By Zack Rosenblatt | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Eagles vice president of football operations Howie Roseman has developed a reputation as something of a salary cap wizard, working around tight cap space to keep a Super Bowl roster intact while adding quality players on short-term contracts.

The 2019 off-season will certainly test Roseman's mettle. The Eagles both have basically no cap space for 2019 a year out and have more than a handful of significant players set to hit free agency.

Which of those players might re-sign? Will any sign extensions this year?

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Salary Cap

According to Over the Cap, the Eagles have $231 million in committed salary for 2019, which would place them more than $30 million over the cap.

Assuming the Eagles decline Nick Foles' $20 million club option and Jason Peters retires, that would put the Eagles back in the positive with less than $1 million in cap space.

One candidate to be let go next season to save money (at minimal cost) is defensive tackle Tim Jernigan. Releasing him would save the Eagles $7 million.

They won't be able to afford re-signing all of their key players, but the Eagles should be able to maneuver around the cap to re-sign at least a couple of them, if Howie Roseman desires.

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Lori M. Nichols | For NJ.com

Brandon Graham

Position: DE

2018 salary: $8 million

How much could he make? The 10 highest paid defensive ends will make an average of $14.2 million next season. The 10th highest-paid (Vikings' Everson Griffen) will earn $10.92 million.

Will he return to Eagles? CBS Sports recently suggested Graham's next contract could approach the same level of Griffen's, which was four year, $58 million ($34 million guaranteed) when he signed last July. That might be too hefty a pay day for the Eagles, who have Derek Barnett and Josh Sweat returning on rookie contracts and Michael Bennett still signed for another year.

Graham is an important piece in the Eagles locker room and on its defensive line — he basically won them Super Bow LII, after all — but he's also on the wrong side of 30 and Howie Roseman hasn't historically been keen on giving huge paydays to players of that age.

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Could Brandon Graham make $60 million?

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Jay Ajayi

Position: RB

2018 salary: $1.907 million

How much could he make? The 10 highest-paid running backs — a group that includes Todd Gurley, Isaiah Crowell, LeSean McCoy and Lamar Miller — will earn an average of $7.1 million in 2019. Hyde's first post-rookie contract came this off-season via the Browns — 3 years, $15.25 million

Will he return to Eagles? This will be an interesting one. Even the best running backs don't earn all that much relative to the other key positions on offense (quarterback, offensive line, wide receiver) and teams often aren't willing to invest a lot of money in running backs. The Eagles made a mistake doing that with DeMarco Murray when Chip Kelly was around.

Having said that, it feels like Ajayi might have a breakout season. He's going to be the clear No. 1, but also will get breathers with Corey Clement and Darren Sproles around. He's young (25) and extremely talented. But he's still a running back and has balky knees. Longshot he returns.

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Nick Foles

Position: QB

2018 salary: $13.6 million ($20 million mutual option for 2019)

How much could he make? The 23 highest paid quarterbacks (excluding Foles' option) are set to make at least $16.2 million in 2019. That's a group that includes Andy Dalton, Blake Bortles, Case Keenum, Joe Flacco and Sam Bradford (club option). For the sake of discussion, let's put Foles (who might be a back-up all season) in a grouping with Dalton, Bortles and Keenum — that's an average of $19.4 million. Keenum signed with the Broncos for two years and $36 million.

Will he return to Eagles? Almost definitely not, barring further injury to Wentz or Foles' willingness to continue to play as a back-up despite his publicly expressed desires to be a starting quarterback. He might eventually wind up back on the Eagles, but it's highly unlikely the Eagles exercise his option or that he re-signs.

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Charles LeClaire | USA Today

Ronald Darby

Position: Cornerback

2018 salary: $1.058 million

How much could he make? The top cornerbacks in the NFL make a lot of money — 17 different corners will earn at least $10 million in 2019 and 10 more will earn at least $8 million. It's difficult to suss out where Darby fits in. Malcolm Butler's first post-rookie contract with the Titans will pay him $62.25 million over five years. T.J. Carrie signed for four years, $31 million.

Will he return to Eagles? Darby has a wide range of possible outcomes. He could be traded before the season, or he could play out the year and sign an extension to stay in Philadelphia. The Eagles traded a third-round pick (and Jordan Matthews) to acquire Darby last year, and he's quite clearly the team's most talented (or at least talent-ready) cornerback on the roster. If he plays up to that, he's young enough that it'd be worth investing in him.

