Reuben Frank and Dave Zangaro bring back Stay or Go in 2024, trying to figure out the futures of every Eagles player on the roster.
We already looked at quarterback, running back, receiver, tight end, interior offensive line and offensive tackle.
Up today: Specialists
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Jake Elliott
Roob: One of the few 2023 Eagles who can look himself in the mirror and know he did everything he could. Elliott made 30 of 32 field goals for a franchise-record 94 percent, and one of those two misses was from 55 yards. He was 7-for-8 from 50 yards and out, and he’ll go into 2024 with 15 consecutive made field goals. He’s up to 8th all-time in NFL history at 87.2 percent. Over the last three seasons, he’s attempted 93 field goals and missed eight, and that 91.4 percent mark is 4th-highest in the league. Elliott is going into the final year of his contract, and a quiet priority for Howie Roseman is getting him locked up for the rest of his life.
Verdict: Stays
Dave: With all due respect to the great David Akers, Elliott is already the best kicker in Eagles history. And he’s coming off another tremendous season in 2023. The only reason he missed out on his second Pro Bowl is because the guy in Dallas literally didn’t miss a kick this year. But Elliott was fantastic in Year 7, making 30 of 32 kicks and 7 of 8 from 50+. Elliott is entering the final year of the five-year extension he signed back in 2019 so it’s probably time for another one. His APY of $4.03 million ranks 12th among kickers, according to OverTheCap, so he clearly deserves a raise. The Eagles are a team with Super Bowl aspirations and they can’t cut corners with a clutch kicker like Elliott.
NFL
Verdict: Stays
Rick Lovato
Roob: Other than Brandon Graham, Jason Kelce, Lane Johnson and Fletcher Cox, Lovato has been here longer than anybody. He’s spent eight years with the Eagles, and he’s been here so long he snapped for Caleb Sturgis. Lovato was a Pro Bowler in 2019 and he’s as good as any long snapper in the league and a big reason Elliott has been money since he got here. He’s long snapped in 118 games and in Eagle history, only Jon Dorenbos (162 games) – his predecessor – long snapped in more. But Lovato is an unrestricted free agent and while he might be the Eagles’ biggest offseason priority, he’s an important piece of the Eagles’ kicking game. He and Elliott have been together seven years now. Can’t imagine Roseman won’t get this one done.
Verdict: Stays
Dave: Roseman has some work to do with his specialists this offseason because two of the three are free agents and the other is entering the final year of his deal. After the way they performed in 2023, the Eagles should really want to keep this group together. Lovato has been here since the 2016 season and was a Pro Bowler back in 2019. The Eagles have talked about the importance of the whole kicking operation and Lovato has been an important part of that. And it’s not like you really have to pay long snappers a ton anyway. Lovato’s APY is just under $1.1 million on his current deal and the highest in the NFL for a long snapper is Luke Rhodes at $1.65 million, per OTC. Just get it done.
Verdict: Stays
Braden Mann
Roob: After replacingArryn Siposs two games into the season, Mann set franchise records with a 42.7 net average and 49.8 gross average, breaking a couple marks set in 2018 by Cameron Johnston. That 49.8 mark was 7th-best in the NFL and his net was 5th-best, which is awfully impressive for a guy kicking outdoors and often in bad weather in the Northeast. Mann is due to become a free agent and like Lovato, it’s hard to imagine Roseman won’t find a way to get him signed.
Verdict: Stays
Dave: The Eagles went into the 2023 season with Arryn Siposs but wisely gave him a quick hook and found an upgrade in Mann. While Mann started off slow, he ended up having a fantastic season, setting a couple Eagles records. Mann is a pending free agent while he’s not the Eagles’ biggest priority, the team should want to bring him back for the 2024 season as long as it doesn’t break the bank and it’s hard to imagine it will.
Verdict: Stays
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