Eagles Bring in More LB Help; Sign Paul Worrilow

PHILADELPHIA (973espn.com) - The Eagles have added more help for their defense and special teams by signing veteran linebacker Paul Worrilow to a one-year deal.

Worrilow, a University of Delaware product, spent the first four seasons of his NFL career with Atlanta after catching on as an undrafted free agent before signing with Detroit before last season.

He ended up playing in 13 games with the Lions in 2017, starting eight and playing in about 25 percent of the team's defensive snaps.

Not the best athlete in the world the 6-foot, 230-pound Worrilow is regarded as more of a run-stuffer than pass defender and will likely serve as an upgrade in the backup spot behind Jordan Hicks at middle linebacker.

Last season Joe Walker struggled in the base defense after Hicks tore his Achilles' and the team was forced to bring in Dannell Ellerbe in December. Worrilow, 27, in a younger alternative than Ellerbe and can also help on special teams far more.

He joins a LB corps that figures to feature Hicks and Nigel Bradham as the two three-down options with the recently signed Corey Nelson also around to push Mychal Kendricks on the weak side. Kendricks is believed to be on the trade block, however.

Walker, a third-year player out of Oregon, might be the big loser with this signing while an NFL source confirms to 973espn.com that the Eagles have shown no interest in bringing the 32-year-old Ellerbe back.

Special-teams stalwart Kamu Grugier-Hill and second-year player Nate Gerry, a former safety at Nebraska, round out the offseason depth chart at LB with the draft looming later this month.

-John McMullen covers the Eagles and the NFL for 973espn.com. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen