Since Super Bowl LIX, many National Football League (NFL) fans are questioning their team’s plan for the next season, namely the reigning champions, the Philadelphia Eagles. After a rough and defeated exit during the 2023-2024 season, General Manager Howie Roseman saw the importance of the offseason, marking one year since signing star running back Saquon Barkley and drafting both rookie cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. These significant pickups certainly proved their worth, turning a former 11-6 team into stars, bringing home the second Lombardi Trophy to Philadelphia.
Hearing all this may suggest that the Philadelphia Eagles dynasty is in the works; however, ask any fan, and it might sound like they just came off of the worst season in history. Showcasing a strong blow-out to the Kansas City Chiefs brought attention to many underrated players from the Eagles. Barely losing a game all season, and always scoring in the draft, fans have become accustomed to a winning culture in Philadelphia. So far, the Eagles have lost 13 players from their Superbowl roster due to contracts expiring and a lack of franchise salary space. The Tribune recaps the loss of four players that taught Philly fans that the NFL is strictly business.
Milton Williams
Williams entered the offseason as one of the top targets after the Super Bowl, generating a 12.5 QB pressure percentage, the type of talent that gets paid in free agency. Despite not playing as a starter in Philly, the defensive tackle was able to land a four-year, $104 million USD contract, including a $24 million USD signing bonus and $51 million USD guaranteed. This comes after numerous signing rumours elsewhere, with the Patriots overthrowing a deal Williams almost finalized with the Carolina Panthers.
Josh Sweat
Josh Sweat was one of Philadelphia’s most unsurprising losses. As a fourth-round pick in 2018, Sweat spent his entire career with the Eagles. Returning to his former Defensive Coordinator, now Head Coach of the Arizona Cardinals, Jonathan Gannon will get his star edge rusher back. Although fans are probably happy to see Sweat get his well-deserved $76.4 million USD contract, his return to Gannon surely is sour given the tampering disputes after his departure as coach.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson
Marking one of the most devastating losses for the Eagles was the unexpected trade of safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who for many embodied the grit and underdog mentality of the team. After leaving for a year, Roseman brought Gardner-Johnson back knowing that he would rejuvenate the lethargic and uninspired defense. Gardner-Johnson lived up to expectations, however, some believe that it was the attitude and the drama he generated outside of the sport itself that led him to the trade block. The Eagles will miss their safety to the Texans, as there has to be more to the story here, given the lack of replacements in the league presently.
Darius Slay Jr.
After releasing CB Darius Slay Jr. to save $4.3 million USD in salary cap, Eagles fans expected the veteran to either return to his tenured Philadelphia or to where he was drafted in Detroit for his supposed final season. Slay, rather, signed a $10 million USD deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but given the success of both rookie corners, his departure was no surprise overall. Slay left with sentiments for the young stars, however, not including fan-favourite Eagles quarterback and Superbowl MVP Jalen Hurts in a conversation regarding the NFL’s Elite Quarterbacks. This certainly altered how Slay will be remembered in Philadelphia.
As Hurts famously said while signing his modest five-year, $255 million USD contract: “Money is nice, championships are better.” Eagles and other NFL fans should remember that players who ‘chase the bag’ often do not have their team’s best interests in mind in the first place, making their departures a little easier to swallow. Like it or not, the Eagles are going to look a lot different next season.
