June 10, 2019
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice
Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz could be back on the practice field at the NovaCare Complex in June.
Howie Roseman, VP of Football Administration Jake Rosenberg, and the Philadelphia Eagles have done an excellent job of locking up their core players long-term, including most recently, Carson Wentz. Let's go ahead take a look at how long the Eagles have their players under team control, and analyze their long-term plans at each positional group, beginning with the offense.
To note, we aren't covering the full 90-man roster, because, well, that's pointless. We'll just cover the players who matter, long-term. Contract details, via overthecap.com.
• Carson Wentz: Signed through 2024.
• Nate Sudfeld: Unrestricted free agent in 2020.
• Clayton Thorson: Signed through 2022.
| Player | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
| Carson Wentz | Cap # TBD | Cap # TBD | Cap # TBD | Cap # TBD | Cap # TBD | Cap # TBD |
| Nate Sudfeld | $3,095,000 | UFA | ||||
| Clayton Thorson | $563,592 | $653,592 | $743,592 | $833,592 | UFA |
Analysis: Wentz's signing ends the Eagles' biggest offseason storyline, and will keep the Eagles' most important player, by far, under the team's control for the next six years. Broken record alert: As long as Wentz stays healthy, he should be among the best players in the league, though durability concerns obviously exist.
The No. 2 is Sudfeld, who will be a free agent next offseason. The best-case scenario for the team will be if Sudfeld doesn't get a chance to play in 2019, which would mean that (a) Wentz stayed healthy, obviously, and (b) Sudfeld likely won't be a hot item on the open market, having not been able to showcase himself. If Sudfeld does get to play and shows anything at all, he could be too expensive to retain.
Thorson will be developed behind the scenes.
Overall, the Eagles are now in better shape than most in comparison to the rest of the league, as we laid out in a mailbag on Friday.
• Jordan Howard: Unrestricted free agent in 2020.
• Miles Sanders: Signed through 2022.
• Corey Clement: Restricted free agent next offseason.
| Player | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
| Jordan Howard | $2,025,000 | UFA | ||
| Miles Sanders | $974,587 | $1,218,234 | $1,461,881 | $1,705,528 |
| Corey Clement | $648,334 | RFA |
Analysis: Leading up to the draft, the Eagles unanimously liked Sanders, from the scouting department, to the coaching staff, to the analytics nerds, which is why they perhaps went a little out of character and drafted a running back as highly as they did. They hope he is the future in the backfield, and he'll be very cheap during his rookie contract.
If Howard is a positive contributor in 2019 and is realistic about his earning power, the team could look to extend him during the 2019 season, but the odds are probably against it.
Meanwhile, the Eagles hope that Clement can regain the form he showed in 2017. His price tag will increase next year when he becomes a restricted free agent.
Then there are guys like Wendell Smallwood, Josh Adams, Boston Scott, Donnel Pumphrey, etc., who I would put in one of two buckets:
• Alshon Jeffery: Signed through 2021.
• DeSean Jackson: Signed through 2021.
• Nelson Agholor: Playing on his (pricey) fifth-year option in 2019, unrestricted free agent in 2020.
• J.J. Acega-Whiteside: Signed through 2022.
• Mack Hollins: Signed through 2020, may not be alive.
| Player | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
| Alshon Jeffery | $14,725,000 | $15,975,000 | $15,975,000 | UFA |
| DeSean Jackson | $3,164,000 | $8,934,000 | $10,934,000 | UFA |
| Nelson Agholor | $9,387,000 | UFA | ||
| J.J. Arcega-Whiteside | $900,222 | $1,125,278 | $1,350,334 | $1,575,390 |
| Mack Hollins | $803,917 | $893,917 | UFA |
Analysis: After fielding arguably the worst wide receiving corps in the league in 2016, the Eagles arguably now probably have a top 10 group.
The long-term outlook is a interesting. If Jeffery isn't highly productive in 2019 and Arcega-Whiteside shows something as a rookie, the Eagles may feel that Jeffery's nearly $16 million cap charge may be better invested elsewhere. And then there's Agholor, who will be a free agent in 2020, and Jackson, who is now 32 years old, who the Eagles may need to find replacements for in the near future.
• Zach Ertz: Signed through 2021.
• Dallas Goedert: Signed through 2021.
• Richard Rodgers: Signed a one-year deal this offseason.
| Player | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
| Zach Ertz | $6,291,500 | $12,231,500 | $12,471,500 | UFA |
| Dallas Goedert | $1,278,246 | $1,533,895 | $1,789,544 | UFA |
| Richard Rodgers | $955,000 | $970,000 | UFA |
Analysis: This is unarguably the best tight end group in the NFL, and the two major pieces will be together here through at least the next three years.
• Jason Peters: Re-worked his deal this offseason. This will almost certainly be his final season.
• Lane Johnson: Signed through 2021.
• Andre Dillard: Signed through 2022, with a team fifth-year option in 2023.
• Halapoulivaati Vaitai: In the final year of his rookie contract, unrestricted free agent next offseason.
• Jordan Mailata: Signed through 2021.
| Player | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
| Jason Peters | $8,666,668 | UFA | ||
| Lane Johnson | $7,056,206 | $13,591,500 | $13,711,500 | UFA |
| Andre Dillard | $2,249,384 | $2,811,730 | $3,374,076 | $3,936,422 |
| Halapoulivaati Vaitai | $2,081,281 | UFA | ||
| Jordan Mailata | $592,348 | $682,348 | $772,348 | UFA |
Analysis: With Peters' career imminently coming to an end, the Eagles locked up their LT of the future in Dillard in the draft, and he will be under the team's control through 2023. As far as depth goes, the Eagles have Halapoulivaati Vaitai for one more year, and they hope that Mailata can grow into Vaitai's swing tackle role.
• Jason Kelce: Signed through 2021
• Brandon Brooks: Signed through 2020.
• Isaac Seumalo: Signed through 2022.
• Stefen Wisniewski: Signed a one-year deal this offseason.
• Matt Pryor: Signed through 2021.
| Player | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
| Jason Kelce | $2,444,000 | $6,414,000 | $8,414,000 | UFA |
| Brandon Brooks | $11,978,397 | $11,478,397 | UFA | |
| Isaac Seumalo | $1,739,966 | $4,060,000 | $4,960,000 | $5,938,000 |
| Stefen Wisniewski | $1,833,000 | UFA | ||
| Matt Pryor | $603,196 | $693,196 | $783,196 | UFA |
Analysis: Kelce has considered retirement, but the contract extension he signed this offseason should keep him playing for a few more years. Meanwhile, the Eagles still have Brooks under contract through 2020, so they have time to evaluate his progress recovering from a torn Achilles. If all goes well, he should be in line for an early extension. Seumalo signed a below-market deal a year early this offseason.
The Eagles are in good shape here relative to the rest of the league, but they can use some young players added to the interior OL pipeline in the next draft.
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