With the legal tampering period now open, the Philadelphia Eagles wasted little time in getting to work. On the back of their Super Bowl win, the team had plenty of decisions to make going into Free Agency and just as many questions to answer. Not even 24 hours into the legal tampering window and we’re beginning to see the new direction that Howie Roseman plans to take.
Here’s a brief recap of the moves made so far along with a tracker of rumors and potential signings:
Chauncey Gardner-Johnson TRADED
On Tuesday morning, it was reported that the Eagles would be sending veteran Safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson to the Texans in exchange for Kenyon Green (OL) and a pick swap in the upcoming NFL Draft.
This was a surprising move, especially given that the returns were so confusing. Green was a first-round selection in the 2022 NFL Draft but has struggled with injuries and underwhelming play. Has Jeff Stoutland found some more water he can turn into wine? What does this mean for Mekhi Becton? Who will replace CJGJ in the secondary?
We took a quick stab at answering these questions here:
Oren Burks signs with Bengals
The Eagles have lost a valuable piece of their linebacker depth this evening, as Oren Burks has been revealed to be signing with the Cincinnati Bengals on a 2-year deal worth $5M.
Burks was a special teams ace for the Eagles who punched in some key defensive performances in the postseason that played huge roles in the eventual Super Bowl win. He ended the season with 25 tackles, 3 TFL, 2 QB hits, a sack and a pass breakup after stepping in for Nakobe Dean.
The Eagles are light at linebacker and while the starters are entrenched, losing a proven commodity in Burks is bound to sting. With that said, Howie has never shied away from finding deep-dive bargains at the position, with Burks and Baun proving to be hugely impactful during the success of 2024.
Jeremiah Trotter Jr. also figures to be in the teams’ ongoing plans after a steady rookie season.
Kenny Pickett traded
A hard days’ work is never done. The Eagles have reportedly traded QB Kenny Pickett to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for Dorian Thompson-Robinson and a fifth-round pick for the upcoming NFL Draft.
The Eagles picked up Pickett in a trade during the 2024 NFL Draft in a bid to add some stability behind Jalen Hurts, and his arrival did exactly that.
They now receive a young QB with two years left on his current contract, which should yield around a $1M mark in savings against the cap.
DTR has a 1-4 record through two years of backup play for the Browns having thrown 1 TD and 10 picks. Hopefully, he’ll be able to compete with Tanner McKee and benefit from a change of scenery as he vies for the number 2 spot behind Hurts.
Josh Sweat joins the Cardinals
Much like Vinny Curry before him, Josh Sweat becomes the latest Philadelphia Super Bowl champion EDGE to command a high price tag during the offseason. The FSU product is set to sign a $76.4M contract with the Arizona Cardinals, which is a gargantuan sum for a player who played in a rotational role this year, putting up 8 sacks under Vic Fangio.
This is naturally going to put some pressure on Roseman to find some new pieces, and even more pressure on Bryce Huff, who collected a similar payday last offseason for an explosive season in a rotational role.
The Eagles couldn’t really afford to pay Sweat anywhere near that kind of money, especially after retaining Zack Baun, and it became clear that the team can get pass-rush production without needing elite talents on the outside. This was a smart move by Philly, and a weirdly aggressive one from Arizona.
Former Eagles CB Isaiah Rodgers joins NFC rival
After the Eagles took a chance on former Colts CB Isaiah Rodgers, the former special teams ace was able to make his mark in a depth capacity this season, coming up big when it mattered most. The team already bid goodbye to both James Bradberry and Darius Slay this offseason, and they’ll now be joined by Rodgers, who is signing a two-year deal with the Vikings worth around $15m.
For a depth CB, that’s simply a price too high to pay, especially with Kelee Ringo waiting in the wings. There was no need to force a move and keep Rodgers in the City of Brotherly Love but it wouldn’t surprise me if Howie goes bargain hunting once more with some renewed depth needs in the secondary.
Milton Williams secures the bag
The one move that broke a few hearts today was seeing Milton Williams secure a huge contract with the Patriots. Raking in around $26M per year, Williams joins the elite in terms of pay at defensive tackle. The 25-year-old put up a career year in 2024 and was a valuable, versatile piece in Fangio’s pass-rushing machine thanks to his rare blend of speed and strength.
However, with Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis both nearing paydays soon, they couldn’t afford to keep Williams around long-term, which is a little upsetting given how well he’s developed so far.
The Eagles will likely be looking to draft his replacement later this offseason.
REUTERS/Mike Segar
