Eagles decline Marcus Smith’s fifth-year option

By Brandon Apter, Sports Talk Philly editor

2014 Philadelphia Eagles first round pick Marcus Smith's time with the team will come to an end after the upcoming season, as his fifth-year option will not be picked up, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. Smith, 25, is set to make $2.48 million this year, his final season as a member of the Eagles.

Since being selected 26th overall in the 2014 draft, Smith has never lived up to his potential, tallying just four sacks in 37 games with the Eagles. He flip flopped between inside and outside linebacker during his rookie season, something that may have hurt his development as he played just 68 defensive snaps during his rookie campaign.

In 2015, he played outside linebacker primarily, but didn't play well, and this past season, he was moved to defensive end. Although his performance improved a little bit, he couldn't climb up the depth chart, finishing the season with 2.5 sacks. Smith will have one final year to show the Eagles that he wasn't a complete bust, but even if he shows signs of improvement, Philadelphia could look elsewhere for younger, cheaper options at defensive end.