The Philadelphia Eagles suffered through some of the worst defensive back play in the NFL last season.
Cornerback Bradley Fletcher was burned time and again and safety Nate Allen seemed a split second late on nearly every play. Both players are scheduled to become free agents and seem destined to find new NFL fanbases to disappoint.
Cornerback Cary Williams is a good, but far from great, player and could be back next season, though his cap hit skyrockets and the team may ask him to restructure or take a hike.
There are a number of ways the Eagles and head coach Chip Kelly can look to upgrade the backfield, one of which is via the addition of Denver Broncos safety Rahim Moore.
Moore is a former second-round pick of the Broncos who finally entered the starting lineup on a full-time basis this past season and finished the year with 49 tackles, four interceptions and two forced fumbles.
"If the Eagles view Moore as an upgrade, they should definitely investigate a signing," writes Mike Kaye of Bleeding Green Nation. "Moore is still young at only 24 but has plenty of experience. He has played in 57 games (48 starts) and has shown a proficiency to create turnovers with eight interceptions and two forced fumbles in four years. He is also 6-foot-1, which makes him the ideal size for Billy Davis and Chip Kelly."
Moore has said that former Eagles and Broncos safety Brian Dawkins is one of his "favorite DBs ever," and also has a connection to the Eagles in newly signed defensive backs coach Cory Undlin, who was with the Broncos last year.
Even if the team is able to nab Moore in free agency, they'll need to stockpile young assets to develop in the draft.
Sitting at the 20th spot in the first-round of next April's 2015 NFL Draft, there should be a number of options for Kelly and the Eagles to choose from.
ESPN's Todd McShay believes the Eagles could walk away from next spring's draft with Alabama safety, Landon Collins.
"...Collins would be a good value pick here. He's the No. 15 overall prospect on our board, has good range in coverage and is a playmaker when the ball is in the air. But where he excels most is in run support, which is a good fit in the NFC East, especially versus the Cowboys."
The Eagles added safety Malcolm Jenkins last year in free agency and he was one of the few defensive backfield bright spots for the team. The team was rumored to have sought another Alabama safety, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, in last year's draft, but he went to the Green Bay Packers a spot before them.
Another player the team could have interest in is former Washington cornerback, Marcus Peters. Dane Brugler of CBS Sports has Peters falling to the Eagles in his latest mock draft offering.
"One of the more intriguing prospects in this draft class, Peters has top-10 talent, but after being dismissed from the Huskies program, where will he land? Despite the red flags, it wouldn't be a surprise to see a team roll the dice in the first round because of his immense potential at an important position."
Peter is an aggressive press corner with length and a competitive mindset.
Peters has character issues, which may not play well with Kelly's focus on culture, but he seems to love football which may be the biggest aspect of "character" Kelly really cares about.
Peters also has a close relationship with Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch, who has served as something of a mentor to the young defensive back.
