The Eagles parted ways with guard Todd Herremans last week after deciding his $5.2 million cap hit was too high a price to pay for an older player who missed half of last season with an injury.
They’d like to create some more cap room by addressing linebacker Trent Cole’s contract, but they’d like to do it without having him follow Herremans out the door. Elliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com reports that the two sides have been discussing a reworked contract that would slash Cole’s current cap figure of $11.6 million.
It’s something that Cole, who has had 14.5 sacks over the last two seasons, said he was open to doing earlier this offseason.
“I want to do whatever we can to make things work,” Cole said. “Hopefully that results in me being here ... I want to be here. I’ve been here ten years, going on my 11th year and want my next stop to be here with the Eagles next year. Time will tell. Things will get done and everyone will be happy.”
Releasing Cole would save the team $8.4 million, but some portion of that would likely be earmarked for another pass rusher off the edge to go with Connor Barwin and Vinny Curry. Keeping Cole at a lower number would make that a less acute need while avoiding dead money under the cap that can’t be used to help the team at all.