Eagles free agent tracker: Another ex-Saints player signed, this time at defensive tackle

It is becoming clear that the Eagles of 2023 will look vastly different from the team that went to the Super Bowl last month.

The Eagles had close to 20 free agents as the new league year officially began March 15, about one-third of the 53-man roster, and not nearly enough money to sign them all.

And that also potentially includes a new mega-contract for quarterback Jalen Hurts, who is expected to become one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL based on average annual value.

That has already made for some difficult decisions as the Eagles lost several defensive starters.

Here, then, is a look at all of the moves, rumors and repercussions as the 2023 season officially begins.

Eagles getting another former Saint

It only seems like the Eagles are signing every available Saints player as they are signing defensive tackle Kentavius Street to a one-year contract on March 30. Street had 3.5 sacks last season while playing in all 17 games (he didn't start any).

Street was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth round in 2018, 128th overall, out of N.C. State. He was taken three spots after the Eagles took Avonte Maddox and two spots before the Eagles took Josh Sweat. He spent his first three seasons with the 49ers before signing with the Saints last season.

Street will be part of the rotation with Fletcher Cox, Jordan Davis and Milton Williams. But he's not as accomplished as Javon Hargrave, who signed a four-year deal worth as much as $84 million with San Francisco.

The Eagles also recently signed former Saint Justin Evans, a safety. Last season, the Eagles made two trades with the Saints − for safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, who left in free agency, and a multi draft-pick swap that has the Eagles picking at No. 10 in the first round in April.

Eagles add a starting safety

A few hours after the Eagles signed right tackle Lane Johnson to an extension, thus lowering his salary cap hit by $10 million (see below), they signed a starting safety in former Steeler Terrell Edmunds.

Edmunds, 26, signed a one-year deal on March 24. Edmunds, 26, was the Steelers' first-round pick in 2018 out of Virginia Tech. He was a full-time starter beginning his rookie season. He has 5 career interceptions. Last season, he had 70 tackles.

The Eagles lost both starting safeties from last season in Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, who signed a one-year deal with the Lions, and Marcus Epps, who signed a two-year deal with the Raiders.

The top safeties returning under contract are Reed Blankenship and K'Von Wallace. Neither has extensive experience, although Blankenship, an undrafted rookie free agent in 2022, did start five games last season when Gardner-Johnson was injured.

Lane Johnson gets a restructure

The Eagles are giving Lane Johnson a one-year contract extension worth $33.4 million with $30 million of it guaranteed. ESPN first reported the news. That will keep the right tackle under contract through 2026. That move significantly lowers Johnson's salary cap hit for this season, which was $24 million.

That could create enough room for the Eagles to sign quarterback Jalen Hurts to a contract extension. The Eagles had $13.9 million in cap space, according to overthecap.com before Johnson's contract extension. It's believed that the extension will clear another $10 million.

Johnson, widely considered the best right tackle in the NFL, is 33 years old. He hasn't allowed a sack in more than 2 years and has been selected to the Pro Bowl four times.

Eagles adding a potential starting LB

The Eagles are reportedly signing former Bears linebacker Nicholas Morrow to a contract. The NFL Network was the first to report this.

Morrow was originally signed by the Raiders as an undrafted free agent in 2017 out of Division III Greenville (Illinois) University. He spent four seasons with them before moving to the Bears last season. He started all 17 games last season with 116 tackles and an interception.

In all, Morrow has played in 79 games, with 46 starts. He has 3 INTs, 4 sacks, 22 passes defensed and 2 forced fumbles.

Morrow is expected to compete for one of the starting jobs at linebacker with the Eagles after both starters T.J. Edwards (Bears) and Kyzir White (Cardinals) left in free agency. Nakobe Dean, the Eagles' third-round pick last spring, is expected to be one of the starters.

Eagles replacing CJGJ, sort of

The Eagles reacted to the loss of Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, who signed a one-year deal with the Detroit Lions, by reportedly signing a safety who didn't play from 2019-21.

