The Philadelphia Eagles made a free agent move to stock up the interior of their defensive line, reportedly agreeing to a three-year deal with nose tackle Javon Hargrave, multiple media outlets reported Monday.
Hargrave is expected to earn $39 million, including $26 million guaranteed, agent Drew Rosenhaus told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Schefter, the agreement will make Hargrave the highest-paid nose tackle in the league.
Hargrave, who turned 27 last month, is not expected to play the nose position — as he did for four seasons in Pittsburgh’s 3-4 defense. Instead, the Eagles likely will look to pair him atop the team’s defensive tackle rotation on their 4-3 alignment, with Hargrave a candidate to be a starter next to five-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Fletcher Cox.
The Eagles also expect to have Malik Jackson back after he missed most of the 2019 season due to a foot injury.
A third-round selection in the 2016 NFL Draft by the Steelers, Hargrave registered career highs with 60 tackles and seven tackles for loss last season. He saw the field on 63 percent of the team’s defensive snaps in 2019, a career best, and recorded four sacks in 2019. He posted 6.5 sacks while appearing on just 44 percent of Pittsburgh’s snaps in 2018, his breakout season.
In his four seasons as a Steeler, Hargrave 168 tackles, 14.5 sacks and 22 tackles for loss in 63 games (52 starts).
Additionally Monday, the Eagles saw offensive lineman Halapoulivaati Vaitai agree to a five-year, $50 million contract with the Detroit Lions. Philadelphia reportedly was outbid in its efforts to lure free agent defensive backs Byron Jones, who agreed to join the Miami Dolphins, and James Bradberry, who is slated to join the New York Giants.