Skip to content
Eagles
Link copied to clipboard

Previewing the Eagles' offseason: Cornerbacks

The Inquirer is previewing the Eagles' offseason. NFL free agency will begin on March 9, and the draft will be April 27-29.

Monday, Feb. 13: Quarterbacks
Tuesday, Feb. 14: Running backs
Wednesday, Feb. 15: Wide receivers
Thursday, Feb. 16: Offensive line
Friday, Feb. 17: Tight ends
Monday, Feb. 20: Defensive ends
Tuesday, Feb. 21: Defensive tackles
Wednesday, Feb. 22: Linebackers
Today: Cornerbacks
Friday, Feb. 24: Safeties

CORNERBACKS

UNDER CONTRACT

Jalen Mills, Ron Brooks, C.J. Smith, Dwayne Gratz, Aaron Grymes, Mitchell White

The Eagles could enter the 2017 season without their two opening-day starting cornerbacks from 2016. The top cornerback under contract is Jalen Mills, who took 65 percent of the defensive snaps last season while starting two games and playing all 16 games as a seventh-round pick. Considering where he was drafted, his season was a success. The Eagles liked his confidence and thought he transitioned well to the defense and the NFL. But it's still unknown what he is long-term. He could be a starter on the outside in 2017; he might also have more of a future in the slot. This will be a big summer and season for Mills, but the Eagles seemed bullish on him. He's the most promising cornerback under contract, but the Eagles clearly need to add pieces to the depth chart.

Ron Brooks was the Eagles' slot cornerback through six games last season, starting five of them before suffering a season-ending quadriceps injury. Brooks, 28, has two years left on a three-year, $5.55 million contract signed last March. The Eagles will need to see where his recovery is and determine how he would fit in a revamped secondary. He has versatility and special-teams ability, but there are also potential cap savings – the Eagles could save $1.6 million of his $2.1 cap number by releasing him.

C.J. Smith impressed last summer as an undrafted rookie from North Dakota State and spent the first month of the season on the practice squad before an October promotion to the active roster. He played only one defensive snap in a developmental year, and the Eagles will get another look at 5-foot-11, 189-pound cornerback this summer.

Dwayne Gratz, 26, signed with the Eagles late last season, so the team could have him under contract this offseason. The 26-year-old started 25 games in his first three years with the Jacksonville Jaguars, giving him the most experience of any cornerback under contract. He did not play after joining the team in Week 15, but he will have a chance to earn a roster spot this offseason. In what could be a young cornerbacks' room, Gratz's experience might be beneficial.

Aaron Grymes, 25, signed with the Eagles from the CFL last offseason and had a strong training camp and preseason before an injury cut his summer short. The Eagles stayed in touch and brought Grymes back after he was healthy and there was a necessity at the position. He did not take a defensive snap last season, but add him to the mix of players who will compete for a depth spot this summer.

The Eagles can hope Mitchell White is a repeat of Grymes. Like Grymes, White comes from the CFL. He was signed to a futures deal and will have the offseason with the team.

ROSTER DECISIONS

The biggest decision at cornerback is what to do about Nolan Carroll, who is an unrestricted free agent after starting all 16 games for the first time in his seven-year career. Carroll, who has been with the Eagles for three seasons, re-signed last offseason on a one-year deal that gave him a chance to prove he was healthy after a bad leg injury ended his 2015 campaign. Carroll did just that, earned a starting job last summer, and was the most consistent cornerback on the Eagles last season. He was far from spectacular and too prone to penalties - he was charged with seven pass interferences - but he is a solid NFL cornerback. If he's the No. 1 cornerback as he was last season, that's not a good situation for the secondary. But if he's in the Nos. 2-4 range, depending on the package and the health of the group, then it's a fine spot for him. Carroll just turned 30 and played last year on a one-year deal.

Do the Eagles want to continue going with the "Band-Aid" approach at cornerback? That's essentially what it would be if they brought back Carroll. The Eagles might be more inclined to look in the draft and perhaps free agency for longer-term options, and let Carroll move on. If they wanted a solid veteran to compete with Mills and pair with a rookie, the Eagles could do worse than Carroll. I just don't think that's the direction in which they will go.

