We are really starting to see the influence of new vice president of player personnel Joe Douglas come into play.
On Tuesday, the Philadelphia Eagles acquired defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan and a third-round pick (99th overall) from the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for a third-round pick (74th overall). The Eagles needed to bolster their interior defensive line after losing starter Bennie Logan to the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency. Jernigan, who registered five sacks while working primarily as an interior rusher in the Ravens' 3-4 system last season, should help generate some pressure in Jim Schwartz's attacking 4-3 system alongside Fletcher Cox. Jernigan will add to a rotation that also includes veteran Beau Allen.
Baltimore drafted Jernigan in the second round in 2014, when Douglas served as the Ravens' national scout. There is little doubt that Douglas' opinion of the Florida State product carried serious sway here.
Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie sang the praises of Douglas at the owners meetings last week, calling his hiring in May "the pivotal moment of the last year." That's a bold statement, particularly considering the team traded for the rights to potential franchise quarterback Carson Wentz last offseason as well.
Lurie's words might have been a bit hyperbolic, but the Eagles appear pleased with the job Douglas has done to date and have made efforts to move him toward center stage publicly. Douglas has been described as the man leading the charge on the draft and free agency, while executive vice president of football operations Howie Roseman continues to have final say. The Jernigan signing is another indication that Douglas' evaluations are carrying weight.
There have been other examples of this. The Eagles signed receiver Torrey Smith to a three-year deal at the start of free agency. As was the case with Jernigan, Douglas was in the Ravens’ scouting department during Smith's time in Baltimore. (Douglas' one year with the Chicago Bears also overlapped with Alshon Jeffery's, though that is not thought to have played a major part in the Eagles' decision to sign him.)
Jernigan's contract situation was undoubtedly a factor in the Ravens' willingness to move on from him. He is in the final year of a four-year deal (he'll make a touch over $1 million this season) and is scheduled to become a free agent in 2018. From the Eagles' perspective, they’ll have the inside track to sign him to a long-term deal if everything works out, and will spend an entire season with him before making such a commitment. It's the same type of desirable "optionality" that led to the eventual signing of Jeffery.
Jernigan is just 24, which adds to the appeal for an Eagles team that wants to build a young core around Wentz. Thanks in part to Douglas' insight, they obviously felt comfortable in experimenting with Jernigan to see if he's a potential long-term fit.