Eagles Sign Ngata to 1-Year Deal

PHILADELPHIA (973espn.com) - It took a little longer than expected but the Eagles locked up their replacement for the departed Beau Allen, signing veteran Pro Bowl talent Haloti Ngata to a 1-year, $3 million deal.

After securing $84 million for Kirk Cousins in Minnesota, agent Mike McCartney still had enough time to jump on his phone and confirm Ngata passed his physical on Thursday morning and signed his deal in Philadelphia.

The Eagles followed shortly and introduced the big nose tackle at the NovaCare Complex.

One of the best run-stuffers of the generation, the king-sized Ngata, 34, still commands double teams and projects nicely as the third tackle in Jim Schwartz's defensive line rotation behind Fletcher Cox and Tim Jernigan.

Allen played 41 percent of the team's defensive snaps last season and got a three-year, $15 million deal in free agency from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Ngata is expected to fill a similar role with youngsters Destiny Vaeao and Elijah Qualls filling out the depth chart at DT. He will also be taking Allen's former No. 94. Ngata's typical No. 92 is off limits, retired for Reggie White, the very player Ngata honored by choosing that number.

A five-time Pro Bowl selection, two-time All-Pro and former Super Bowl winner in Baltimore, Ngata spent nine seasons with the Ravens when Eagles vice president of player personnel Joe Douglas was with that organization before ultimately joining the Detroit Lions for the past three years.

Ngata's 2017 season was cut short after just five games with a torn biceps and the veteran didn't want his career ending on that kind of note.

"I didn't want to finish my career on IR," Ngata admitted. "That [thought] lit the fire."

That and the thought of reaching another Super Bowl.

"Ever since I went, I've always wanted to go back," Ngata said. "It's the best feeling in the world and something I want to feel again."

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