The 2023 NFL offseason is underway and After a 38-35 loss to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII, Philadelphia’s focus will now shift to reshaping the roster during a busy NFL offseason.
The league salary cap is expected to exceed $224 million in 2023, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and where things currently stand, Philadelphia is expected to have roughly $8 million in cap space.
The Birds are set to have 18 pending free agents, and with another likely retool schedule on defense, the organization could conjure up a scheme for more flexibility.
According to Over the Cap’s potential transaction chart, the Eagles can easily create $33,243,035 in cap space by making these six moves.
Darius Slay -- Restructure
Cap savings: $12,251,250
Dead money: $)
The restructure makes the most sense because cutting Slay would cause a dead cap hit, while a restructure allows Philadelphia to go year to year with the Pro Bowl cornerback.
Lane Johnson -- restructure/extension
Cap savings: $10,592,000
Dead cap: $0
The best right tackle in football, the restructure allows Philadelphia to go year to year with Johnson as well.
WR Quez Watkins --Cut, Post June 1 Cut, or Trade
Cap savings: $2,743,000
Dead Cap hit: $42,415
Watkins admitted that he took a step back in 2022 after he finished with 33 catches for 354 yards and three touchdowns one year after catching 43 passes for 647 yards and a score.
A.J. Brown’s arrival definitely played a huge role in Watkin’s decline in production, but his yards per target also dropped from 10.4 to 6.9.
Jason Kelce -- restructure
Cap savings: $2,635,200
Dead cap: 0
Kelce logged another All-Pro season in 2022, his fifth, and with the future Hall of Famer proceeding on a year-to-year basis, a simple restructure makes the most sense.
A Kelce return would simply mean second-year center Cam Jurgens sliding to right guard if Isaac Seumalo isn’t re-signed.
Jake Elliott- Extension
Cap savings: $2,532,000
Dead cap: 0
One of the most consistent kickers in the NFL, Elliott made 20 of 23 field goals in the regular season, while also connecting on 51 of 53 extra-point attempts.
QB Jalen Hurts -- Monster Contract Extension
Cap savings: $2,532,000
Dead cap: 0
In the Super Bowl loss to the Chiefs, Hurts was 27 of 37 for 304 yards passing, while also rushing for three touchdowns (15 carries, 70 yards) and tied the game at 35 on a two-point conversion with about five minutes left.
Hurts broke the record previously held by Steve McNair (64 in Super Bowl XXXIV) for most rushing yards by a quarterback in the Super Bowl.
With Eagles GM Howie Roseman needing to sign Hurts before Lamar Jackson, Herbert or Burrow reset the market, signing the fourth-year quarterback to a massive extension will actually save Philadelphia $2 million plus.
