The Linc – Eagles could have 20 picks in the next two NFL Drafts

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ADAM SCHEFTER: The Philadelphia Eagles are scheduled to have 20 draft picks in the next two years. 20 picks! Most teams in a given draft have seven, the Eagles have 20 the next two years. Including 11 in the first four rounds of the next two years. 11! And 17 in the first five rounds of the next two years. You know what those picks do? Those picks give you a chance to bring in good, young players on rookie contracts that allow you to pay the veteran superstars. So they’re planning on these young players stepping in. And who has had a better drafting record than the Philadelphia Eagles?

The Eagles’ hidden key to replacing so many defensive players – NBCSP

The Eagles have lost a ton of key defensive players in the last week and they’re going to miss them. Milton Williams, Josh Sweat, Darius Slay and Oren Burks are signing elsewhere in free agency and C.J. Gardner-Johnson was traded to the Houston Texans in a move made for long-term reasons. It was inevitable that the Eagles were going to lose talent this offseason but now they have to replace those players. The clearest path to replacing all those guys is continuing to draft and develop young players on defense. The Eagles have eight picks in next month’s draft and should have even more in 2026 thanks to the compensatory pick formula. But drafting talent isn’t enough. You need to develop it. And the good news is that the Eagles have a defensive coaching staff that has proven its ability to develop young talent. They did it in 2024 when we saw growth from pretty much all of their young players from Jalen Carter to Quinyon Mitchell to Cooper DeJean to Nolan Smith and more.

Jalyx Hunt has learned plenty from Eagles veterans. With Josh Sweat’s exit, opportunity knocks for him – Inquirer

Jalyx Hunt has experienced plenty of firsts over the last year — his first NFL season, his first Super Bowl victory, and his first new league year.The last entry in that trio has not been easy for the Eagles outside linebacker to stomach. Over the past few days, Hunt said farewell to a handful of his former defensive teammates who have departed the team, through cuts, trades, or free-agent signings elsewhere. “Hurting my heart,” Hunt told The Inquirer on Wednesday. “This is the business part that everybody talks about. So this is my first time experiencing it. I’m going through the throes of it right now.”

The Eagles should trade for Michael Mayer – BGN

So, what are the external alternatives? The free agent market just isn’t very enticing; there’s no one that really jumps out. This year’s tight end class in the 2025 NFL Draft is considered to be strong but relying on a rookie isn’t a great strategy, especially when players at this position typically take more time to develop. Brock Bowers and Sam LaPorta are the exceptions, not the rule. And so the most realistic option for the Eagles seems like trading for a tight end on an affordable rookie contract. Enter 2023 second-round pick Michael Mayer.

They Did Something – Iggles Blitz

That’s not a splashy, exciting move, but I do like it. I remember talking to Fran Duffy at the Senior Bowl and telling him I wanted the Eagles to add a big back. Barkley is the star and workhorse. Will Shipley can be the third down back. I wanted a bigger guy to help near the goal line and late in games. AJ Dillon has been a tough, productive runner over the course of his career. He had stinger issues that cost him the 2024 season. The Eagles were comfortable enough with his health to take a chance on him. I’m sure this is a cheap, incentive-laden deal so there is minimal risk. Dillon has the ability to carry the ball 15 to 20 times a game if needed, but he can also be a role player. Running behind the Eagles OL will help him.

Spadaro: With Free Agency officially underway, recapping the Eagles’ initial moves – PE.com

So, the roster-building phase of the offseason is underway and there is always work to be done. We know that. We know that Roseman is constantly working on the roster, challenging every part of it and working tirelessly on improving it. The roster is never a finished product. But what Roseman has demonstrated in these early moves is that he has been able to keep the talented core of players together – nearly the entire offensive line, wide receivers, lead running backs, and quarterbacks – are signed for seasons to come. Key pieces of the defense – interior defensive line, cornerbacks, linebackers – are inked as well. We know that Roseman believes in the succession plan that has served the Eagles so well in the past and will be put to the test again in 2025. Players like linebackers Jeremiah Trotter, Jr. and Dallas Gant; safeties Sydney Brown, Tristin McCollum, Andre’ Sam, and Lewis Cine; and a handful of cornerbacks, including Kelee Ringo and Eli Ricks are going to have chances to compete to bump up on the depth chart. Will Shipley has a chance to prove he is ready for more playing time at running back alongside Barkley. Many of the players who departed in free agency were previously in that position.

Former Packer A.J. Dillon signs with Eagles – Acme Packing Company

In 2024, the Packers’ backfield was completely reshaped when Jones was released from the team for cap relief, Josh Jacobs was signed as a free agent and MarShawn Lloyd was drafted in the third round. Going into the year, though, Dillon was still expected to be Jacobs’ RB2 until a neck injury led to him going on the injured reserve in August. Previously, Dillon suffered a stinger in Week 17 of the 2023 season.

Five Good Texans Questions with Bleeding Green Nation – Battle Red Blog

Nick Caserio may have pulled off a fast one. He traded Kenyon Green to the Philadelphia Eagles and a 2026 fifth round pick in exchange for C.J. Gardner-Johnson and a 2026 sixth round pick. It almost seems unreal. Gardner-Johnson was a starting safety for the Super Bowl Champion Eagles while Kenyon Green was getting benched mid-game for the Houston Texans. So, we got in touch with Brandon Gowton of Bleeding Green Nation to get the lowdown CJGJ. What were we missing if anything? Of course, we returned the favor by filling him in on Green. Needless to say, at first blush it looks like the Texans got the better end of this one, but let’s see what he thinks.

