Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda: Plan B Strengthens DT

The Eagles went into free agency this year with a target in mind and understanding the landscape.

Good players coming off their first NFL contracts are going to get overpaid and Philadelphia was prepared to do that for Byron Jones, the supremely talented ex-Dallas cornerback.

The thought process behind the path was sound. By signing Jones the Eagles would not only strengthen a weakness of their own but the organization would also be harming their top division rival and the biggest hurdle between Philadelphia and another NFC East title.

It didn’t pan out because the Miami Dolphins blew everyone out of the water with a five-year, $82.5 million contract offer to Jones which included almost $55M in guarantees with the first so-called "out" for the Dolphins after the 2022 season.

Howie Roseman folded under the weight of that pot and hit CTRL-ALT-DEL, returning to the default setting that has defined the Eagles since Andy Reid arrived in 1999 - build the offensive and defensive fronts.

Philadelphia shifted to the trade market to upgrade CB with Darius Slay and the big-ticket item in free agency ended up being Javon Hargrave, an Akiem Hicks-like disruptor who will slide in next to Fletcher Cox to give Jim Schwartz perhaps the most talented interior in the NFL, something further bolstered by the domino effect of Malik Jackson becoming the third man in Schwartz’s rotational system.

On paper, that’s a scary thought for opposing offenses especially if Jackson accepts a more limited role after his first season with the Eagles was derailed by a Lisfranc injury.

The depth at DT is solid after Philadelphia re-signed Hassan Ridgeway, a player the Eagles were excited about last season until an ankle injury along with a need for roster spots elsewhere due to a multitude of other injuries forced the Eagles’ hand and sent Ridgeway to injured reserve.

The silver lining of so many injuries on the interior last season might have been Anthony Rush getting valuable playing time and getting the so-called start-up costs of playing out of the way. At 350 pounds Rush proved his worth as a two-down run-stuffing option.

Deeper on the depth chart are players like Bruck Hector and Albert Huggins and a high-level undrafted rookie free agent in Raequan Williams, making this position group perhaps the deepest in Philadelphia.

COULDA: Went the emphatic route, outbid Miami and signed Jones, a decision that puts Hargrave elsewhere and Jackson to fit back into his projected 2019 role with Ridgeway, Rush and Co. filling things in from there.

SHOULDA: Made Plan B the organization’s top priority and targeted Slay, who is older but far more accomplished than Jones, and Hargrave from the get-go.

WOULDA: Made sure Jackson was completely on board with the current setup which could be reps inside and outside. The veteran is on record saying he's not comfortable at DE.

John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's EagleMaven and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John every Monday and Friday on SIRIUSXM’s Tony Bruno Show with Harry Mayes, and every Tuesday and Thursday with Eytan Shander on SBNation Radio. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen