On Monday, Philadelphia saw several key leave via free agency, though not all players were departing starters.
According to NFL Network’s Rapoport, the Eagles’ former left tackle and first-round pick Andre Dillard has agreed to a three-year, $29 million deal with the Tennessee Titans.
Dillard, 27, was taken by the Eagles back in 2019, ultimately appearing in 43 games with the team.
However, only 9 of the games came as start. That was partly due to the emergence of Jordan Mailata as the team’s left tackle of the future, though Dillard’s play didn’t warrant much consideration at times, either.
Towards the end of his tenure, Dillard saw perhaps his best success as the backup for Mailata. His fill-in play certainly helped to propel him to this kind of deal.
Dillard’s departure was a likely outcome
Over the past few days, some fans and analysts had speculated Dillard could be a potential returning player.
However, that always felt unlikely for several reasons. Dillard’s resume and current skill set didn’t scream “out of price range,” but the tackle had shown just enough decent play over the last year to warrant a look as a starter elsewhere.
For the Titans, it’s a solid gamble. Their line allowed 49 sacks last year, tied for sixth-worst in the NFL.
Dillard may not be a lockdown player at the position, but he should provide some upside and stability, especially for a team that isn’t quite sure where it’s headed at the moment and just released longtime tackle Taylor Lewan.
As for the Birds, losing a reliable backup is tough, especially at a crucial position like left tackle.
The team just re-signed Brett Toth a few days after his release, while Jack Driscoll is the current backup to Mailata.
With so many holes across the board to fill, backup OLs aren’t likely at the top of the priority board for Howie Roseman. Still, it’s a sneaky position that, if not taken care of properly, could come back to bite.
