Eagles Mailbag: Receiver solutions, linebackers, free agency

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Other teams are still playing and there are still months before free agency and the draft, but the NFL never sleeps. 

You have questions, we make up answers. 

Let's hop into this week's first mailbag: 

There are a few guys who would be good picks in the first round with that 14th or 15th pick. Mike Williams (Clemson), Corey Davis (Western Michigan) and John Ross (Washington) are considered the top three by most.

Ross is an interesting name because he's a lot like DeSean Jackson — a sub-6-foot burner who can deliver on deep balls. The other two are 6-3. 

There will be some options in the second round, too. If JuJu Smith-Schuster (USC) falls or if Cooper Kupp (Eastern Washington) is still there, either would be a fine pick for good value. 

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This kind of works with the first question, so we'll go back to back. I think they try to fix the receiver position through the draft and in free agency. That's how much help they need there. 

Remember, Howie Roseman put everything into getting a franchise quarterback in Carson Wentz last offseason. So it would be crazy for the Eagles to not give him some help. Wentz's biggest weapons in 2016 were Zach Ertz and Jordan Matthews. He needs a big-time weapon on the outside. 

If you're looking at free agents, there are plenty of options, but the Eagles don't have a lot of cap room. Everyone's going to talk about Jackson, but aside from him, there's Kenny Britt and Kamar Aiken. They're a couple years younger than Jackson, which would allow Wentz to grow with them some. Britt is a big receiver and Aiken has the ability to play inside and outside. Either would help upgrade what they have. Among those two, Britt will cost more money. 

On the list of needs the Eagles have, linebacker isn't near the top of the list for me. There's receiver, cornerback, running back and edge rusher, so linebacker isn't up there. 

The Eagles were very fortunate this season to have Jordan Hicks and Nigel Bradham on the field for most of it. Bradham has just one year left on his contract, and it might make sense to figure out a new contract with him. He's had his issues off the field but formed a nice duo with Hicks. 

And Joe Walker was just a seventh-round pick last year and suffered an ACL tear, but the team really liked him last training camp. He'll have a chance to return from injury and be the team's backup MIKE linebacker in 2017. 

So maybe the Eagles use a mid- or late-round pick on a linebacker, but if I was running the show, I wouldn't make it the biggest priority. 

Free agency starts at 4 p.m. on March 9. The legal tampering window begins on March 7. That's when teams can talk to soon-to-be free agents but can't agree to deals yet. 

The Eagles will have nine free agents. Take a look at them here

I think the Eagles need to sign a receiver. Maybe not a top of the line one, but not a bottom of the barrel either. They need to get someone they're confident will make them better there, not take a chance on a draft pick. It would just be unfair and cruel to Wentz to not offer him some immediate help. 

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