Evan Mathis would be a nice fit for the St. Louis Rams

Evan Mathis and the Philadelphia Eagles didn’t quite see eye-to-eye on some things, so in true Chip Kelly fashion, they released him. That makes the third high-profile Drew Rosenhaus client that the Eagles have released or traded since Kelly’s arrival. I’ll let everyone come to their own conspiracy theories, but Mathis entering the free-agent market is good news for the rest of the league.

Mathis has started 56 games in the last four years, for a total of 114 in his 11-year career. He has made the Pro Bowl the last two years and was an AP First-Team All-Pro selection in 2013. Mathis was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He has played for four teams in his NFL career, accumulating his best play in the last four seasons with the Eagles.

The Rams, and many other teams, could make some space for a Pro Bowl guard like Mathis on their team, but with three out of five spots up for grabs on the St. Louis o-line, Mathis should be one of the first calls the Rams make.

“The relationship between Mathis and the Eagles went south because of money, so don’t expect him to come cheap.”

Right guard Rodger Saffold and second-year left tackle Greg Robinson will return to their previous positions on the line. The competition for center will be a toss-up between Barrett Jones, Tim Barnes and Demetrius Rhaney. That leaves an open slot for an additional guard and tackle. The Rams selected Rob Havenstein and Jamon Brown early in this year’s draft, so expect them to compete for a starting role. Mathis would be a nice veteran compliment to a very young line.

The relationship between Mathis and the Eagles went south because of money, so don’t expect him to come cheap. The Rams don’t have a lot of cap space to work with, and with many young stars they need to be conscious of their finances moving forward. Another knock on Mathis is his age. He will be 34 in November, so a long term deal would be out of the question. Mathis was set to make a little over $6 million with the Eagles this year so look for a deal to reach close to that mark or $10 to $14 million on a two-year deal.

The front runners to sign the Mathis are the Denver Broncos, New York Giants, Seattle Seahawks and Oakland Raiders according to NFL.com. Here’s hoping the Rams find their way into the mix.