The Eagles moved to shore up their linebacker corps Monday one day before the NFL trade deadline by acquiring second-year pro Genard Avery from the Browns in exchange for an undisclosed draft pick.
Avery is an interesting guy.
He had a promising rookie for the Browns last year as a rookie fifth-round draft pick out of Memphis.
He played in all 16 games, starting five, and averaged 43 snaps per game along with 90 special teams snaps. He had 4 1/2 sacks, five tackles for loss and 14 quarterback hits and looked like a solid prospect for the Browns.
But he barely played this year. He got into only two of the Browns' first eight games and played only five snaps on defense and none on special teams.
This story by Jeff Risdon of Brownswire gets into good detail on how Avery fell into disfavor under new defensive coordinator Steve Wilks and why his playing time disappeared this season, and really outlines his strengths and weaknesses as a player.
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As of now, the Eagles have seven linebackers on the roster, including Alex Singleton, who has only played on special teams in his two NFL games, and Duke Riley, who has only played 10 defensive snaps this year.
The other healthy linebackers on the roster are undrafted rookie T.J. Edwards, Kamu Grugier-Hill and Nate Gerry. Nigel Bradham, a starter, is currently hurt.
The Eagles still need to make a corresponding move to keep the roster at 53.
Because Avery comes here via trade, the Eagles assume the remaining years of his contract. He's earning $570,000 this year and due to earn $660,000 next year and $750,000 in 2021 on the final year of his four-year, $2.748948 million rookie contract.
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