Eagles Set to Sign Ellerbe

PHILADELPHIA (973espn.com) — After a week of self-scouting it looks like the Eagles have decided they want a little bit more at linebacker in the wake of Jordan Hicks' seson-ending Achilles tear suffered against Washington back in Week 7.

According to his agent, Philadelphia is going to sign veteran Dannell Ellerbe on Monday, a 31-year-old eight-year who has had with stints in Baltimore, Miami and New Orleans.

Ellerbe has a history with Eagles personnel chief in Baltimore when he signed as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Georgia back in 2009. He developed into a starter by the end of the 2012 season when the Ravens made their run to win Super Bowl XLVII.

He signed as a big money free agent with the Dolphins in 2013 but has been injury prone since and was eventually dealt to the Saints, along with a third-round pick, for receiver Kenny Stills in 2015.

Last season for a bad NOLA defense Ellerbe finished with 44 tackles, four sacks, and two PBUs in nine games (eight starts).

Ellerbe will be joining a LB corps in which Joe Walker has replaced Hicks at the mike position in the base defense while Nigel Bradham and Mychal Kendricks handle the heavy lifting in the nickel defense. The versatile Najee Goode, special-teams stalwart Kamu Grugier-Hill, and rookie Nate Gerry are the backups.

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