Prioritizing the secondary was the game plan for the Philadelphia Eagles heading into NFL free agency. While the execution of the plan changed, the overall plan remained the same.
That plan just didn't involve C.J. Gardner-Johnson.
The Eagles did make a push to sign Gardner-Johnson at the start of free agency, but the safety decided to test his market in free agency. Philadelphia couldn't wait around for Gardner-Johnson, so general manager Howie Roseman moved on.
"When you go back to kind of the start of free agency, we talked to his representatives about bringing him back here and also talked to them about the fact that we had limited resources. We were very clear that at some point we were going to have to go in a different direction. Those first couple days, we tried and then we pivoted," Roseman said, via The Athletic.
"I think that's one of the most important things of free agency: You can go in with a plan but you have to be able to pivot and have other options and not get stuck with nothing.
"I think at that point, that's where we went and then when we pivoted. That was kind of where it ends."
The Eagles decided to use the money to retain cornerback James Bradberry, who was still a free agent. Bradberry ended up taking less money to re-sign with the Eagles. They also worked out an extension with Darius Slay to retain the league's best cornerback duo from last season.
When the Eagles went back to Gardner-Johnson with a lesser offer, the free agent safety decided to move on. Gardner-Johnson signed with the Detroit Lions for a one-year deal worth $6.5 million.
"When you have an opportunity to get a deal done with a player that you think is a good player and has good character and you feel like the price is fair on both sides, you've gotta be willing to make those decisions or you're left with nothing," Roseman said on retaining Slay and Bradberry. "For us, when we come down to it and you have a limited amount of resources at this point, you've got to make sure your priorities are taken care of.
"And I think looking at the D-line and the cornerback position, that's probably a better spot than maybe I thought it would be."
The Eagles using their available money to re-sign Bradberry and Fletcher Cox after Gardner-Johnson didn't take their offer showcased how valuable defensive tackle and cornerback is in the organization. They did sign two safeties in the coming weeks, as Justin Evans and Terrell Edmunds agreed to one-year deals with the team.
In the aftermath of the
