who is the same size. Trotter knows how to play the position, is fast both physically and in anticipation, and can cover.
- Best man coverage LB in this class, playing man on half of his snaps (other LBs in this class are all below 25%) with a 91.2 grade, allowing a silly 4 catches on 5 targets for 13 yards
- Very effective using pathways to the backfield with 28 pressures, 7 sacks, and 7 QB hits on 105 pass rush attempts
Draft Prospect Clips
Below are clips on each of the prospects – I try to pick clips that show what is special about a prospect, what you are getting with them.
What would I do?
As I said, I am a believer in Nakobe Dean but also realize he can’t be the only option. My top options if you really wanted to improve the position would be:
- Sign Blake Cashman or Willie Gay in free agency, in R3 draft Junior Colson (current ADP 92) or Payton Wilson (current ADP of 82)
- Sign Tyler Dodson or Oren Burks in free agency, in R2 draft Edgerrin Cooper (ADP 48) or Jeremiah Trotter Jr (ADP 52)
- Trade for Derwin James, and use either a R2 or R3 pick on one of the above guys
Loading up with Cashman, Nakobe, VanSumeran, and Colson? Or going for the youth movement with Nakobe, Dodson, Edgerrin, and VanSumeran? Both are very affordable and bring in top coverage LBs.
Or the creative Nakobe, Payton Wilson/Jeremiah Trotter, VanSumeran, and Derwin James hybrid? More expensive for sure, but nowhere near the top LBs in free agency.
Hope you enjoyed, this is as deep and complete of a look at LB that I could hope for. Thanks for reading and if you aren’t already, please follow us at:
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