No money, mo’ problems
As the high from the Super Bowl starts to fade, a harsh reality is about to set in: the Eagles have several key free agents, and they can’t afford to keep them all. They can’t afford to keep most of them.
The Eagles have just under $14M in effective cap space, currently the 21st lowest (and they’re 27th in 2026 cap space and 32nd in 2027 cap space). The Eagles have basically no avenue create more cap room.
Because they have structured contracts to be extremely bonus heavy, every player not on their rookie contract makes the minimum in salary. This means that they can not convert anyone’s 2025 salary into a bonus to create immediate cap space because no one makes enough in salary to restructure. Nor can they cut or trade anyone to create meaningful cap space, the only player who saves more than $1.5M to move is Cam Jurgens, which isn’t going to happen. The only on paper option available to the Eagles to create significant cap space would be to restructure the contract of Jalen Hurts to lower the salary cap hit of his option bonus.
So get ready for the Eagles to lose some players they would like to keep. At least they go out as Super Bowl winners.
Eagles Unrestricted Free Agents, in order of snaps played:
Zack Baun
The Eagles got outstanding linebacker play in 2024 and it’s possible that neither starter plays a snap for them in 2025. Nakobe Dean could be out for the entire season. Baun might get a payday elsewhere that’s too rich for the Eagles. The franchise tag is not an option, projected at $27M for LBs because the rules make no distinction between inside LBs and pass rushing outside LBs. As an organizational philosophy the Eagles have never heavily invested in interior LBs, but they may have to make an exception.
The worry is that Baun’s out of nowhere season was a one year wonder. The Saints tried to make him an interior LB and couldn’t get it to work. Keeping Baun is a risk, but letting him walk is a bigger one.
Baun is the hardest free agent for the Eagles to replace as they have no in house replacement available, can’t have a reasonable expectation to draft a replacement, or to find another diamond in the rough in free agency.
Mekhi Becton
Becton sitting on the field tearing up as he soaked in winning the Super Bowl was an awesome moment. Getting out of New York showed that he can play, and there’s never a shortage of demand for offensive linemen in free agency. The Eagles will have options to replace him. Tyler Steen was adequate in his stead, this draft is strong in interior OL, and they should have no trouble signing a Becton-like change scenery veteran if they want. Go get your money, Mekhi.
Josh Sweat
Last offseason Sweat bet on himself after the Eagles shopped him around and he took a pay cut to stay. He won, someone will pay him. Hard to see it being the Eagles, this divorce is a year in the making.
Milton Williams
Williams has not been shy about getting to free agency. He had a nice season alongside Jalen Carter. But that’s the thing, he played alongside Jalen Carter. He’s a good player who will help someone next year, but they’ll likely overpay. It’s a good draft for DTs, the Eagles may actually get better here. Get your money Milton.
Fred Johnson
It would be quite the surprise if another team wanted to suddenly give Johnson, who will be 28 when the season starts and has 14 career starts, a competitive contract. The Eagles should draft an offensive tackle but this is a weak tackle draft, and even if it wasn’t re-signing Johnson shouldn’t stop them from drafting one anyway.
Avonte Maddox
The defense went from problematic to great as soon as Maddox was benched. His fourth down stop in the Super Bowl is a nice high note to go out on.
Brandon Graham
Graham’s contract will void and accelerate the remaining $9M in signing bonus left on his contract into 2025. He has indicated that he may not retire. He should. Go out on top, BG!Don’t be surprised if he signs a contract extension simply to allow him to retire after June 1st and split that cap hit over two years and save the Eagles $1.2M in cap space for 2025. Every little bit helps.
Rick Lovato
Teams don’t replace their long snapper until they have to. There’s no reason to replace Lovato.
Kenneth Gainwell
Showed flashes but never established himself in four years. The Eagles already drafted a replacement in Will Shipley and the draft is deep in RBs that could take his roster spot.
Oren Burks
Nice redemption story for Burks, who got picked on in the Super Bowl last year with the 49ers. This postseason the Eagles defense did not miss Nakobe Dean. Which says a little about Dean, a little about Burks, and a lot about Zack Baun. There shouldn’t be a market for him.
Everyone else
Parris Campbell, CJ Uzomah, Jack Driscoll, Nick Gates, Le’Raven Clark, and Ian Book. None of them did anything of note for the 2024 Eagles.
RFA/ERFA
Isaiah Rodgers
Excuse the pun but Rodgers is another guy who bet on himself. He didn’t win. NFL rule changes negated his value as a kick returner. As a corner, Rodgers played well when he had to. The only spot on the Eagles for him in 2025 is as a backup, someone will give him a chance to start somewhere. The lowest restricted free agent tender the Eagles can offer is $3.2M, which is too steep for his role on this team.
Britain Covey
A $3.2M tender offer also isn’t happening for Covey. His only value to the team is as a punt returner, and they unsurprisingly didn’t miss him when Cooper DeJean took over.
Ben VanSumeren
A good undrafted find who established himself as a special teamer and useful fullback on offense. As an exclusive rights free agent, he’ll be cheap to retain.