We haven’t heard a lot about players visiting the Eagles, but we keep getting news of the Eagles signing players.
The Eagles announced that they have added safety Kenny Phillips and cornerback Cary Williams to the group of five players they signed on the first day of free agency. It’s a three-year deal for Williams, who becomes the latest member of the Super Bowl-winning Ravens defense to leave the team since the start of free agency. The Eagles have lost both of their starting corners from last year and Williams seems a strong bet to take one of those jobs next season.
Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun reports that Williams’ deal is worth a total of $17 million with $10.5 million in guarantees. Both of those numbers come in slightly below Sean Smith’s deal with the Chiefs, although Williams reportedly has incentives that can kick the total higher.
Phillips and the Eagles have a lot of familiarity with each other from Phillips’ years with the Giants. He signed a one-year deal after dealing with knee injuries that limited him to just seven games during the 2012 season. He’s been a very good player when healthy, though, and would give the Eagles a big boost if he can remain that way all year. Those with long memories will remember that we once said the same thing about former Giants wide receiver Steve Smith when he signed in Philly before the 2011 season.
It’s a risk worth taking for a team that got little from their safeties last season, though. With Patrick Chung and Bradley Fletcher also in the fold, the Eagles have clearly prioritized improvements in the secondary early in Chip Kelly’s first offseason.