Linebacker Kyle Wilson played collegiately at Arkansas State. He stands 6-foot, 230 pounds. Now after going undrafted, he has been signed by the Philadephia Eagles as a rookie free agent. The Eagles signed him after losing two linebackers in OTAs earlier this week.
Why did the Eagles sign Wilson
Kyle Wilson was a participant at the Eagles’ rookie minicamp earlier in the offseason, and he clearly made an impression on the coaching staff. He will most likely never be a star, probably not even a starter in the NFL. However, at the very least, he is another body in camp and at practices.
He may not make the final roster, but he believes that he can make an impact. Wilson had 173 tackles, an interception and a forced fumble in his two years starting at Arkansas State. That is pretty good production, but the talent level of the teams he played against in college was vastly different than that of the NFL, or even Power 5 conferences like the SEC or ACC.
That being said, it is not impossible for Kyle Wilson to rise to the occasion and make a run at a fringe roster spot or even a backup role.
The Eagles probably are not done at the linebacker position
It would be surprising if Howie Roseman did not look around for more help at linebacker. Behind the current starters at the linebacker position, there are really just a bunch of reserve-type players and developmental guys. They do not have any real experience.
Jordan Hicks has been injured almost as much as he has been playing. He has missed 17 games in three seasons since being drafted by Philadelphia, so his health cannot be counted on all year.
Luckily for the Eagles, there are still some quality depth options in the free agent pool. Better yet, they can probably be signed for a pretty reasonable price at this stage of the offseason, most likely to a one-year deal since the Eagles love those. NaVorro Bowman and Karlos Dansby are both past their prime, but would be good targets to go after.
Dansby is 36 years old, but he still has some tread on his tires, and he will hopefully remain a backup all season. If they needed him though, Dansby offers a ton of experience and was still pretty productive last year.
Bowman is 29 and would be the better option to sign. He has previously been among the best linebackers in the league before a rash of injuries caused him to lose a step. He can still be a great backup player and has the ability to play the position at a high level. The Eagles would be smart to sign him if they can for a reasonable price.
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