The Philadelphia Eagles will come out of training camp without a punter on the active roster after cutting former starter Arryn Sippos.
Philadelphia brought in undrafted rookie free agent Ty Zentner to challenge Sippos in training camp but neither player did enough to impress the front office.
The Eagles have already been linked to Pittsburgh Steelers punter Braden Mann but the search will become more dire in the days leading up to Week 1.
That’s because Pittsburgh elected to keep two punters on its 53-man roster in 2023. The Steelers will come out of training camp with Mann and proposed starter Pressley Harvin III on the depth chart, leaving the possibility that Howie Roseman and Omar Khan could still strike a deal before Week 1.
The Eagles have been linked to Mann in the past. In fact, the team put a waiver claim in for Mann in April but didn’t get him.
Last year, Mann ended up back with the Jets and finished as PFF’s 4th highest-graded punter in 2022.
What Would An Eagles-Steelers Trade Look Like?
Philadelphia could deal for a punter using draft assets or players on the 53-man roster.
Pittsburgh could use some help along the offensive line and in the secondary, two areas of strength for the Eagles.
Mario Goodrich, Eli Ricks, and Sua Opeta come to mind as potential trade candidates but it wouldn’t fit Howie Roseman’s profile to trade young talent at key positions.
Punters aren’t generally drafted, so spending a late-round pick on a punter might not be a wise move, but for a Super Bowl contending team it might be worth the price.
Philadelphia is expected to have 10 picks in the 2024 NFL Draft, including as many as four compensatory picks and two picks in the sixth round. With the Eagles in win-now mode, it wouldn’t hurt to exchange a late-round pick for a player who can fill a need right now.
Instead, look for Philadelphia to offer a sixth or seventh-round pick in return for Mann or another starting-caliber punter.
Trade Proposal:
- Eagles Get: Braden Mann
- Steelers Get: 2024 6th-Round Pick
Eagles Fans Are Relieved To See Sippos Cut
After struggling in the playoffs in each of the past two seasons, Sippos was finally shown the door in Philadelphia.
Eagles fans don’t need any further reminders of Sippos’ blunders but they are relieved to see someone new coming in at the position.
Check out some of the reactions from Eagles Twitter below.
Can The Eagles Lean On Jake Elliott To Punt?
There’s some sentiment on Twitter that the Eagles could lean on kicker Jake Elliott to take over punting duties.
Elliott has three career NFL punts but the results haven’t been pretty. With a career average of 37.2 yards and a long of 42, Philadelphia will need to do better to shore up its special teams unit.
Look for the Eagles to make a move in the coming days.
In addition to Mann, Corliss Waitman, Pat O’Donnell, and Blake Gillikin are also potential candidates for the Eagles’ starting punter job after losing their respective competitions during training camp.
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