NFL free agency: Six things we learned after first wave of roster moves – NFL.com

5) Steelers take a swing on Slay. Darius Slay was connected to the Steelers over the past few days, though he maintained the possibility of returning to Philadelphia remained alive. The latter hypothetical became null and void on Wednesday when Slay joined the Steelers on a one-year, $10 million deal. I’m always a bit leery about older cornerbacks in general, and I am not further reassured by the 34-year-old Slay’s recent quote about wanting “to play one more year, for sure,” which seems to leave open the possibility he won’t play any more. What can the Steelers reasonably get from him? Slay isn’t the playmaker he once was, with only two picks over his past 37 regular-season games and none in his past 20, although he did intercept a pass in the playoffs and has gotten his hands on plenty of pass breakups in that span. It would be reasonable to assume the six-time Pro Bowler has lost a step.

2025 NFL free agency, trade grades: Javon Hargrave, Evan Engram – ESPN+

Grade: B. The Steelers ranked only 10th in EPA per play last season, but their ceiling is much higher than that on paper. They have an elite pass rush, and there’s the potential for great things in the secondary, too. At 34, there’s no question Slay is an old cornerback. His yards allowed per coverage snap have crept up from 0.8 in 2022 to 1.1 in 2023 and 1.2 in 2024 (a shade higher than average), per NFL Next Gen Stats. Same deal with his target rate, which has climbed from 12% to 15% (a shade higher than average) to 17%. Playing opposite Quinyon Mitchell last season might have contributed to the higher target rate, though. Despite the above, a team needing secondary help could do a lot worse than those numbers, and Slay probably gives the Steelers a pretty high floor given his consistently solid performance for more than a decade. There’s something to be said for short-term commitments at cornerback, a position that is often volatile year to year. I’m sure at least one or two of the big multiyear cornerback deals handed out this offseason will look rough a year from now. And the upside is that Slay is playing opposite Joey Porter Jr., a good young cornerback who has allowed 0.9 yards per coverage snap in his two-year career (but also has committed 27 penalties in those two seasons). No matter who plays quarterback in Pittsburgh this season, the Steelers are going to need more from their defense. Signing Slay for $10 million is a low-risk way to help that cause.

Washington Commanders Free Agency: QB Marcus Mariota is returning on a 1-year deal – Hogs Haven

The Washington Commanders are bringing QB Marcus Mariota back on a 1-year, $8 million deal. He was a mentor for rookie QB Jayden Daniels, and finished two games during the regular season to help the Commanders finish with a 12-5 record, and a trip to the playoffs. Mariota was expected to get interest in free agency, but opportunities to potentially start again weren’t there, and Washington was a good landing spot for him last year. He returns for another season to continue to guide Daniels, and be ready when needed on the field.

Cowboys lose DeMarcus Lawrence to the Seattle Seahawks in free agency – Blogging The Boys

The Cowboys would have loved to have Lawrence back, but they were not going to pay the price that the Seahawks did in their contract. Although the guaranteed money is not too bad, the Cowboys were likely offering a much smaller per year number and likely weren’t going past a year or two. You can’t blame Lawrence for taking the money, he has earned it in his career, but his age is creeping up on him and injuries are always an issue for older veterans. Lawrence was a class act in Dallas and in the latter part of his career he took up the mantle of leader. He will be missed both in the locker room and on the field.

New York Giants free agency: We’re all on Aaron Rodgers time as we await his decision – Big Blue View

The NFL world — at least the parts of it connected to the New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings — continues to wait for the always marching to the beat of his own drummer Aaron Rodgers to decide which team he will play quarterback for in 2025. Jordan Ranaan of ESPN said earlier on Wednesday that “a decision is expected today.” Then again, maybe not. NFL insider Ian Rapoport indicated Wednesday morning that a decision by Rodgers may not be imminent.

Saints agree to terms with TE Jack Stoll – PFT

The Saints are set to sign a tight end who spent some time playing for their head coach Kellen Moore in Philadelphia last season. Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that the Saints have agreed to terms with Jack Stoll on a one-year deal.

NFL 2025 free agency: Seahawks cap casualty Dre’Mont Jones signs with Titans – Field Gulls

Another recent Seattle Seahawks salary cap casualty has found a new team. Former interior defensive lineman turned outside linebacker Dre’Mont Jones has agreed to a one-year contract with the Tennessee Titans.

The Minnesota Vikings are sneakily having the best free agency in the NFL – SB Nation

Minnesota’s free agency brilliance kicked in after their first concern was settled. Will Fries and Ryan Kelly were two of the top interior linemen available in this class, with Fries in particular being Pro Football Focus’ No. 4 ranked offensive guard last season — which is a tremendous talent upgrade for the line. These two moves are pivotal, because it brings the Vikings into the new NFL when it comes to protections. Around the league teams are realizing that quarterbacks struggle more with interior pressure than edge pressure. In many ways we had three recent Super Bowls that typified this shift.

Finalized Adjusted Salary Cap for Each Team – Over The Cap

The NFL Players Association released every teams finalized adjusted salary cap for 2025 which includes both carryover figures and adjustments for things like NLTBE/LTBE credits, repayments from insurance, etc…Here is a look at how much every team gained or lost in adjustments and what each team’s current adjusted cap is going into the official start of free agency. These numbers do include workout placeholders.

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