Andrew Buller-Russ
Heading into the offseason following a Super Bowl appearance, the Philadelphia Eagles knew they’d lose several players in free agency. With so many athletes experiencing career years along with a total of 29 players set to hit the open market, general manager Howie Roseman knew the roster would look much different going into the 2023 season.
One of the most noticeable losses included starting linebacker T.J. Edwards signing a three-year, $19.5 million contract with the Chicago Bears, leaving a void in the middle of the Eagles’ defense. While second-year-pro Nakobe Dean is expected to pick up where Edwards left off, there’s no guarantee the 22-year-old can maintain the same standard set last season.
On Sunday, the Eagles made a couple of depth signings that could be viewed as safety valves in case Dean needs a competitive push. According to the Eagles’ social media pages, the team has signed linebackers Myles Jack and Zach Cunningham to one-year contracts.
Both players are former second-round picks who have multiple seasons of experience as a starting linebacker in the NFL. Jack, 27, spent his first six seasons as a full-time starter for the Jacksonville Jaguars before joining the Pittsburgh Steelers and starting 13 games last season.
- Myles Jack stats last season: 104 TKL, 3 PD
- Zach Cunningham stats last season: 24 TKL, 1 PD (6 games)
Cunningham, 28, spent his first 4.5 seasons with the Houston Texans before joining the Tennessee Titans for the last 1.5 seasons. He’s started 76 of the 82 games he’s played and even led the NFL with 164 tackles in 2020.
Despite plenty of recent starting experience, both players found themselves without a team with the preseason right around the corner. Now the vets will join the Eagles’ effort to return to the Super Bowl later this season. But first, they’ll have to survive final roster cuts when the numbers crunch from 90 players down to 53 on Aug. 29.
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