Report: Eagles to release linebacker Mychal Kendricks, once a rumored Falcons trade target

The Atlanta Falcons aren’t exactly flush with cash, but even so, I fully expect them to pursue interesting players as they become available this offseason. Fortunately for them, one is expected to be available quite soon.

Per Adam Schefter, the Eagles are set to release veteran linebacker Mychal Kendricks. You’ll recall that back in March, reports were circulating that the Falcons might be considering trading for him. If that interest was genuine, they should certainly be interested once he’s available for just the cost of a contract.

Kendricks is a bit of a surprising cut. He’s been a starter all six years in Philadelphia and is coming off a 15 game, two sack campaign, and is just 27 years old. Presumably he’d slot in as the team’s starting linebacker on the weak side, with Deion Jones and De’Vondre Campbell manning the other two spots while Duke Riley, Kemal Ishmael, and rookie Foye Oluokun would provide depth. It would inarguably be a roster-bolstering signing if the Falcons could pull it off.

The question, of course, is whether the Falcons will do it. They’re not sitting on a ton of cap space at the moment, and a bidding war for Kendricks could carry him out of Atlanta’s range in short order. If the interest is genuine and Kendricks wants to play for one of the NFC’s contenders, however, I’m hopeful they can get something done.

Stay tuned and we’ll see if Kendricks proves to be a legitimate target for the Falcons. I’m excited by the possibility.