Eagles Signing CB Steven Nelson To One-Year Deal, Releasing DL Willie Henry

Jeremy Fowler reports that the Philadelphia Eagles are signing veteran CB Steven Nelson to a one-year contract worth more than $4 million.

Several teams were keeping tabs on Nelson, with reports coming last month that the Eagles were still interested in the services of the former Steelers cornerback.

In a corresponding move, the Eagles are releasing DL Willie Henry, who was signed by the team back in May.

Nelson, 28, is a former third-round pick of the Chiefs back in 2015. He finished his four-year, $2.902 million rookie contract with the Chiefs before signing a three-year, $25 million contract with the Steelers in 2019. 

Nelson was owed a base salary of $8,250,000 for the 2021 season when Pittsburgh released him. 

In 2020, Nelson appeared in 15 games for the Steelers and recorded 48 tackles, two interceptions, a fumble recovery and nine passes defended. Pro Football Focus had him rated as the No. 36 cornerback out of 121 qualifying players. 

We had him included in our Top 100 2021 NFL Free Agents list. 

Henry, 27, is a former fourth-round pick of the Ravens back in 2016. He was entering the final year of his four-year, $2,723,393 rookie contract and was set to make a base salary of $720,000 for the 2019 season when Baltimore cut him loose coming out of the preseason. 

The 49ers signed Henry to a futures contract for the 2020 season but eventually released him with a non-football injury designation in July prior to the start of the season. He returned for a brief period with San Francisco and had a stint on the Texans practice squad later in the year. 

In 2018, Henry appeared in three games for the Ravens and recorded three tackles and one sack.