Eagles add pass rusher, two more defensive backs in free agency

The Eagles continued to address their defense and the expected switch to a hybrid 3-4 scheme Thursday when they signed outside linebacker Connor Barwin, cornerback Cary Williams, and safety Kenny Phillips.

Of the eight free agents the team has signed, seven are defensive players. The players have much more in common. For the most part, they're young, either coming off an injury or a down season, and come from winning organizations.

"We talked about the kind of guys we wanted to bring in," Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said. "These guys come from winning programs. Football is very important to them. When you watch them on tape, you see a physical aspect of their play."

But the Eagles got them at bargain prices for good reason. Barwin's production dipped dramatically from 2011, when he recorded 111/2 sacks for the Houston Texans, to just three last season.

The 26-year old Barwin, like several of the other additions, also had to overcome an injury in his NFL career. He missed most of the 2010 season after dislocating his ankle. Three of the four defensive backs the Eagles signed have missed a significant number of games the last few years.

Phillips, 26, played in only seven games last year for the New York Giants as he battled a sprained knee. He missed most of the 2009 season after undergoing knee surgery. Safety Patrick Chung, 25, who signed Tuesday, missed half of the 2011 season with a foot injury and dealt with shoulder and hamstring injuries last season. Cornerback Bradley Fletcher, 26, who also signed Tuesday, suffered season-ending knee injuries in 2009 and 2011.

"It's different looking at players that are 25, 26 coming off injuries than guys who are 31, 32," Roseman said.

Williams has the cleanest bill of health among the recently acquired defensive backs. The 28-year-old started all 16 games last season for the Super Bowl-champion Ravens. Former Texans tight end James Casey, 49ers defensive lineman Isaac Sopoaga, and Panthers linebacker Jason Phillips were also signed Tuesday.

Of the eight free agents, only Barwin received a contract longer than three years. His was for six years and $36 million, but only $8 million in the first two years is guaranteed, according to an NFL source. The first three years are worth $13.5 million.

Williams signed a three-year deal worth $17 million, with $10.5 million guaranteed. But the second year of his deal is guaranteed for injury only. Phillips' deal was for one year. His salary was unavailable, and Phillips still has to pass a physical.

"We look at the board, and if there's an opportunity to add a player that we think fits our scheme, and at the same time the price is right, then we're going to look at that," Roseman said.

He said that the imbalance of defensive to offensive free agents was not by design. But the Eagles clearly needed an upgrade on that side of the ball and acquired the pieces to fit coordinator Bill Davis' scheme.

Barwin (6-foot-4, 265 pounds) is an outside linebacker who has played in the 3-4, something the Eagles lacked. He joins former defensive ends Trent Cole, Brandon Graham, and Vinny Curry as outside pass rushers but could be slotted into playing on the weak side.

"He was more on the open side two years ago," Roseman said. "He was more in position to set the edge and cover the tight end this year. We watched him two years ago on the open side, and then even this year when they played the Lions when he was doing it more. . . . We think we know what we're getting here in a high-motor guy."

Of the pass rushers, though, Barwin has the most experience dropping into coverage. The strong-side linebacker will likely be asked to drop and cover tight ends about 30 percent of the time. The Eagles could fill that spot through the draft.

The new faces in the secondary are considered to be sure tacklers. Williams (6-1, 190) and Fletcher (6-0, 200) are tall, lanky, and aggressive man-press corners.

"Obviously we lost some players at the position," Roseman said, referring to the departures of Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. "We had an idea of what we were looking for at the corner position. Both of these, you're talking about tall, long guys that can tackle."

Chung will likely join them in the secondary. Phillips is a wild card. Nate Allen, who started at safety alongside Kurt Coleman last season, will likely remain in the mix for a starting spot.

The new league year is less than three days old and the Eagles have brought eight new players aboard already. Roseman could add a piece here or there before the draft in late April - maybe an offensive or defensive lineman - but most of the heavy lifting in free agency has been done.