Don't Expect Eagles to Stop Making Moves After Recent LB Signings
PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Eagles remade their much-maligned linebacking room with a bloop and a blast over the past week.
Or better defined, the organization hopes to tap into that talent that once made Devin White the No. 5 overall pick in the draft and supplemented that by signing competent veteran Oren Burks to a one-year deal, according to an NFL source.
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini first reported the Burks move on Saturday night.
In the snapshot of mid-March, the duo are the expected replacements for veterans Zach Cunningham, who remains a free agent, and Nicholas Morrow, who signed a one-year deal in Buffalo, after serving as the top two linebackers for the struggling Philadelphia defense last season.
Both of those players were leaned on more than expected due to the injury-plagued season of Nakobe Dean, who again will be counted on to run the Philadelphia defense after a season in which he was limited to five games.
Oren Burks had been a solid backup LB with the 49ers.
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The Eagles still believe in Dean’s skills and playmaking talent if the former Georgia star can figure out how to calm down significant foot problems that can at least partially be tied to his inability to get comfortable with his footwear, according to a team source.
From there, the Eagles’ swing for the fences is the splash-play ability of White, something that was tempered greatly by inconsistency in Tampa Bay. Meanwhile, the potential grounder up the middle is Burks, 28, who has been a steady player and solid special teamer as a backup linebacker in both Green Bay and San Francisco.
The financial aspect of changing out Cunningman and Morrow for White and Burks is up to $10 million, one year and $7.5M that could go to White, and another $2.5 earmarked for Burks if all goes well.
The reality is that neither move prohibits Eagles GM Howie Roseman from continuing to look for upgrades at a position he’s long short-shifted so use pencil when projecting both White and Burks as significant parts of Vic Fangio's defensive plan, especially is an option with real upside is there on Day 2 of the upcoming draft.
The real end game here for Roseman is draft-proofing the roster with legitimate NFL players so Philadelphia doesn’t feel compelled to reach for the position if the board doesn’t fall their way in April.
As far as individual projections, it’s much more likely that the Eagles did indeed slap a solid single in Burks, a player who should slot in nicely as the top backup at the position.
Assuming White turns into the home run of a player he once was expected to be coming out of LSU in 2019 seems specious after his five-year sample size with the Buccaneers.