The team already cut Leodis McKelvin in another roster decision this offseason. It was an expected move, but that opened 12 starts and 58 percent of the snaps to go along with $3.2 million in cap savings.

The other roster decision the Eagles have this offseason is what to do about Brooks, as written above. If they're looking for cap space, Brooks can offer a bit of relief.

FREE-AGENT OPTIONS

March has been the time when the Eagles usually add cornerbacks, which just shows the mixed bag of free agents they've acquired in recent years (Nnamdi Asomugha, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in a trade; Cary Williams, Bradley Fletcher, Nolan Carroll, Byron Maxwell, Leodis McKelvin, Ron Brooks). The Eagles have sought free agents to fortify the position, and they need more stability there. The draft is going to be a place the Eagles look for the position, but they might need to pursue a free agent again for a quick fix. The question is, with the money the Eagles are likely to use to sign a wide receiver, will they have the cap space to be players at cornerback, too? And will it be a prudent investment if the team is trying to build from within at the position?

The top free-agent cornerback likely won't change teams: New England's Malcolm Butler (5-11, 190; 26 years old). He's a restricted free agent, which gives the Patriots the right to match any offer, and is expected to be a priority for the Super Bowl champions.

Houston's A.J. Bouye (6-0, 191; 25) is a coveted free agent after emerging last year in 11 starts for the Texans. There's not much of track record for the former undrafted rookie, but his age, size, and production during the final months last season will put Bouye in line for a big payday. The Eagles might be priced out.

Buffalo's Stephon Gilmore (6-1, 190; 26) comes with more of a track record, although his 2016 season was less consistent than previous seasons. However, the former first-round pick has proven he can be a No. 1 cornerback, is still only 26, and has 66 career starts in five NFL seasons. Gilmore had a career-high five interceptions last season and is also expected to be in demand if he hits the open market. Gilmore also has a year of experience under Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. Don't make the mistake of labeling Gilmore in the Bills mix with McKelvin and Brooks – he's a better free-agent prospect than either of the ex-Bills who came to Philadelphia.

The Rams used their franchise tag on Trumaine Johnson (6-2, 208; 27) last season, so it would be expensive to do it again. If Chip Kelly was still here, you know Johnson would be linked to the Eagles – he has the size that's coveted at the position, and he has 47 career starts. His interceptions dipped from seven in 2015 to one last season, but his coverage skills will make him attractive on this market.

One player who could change teams and should appeal to the Eagles is New England's Logan Ryan (5-11, 195, 26), a Voorhees native who has started 40 games and played in two Super Bowls in four years in the NFL. Ryan can play inside and outside, has played man against some of the NFL's top wide receivers, and has big-game experience. He has been inconsistent at times, but he's a legitimate starting cornerback. There can be a concern sometimes about Patriots who change teams, but Ryan would make sense for the Eagles to pursue.

Cincinnati's Dre Kirkpatrick (6-2, 185; 27) is a former first-round pick coming off the best season of his five-year career. He started the past two years in Cincinnati and could finally be growing into the player expected when he came out of Alabama.

Dallas' Morris Claiborne (5-11, 192, 27) is another former first-round pick who showed potential last season. However, an injury limited Claiborne to seven games.

Pittsburgh's Ross Cockrell (6-0, 191, 25) is a restricted free agent after starting all 16 games last season. The Steelers likely wouldn't let him go considering that he's restricted, and there's not much of a track record, but he has become a fixture for Pittsburgh after failing to enter the lineup in Buffalo in 2014.

Jacksonville's Prince Amukamara (6-0, 202, 27) took a one-year, show-me deal last season, and he did. The former Giant could get a long-term deal this time around.

If the Eagles are looking for potential Band-Aid options who could be in a similar spot to Amukamara last season, Oakland's D.J. Hayden (5-11, 190, 26) and Chicago's Johnthan Banks (6-2, 185, 27) are former high draft picks with starting experience.

Aging veterans who could potentially be "Band-Aid" options include Dallas' Brandon Carr (6-0, 210, 30), Indianapolis' Darius Butler (5-10, 188, 30), and Baltimore's Jerraud Powers (5-10, 193, 29). All have starting experience, but are not long-term answers.

