PHILADELPHIA – How’s this for a plan? A team in need of a makeover in its defensive secondary goes out in the free-agent market and signs:

One defensive back from a team that just played in the Super Bowl, another from the New England Patriots and a third who has the requisite size to play in its defensive scheme?

The Eagles could do just that if they are able to sign Seattle cornerback Byron Maxwell, New England safety Devin McCourty and Green Bay cornerback Davon House. And yes, that sounds like a very good plan.

But how about a plan in which they signed Baltimore Ravens cornerback Cary Williams, New England safety Patrick Chung and St. Louis cornerback Bradley Fletcher? Does that sound as good? Because that was the Eagles’ plan just two short years ago.

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Chung lasted just one season. He returned to New England in 2014 and wound up with a Super Bowl ring.

Fletcher signed for only two seasons. He will become a free agent on Tuesday. The Eagles are as likely to offer him a new deal as they are to package all their Oregon alumni and trade them for Adrian Peterson.

Williams signed a three-year deal. He started every game during his two years with the Eagles. He wasn’t Richard Sherman, but he wasn’t all that bad. Nevertheless, he was released this week to make room for the Eagles’ latest secondary makeover.

What does it all mean? A couple of things.

First, free agency is a minefield if you go into it with too many needs. The Eagles have been linked to Maxwell for a while. Earlier this week, Maxwell went on ESPN and said the Eagles' defensive scheme fits the style he wants to play. It seems like a great fit.

But Pro Football Focus, which grades all NFL players, had Maxwell tied for 22nd among available cornerbacks in free agency. His grade of minus-0.2 was the same as Arizona’s Antonio Cromartie.

Some context helps. Maxwell was on the opposite side of Sherman. He was the least accomplished member of the Legion of Boom secondary. That meant he was challenged a lot, and that meant he was beaten occasionally. It also means Maxwell might thrive as the top cornerback on another team, which is what he would be in Philadelphia. But there’s still a risk involved in committing big money to him.

The other important lesson here is that an effective secondary plays well together, and that is partly a function of being well-coached. Chung was a disaster in Philadelphia but played very well in New England before and after that. Williams was a starter in a Ravens defense that won the Super Bowl but seemed out of his comfort zone much of the time with the Eagles.

Defensive coordinator Bill Davis has to find ways to make his scheme work with the players available. The Eagles hired a new defensive backs coach, replacing John Lovett with former Denver defensive backs coach Cory Undlin. That’s a start. Finding quality players who can mesh is the next challenge.

The Eagles will try to do that in free agency. It’s just important to remember that they just did the same thing two years ago.