Eight Eagles offensive players are free agents, plus punter Brett Kern. Not all will return. The reasons are varied and some decisions will influenced by center Jason Kelce’s decision to retire or keep playing.
Today, we look at the offensive free agents and predict their Eagles’ future. Yesterday, we analyzed the defensive free agents.
https://www.iggles.com/eagles-2023-defe…-free-agents0222/
Being an unrestricted free agent means having four or more accrued seasons and an expired contract. They are free to sign with any team when the NFL year begins on March 15.
I think the Eagles will re-sign four of the nine.
ANDRE DILLARD, tackle
He was a first-round pick in 2019. Couldn’t break into the starting lineup. In 2021, after Jason Peters moved on, Dillard was beat out for the job by Jordan Mailata. Dillard only had 37 offensive snaps. He will turn 28 in October. Despite his lack of playing time and production, another team is likely to give Dillard a shot to start.
HE WON’T BE BACK
JASON KELCE, center
The future Hall of Famer nearly retired before last season. He got through the season relatively healthy. He is a team leader and enjoys that status on the Eagles.
The Eagles play in Kansas City next season, so it will be another opportunity to play against his brother Travis. Kelce knows the Eagles have a great chance to get back to the Super Bowl.
He spoke about the possibility of retiring during the Super Bowl. He appeared to lean toward playing another year, although there is a certain amount of mind-reading aiding that conclusion. Still, I think he holds off retirement for another year.
HE WILL BE BACK
GARDNER MINSHEW, quarterback
Minshew had two chances to win one game after Jalen Hurts was injured. Minshew played well in Dallas, but came up empty in a home game against the Saints. A win in one of those games would have clinched home-field for the playoffs and given Hurts an extra week of rest.
I think the Eagles want to move on but Minshew might be their best option. Minshew believes he should be a starter in the league and will pursue opportunities. Third-stringer Ian Book could step into Minshew’s role, or the Eagles will sign a veteran.
HE WON’T BE BACK
ZACH PASCAL, wide receiver
He arrived in free agency from Indy, where he played for Nick Sirianni. His production wasn’t much — 15 catches on 19 targets. With DeVonta Smith, A.J. Brown and Dallas Goedert getting so many targets, there weren’t many left to go around.
Pascal’s reputation is a great blocker and leader. In hockey, he would be a glue guy.
HE WILL BE BACK
MILES SANDERS, running back
He was in a contract year and gained 1,269 yards. He fumbled twice on 259 carries and 20 receptions, wiping out the narrative that he put the ball on the ground too much. They said he was too often injured and he was relatively injury-free.
He was drafted No. 53 overall in 2019, general manager Howie Roseman’s highest draft pick for a running back.
This is Sanders’ conundrum: He is on the cusp of a big payday but I don’t think the Eagles are willing to spend big for this position. They never have.
HE WON’T BE BACK
BOSTON SCOTT, running back
Besides destroying the Giants every year, Scott is that off-pace running back who isn’t afraid to go into the dirty places and get yards. He’s hard to find running behind his huge line and he’s not easy to bring down.
Plus, he brings added value as a kick returner.
HE WILL BE BACK
ISAAC SEUMALO, guard
He started all 17 games on the NFL’s best offensive line. He turns 30 in October, so he has productive years remaining.
If Kelce retires, the Eagles definitely will want Seumalo back. Cam Jurgens will take over for Kelce at center and Seumalo can stay at right guard. If Kelce returns, do the Eagles want to keep Jurgens on the bench or move him to right guard to replace Seumalo? Is Jurgens ready to start? Do the Eagles want that risk?
Seumalo will be highly desired. If Kelce retires, Eagles should overpay Seumalo. They are a Super Bowl-quality team. They don’t want to replace 40 percent of their offensive line.
HE WILL BE BACK
BRETT KERN, punter
He joined the Eagles in December when Arryn Siposs was injured. Kern, 37, punted in four games. I think the Eagles are going to sign Kern and to cut Siposs, who didn’t help the Eagles late in the Super Bowl when he punted a line drive that Kansas City’s Kadarius Toney returned 65 yards to the Eagles’ 4-yard line.
HE WON’T BE BACK
TYREE JACKSON, tight end
He is an exclusive rights free agent — players with fewer than three seasons and an expired contract. If the Eagles offer Jackson a one-year contract at the league minimum, he cannot negotiate with other teams.
But the former quarterback hasn’t really done anything for the Eagles and they are solid at tight end. Can’t imagine they would keep him.
