The Philadelphia Eagles already have made one huge decision ahead of free agency.
Rumors have been building in recent weeks that the Eagles wanted to hold on to linebacker Zack Baun. They certainly put their money where their mouth is and handed him a lucrative three-year deal on Wednesday.
Baun is back but what does that mean for the team’s other free agents like Josh Sweat, Milton Williams, and Mekhi Becton? It will be hard for the team to keep everyone in town.
Sweat seems like the most likely option to leave this offseason. The Eagles have been fortunate to have him, but having eight sacks in the regular season and 2.5 sacks in the Super Bowl, likely will make his price tag too high.
ESPN’s NFL Nation and Dan Graziano took a long, hard look at some of the top free agents heading to the open market and projected offers for each and predicted a landing spot. For Sweat, they predicted that he will sign with the Washington Commanders on a three-year, $60 million deal.
“Commanders’ offer: Three years, $60 million ($40 million guaranteed),” ESPN’s John Keim said. “Washington needs a defensive end adept at both rushing the passer and setting an edge against the run. The Commanders have two ends who are free agents in Clelin Ferrell and Dante Fowler Jr. Sweat’s length and quick get-off — 1.55 seconds in the 10-yard split — will appeal to Washington. Plus, he can rush inside on stunts…
“The decision: Sweat agrees on a new deal with the … Commanders,” Graziano said. “Washington’s offer has the highest average annual salary, and though the Packers and Panthers were offering four years, the guarantee here is better than Green Bay’s and pretty close to Carolina’s. Sweat just played in the Super Bowl, and Washington gives him a chance to get back there over the next three years with what the Commanders are building.”
This obviously is just a hypothetical projection, but if an ESPN insider is going to suggest an Eagles star to an NFC East rival like the Commanders, it’s always at least a little noteworthy. The Commanders can afford him, but hopefully something like this doesn’t happen for the Eagles’ sake.
