Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Nnamdi the next cut for Philly?
By Tim Kavanagh
The Philadelphia Eagles began their expected roster churn on Monday, releasing defensive linemen Cullen Jenkins and Mike Patterson. It may leave them a little thin on the defensive line, but some believe they'll bolster their ranks there with their first-round selection in April's draft (or by using some of their considerable cap space). The move also yielded more questions. Namely, who's next?
One candidate being discussed by a multitude of observers -- including Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer -- is CB Nnamdi Asomugha. ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter, in fact, reported last week that the Eagles would release Asomugha if the CB didn't agree to a pay cut. There is $4 million of guaranteed money in 2013 for Asomugha, and the Eagles would have to pay that out if they cut him; however, with approximately $29 million in cap space, they can afford it.
Should Nnamdi hit free agency, the market for his services will be an interesting one to follow. Considered one of the top cover corners in the game based upon his time with the Oakland Raiders, he never really lived up to his reputation while wearing an Eagles uniform; furthermore, he's turning 32 years old this offseason, and teams may not be willing to dole out a huge, multi-year deal to a player of that age. One team to keep in mind, of course, is the New England Patriots, who are going to be turning over every stone to find help for their secondary this offseason.
