Eagles Sign Veteran Linebacker Zach Brown to 1-year Deal

The Eagles have finally addressed the linebacker position, signing veteran Zach Brown on Friday morning. 

Brown's one-year contract is worth $3 million, according to a league source. Before the deal, the Eagles had over $24 million in cap space. 

Brown, 29, has played seven years in the NFL, the last two with the division-rival Redskins. He began his career with the Titans, who drafted him in the second round of the 2012 draft out of North Carolina. 

In 2016, Brown made the Pro Bowl as a member of the Bills in his only season in Buffalo. 

The Eagles lost Jordan Hicks to the Cardinals in free agency and then neglected to draft a linebacker last month. The Eagles also re-signed Paul Worrilow and added L.J. Fort this offseason. 

But Brown will have the inside track to a starting gig in 2019, along with holdovers Nigel Bradham and Kamu Grugier-Hill. 

Because Brown was released by Washington earlier this offseason, he will not count against the Eagles in the compensatory pick formula. That has been important to the Birds this offseason. 

Last season in Washington, Brown played all 16 games with 12 starts. He had 96 tackles and one sack. He played 2018 with an oblique injury. 

In the last three seasons, Brown has been a tackling machine. He has 372 tackles during that span, second in the NFL behind just Bobby Wagner. His 250 solo tackles are fourth during that span. 

Upon his arrival, Brown will need to squash an old beef in the Eagles' locker room. Back in 2017, Brown responded to Lane Johnson, who said the Eagles were going to go down to D.C. and "whup some ass" against Washington (the Eagles ended up winning 30-17). Brown fired back. 

Then, Brown spoke to NBC Sports Washington and defended his organization. He claimed what Johnson said was "insulting" to his team. 

It seems like all that animosity is gone for Brown, who was pretty excited to join the Eagles on Friday. 

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