Philadelphia didn’t make any huge splashes in the free agent market, but GM Howie Roseman did find a few valuable pieces to pad the depth on the roster.
The Eagles’ free-agent signings earned one-year deals with the potential for a long marriage if they can help the franchise return to the Super Bowl.
Running back Rashaad Penny offers extreme value on a one-year deal, while Terrell Edmunds could become a key locker-room figure on the defensive side of the football.
With the NFL draft fast approaching, here are Philadelphia’s new free agents ranked by their 2022 Pro Football Focus grades, ranked from highest to lowest.
Rashaad Penny, Running back
2022 stats: 5 games, 57 carries, 346 rushing yards (6.1 average), two touchdowns, one fumble
Contract: Penny’s one-year deal with the Eagles is worth $1.35 million with just $600,000 in guaranteed money.
Anticipated role on the roster: Penny appeared in only 42 of 82 possible games because of injuries over his five seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. The idea is that the hard-running tailback could complement Kenneth Gainwell, giving Philadelphia the top committee in football.
Terrell Edmunds, Safety
2022 PFF grade: 69.1
2022 stats: 15 games, 70 tackles, five passes defended, two sacks, three tackles for loss
Contract: Edmunds signed a one-year, $2,000,000 contract with the Eagles, including a $250,000 signing bonus, $600,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $2,000,000.
Anticipated role on the roster: After appearing in 79 of 82 possible regular-season games with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Edmunds projects as a Day 1 starter opposite second-year safety Reed Blankenship.
Edmunds’s 69.1 PFF grade ranked ahead of C.J. Gardner-Johnson’s 63.9 grade and he finished ahead of Gardner-Johnson both in coverage grade and run grade, per PFF.
Marcus Mariota, Quarterback
2022 PFF grade: 66.3
2022 stats: 13 games, 61.3 completion percentage, 2,219 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, nine interceptions
Contract: Mariota signed a one-year, $5 million deal with Philadelphia worth up to $8 million.
Anticipated role on the roster: A noticeable upgrade over Gardner Minshew from a schematic point of view, the Eagles should still be able to stick to the script of their playbook, including designed quarterback runs and run-pass-options.
Last season with the Falcons, Mariota rushed 85 times for 438 yards (5.2 average) and four rushing touchdowns.
Justin Evans, Safety
2022 PFF grade: 61.0
2022 stats: 15 games, 29 tackles, two tackles for loss, two passes defended, one forced fumble
Contract: Evans signed a one-year deal with the Eagles worth $1.59 million with just $600,000 in guaranteed money.
Anticipated role on the roster: The arrival of Terrell Edmunds likely puts Evans in a reserve role, but he has experience in regular season action and logged 25 starts since 2017, including four last season with the Saints.
With Edmunds projected as an expected starter, Evans will battle it out with K’Von Wallace for playing time, and Sean Desai could allow him to battle Reed Blankenship for the other starter spot.
Nicholas Morrow, Linebacker
2022 PFF grade: 54.0
2022 stats: 17 games, 116 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, two passes defended, one interception
Contract: Morrow signed a one-year, $1,155,000 contract with the Philadelphia Eagles, including a base salary of $1,080,000, a roster bonus of $50,000, and a workout bonus of $25,000 while carrying a cap hit of $1,015,000.
Anticipated role on the roster: A grinder who went from Division III standout to a starter in Chicago, Morrow is a durable and “versatile player” who can line up at the MIKE, WILL, and SAM linebacker positions. Morrow was on the field for every one of the Bears’ defensive snaps (1,086) in 2022.
Greedy Williams, Cornerback
2022 PFF grade: 52.2
2022 stats: 11 games, 11 tackles
Contract: In 2023, Williams will earn a base salary of $1,080,000 and a signing bonus of $100,000 while carrying a cap hit of $1,290,000 and a dead cap value of $600,000.
Anticipated role on the roster: The former LSU All-American will be in the mix for reps at the 3rd outside cornerback spot along with Zech McPhearson and Josh Jobe. Williams brings experience and length (6-foot-2) to the Eagles.
Kentavius Street, Defensive tackle
2022 PFF grade: 49.2
2022 stats: 17 games, 29 tackles, 3 ½ sacks, eight quarterback hits, five tackles for loss
Contract: The Eagles signed Street to a one-year contract worth $1.28 million.
Anticipated role on the roster: A talented and versatile defender who can be an edge rusher or play defensive end, Street logged a career-high 518 defensive snaps (46%) with the New Orleans Saints in 2022. He adds talent and depth to the rotation after Javon Hargrave departed in free agency and Linval Joseph and Ndamukong Suh returned to relaxing.
The Eagles re-signed Fletcher Cox, and they’ll look for Street to mesh well with Milton Williams and Jordan Davis.
