Pro Football Focus will be providing analysis for every major signing and trade during the 2015 free-agency period, accounting primarily for the quality of player and his fit with his new team and focusing less on the financial terms of the deal.
Here is a grade for the Eagles' reported agreement with former Seahawks CB Byron Maxwell, which cannot become official until Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET.
Link to grade articles on every major deal
Philadelphia Eagles: B
Looking at just on-field production, Maxwell, a sixth-round pick in the 2011 draft, emerged in 2013 with a plus-10.4 coverage grade (including playoffs). He allowed 50 percent of passes to be completed into his coverage during his breakout season, while intercepting four and deflecting nine more. It wasn't as smooth sailing in 2014 for Maxwell, as his coverage grade fell to minus-1.9 while allowing 65 percent of passes to be completed. He also had a plus-3.1 coverage grade against the Eagles, by far his best mark in any game last season.
Did the Eagles overpay based on what they saw firsthand? With Richard Sherman manning the left side of the Seahawks' defense, Maxwell was frequently targeted at right cornerback. He has little experience playing anywhere other than the right side (four snaps at left cornerback, 174 in the slot compared to 612 at right cornerback), but that shouldn't be an issue in Philly, as the Eagles rarely tracked wide receivers with their corners last season. But if they want to get their money's worth, they may look to an expanded role from Maxwell, and that inherently comes with some risk if asking him to match up with the league's best.
Despite the drop-off in 2014, Maxwell will likely fall somewhere between his 2013 and 2014 production, which makes him a solid corner and therefore a highly coveted one in a thin free-agent market. He should be an upgrade in an Eagles secondary that needs one.