Eagles adding Stony Brook tackle Bamiro

The Eagles have agreed to terms with Stony Brook tackle Michael Bamiro, who was recently declared a free agent by the NFL after the NCAA denied him an extra year of eligibility.

The 6-foot-8, 335-pound Bamiro is expected to sign a contract Wednesday and will report to training camp along with the rest of the Eagles rookies on Monday.

Bamiro should have been eligible for the draft in April but avoided the process because of an apparent oversight. He wasn't eligible for the supplemental draft earlier this month because he was not an underclassman.

The 22-year-old Bamiro attended the University of Pittsburgh-Titusville in 2008 but did not participate in intercollegiate athletics. He transferred to Stony Brook in 2009, following one brother who played football and another who played basketball. He sat out his first year as a redshirt and started at right tackle for the Seawolves for the next three years.

Bamiro petitioned to play football for another season, but the NCAA counted his year at Pittsburgh-Titusville toward his eligibility. Some have wondered whether Bamiro was able to dodge the draft and whether it would set a precedent for other players.

"That was never the plan," Bamiro said. "It unintentionally happened. I had every intention of playing my final year at Stony Brook."

By missing the draft, Bamiro likely increased his value as a free agent.

Bamiro has been training with former Eagles tackle Tra Thomas, who recently returned to the team as a coaching intern. He worked out in Medford for about 20 teams, including the Eagles, last week.

One senior NFL scout said he would have likely given Bamiro a fourth- to fifth-round grade if he had been eligible for the draft.

"He has long arms [361/8 inches] and moves very well for his size," the scout said. "But he's sloppy with his technique and wasn't asked to pass-block a lot in college."

Lane Johnson, the Eagles' top draft pick, was at the top of the team's depth chart at right tackle by the end of the spring. The No. 4 overall pick has yet to sign a contract, however, and could be missing when rookies report to the NovaCare Complex on Monday. Practice starts Tuesday.

The Eagles and Johnson have had talks about a deal, an NFL source said, but the team is seeking a clause in the contract that would cover their cost if they chose to release the tackle before his deal was up - an unlikely scenario.

The Eagles will have to make a roster move once Bamiro signs a contract.