Boston Scott, Alex Singleton Highlight Eagles' Savviness in Free-Agent Market
What’s not to like about Boston Scott?
A hard-working player who is popular in the locker room and gives a certain team about 90 minutes up the New Jersey Turnpike fits on a yearly basis. The fifth-year back even has his own security gig as a side hustle by making sure his teammates are treated well at the podium.
The Eagles could have kept all of that around for the bargain-basement price of the right-of-first-refusal tender of $2.433 million this year with Scott scheduled to become a restricted free agent.
The problem is, that number wasn't a bargain for a player like Scott, who is set to turn 27 next month.
The Eagles got Scott back on their terms, signing him to a one-year deal on Friday.
Philadelphia had four players scheduled to be RFAs in this cycle and tendered only one: versatile backup offensive lineman Nate Herbig.
The others – Scott, receiver Greg Ward, and linebacker Alex Singleton – were allowed to see what kind of market was out there.
In Scott’s case, he’s a perfect example of Howie Roseman’s ability when it comes to valuation.
While the RFA tender number for Scott doesn’t seem like a lot, it is when you chart it against the rest of the league at what has become a devalued position.
In context, that AAV for a running back would be top-32 money at the position. The synergy of 32 teams in the league makes Scott’s contract a perfect template to teach about the finances of the league because 32 teams mean 32 starters.
If you take off the green-colored glasses for a moment, you’ll quickly realize that Scott shouldn’t be paid like a starter.
Last season he was the Eagles’ third or fourth back at times and, moving forward, even if Philadelphia doesn’t bring Jordan Howard back (likely) and doesn’t draft a RB (unlikely) he would be penciled in behind Miles Sanders and Kenny Gainwell on Day 1 of training camp.
When you allow players the freedom to look around it’s always a calculated gamble because it only takes one like perhaps the New York Giants, who could have said ‘Let’s pay the kid $2.5M to score touchdowns for us.’
The Eagles got it right with Scott, though, ultimately getting the fifth-year back on a one-year deal for $1.75 million with $1.1M of that guaranteed. Meanwhile, incentives could kick the number up to $2.25M for Scott.
They also got in right with Ward, who re-signed at a lesser number before the new league even began, and Singleton, the team’s leading tackler in 2020 and 2021, who defected to Denver.
The belief here is that the Eagles didn’t want Singleton back with the idea of penciling in T.J. Edwards and the oft-injured Davion Taylor at the off-ball LB spots with extra help coming at some point in the draft.
Whether that evaluation is correct (and it certainly is with Edwards) remains to be seen but the valuation was a bull’s eye with Singleton getting only $1.1M fully guaranteed from the Broncos with an extra $750K in potential incentives tied to playing time.
Valuation and discipline aren't sexy but it’s another indication of an organization understanding what they are doing and that will pay dividends as free agency marches on.
-John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's Eagles Today and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John, alongside legendary sports-talk host Jody McDonald every morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming live on YouTube. John is also the host of his own show "Extending the Play" on AM1490 in South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen
