Eagles Lose Offensive Playmaker to NFC Rival: Report
Ex-Eagles WR Zach Pascal is signing with the Cardinals.The Philadelphia Eagles are losing another piece from last season’s Super Bowl team.
Eagles wide receiver Zach Pascal is signing a two-year deal with the Arizona Cardinals — which will reunite him with former Philadelphia offensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, the Cardinals’ new head coach — according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
“The #AZCardinals have agreed to terms with WR Zach Pascal on a two-year deal, sources tell me and @RapSheet,” says Garafolo. “Pascal and new Cards HC Jonathan Gannon were together with the #Colts and #Eagles, so Gannon knows well what Pascal can do as a well-rounded receiver.”
Eagles Lose Another Member of Super Bowl LVII Team
Pascal was considered the Eagles’ fourth receiver last season, behind the likes of A.J. Brown, Devonta Smith and Quez Watkins. During his lone season in Philadelphia, Pascal posted 15 receptions for 150 yards and one touchdown while appearing in all 17 regular season games. He also had two receptions for 11 yards in the Eagles’ Super Bowl LVII loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Although he wasn’t used that much in Philadelphia’s stacked offense, he was previously a heavily featured receiver for the Indianapolis Colts. Pascal posted back-to-back 600-yard seasons during the 2019 and 2020 seasons, leading the Colts in receiving yards and touchdowns (five) during the 2019 season.
Through five seasons, Pascal holds career totals of 165 receptions for 2,038 yards and 16 touchdowns.
However, he’ll also join a stacked receiving corps in Arizona. Even assuming star receiver DeAndre Hopkins is traded this offseason, the Cardinals have a number of viable wide receivers entering the 2023 season, as Johnny Venerable points out.
“Arizona Cardinals’ WR room (currently): DeAndre Hopkins, Hollywood Brown, Rondale Moore, Greg Dortch, Zach Pascal, Javon Wims, Auden Tate, Andre Baccellia,” says Venerable. “Hopkins still likely to be traded and I expect the Cardinals to draft a WR.”
Further complicating matters for the Eagles is that Pascal is just the latest contributor from last season’s Super Bowl squad that Philadelphia will lose this season. The Eagles have now lost five defensive starters — Javon Hargrave, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Marcus Epps, Kyzir White and T.J. Edwards — along with two offensive starters — Isaac Seumalo and Miles Sanders. That’s not even mentioning key reserves such as quarterback Gardner Minshew, offensive tackle Andre Dillard and Pascal.
Eagles Losing C.J. Gardner-Johnson to Lions
As mentioned before, the Eagles are losing Gardner-Johnson.
After it appeared Philadelphia had an opportunity of re-signing their valued starting safety, Gardner-Johnson is signing with the Detroit Lions, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
“Former Eagles’ safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson reached agreement tonight with the Detroit Lions, per source,” says Schefter. “The top remaining defensive free agent is off the board. Lions are giving him a one-year deal worth up to $8 million, per source.”
As reported by ESPN’s Matt Bowen, the Eagles actually made a multiyear offer to Gardner-Johnson at the beginning of free agency. However, he initially passed on the offer, misjudging the free agent market.
“A source told ESPN’s Tim McManus that the Philadelphia Eagles made a multiyear offer to keep Gardner-Johnson at the beginning of free agency which he didn’t accept, feeling his market value was much higher,” says Bowen. “The Eagles then shifted their attention to re-signing cornerbacks James Bradberry and Darius Slay.”
With Gardner-Johnson missing out on a big payday this offseason after a breakthrough campaign, he’ll look to carry over his success from last season into 2023. If the 25-year-old turns in a second consecutive strong campaign, he’ll have the opportunity to cash in big when he hits free agency again next offseason.
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