Eagles 2022 offseason tracker: Team needs, key dates, in-house free agents, latest news, rumors, and more

The Philadelphia Eagles had a surprising 2021 season, the first under head coach Nick Sirianni and with Jalen Hurts as the starting quarterback. Sirianni led the Eagles to a 9-8 record and a playoff spot in the NFC, a five-win improvement from the previous year. 

Hurts completed 61.3% of his passes for 3,144 yards with 16 touchdowns to nine interceptions for an 87.2 rating on the year, and he was just the second quarterback in Eagles history to throw for 3,000 yards and rush for 750 yards in a season — and the eighth to reach those numbers in NFL history. Hurts also led all quarterbacks in rushing yards (784) and rushing touchdowns (10) in 2021 while also ranking fourth in yards per attempt among all NFL players (564). His 10 touchdowns are the most ever by an Eagles quarterback in a season, and his 784 rushing yards trail only Randall Cunningham for the most by a quarterback in team history. 

This offseason will be a huge one for the Eagles, as they have the draft capital (three first-round picks) to make a blockbuster move at quarterback — if they so choose. There’s plenty of reasons to retain Hurts for 2022 and build the roster around him with their draft picks. Philadelphia also has available cap space to improve the roster with an impact free agent or two, unlike last year when the Eagles had to shed salary to get under the cap. 

Our offseason hub for the Eagles can be seen below, which will give you every piece of information you’ll need to stay caught up as this franchise looks to build a Super Bowl contender again. We’ll have all the latest rumors and news for the Eagles along with the important dates that you’ll want to circle on your calendar. 

Pending in-house free agents

Unrestricted free agents

• Derek Barnett (EDGE)
• Anthony Harris (S)
• Steven Nelson (CB)
• Ryan Kerrigan (EDGE)
• Rodney McLeod (S)
• Hassan Ridgeway (DT) 
• Jordan Howard (RB)
• Genard Avery (OLB)
• Jason Croom (TE)

The Eagles don’t have a pressing need to retain their free agents this offseason, even with a projected $18,518,760 in available salary cap space (per Over the Cap). Harris and McLeod have a chance to be retained, but Philadelphia needs to get younger at the safety position. Don’t expect a long-term deal if either player is back. 

Nelson could also be brought back on a short-term deal, yet cornerback is another position the Eagles need to improve. Outside of Darius Slay, the Eagles have plenty of young and unproven players at the position. The Eagles could bring Nelson back for stability at the No. 2 cornerback for another year, or look for a free agent upgrade there. 

Restricted free agents

• Boston Scott (RB)
• Alex Singleton (LB)
• Greg Ward (WR)
• Nate Herbig (G)

The Eagles four restricted free agents should have a place in Philadelphia in 2022, whether the Eagles decide to place a tender on them or not. Herbig played a valuable role as a reserve guard in 2021, starting five games and logging 481 snaps filling in for Brandon Brooks. Singleton finished with 137 tackles and started eight games for Philadelphia last year, recording on interception and a defensive touchdown. 

Scott was a value No. 2 running back for the top rushing offense last season, finishing with 373 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns — averaging 4.3 yards per carry. Ward had just seven catches for 95 yards, but three touchdowns. 

Exclusive rights free agents

• Andre Chachere (CB)

What is an exclusive rights free agent? These free agents are players on expiring contracts who have three or fewer accrued seasons in the NFL. They can only negotiate with their original team ahead of the new league year, and if they’re not tendered a contract, they become unrestricted free agents.

2022 NFL Draft picks

• First round (from Dolphins) — No. 15 overall
• First round (from Colts)– No. 16 overall
• First round (original) — No. 19 overall
• Second round (original)
• Third round (original)
• Fourth round (original)
• Fifth round (from Commanders)
• Fifth round (from Cardinals)
• Fifth round (original)
• Sixth round (from Colts) 

Philadelphia currently has 10 draft picks in the 2022 NFL Draft, which doesn’t include compensatory picks. Here’s how the Eagles received their extra draft picks in trades: 

The Eagles received the No. 15 pick from the Miami Dolphins in an offseason trade prior to the 2021 NFL Draft. Miami acquired the No. 6 overall pick from Philadelphia and 156th selection (fifth round) in exchange for the No. 12 pick, No. 123 pick (fourth round) and a 2022 first-round pick (which ended up being the No. 15 pick). 

Philadelphia received the No. 16 pick from the Indianapolis Colts in the Carson Wentz trade. The Eagles received a 2021 third-round pick (No. 84 overall) and 2022 conditional first-round pick in exchange for Wentz. Since Wentz played 75% of the snaps in 2021, the Eagles received the first-round pick from the Colts. 

The Eagles received a 2022 firth-round pick from Washington in exchange for a 2021 sixth-round pick (No. 225) and a 2021 seventh-round pick (No. 240). 

Philadelphia received a 2022 fifth-round pick and cornerback Tay Gowan from Arizona in exchange for Zach Ertz last season. 

The Eagles received a 2022 sixth-round pick from the Colts in exchange for guard/tackle Matt Pryor and a 2022 seventh-round pick. 

