Eagles Need Jalen Mills Back
To quote Jordan Belfort - at least the Hollywood version immortalized by Leonardo DiCaprio - "the show goes on" when it comes to the NFL.
Over recent days, the whispers around the NFL intimated that the new league year would be pushed pack once the business of a new CBA was voted on. Labor peace was indeed ratified for another decade as expected, albeit by a razor-thin margin, and the owners were prepared to push things back in an effort to shield the league from criticism as society deals with the emotion over the unknown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, in any collective bargaining situation, both sides must agree to any potential changes and SI.com was told it was the players' side which insisted on business as usual, meaning legal-tampering starts Monday and that show indeed goes on with the new league year starting on March 18 at 4 pm ET.
The NFLPA's take per ESPN's Adam Schefter was that "No one is traveling anyway. It’s not football activity, it’s deals. Everyone is working remotely. Let’s do our business remotely. And this could get worse before it gets better. So do it now."
An agent reached by SI.com pointed to the details on many contracts and how pushing back the new league year could affect the finances of clients.
"A lot of deals are dependent on wording with bonus money tied to designated time frames, like third day or fifth day of the new league year," said the agent. "So what seems innocuous isn't necessarily so from a real-world perspective. Guys need that money or clarity.
"Our viewpoint is this isn't public-facing business so we need to stick to the schedule."
Surely the league will be hit by some tone-deaf accusations when news on contracts like the one agreed to by Tennessee with Ryan Tannehill hits by those who don't understand the process and all it entails start to pile onto their soapboxes.
Because the business of football marches on, though, those who cover it have to talk about it and another big deal agreed to Saturday highlighted why the Eagles should be trying to get something done with Jalen Mills, the veteran cornerback set to hit free agency on Wednesday.
Houston agreed to a three-year extension with CB Bradley Roby that will pay a good but hardly great player an average annual value of $12 million per season.
If you were to put Philadelphia's plan at CB into three categories, the goal would be talented Dallas free agent Byron Jones, Plan B might shift to Carolina cover man James Bradberry, and settling would have been someone like Roby if he reached the market or perhaps Minnesota's Trae Waynes.
A potential team-friendly extension with Mills, who loves playing in Philadelphia and understands what Jim Schwartz has done for his career as a former seventh-round pick would make sense for both sides.
There's going to be great upheaval in the Eagles' secondary this offseason but getting Jones, the star of the free-agency class at the CB position, and teaming him up on the outside with Mills while Avonte Maddox and Cre'Von LeBlanc handle the slot work would be seen as a home run by Schwartz and new secondary coach Marquand Manuel.
John McMullen covers the Eagles for SI.com. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen
