Eagles free agency: Five on defense who could make sense

The Eagles enter free agency with limited resources but the imposing task of keeping their championship window open as long as possible.

The legal tampering period starting Monday, and the official beginning of the new league year to follow on Wednesday will feature a bevy of high-priced signings across the NFL. And while the Eagles likely don’t have the cap space to bid for the biggest names available, there still will be plenty of options for them to begin filling out the margins of a championship-caliber roster.

Here are five free agents who could make sense:

Khalil Mack

Mack, 34, has compiled plenty of individual accolades during his 11-year career. Perhaps a chance at a title is all that’s missing? The nine-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro edge rusher spent the last three years playing a significant role for the Los Angeles Chargers and compiled 17 sacks in 2023. He played fewer snaps last season but still started 16 games and finished with six sacks and 52 pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.

Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has experience coaching Mack as well. The edge rusher finished second in defensive player of the year voting with the Bears in 2018 with Fangio as his coordinator.

Mack’s name recognition and proven production could make him a priority signing for some teams, but the scenario in which he’d make sense for the Eagles likely is one in which he waits for an offer from a contender. That said, PFF projects Mack will command around $22.5 million annually, which would be a hefty price for the Eagles.

There’s also the possibility that the Cleveland Browns change their tune on star edge rusher Myles Garrett’s availability via trade, which could complicate how the Eagles view the early run on edge rushers. Especially given how much a Garrett trade and extension (Raiders edge Maxx Crosby signed for $35.5 million annually on Wednesday) could end up costing, Mack might be a viable alternative.

» READ MORE: Howie Roseman and the Eagles will loom large in Myles Garrett trade talks, for an interesting reason

Javon Hargrave

The 32-year-old Hargrave was released by the San Francisco 49ers earlier this offseason in a cost-cutting move, and it’s worth mentioning that 49ers general manager John Lynch said the team would be open to signing him back if his market doesn’t outpace it.

If the Eagles were interested in signing Hargrave in free agency for a second time, a reunion could make plenty of sense. He missed all but three games last year with a triceps injury, but he has proved throughout his career that he can be the type of versatile interior rusher to complement a star defensive tackle like Fletcher Cox or, in this scenario, Jalen Carter. In 2023, Hargrave had seven sacks and ranked eighth among all defensive tackles with 64 pressures. The season before, his final year with the Eagles, he had 11 sacks and 66 pressures.

Hargrave’s ability to play in multiple alignments, including at nose tackle, and to capitalize on the attention players like Cox and Carter draw would make him a seamless replacement for Milton Williams, assuming Williams gets a big-money deal and Hargrave’s market stalls by comparison.

Azeez Ojulari

A second-round pick by the New York Giants in 2021, Ojulari has the type of traits and draft pedigree the Eagles have shown a willingness to take a chance on in recent memory. The 24-year-old edge rusher also went to Georgia at the same time as the rest of the Eagles’ collection of former Bulldogs, for what that’s worth.

Any case for Ojulari likely will include his draft pedigree because of the physical traits that contributed to it. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound pass rusher has long arms (95th percentile at the NFL scouting combine) and the type of short-area quickness teams covet in edge rushers. That hasn’t translated into consistent production in the NFL largely because of injuries, though. Ojulari’s best season came as a rookie, when he played 16 games and finished with eight sacks on 45 pressures. Since then, he’s played 29 out of a possible 54 games and is coming off a year in which he missed seven games with a toe injury.

If Ojulari can stay on the field, there’s still plenty of potential left to unlock. Given the last few seasons, that might be a big if.

Chase Young

Like Ojulari, Young is another player with a high draft pedigree who could bolster the Eagles’ edge-rusher rotation.

The former No. 2 overall pick hasn’t realized the full potential he flashed to win rookie of the year in 2020, but has become a productive pass rusher nonetheless. He spent the last season as the third man in the New Orleans Saints’ edge rotation and compiled 66 pressures with 5½ sacks. Perhaps just as importantly, he played all 17 games.

Considering he’s still just 25 and coming off a successful prove-it deal, Young could command a competitive market. The Eagles weren’t at the top of that market last year, but he still makes sense because of his traits as an explosive, 6-5, 265-pound edge rusher capable of potentially replacing Josh Sweat as the prototypical edge rusher in the team’s rotation.

Baron Browning

Even with the Eagles agreeing to terms with Zack Baun, the potential search for the next Baun (a low-cost linebacker with untapped upside) may lead them to Browning. The 26-year-old has played edge rusher and linebacker for the Denver Broncos and, notably, was used primarily as an off-ball linebacker during his rookie season with Fangio as his head coach. Browning since has been used on the edge with spotty production and was traded to the Arizona Cardinals at the deadline last season.

The positional uncertainty and Fangio’s usage of him compare favorably to Baun. One key difference, though, is Browning’s lack of special teams experience. He has hardly played special teams in each of the last two years and only played 14% of the Broncos special teams snaps as a rookie.

Fangio will know whether there’s untapped potential in Browning, either as a special teams contributor at 6-3, 240 pounds, or as a potential convert to off-ball linebacker the way Baun was. If he sees a similar path to production for Browning, he could be a value play early in free agency.