Signing of White fits Birds’ pattern
Fixated on acquiring leading tacklers from bad defenses, the Eagles signed free agent Kyzir White Saturday.
White (6-foot2, 216 pounds) racked up 144 tackles last season with the Los Angeles Chargers, who ranked well below the Eagles and darn near in the basement in points, rushing and passing yards allowed.
A fourth-round pick out of West Virginia, White registered seven tackles for loss, including one sack and forced two fumbles last season. He also tied for the team lead with two interceptions.
White signed a one-year deal with the Eagles worth up to $5 million, according to reports. The Chargers were so eager to upgrade the defense they let him walk, traded for edge rusher Khalil Mack and spent money on run-stopping defensive lineman Austin Johnson and coveted cornerback J.C. Jackson.
Meanwhile playmaker linebacker Bobby Wagner visited the Baltimore Ravens, who are serious about their linebackers.
Last year the Eagles heralded the addition of linebacker Eric Wilson, who topped a sorry Minnesota Vikings defense in tackles. Wilson got a one-year deal worth $3.25 million. The Eagles cut him after seven games.
The Eagles have White, T.J. Edwards, Davion Taylor, Shaun Bradley at linebacker. Haason Reddick is listed at that position but essentially is an edge rusher.
There have been rumblings the Eagles could spend one of their three first-round draft picks on Devin Lloyd (6-3, 237), the rangy linebacker out of Utah. Nakobe Dean (5-11, 229) is first-round worthy and probably a better fit for the pass defense the Eagles try to play.
The Birds did not tender restricted free agent linebacker Alex Singleton, who led them in tackles the past two seasons. He wound up signing with Denver.
Kyzer played football at Emmaus High, which gave the NFL top 10 draft picks Kevin White (wide receiver) and offensive tackle Keith Dorney and journeyman interior lineman Joe Milinichik.
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Speaking of the draft, the Eagles have a quarterback on the radar, but it’s not Kenny Pickett of Pitt.
Sam Howell (6-1, 218) of North Carolina caught the eyes of the Eagles coaches, and it will be extremely interesting to see what the club does with their first-round picks.
Howell threw 38 touchdown passes as a freshman, 30 as a sophomore and 24 last year, when he lost most of his skills players and a chunk of his offensive line.
What makes Howell appealing is his accuracy, arm strength and footwork. Howell throws a laser-guided deep ball, gets rid of the ball quickly and doesn’t get happy feet in the pocket as he did in his early days. Once Howell takes his two or three-step drops, he plants and finds a lane.
Pickett is the consensus top pick in the draft despite hands that measure 8 5/8 inches, small by NFL standards and even a notch below those of Joe Burrow (9 inches), the first pick in the 2020 draft. Malik Willis (6-1, 219) of Liberty has the most arm talent in the quarterback class while Matt Corral (6-2, 212) of Mississippi State is the top dual threat prospect.
Howell also can take off, just not nearly as well as Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (6-1, 223).
The only likely reason the Eagles would draft Howell high is to compete with Hurts, who they insist is their quarterback going forward.
Actions speak louder than words, however, and the Eagles
clearly downshifted into a running offense last season because they weren’t comfortable with Hurts throwing the ball. That’s partly why the Eagles also have found it difficult to bring in a polished veteran wide receiver on a short-term contract.
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The complaints about the Eagles bringing back defensive end Derek Barnett are legit.
As a first-round pick, Barnett is a bust, as he has just 21.5 sacks and 26 accepted penalties in five seasons.
But signing Barnett to a two-year deal when he still adds value to a defense badly in need of upgrades makes more sense than cutting and then re-signing defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, who has very little upside. That piled dead money into the salary cap. Re-signing Cox to a oneyear $14 million contract, as the Eagles did. is borderline hilarious.
Probably the only way Cox can benefit the Eagles is if they trade him again. There’s been talk that the Eagles turned down an offer of two third-day draft picks for Cox before the last trade deadline.
The Eagles dealt Zach Ertz too late to get much value. It looks like they’ve painted themselves into the same corner with Cox.
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On a separate note, the David Ojabo Achilles’ tendon injury on his pro day at Michigan is going to thin out the edge rushers in the upcoming draft.
If Travon Walker (6-5, 272) of Georgia or Florida State’s Jermaine Johnson (6-4, 254) are available at 15, the Eagles should hand in the card.
There also are cornerbacks who would help the Eagles, possibly even Derek Stingley Jr. (LSU). Ahmad Gardner (Cincinnati), Trent McDuffie (Washington) and Andrew Booth (Clemson) are firstround worthy.