The NFL Draft is a time for teams to restock, build up their player base with cheaper and younger talent in the hopes of finding building blocks that will sustain the franchise for years to come.
Howie Roseman has done a tremendous job of doing this over the last half-decade, and with a substantial number of those picks, like center Cam Jurgens on Monday, locked them into big-money, long-term deals after they had produced tremendous value on their rookie contracts. That effort will continue starting on Thursday night as the Eagles hold the final pick in the first round of this weekend’s NFL Draft.
Their position this year is an interesting one. With the final pick in each first round, there could be a QB-needy team that would like to jump up to 32 and draft a quarterback for whom they could offer a 5th-year rookie deal a few years from now. There are also teams ahead of the Eagles who have a scant number of picks who may be interested in trading back to pick up additional draft capital.
As part of those trade discussions, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the Birds could look to add a veteran player to bolster their roster, too. Before you start salivating about names like Micah Parsons or Trey Hendrickson, remember the cap situation already facing the team. If there is a trade for a veteran, it will not one that comes needing a contract extension or already has a high price tag.
With that caveat out of the way, here are 10 vets I believe could be of interest to Roseman and the front office this week at the Draft.
Michael Mayer – Tight End
A trade for a tight end only makes sense if the Eagles move on from incumbent Dallas Goedert, a move I have written they should not make. The 24-year-old Mayer was the Raiders’ second round pick in the 2023 Draft at No. 35 overall, and put together a promising rookie season with 27 catches for 304 yards in 12 starts. However, as Las Vegas’ QB situation and overall environment deteriorated a season ago, Mayer’s performance did as well, with just 21 catches for 156 yards and no touchdowns. Brock Bowers is going to be the Raiders’ primary tight end, so a trade of Mayer makes sense for them. He’s a better blocker than in-house candidate Grant Calcaterra, so if the Eagles do trade Goedert, they could look to replace him with a combination of Calcaterra and Mayer.
Kayvon Thibodeaux – EDGE
In the final year of his rookie deal, the 25-year-old could be on the move if the Giants select Abdul Carter with the No. 3 overall pick, rather than have to pay both players big money. Two seasons ago, Thibodeaux recorded 11.5 sacks for the Giants in 17 starts, but missed five games a season ago with injury, and his 5.5 sacks certainly weren’t what New York was expecting as a follow-up. The big question is whether the Giants would make a trade with the Eagles, still smarting from losing Saquon Barkley to them one off-season ago. It’s hard to see New York being willing to help make the Eagles stronger, unless they’re resigned to what looks to be a two-year rebuild.
Tyree Wilson – EDGE
It wouldn’t be surprising to see new Raiders head coach Pete Carroll overhaul his roster over the next few months, and Wilson is a player whose time in Vegas could be running short as a part of those reconstruction efforts. He has two years left on his rookie deal, but hasn’t done much in his time with the Raiders to warrant sticking around. That’s music to the ears of a cap-strapped team like the Eagles, who love taking chances on underperforming former first round draft picks. Wilson has just eight sacks through 33 career games, and has made just four starts since being selected No. 7 overall two years ago.
Denico Autry – EDGE
Autry is in the final year of his deal, too, and unlike most of the other players listed here, is at the end of a long career rather than the beginning. Entering his age-35 season, Autry piled up 11.5 sacks as recently as two seasons ago, but after moving on to the Texans last year, he started just two games, played in 10, and accumulated just three sacks with a paltry 8.1% pressure rate. He also served a six-game suspension for violating the league’s policy against performance enhancing drugs. If the Eagles believe there is anything left in the tank that can be accessed without the help of illegal medicines, he would be a buy-low veteran that likely wouldn’t require more than a Day 3 pick to acquire.
Andrew Billings – Defensive Tackle
If the Eagles are looking to add depth to their defensive tackle rotation (and one would assume they are), a trade with Chicago for Billings could do the trick if they aren’t able to land someone they like in this week’s draft. Billings is coming off a torn pec injury that cost him half his season a year ago, and will enter this year at 30 years old. He’s not likely to be a high impact player, but with a cap hit of just $3.3 million, he’s relatively inexpensive, and could provide insurance on the inside, provided the Eagles believe he’s fully recovered from his injury.
Kam Curl – Safety
Another player coming off a down year, Curl is on the second year of a $9 million deal he signed as a free agent with the Rams prior to the ‘24 season, so he is relatively inexpensive. He struggled in pass protection last year but, prior to that, was a solid safety with Washington. He’s only 26, and perhaps playing in Vic Fangio’s defense and competing with Sydney Brown could get more out of him, and he wouldn’t cost more than a 5th or 6th round pick if Los Angeles decided to move on from him.
Tyrann Mathieu – Safety
There aren’t many high profile players on this list, and the Honey Badger is more name than player at this point, but the 33-year-old could still provide value in Fangio’s defense, playing with a younger core. The Saints are in rebuild mode, so even though he only costs $4 million in guaranteed money, they could decide to move him to a team like Philadelphia, who could use a veteran presence in the secondary for an inexpensive price. He still picked off three balls a season ago and had a fumble recovery, to boot.
Spencer Burford – Guard
Would the 49ers swing a trade with the Eagles? It’s hard to see any NFC contender willing to help out the Eagles, but draft capital is always a great motivator. With Tyler Steen and project Kenyon Green at the top of the depth chart right now, a player like Burford, who made 29 starts for San Francisco in 2022 and ‘23, would make sense. He was outstanding in pass protection in his rookie year, but very much struggled in his final season as the starter in ‘23, eventually supplanted by 2024 draftee Dominick Puni. He’s on the final year of his rookie deal, too, and seems like a prime candidate to attend Stoutland U in the fall.
Trey Pipkins – Guard
The Chargers just acquired Mekhi Becton to be their starter at right guard, making Pipkins potentially available, too. He has started 46 games over the last three years and has positional versatility, able to play both guard and tackle. He’s still just 29 years old and could either start at guard or become an important swing man for Stoutland to utilize.
Rachaad White – Running Back
Like many of the players listed above, White is on the final year of his rookie contract, making him appealing from a financial standpoint. Roseman already added a potential Kenny Gainwell replacement in A.J. Dillon, but Dillon does not offer much out of the backfield as a receiver. Will Shipley has shown promise in his limited playing time, too, but the Eagles could snag White to add a receiving running back to the rotation. In 40 starts for Tampa over his first three seasons, White has hauled in 165 of 185 targets for 1,232 yards and 11 TDs. Last season, he caught 51 balls for 393 yards and six touchdowns, with 64 receptions and 549 yards in 2023.
