March 12, 2015
Alex Brandon/AP
Evan Mathis may be running out from under some other team's giant inflatable thingy in 2015.
After releasing starting RG Todd Herremans a few weeks ago, the Eagles are reportedly shopping their other starting offensive guard, Pro Bowl LG Evan Mathis, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
The #Eagles are working to trade G Evan Mathis, source said. More craziness.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 12, 2015
Mathis is scheduled to count for $6.5 million against the salary cap in 2015. The Eagles will save $4.5 million of that if they cut or trade him. Mathis is the next in a line of old Andy Reid guys who could be sent packing in an effort to free up cap space.
Mathis, who will turn 34 during the regular season, is the oldest projected starting offensive guard in the NFL. However, he is an athletic freak of nature and has relatively low mileage with just 78 career regular season starts. The offensive line is already clearly among the Eagles' biggest needs this offseason, as they will almost certainly have to add OL help in the draft, particularly at guard.
Mathis, Herremans, Jason Peters, and Jason Kelce all played together for four years from 2011-2014, with Lane Johnson added to the mix in 2013. With Herremans and potentially Mathis gone, the Eagles OL will lose some of its all-important continuity.
Prior to Herremans' release, the Eagles had the oldest projected starting offensive line in the NFL:
The Eagles have the oldest projected starting OL in the NFL (using http://t.co/WkdnDOdp1S's depth charts).
— Jimmy Kempski (@JimmyKempski) February 25, 2015
If the Eagles do indeed trade or cut Mathis, the Eagles OL will be younger, but will it be better?
Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @JimmyKempski
