Eagles trade for defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan
There seems to be no denying the Eagles' newest defensive tackle's talent. Given that, it's fair to ask why Baltimore made the deal.
The Eagles took a little more pressure off their upcoming 2017 draft Tuesday, when they acquired defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan from the Baltimore Ravens.
The price was right for bringing in a 2014 second-round pick who played 60 percent of the Ravens' snaps in 2016 and doesn't turn 25 until September: The Eagles traded their third-round pick, 74th overall, for a Baltimore compensatory pick at the end of the same round, 99th overall.
Why would the Ravens let a young, healthy, starting-quality defensive lineman go for such a minimal return? It seems Jernigan, 6-2, 295, drafted when Eagles player personnel vice president Joe Douglas was a Baltimore scout, fell out of favor down the stretch last season in a deep defensive-front rotation. His five sacks all came in the first nine games, and he managed one tackle over the final four games, the Baltimore Sun said. This will be the final year of Jernigan's rookie deal, so apparently the Ravens didn't intend to sign him beyond 2017.
The Sun also said that when Jernigan's snaps declined last season, so did his effort. But he did start 15 games, and in the statement announcing the trade, Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome said: "Timmy has been a terrific player for us for three seasons. This will allow our young group of defensive linemen an opportunity to compete and play."
In the Eagles' statement, de facto GM Howie Roseman said he was excited to add Jernigan, and went on to say: "It was hard to move down in the third round but we believe in building along the lines and he is a good fit for our scheme. At 24 years old, his best football is still ahead of him. We still have at least one pick in every round and eight total picks in the draft that will take place in Philadelphia in front of our fans in a few weeks."
Signing Jernigan fills a hole created when Bennie Logan departed in free agency for Kansas City.
With Beau Allen and 2016 rookie Destiny Vaeao in a rotation that features Fletcher Cox and Jernigan, the Eagles don't absolutely have to add a defensive tackle in the draft, which begins April 27 on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
ESPN.com said Ravens coach John Harbaugh acknowledged last week at the NFL owners' meetings that the team was listening to offers for Jernigan, who has 13 sacks in three seasons.
"To me, Timmy is going to have the best year of his career, without question," Harbaugh said then. "I know how passionate he is, I know how much he wants to be great."
Jernigan played at Florida State with Eagles linebacker Nigel Bradham and cornerback Terrence Brooks.
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