DRAFT OPTIONS

The Eagles haven't taken a first-round cornerback since Lito Sheppard in 2002, and Eric Rowe and Curtis Marsh are the only Day 2 cornerbacks they've taken in the last decade. This would be a good year to change that trend. It's a loaded cornerback class, and there's a clear need for the position. If there's any position you need to be well-versed about on draft day, it's cornerbacks. Don't be surprised if five cornerbacks – and perhaps more – go off the board in Round 1.

The first one to go will likely be Ohio State's Marshon Lattimore (6-1, 192), who is leaving after only two seasons in the Buckeyes' lineup. He was first-team all-Big Ten last season with four interceptions and nine pass break-ups, and his coverage ability and tackling are assets. He lacks experience, but he oozes with potential and will compel a team to take him early.

The order of the cornerbacks depends on whom you ask. But on any list, Washington's Sidney Jones (6-1, 170) will be near the top. The comparisons to Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Marcus Peters are not just because they're former college teammates; there are the height, ball skills, and big-play ability that they share. He was first-team all-conference the past two seasons and had nine interceptions in three seasons. He knocked down 21.3 percent of the balls thrown in his direction, according to  NFL.com. He has a slight frame, but he could be a Day 1 starter in the NFL. That's what the Eagles need.

Alabama's Marlon Humphrey (6-1, 196) has the prototypical size-speed combination with NFL bloodlines. He is a solid tackler for the position, too. Humphrey was vulnerable to big plays, which is the knock on him. And Alabama cornerbacks have not always played to their pre-draft reputations in the NFL. But there's clearly talent that could be difficult to pass up in the middle of the first round.

The Florida combination of Teez Tabor (6-0, 201) and Quincy Wilson (6-1, 213) will also draw a lot of attention. Tabor had nine interceptions in three years, and his size and ball skills are top-notch for a player who contributed since his freshman season in Gainesville. Wilson was not as heralded as a recruit, but he had three interceptions and there were completions on fewer than 40 percent of the balls thrown in his direction as a junior last season. And he has the size that's hard to find at the position.

From a production standpoint, it's hard to find a better fit than LSU's Tre'Davious White (5-11, 191). Mills' former teammate was a four-year starter who was a first-team all-American last season and a key leader on LSU – he wore the No. 18 jersey that Bennie Logan wore, given to a player who embodies what LSU football is supposed to represent. White's quick-twitch ability allowed him to play both outside and in the slot, and he would arrive as a seasoned prospect from a program known to churn out quality defensive backs.

USC's Adoree Jackson (5-11, 185) is an elite athlete who was first-team all-American and won the Jim Thorpe Award after tallying five interceptions last season. He also contributed on offense and special teams, and could be a difference maker in the return game.

Ohio State's Gareon Conley (6-1, 195) doesn't come with the same hype as Lattimore, but he started the past two years for the Buckeyes and was second-team all-Big Ten last season. He has size and press coverage ability and will be another in a line of a Ohio State cornerbacks to get drafted early.

Michigan's Jourdon Lewis (5-10, 188) lacks top size, but that's about the only knock on him. He was named the Big Ten's top defensive back last season and has the competitive instincts that Schwartz craves at the position. So the production and personality are there, but not the prototypical size.

As you can see, this is already a deep list – and there are still more who could go in the first 2-3 rounds. Clemson's Cordrea Tankersley (6-1, 200) and Tennessee's Cameron Sutton (5-11, 182) will also receive high grades. West Virginia's Rasul Douglas (6-2, 204), Colorado's Chidobe Awuzie (6-0, 205) and Ahkello Witherspoon (6-3, 190), Washington's Kevin King (6-3, 192), and Houston's Howard Wilson (6-1, 185) will intrigue teams.

Iowa's Desmond King (5-10, 206) was a decorated cornerback in college who might project better as a safety in the NFL.

On Day 3, Miami's Corn Elder (5-10, 187), Michigan's Channing Stribling (6-2, 175), and Florida State's Marquez White (6-0, 184) are accomplished college cornerbacks who could be appealing.