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Jordan Hicks

Position: Middle Linebacker

2018 salary: $1.91 million

How much could he make? The 10 highest-paid linebackers all will make at least $8 million in 2019. Considering Hicks' injury history, it's nearly impossible to suss out what Hicks' value might be, though it's likely not for $8 million.

Will he return to Eagles? Hicks' future depends entirely on if he can actually make it through a full season without injury. He's missed most of two of his three NFL seasons thus far. When he's healthy, he's fantastic. If he stays healthy, the Eagles might be willing to re-sign him. Even then, his injury history is lengthy and the Eagles don't value linebackers all that much.

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Jason Peters

Position: Left Tackle

2018 salary: $10.66 million ($8 million club option for 2019)

How much could he make? Probably just that $8 million, if he keeps playing.

Will he return to Eagles? Peters is more likely to retire than return, though if he does want to come back, $8 million for an elite left tackle is a bargain.

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Nate Sudfeld

Position: QB

2018 salary: $630,000 (restricted free agent in 2019)

How much could he make? The top 5 highest paid non-rookie contracts — which includes Chase Daniel, Chad Henne, Mike Glennon, Drew Stanton, Brian Hoyer, Blaine Gabbert and Matt Barkley — ranges from $6 million at the high end (Daniel) and $1.4 million at the low end. That still might be a little high for Sudfeld, who has zero NFL starting experience.

Will he return to Eagles? Almost definitely. If the Eagles view Sudfeld as a future NFL starter, keeping him around will be especially important with Foles likely leaving in free agency next year. Sudfeld shouldn't cost too much just yet, unless he plays this season and shows Foles-level flashes.

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Jameis Winston suspended: Will he face the Eagles in Week 2?

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NJ Advance Media

Jake Elliott

Position: Kicker

2018 salary: $555,000

How much could he make? The 11 highest-paid kickers all will earn at least $3.2 million in 2019, and if Elliott continues on his rookie season trajectory, he certainly deserves to be in that range.

Will he return to Eagles? Almost definitely, unless he wants to be paid at a Justin Tucker ($5.1 million) or Mason Crosby ($4.85 million) level.

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Rick Lovato

Position: Long Snapper

2018 salary: $630,000 (Restricted free agent)

How much could he make? The eight highest-paid long snappers all will make at least $1 million in 2019 and four more will make at least $900 thousand. The highest-paid is Titans' Beau Brinkley at $1.4 million.

Will he return to Eagles? Assuming he comes cheaply, certainly.

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Mike Wallace

Position: Wide Receiver

2018 salary: $4 million

Will he return to Eagles? Wallace signed a one-year deal with the Eagles and seems poised to improve on his numbers from last season with the Ravens. He'll also be 33 by the 2019 season and the Eagles already have Alshon Jeffery, Nelson Agholor and Mack Hollins all returning. Unless Wallace is willing to sign for cheap again, it's likely a one-and-done situation.

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Tim Hawk | For NJ.com

Darren Sproles

Position: Running Back

2018 salary: $1.433 million

Will he return to Eagles? Sproles seemed bound to retire after last season before he suffered knee and arm injuries on the same play and missed most of the year. Now he's back, and it seems increasingly likely he'll retire this time around — he'd be 36 at the start of the 2019 season — though I'd never doubt Sproles' ability to play football.

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Chance Warmack

Position: Offensive Guard

2018 salary: $2.03 million

Will he return to Eagles? It seems unlikely unless it's on a cheap contract. Warmack hasn't shown much since signing with the Eagles last year and isn't even a lock to make the 53-man roster for Week 1.

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Haloti Ngata

Position: Defensive Tackle

2018 salary: $2.72 million

Will he return to Eagles? Ngata, 34, is more likely to retire than return to the Eagles.

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Corey Nelson

Position: Linebacker

2018 salary: $1.6 million

Will he return to Eagles? The Eagles took a flier on Nelson in hopes of finding a new starting linebacker at a bargain. If he can become something for this defense, they might explore bringing him back. Otherwise, he'll be one-and-done.

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Other upcoming free agents

WR Markus Wheaton

TE Richard Rodgers

DE Steven Means

DT Destiny Vaeao (restricted)

DT Aziz Shittu

LB LaRoy Reynolds

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WHERE TO REACH ME

Zack Rosenblatt may be reached at zrosenblatt@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ZackBlatt. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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