The Philadelphia Eagles have, as expected, seen a number of departures on defense so far in free agency. They have managed to retain a major part of their secondary, however. Cornerback James Bradberry is re-signing on a three-year, $38M deal (Twitter link via ESPN’s Adam Schefter). $20M is guaranteed, and incentives can push the maximum value to $44M.
The 29-year-old found himself on the open market last offseason when he was released by the New York Giants as part of their several cost-cutting moves. That immediately made him a key target for teams looking to add to their secondary, including an Eagles team which added a number of high-quality veterans. His one-year deal signed with Philadelphia proved to be a highly effective one.
Bradberry started all 20 games this season for the Eagles, and played a key role in their success on defense. He notched three interceptions and 17 pass breakups, adding strong coverage numbers as well. The former second-rounder allowed an opposing passer rating of just 51.6, the best such figure of his career. That made him one of the top options on the open market at his position.
It comes as little surprise that the Eagles—who were upfront about their understanding that numerous starters on defense were likely to head elsewhere—have prioritized a multi-year accord with Bradberry. His play throughout the season provided the NFC champions with one of the league’s best corner tandems alongside Darius Slay. The latter is under contract for one more year at a cap figure of over $26M, so it will be interesting to see if this Bradberry investment will necessitate some financial maneuvering with Slay.
After earning $7.25M in 2022 on his first Eagles pact, Bradberry has managed to secure a contract nearly identical to the three-year, $45M one he landed with the Giants in 2020. By earning second-team All-Pro honors last season, the Samford product proved he can still be among the top cover men in the league, and his performances (at least up until the dying moments of the Super Bowl) has given the Eagles an important degree of continuity.
Philadelphia ranked No. 1 in the league in passing defense in 2022, allowing an average of less than 180 yards per game. They also notched 17 interceptions, which placed them fourth in the NFL. Bradberry’s contributions to those totals has obviously been recognized, and his retention will at least soften the blow of the departures which have already reportedly taken place on defense and those which are likely to follow.
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