NFL free agency: Should the Eagles re-sign Miles Sanders?
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Eagles' offseason will get even busier this week as the NFL Scouting Combine kicks off at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
It will be an opportunity for the Birds to see some potential draft selections up close and personal in interviews and different individual workouts ahead of April's NFL Draft.
But before the draft, free agency will start on March 15 and the Eagles have plenty of tough decisions, including running back Miles Sanders.
Should the Eagles re-sign Sanders after a career year, or did the Penn State University product price himself out?
Let's take a look below.
What would Sanders' contract look like?
After having a down year in 2021, Sanders rebounded by setting career marks in several statistical categories.
Sanders recorded 1,269 rushing yards -- the first time he topped 1,000 yards in his career -- and 11 touchdowns in the 2022 season as the Eagles made the Super Bowl.
He became the first Eagles' running back to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a single season since LeSean McCoy accomplished the milestone in 2014.
As a result of performing well in a contract year, Sanders made himself some money after living up to his second-round draft pick status.
Spotrac currently projects Sanders' next contract to be two years, $14.4 million with an average annual salary of $7.2 million.
That average annual salary would rank 10th amongst all running backs in the league, trailing behind players like Cincinnati's Joe Mixon, Green Bay's Aaron Jones and Cleveland's Nick Chubb.
Should the Eagles pay that contract?
Sanders was a part of the Eagles' rushing attack that was one of the best in the league. They would probably prefer to bring him back. Sanders has said he'd like to return.
But, given his career season, Sanders might've priced himself out, especially with the Eagles being tight against the salary cap for the 2023 season.
General manager Howie Roseman is a wizard at creating space with the salary cap. He'll most likely reconstruct contracts and make space ahead of free agency, but as of Sunday, the Eagles have $6.3 million in cap space, according to OverTheCap.com.
Maybe Sanders takes a discount with the Eagles not having a ton of cap space and they run it back? But, it's hard to imagine that happening, especially if another team offers him the contract he deserves.
Plus, the Eagles don't typically invest a ton of resources in the running back position, like most teams in the NFL.
Before drafting Sanders in the second round in 2019, the Eagles addressed the running back position with a mix of veteran players and young draft picks.
It's tough to cut ties with a proven commodity like Sanders, but given the Eagles' cap situation, other important areas of the roster that need to be addressed and the ability to find plug-and-play tailbacks, Philadelphia would probably be best off by filling the running back position in the draft or a cheaper target in free agency.
Who could replace Sanders?
If the Eagles decide not to re-sign Sanders, there are plenty of cheaper running backs available to replace him in free agency.
Here are some notable names with their projected average annual salary from Spotrac:
- Raheem Mostert: $2.2 million
- Samaje Perine: $3 million
- Jeff Wilson: $2.9 million
- Alexander Mattison: $2.2 million
- James Robinson: $3.8 million
Boston Scott is also set to hit the open market as an unrestricted free agent.
Kenny Gainwell, Trey Sermon and Kennedy Brooks are the only running backs the Eagles have under contract entering the offseason.
If the Eagles don't re-sign Sanders or sign a free agent, they could replace him through the draft.
Texas running back Bijan Robinson has been a popular name being selected by the Eagles in mock drafts.
In a recent mock draft by CBS Sports, the Eagles selected Robinson with their second first-round pick at No. 30 overall.
"Robinson running behind the league's best offensive line? Sounds like a blast for Philadelphia. Not so much for Eagles opponents," Chris Trapasso, of CBS Sports, wrote.
The Eagles have only selected a running back in the first round six times in franchise history.
Keith Byars, of Ohio State University, was the last running back the Eagles selected in the first round in 1986.
