Jerry Hughes, OLB
Age: 26
Height: 6-2
Weight: 253
Last team: Buffalo Bills
Scouting report
After three bust seasons with the Colts, who took him 31st overall in 2010, Hughes was traded to the Bills. In Buffalo, the former TCU star produced back-to-back 10-sack seasons despite starting just 17 of the 32 games he played there. For his career, Hughes has 25 sacks in 72 games and 24 starts. He has five forced fumbles and an 18-yard touchdown return. Hughes made $3.995 million last year in base salary, the final year of his rookie deal.
Geoff’s take
I always press pause on late bloomers who suddenly seem to come on as the end of their contract approaches. One concern I have about Hughes is that 20 of his 24 sacks came after he was traded to Buffalo and became teammates with Mario Williams. Is he an ascending pass rusher or just the beneficiary of protection schemes designed to stop Williams? If the Eagles are going to spend on outside linebacker, they might as well just give the money to Brandon Graham. Hughes would be a decent Plan B to split time with Trent Cole.
Roob’s take
Hughes is another one who’s tough to figure. He was a first-round bust with the Colts but one of just seven NFL players with double-digit sacks in each of the last two years. He’s not a one-year wonder, he produced in a big way in each of the last two years, and at 26 he’s right in his prime. The Eagles have a lot of questions at linebacker, and if Hughes is still out there once free agent prices start to fall, I’d consider him. Not a guy I want to break the bank for but an interesting name if he’s still on the market a couple weeks into the free agency period.