Justin Evans, a 2017 second-round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, might not be the answer to Gardner-Johnson, but he is a veteran who can provide depth and perhaps win a starting job. That's after overcoming a long injury history before playing an entire season in 2022 with New Orleans.

The Eagles also have Reed Blankenship and K'Von Wallace at safety, with players like Avonte Maddox and Josiah Scott who can slide over from nickel.

Evan started 21 out of 24 games in his first two seasons in Tampa Bay, with 4 interceptions. But Evans suffered a toe injury toward the end of the 2018 season that ended his season. Then the following summer he injured his Achilles and missed the entire season.

Evans remained on the physically unable to perform list entering the 2020 season before the Buccaneers waived him with a failed physical designation. Evans didn't play in 2021 either before signing with the New Orleans Saints.

He played in 15 games for New Orleans last season, starting four. He had two passes defensed and a forced fumble.

Getting 'Greedy' at CB

Not only did the Eagles find a way to keep both of their starting cornerbacks in Pro Bowl selection Darius Slay and All Pro James Bradberry, but they are also adding one for depth in Greedy Williams, formerly of the Cleveland Browns.

Williams was the Browns' second-round pick in 2019 out of LSU. He was a full-time starter as a rookie until injuring his hamstring 12 games in. Williams then missed the entire 2020 season with a shoulder injury. He has been a backup ever since, although he did start 8 games in 2021.

The Eagles also have Zech McPhearson and Josh Jobe as reserve cornerbacks on the outside.

Minshew Mania leaving, who'll back up Hurts?

Eagles backup quarterback Gardner Minshew is reportedly signing a one-year deal worth $3.5 million with the Indianapolis Colts. It's a good situation for Minshew, who could have a chance to start while mentoring the quarterback that the Colts are expected to draft with the fourth overall pick.

For the Eagles, Minshew's departure left them with a hole behind Jalen Hurts that lasted for a matter of hours as they reportedly signed Marcus Mariota early Friday morning. Before Mariota's signing, the only other quarterback on the roster is Ian Book, who has played in one game, and that was in 2021 with the New Orleans Saints.

In two seasons with the Eagles, Minshew started four games, going 1-3, completed 62.5% of his passes with 3 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. Last season, Minshew started two games in place of Hurts late in the season. He lost both, to the Cowboys in a 40-34 defeat Dec. 24, and 20-10 to the Saints the following week.

Minshew threw for 355 against the Cowboys, but through two critical interceptions. He couldn't move the offense the following week against New Orleans as the Eagles went 3-and-out on their first four possessions.

Miles Sanders leaving, Cox staying

Running back Miles Sanders knew he was gone as soon as the Eagles signed Rashaad Penny on Tuesday. That became official Wednesday night when Sanders signed with the Carolina Panthers. For Sanders, who's coming off a career year with 1,269 yards rushing, it's a reunion with former Eagles running back coach Duce Staley.

And he'll also be the featured back behind the Panthers' new quarterback as Carolina traded up to the No. 1 pick in the draft recently with the Chicago Bears.

But defensive tackle Fletcher Cox is reportedly signing a one-year deal worth $10 million to return for a 13th season. Cox is fifth in team history with 65 sacks, and he has been selected to six Pro Bowls.

Shakeup in secondary

The Eagles headed into the official start of the new year by reworking their secondary. They re-signed cornerback James Bradberry on Tuesday to a three-year deal worth as much as $38 million. The next day, they agreed to an extension with Darius Slay after the 32-year-old was nearly released.

Slay, a five-time Pro Bowl player, is 32 years old, is entering the final season of his three-year, $50 million contract. He would have counted $26 million on the salary cap. Slay got a 3-year, $42 million extension with $23 million guaranteed.

Those signings led the Eagles to move on from safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, who signed with the Detroit Lions.

The Eagles already lost the other starting safety Marcus Epps to the Las Vegas Raiders.

Eagles add RB, keep another (not Sanders)

After a first day in which four players are leaving, the Eagles are actually adding a player as they're reportedly signing Seahawks running back Rashaad Penny to a one-year contract.