Eagles sign an actual linebacker, Eric Wilson, and bring back Jordan Howard to help Miles Sanders

We are well into the bargain-bin phase of NFL free agency, and given his tight salary cap situation, that is where Eagles general manager Howie Roseman is filling his cart. Wednesday, Roseman unearthed an apparent bargain in possible starting linebacker Eric Wilson, then brought some veteran competition to the running back room by kicking off Jordan Howard’s third stint with the Eagles.

Wilson, who turns 27 in September, played 96% of the Vikings’ defensive snaps last season, starting 15 games, after Anthony Barr was injured. He led the Vikings in tackles with 122, and intercepted three passes, which would have led the Eagles. He also notched three sacks, recovered two fumbles and forced one.

The NFL Network said Wilson signed for one year and up to $3.25 million. It’s fair to speculate that after a breakthrough season, in which fellow Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks called him a “walking turnover,” Wilson was expecting more from the free-agent market. Three weeks into that job fair, the Eagles offer him a chance to start -- their linebacking corps was among the worst in the NFL last season -- and another shot at the market next year.

Wilson was an undrafted Vikings rookie in 2017, the last year new Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon served on Mike Zimmer’s staff. Gannon is expected to install a Zimmeresque scheme, in which linebackers might hold more value than they held for former Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. (Schwartz has signed on as a defensive consultant with the Tennessee Titans, by the way, taking him back to the city where he became a high-profile coordinator two decades back.)

Wilson is reputed to be good as a blitzer and in pass coverage (78.9 opposing passer rating last season), not so good in run support, where Pro Football Focus gave him an awful 38.3 grade.

Howard, meanwhile, was a decent trade acquisition for the Eagles in 2019 before suffering what turned out essentially to be a season-ending shoulder injury in the ninth game. He left for Miami in free agency last year, was cut, and returned to the Eagles, where he played in only two games, carrying seven times for 27 yards.

If he makes the team on this one-year deal, Howard can again serve as a counterpoint and a mentor to third-year back Miles Sanders. Howard is still just 26. But his stats have declined every year since he made the Pro Bowl as a 2016 Bears rookie.

The San Francisco 49ers, who earlier signed Eagles free-agent linebacker Nate Gerry, added to their Nate collection Wednesday with Eagles free-agent quarterback Nate Sudfeld.

Sudfeld, 27, came to the Eagles in 2017 after a year with Washington, which drafted him in the sixth round out of Indiana. He held value for the Doug Pederson regime because of his knowledge of the offense, but Sudfeld became a free agent this spring as the Eagles were hiring new head coach Nick Sirianni, who brings in a new scheme.

Rich Scangerello, the Eagles’ senior offensive assistant last season, is now the 49ers’ quarterbacks coach. They traded up in the draft to third overall, presumably to draft a quarterback. Sudfeld only has a few weeks to change their mind.

» READ MORE: Eagles players, coaches were shocked by Doug Pederson’s QB switch, resulting in sideline confrontations

Sudfeld’s stock crashed and burned after Pederson lifted Jalen Hurts to give Sudfeld his first snaps of the season in the fourth quarter of the Eagles’ season-ending loss to Washington. The game was meaningless to the 4-11-1 Eagles, but it gave Washington a 7-9 record and a playoff berth as the NFC East champion, eliminating the 6-10 Giants. Pederson was accused of tanking for a higher draft spot, after Sudfeld completed just five of 12 passes for 32 yards and threw an interception. He also lost a fumble, and had a 14.6 passer rating.