It’s inevitable that the Eagles will lose some of their top free agents this offseason.
General manager Howie Roseman acknowledged this reality last week at the NFL scouting combine, stating plainly, “We can’t keep everybody.” However, the Eagles managed to secure one key player before free agency began, signing linebacker Zack Baun to a three-year deal worth up to $51 million on Wednesday. They also extended star running back Saquon Barkley through 2028 with a two-year contract valued at up to $41.2 million.
These moves come at a cost. The Eagles have already released veteran cornerback Darius Slay and appear ready to let defensive linemen Milton Williams and Josh Sweat, along with right guard Mekhi Becton, enter free agency when the market opens Monday at noon. These players, along with others eligible for free agency, were crucial to the Eagles’ Super Bowl run last season. However, with the Eagles ranking in the bottom half of the NFL in salary cap space (starting the week with $22 million), it’s unlikely they’ll bring many of them back.
Despite this, don’t expect the Eagles to sit idle during free agency.
Roseman explained at the combine that this was part of a long-term strategy. Last March, the Eagles went all-in on free agency, signing Barkley, Becton, Baun, safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, and edge rusher Bryce Huff. While Baun and Becton were signed to affordable one-year “prove-it” deals, the Eagles committed up to $122 million in three-year contracts for Huff ($51.1 million), Barkley ($37.8 million), and Gardner-Johnson ($33 million).
“We felt like the opportunity was in last year’s free agency to sign some guys who could make a difference for our team, but knowing that this year was going to be mostly maintenance and trying to get guys back,” Roseman said. “Obviously, the play of a bunch of those guys is now affecting some of our decisions, how they played during the course of the season. It’s kind of changing our thoughts about maybe where we were going into the season and where we may have to go in the offseason.”
As free agency begins Monday at noon (with deals becoming official Wednesday at 4 p.m.), here’s the Eagles’ to-do list:
Trade for Browns Edge Rusher Myles Garrett
What to know: The Eagles are set to lose Sweat and Williams, and veteran Brandon Graham may retire. Even if Graham returns, he’ll be 37 in April, leaving the Eagles with Nolan Smith, rookie Jalyx Hunt, and Huff, who underperformed last season. Garrett, who has recorded at least 14 sacks in each of the last four seasons, would be a significant upgrade over Sweat and Williams combined.
While Browns GM Andrew Berry has stated he has “no interest” in trading Garrett, he hasn’t ruled it out entirely. Garrett, meanwhile, has expressed a desire to leave Cleveland. A trade could hinge on timing—if the Browns wait until after June 1, they’d absorb a smaller salary cap hit ($14.8 million in 2025 instead of $36 million). However, this delay could push any potential return package to the 2026 draft unless players are included in the deal.
For the Eagles, acquiring Garrett would come at a steep cost, with his $19.7 million cap hit in 2025 nearly wiping out their available cap space. This would make re-signing other free agents nearly impossible.
This situation could take time to resolve, but it’s clear the Eagles are preparing for significant changes as they navigate a challenging offseason.
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