Key offseason dates

• February 22-March 8: NFL clubs may designate Franchise or Transition Players.
• March 1-7: NFL Scouting Combine, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis.
• March 8: College Pro Days begin. Workouts of a school’s Pro Day-eligible players with players outside of the scheduled Pro Day activities are prohibited. Private dinners, meetings and interviews are permitted.
• March 8-April 20: NFL teams can host up to 30 non-local draft-eligible players at their facilities for visits and physical exams, but on-field workouts are prohibited.
• March 8-April 27: NFL clubs can conduct video or telephone interviews with draft-eligible players, with a maximum of three video or telephone interviews per player, no longer than one hour in length.
• March 14-16: Beginning at 12 p.m. (ET) on March 14, clubs are permitted to contact and enter into contract negotiations with the certified agents of players who will become unrestricted free agents upon the expiration of their 2021 player contracts. However, a contract cannot be executed with a new club until 4 p.m. (ET) on March 16.
• March 16: Prior to 4 p.m. (ET), clubs must exercise options for 2022 on all players who have option clauses in their 2021 contracts. Clubs must submit qualifying offers to their Restricted Free Agents with expiring contracts to retain a Right of First Refusal/Compensation. Clubs must submit a minimum salary tender to retain exclusive negotiating rights to their players with expiring 2021 contracts who have fewer than three accrued seasons of free agency credit.
• March 16: Top 51 begins. All clubs must be under the 2022 salary cap prior to 4 p.m. (ET).
• March 16: All 2021 player contracts expire at 4 p.m. (ET).
• March 16: The 2022 league year and free agency period begin at 4 p.m. (ET).
• March 16: The first day of the 2022 league year will end at 11:59:59 p.m. (ET). Clubs will receive a personnel notice that will include all transactions submitted to the league office during the period between 4 p.m. and 11:59:59 p.m. (ET).
• March 16: Trading period for 2022 begins at 4 p.m. (ET) after expiration of all 2021 contracts.
• March 27-30: Annual League Meeting, The Breakers, Palm Beach, Fla.
• April 4: Teams with new head coaches can begin offseason workout programs. The Eagles are not one of the nine clubs that can participate. 
• April 18: Clubs with returning head coaches may begin offseason workout programs. The Eagles offseason workouts can begin. 
• April 22: Deadline for Restricted Free Agents to sign offer sheets.
• April 28-30: 2022 NFL Draft, Las Vegas.
• May 2: Deadline for NFL teams to exercise fifth-year options for players selected in the first round of the 2019 draft.
• May 6-9 or 13-16: Clubs can hold their three-day rookie minicamps from Friday through Sunday or Saturday through Monday on one of the two weekends following the draft.
• May 16: Rookie Football Development Programs begin.
• May 19-22: NFLPA Rookie Premiere (tentative).
• May 23-25: Spring League Meeting, TBA.
• June 1: Deadline for prior club to send “June 1 tender” to its unsigned RFAs who received a qualifying offer for a right of first refusal only in order for such player to be subject to the CBA’s “June 15 Tender” provision.
• June 15: Deadline for clubs to withdraw qualifying offers to RFAs and still retain exclusive negotiating rights by substituting “June 15 Tender” of one-year contract at 110 percent of the player’s prior-year Paragraph 5 Salary (with all other terms of his prior-year contract carried forward unchanged).

2022 regular-season opponents

Here’s a brief explanation of the NFL scheduling formula, which was implemented in 2002. Here’s a breakdown of how each team’s opponents are set:

• Six games against divisional opponents — two games per team, one at home and one on the road.
• Four games against teams from a division within its conference — two games at home and two on the road — on a rotating three-year cycle (four games). The Eagles will play the NFC North in 2022.
• Four games against teams from a division in the other conference — two games at home and two on the road — on a rotating four-year cycle (four games). The Eagles will play the AFC South in 2022. 
• Two games against teams from the two remaining divisions in its own conference — one game at home and one on the road. Matchups are based on division ranking from the previous season. These conference games are based on the prior year’s standings. 
• Example: A first-place team will play against the first-place teams in the two same-conference divisions that the team is not scheduled to play that season. The second-place, third-place, and fourth-place teams in that conference are matched in the same way each year. The Eagles will play the second-place team in the NFC South (New Orleans Saints) and second-place team in NFC West (Arizona Cardinals). 
• The NFL incorporated another interconference game to the mix, pinning a first-place team from a NFC division against a first-place team from an AFC division and so forth. One interconference game based on the prior year’s standings on a rotating four-year cycle (one game). These games match a first-place team from one division against a first-place team in an opposite conference division that the team is not scheduled to play that season. The second-place, third-place and fourth-place teams in each division are matched in the same way each year. The home conference for this game will rotate each season.

• The Eagles will play nine home games and eight road games this year. In 2021, they played eight home games and nine road games. 

Home: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Commanders, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Pittsburgh Steelers

Away: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Commanders, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Arizona Cardinals, Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans

*The actual 2022 schedule will be released later this offseason.