With last night’s mega-deal for defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, the Eagles have proven they’re serious about spending money for football players.
Now they just have to prove themselves good at playing football.
According to ESPN Stats and Information, the Eagles have now doled out over $280 million in guaranteed money this offseason, nearly double any other team including the drunken sailors of free agency, the Giants.
By doing so, they’ve doubled down on the core of a team that went 7-9 last year, after going 10-6 the previous two seasons under a coach they couldn’t wait to get away from.
So far this offseason, the Eagles have re-signed quarterback Sam Bradford, defensive end Vinny Curry, safety Malcolm Jenkins, tackle Lane Johnson and tight end Zach Ertz. They also went out and signed free agent guard Brandon Brooks, safety Rodney McLeod, quarterback Chase Daniel, linebacker Nigel Bradham and cornerbacks Ron Brooks and Leodis McKelvin.
Oh, by the way, they unloaded the wagon of future draft picks on the Browns to draft quarterback Carson Wentz with the No. 2 overall pick this year.
As noted by Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com, that gives the Eagles nine players signed through at least the 2020 season — Wentz, Jenkins, McLeod, center Jason Kelce, Brooks, Curry, Ertz, Johnson and Cox.
Obviously, the success or failure of de facto General Manager Howie Roseman’s bold plan will depend on the play of Bradford and Wentz, in the short term and the long term. But the jobs of those two will be made more difficult by the fact the Eagles still lack playmakers on offense, with wide receiver Jordan Matthews developing nicely, but oft-injured Ryan Mathews topping the depth chart at running back.
It’s a big gamble, on a team still has plenty of holes despite all the money they shoveled at their own roster.