The Philadelphia Eagles are continuing to add depth on defense — even if that depth might be a ways down the road in paying off for them.
The Eagles signed inside linebacker and special teams standout Chandler Martin to a 2-year contract on Monday with the hopes that he can 1 day develop into a player who can contribute, and that he can overcome a serious knee injury suffered late in the 2025 season.
“Eagles sign linebacker Chandler Martin to two-year deal,” NFL reporter Aaron Wilson wrote on his official X account.
“The Eagles are signing LB Chandler Martin to a 2-year deal, per his agent,” The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov wrote on his official X account. “Martin was with the Ravens last year but suffered a season-ending torn ACL in Week 13. A developmental project for Philly with the 23-year-old.”
Chandler Martin Key Special Teams Piece for Ravens
While the Ravens looked generally lost in a 32-14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 13, that defeat was compounded by losing Martin to a torn ACL.
“Ravens linebacker Chandler Martin is expected to go on season-ending injured reserve after suffering a knee injury Thursday night vs Bengals, per source,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wrote on his official X account on November 28.
Martin, a rookie out of Memphis, made the Ravens roster as an undrafted free agent and had played in 3 regular season games and exclusively on special teams.
Martin, who had 5 tackles in the previous 2 games, was hurt on the opening kickoff against the Bengals.
“(Ravens head coach) Jim Harbaugh said that Nate Wiggins could miss time but not a long term thing,” The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec wrote on X. “Chandler Martin has a significant knee injury. He said that Justice Hill has a disc issue in neck.”
Martin Named UDFA to Watch in Preseason
Pro Football Network’s Brandon Austin put the 5-foot-11, 229-pound Martin on his list of undrafted free agents to watch in the preseason.
“Chandler Martin is a hard-nosed, old-school inside linebacker with the kind of physicality and motor that fits Baltimore’s defensive DNA,” Austin wrote on June 6. “He plays with a downhill mentality and has a knack for delivering thumping hits in the box. His instincts and effort stand out on tape, making him a reliable tackler who isn’t afraid to mix it up with offensive linemen in close quarters.”
Martin started his college career at East Tennessee State, where he played 3 seasons, before playing his final 2 seasons at Memphis, where he was a 2-time All-AAC pick in 2023 and 2024.
In 2 seasons with the Tigers, Martin was a stats-producing machine with 206 tackles, 10.0 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles in 26 games.
The reason he didn’t get drafted boils down to size, where he’s a few inches shorter and about 10-20 pounds lighter than a typical NFL inside linebacker.
“The lack of elite physical traits could be why a productive player like Martin went undrafted, but there certainly could be a role for a player with his nose for the ball and ability to get after the quarterback,” Heavy.com’s Derek Tate wrote.
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