The Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs are about to throwdown in New Orleans, Louisiana, at Super Bowl LIX. Philly returns to the NFL Title game for the second time in three seasons to battle a K.C. squad that has basically held standing reservations at the Super Bowl over the last few seasons. Several times during his Super Bowl media session, Eagles General Manager Howie Roseman spoke about the Chiefs being a “huge challenge” this Sunday at Ceaser Superdome. “We’re striving to be a team like that,” the GM of the NFC Champions said. “That plays like them. Playing for a three-peat is unbelievable. It’s going to be a huge challenge for us.”
National Media Weighs In On Long-Term Expectations
Roseman has positioned the team incredibly well for the foreseeable future. The main pieces of the Philadelphia roster are locked up on long-term contracts. It’s not just the Philadelphia Eagles fans and front office drinking the successful Kool-Aid in the City of Brotherly Love. Earlier this week, NFL Insider Ian Rapaport gave glowing reviews to Roseman for continually looking ahead. “Because of the way the Eagles have drafted… and added in free agency,” Rapaport said. “They really have set themselves up now to be good for a long time.”
The Eagles aren’t going anywhere and everyone knows it. pic.twitter.com/pcGoZEJ7SI
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The veteran journalist also praised the Eagles GM for selecting Jalen Hurts in the second round of the 2020 draft, a move that stunned even the most up-to-date people in the NFL. “They’ve been forward-thinking,” Rapaport correctly claimed. “They’ve got Jalen Hurts under contract, drafted him before a lot of people would’ve even thought they would have looked at any quarterback… (and) they got the line locked up.” Well, most of the line anyway, Mr. RapSheet, sir.
Eagles Offense Mostly Locked Down
Philadelphia’s offensive core is signed for the foreseeable future. The majority of the offensive line should stay intact next season, with contracts on the books for Cam Jurgens (through 2025), Lane Johnson (2026), Jordan Maiata (2028), and Landon Dickerson (2028). The offensive skill positions are also set: quarterback Hurts (2026), running back Saquon Barkley (2026), wide receiver DaVonta Smith (2028), and wideout A.J. Brown (2029).
After the Super Bowl, offensive lineman Mekhi Becton, 25, is scheduled to become a free agent. Becton arrived in free agency from the New York Jets before having a stellar season in his first year at guard. He signed on a one-year deal with a void clause, including two dummy years. The “void years clause” is precisely what it sounds like. Based on contract language, a void clause will typically trigger at the start of the new league year or the start of the free agency period, which releases a player into the active free-agent pool.
Roseman understands the risks he takes operating with void-year contracts. “I’ll do anything for a championship,” the Eagles GM said. “So, if that’s the trade-off, and maybe we lose a player – I won’t like that, but I’ll take it.” He might have to deal with that Center City-sized statement on the other side of the football.
Concerns on Defense Featuring Baun
Things get a bit more spicy when looking at the defensive projections for the offseason. Three essential starters – Defensive End Josh Sweat, Defensive End Brandon Graham, and Linebacker Zach Baun – have void clauses on their current contracts. Graham, 36, has already acknowledged that this will be his final NFL season. Sweat, 27, is finishing a three-year contract extension signed with the Eagles in 2021. Baun, 28, arrived this offseason from New Orleans before having a breakout season in Vic Fangio’s defense.
Ian Rapaport specifically named the Eagles linebacker among the looming offseason concerns. “Whether or not they will be able to bring back Zach Baun is certainly a big issue,” said the NFL Network reporter before he doubled down on his positive Eagles forecast. “Because the infrastructure is so strong and because they’ve done so many good things as far as making their roster unbelievably deep and making a strong, upper-middle class of the roster… we have certainly not seen the last of this team.”
Offseason Cap Casualties Looming
A pair of Eagles veterans could find themselves having a difficult conversation with Howie Roseman this summer. In the secondary, Darius Slay ($13.7 million) and James Bradberry ($5.1M) are the clearest potential avenues for the Eagles GM to free up some cash for free agency. Big Play Slay’s contract is scheduled to account for 5% of the Eagles cap next season, while Bradberry’s deal is closer to 2%. The Eagles already have immediate replacements on the roster, including Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, and Kelee Ringo.
Even though he has set the Eagles up for sustained success, Roseman understands he won’t be receiving any pats on the back without a successful result on Sunday. “I know it doesn’t matter what I did last year or last week,” the Philly GM said. “We’ve got to put together a team every year and compete with the best in the world. I think that’s what drives me. (It) goes quickly in this business. When that confetti falls on your head, it’s like nothing in the world, my man.”
Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
