May 14, 2015
The Eagles came to a contract agreement with third-round pick ILB Jordan Hicks from Texas today, the team announced. All six of the players the Eagles selected in the 2015 NFL Draft are now under contract.
The rookie salary slotting system the NFL has was probably the best thing that came out of the new collective bargaining agreement. The days when rookies would hold out of camp for more money before they ever set foot on an NFL field have been virtually eliminated. The Eagles haven't had a rookie holdout since offensive lineman firefighter Danny Watkins held out prior to the 2011 season.
Hicks joins a bloated ILB corps, which includes Kiko Alonso, Mychal Kendricks, DeMeco Ryans, Brad Jones, Najee Goode, and Emmanuel Acho. Regardless of Kendricks' status on the roster for the 2015 season, Hicks' role on the team seems fairly straightforward. He'll likely serve as a backup at ILB and contribute on special teams, with an eye toward eventually taking over for Ryans in the middle of the Eagles' defense.
Eagles OTAs will begin May 26th, which will be the first time the rookies practice with the big boys.
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