With a new CBA in place, free agency set to open on Wednesday, and the legal tampering period in full flow, teams were chomping at the bit to improve their teams. With an increased cap number, teams can now actually act instead of guessing or pretending. So let’s jump right into the beginning off the offseason frenzy!
What a crazy first day of the legal tampering period, where teams can work deals with free agents, but they can’t become official until Wednesday. One of the best free agents signing in my opinion so far is the Philadelphia Eagles offer to defensive tackle Javon Hargrave. They will sign him to a three year, $39 million deal when free agency officially opens on Wednesday.
Hargrave spent his first four seasons in Pittsburgh, where he only missed one game during that span and started 52 of the 63 games he played. Durable as they come and a player that earned his stripes in the blue-collar, beat ’em up division, that is the AFC North.
What the Eagles will be getting in Hargrave is one of the best young run-stopping, lane clogging, road grading, interior pass rushers in the NFL. An impact player at a position (nose tackle) that might be one of the toughest in football to excel at. He’ll give the Eagles a much-needed youth upgrade and will be an excellent fit playing alongside veteran defensive tackle Fletcher Cox and between defensive ends Brandon Graham and Derek Barnett. The transition for Hargrave from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia should be easy, where he’ll make the move from a 3-4 nose tackle to a 4-3 defensive tackle. He will also give the Eagles some flexibility and versatility along the defensive line. His ability to provide a pass rush from the inside will make the Eagles defense a much-improved unit.
Last season when Pittsburgh’s veteran, Stephon Tuitt was lost for the rest of the season due to injury, Hargrave kicked out to that spot and played admirably. Keep in mind the Eagles also have veteran Malik Jackson in the fold, so they will have one of the league’s best rotations. This will allow Philadelphia to get creative with matchups, be dominant as any team in the league, and at the very least improve their overall depth upfront. The addition of Hargrave likely means the end of Timmy Jernigan’s tenure, but a definite upgrade.
For Hargrave, this is the perfect opportunity. He gets to continue to be a starter for a playoff contender, with a great supporting cast to play alongside him. He’s the future for the Eagles as Cox and Jackson are getting long in the tooth. His last two seasons with the Steelers have been so underrated, but impactful. In 2018, he put together a great season, as he produced 49 tackles and 6.5 sacks, which are big numbers for a nose tackle. The next year he’d have to adapt his game when Stephon Tuitt went down, but he’d register a career-best sixty tackles, with four sacks. While his sacks may have been down just a touch, his pressures and knockdowns were career-best. It’s my belief that a switch from a 3-4 to 4-3 scheme is much easier with the extra defensive lineman and Hargrave is already on the cusp of a breakout, so it’s a win-win for both him and the Eagles.
For fantasy owners, I would expect a jump in production for Hargrave. I see his floor being 50+ tackles and 5+ sacks, with the potential for so much more. In position specific leagues, Hargrave will have a premium value and is one of the must own at the position.
After signing with the Eagles, I went through all my leagues to see how much he was owned and to my surprise, he was available as a free agent in about 50% of those leagues. I will say that I had the foresight last season to pick him up in a number of leagues and stash him away. That appears to be a substantial payoff for me this year. In fantasy, no matter the format, it’s always smart to plan ahead and look at your team’s future. Go see if he’s available on waivers and if not, don’t be afraid to make an offer for him. He can be acquired most likely for a late draft pick and at that price, his value is great.
Thanks for reading my article and if enjoyed it, you can read more of my articles at dynastyfootballfactory.com. You can also follow me on social media, on Twitter at Hollywood@DFF_DWin, on Facebook on my IDPNation page, on Reddit in the fantasy football IDP sub I’m user KingTitan1 and you can tune in each week and listen to the podcasts, IDP Nation that I co-host, on a number of different platforms. Feel free to hit me up with any questions that you have, as I’m always glad to help fellow IDPers. #IDPNation #IDP #IDPDevy
