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Lane Johnson Successor or BPA for 1st round pick?
Wondering what the BGN preference is for the Eagles’ 1st round pick this year? There has been a well-discussed need to find Lane’s successor in this draft class. There are also other long-term roster needs (Edge, OG, TE, S, CB) that have been discussed and multiple players that, in theory, could be there at pick 23 for the Eagles to choose.
As a number of sites have pointed out, the majority of starting offensive tackles are drafted in the first round. That’s not to say that exceptions don’t occur (see Mailata, Jordan), but certainly the best “hit rate” is within the first round and really within the top half of that round.
I’ve done a handful of mock drafts for fun and one thing that is readily apparent is that all of the top OTs are off the board by the Eagles’ second round pick (#54) every time. Dametrrious Crownover, a converted TE that is considered a developmental prospect, is the only OT that is consistently available and he is far from a “sure thing” to be able to replace Lane Johnson long-term.
Assuming that the clear BPA at 23 is not an offensive tackle, would you prefer the Eagles go BPA or select the best OT available?
Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles news and links …
2026 NFL free agency grades for all 32 teams – PFF
Philadelphia Eagles: C+. CB Riq Woolen signs with Philadelphia Eagles. Woolen is coming off the lowest-graded season of his four-year NFL career to date but has always been a bit of a boom-or-bust player. He has recorded 50 combined pass breakups and interceptions in four seasons but has also surrendered 20 touchdowns and committed 35 penalties in that span. EDGE Arnold Ebiketie signs with Philadelphia Eagles. Although Ebiketie never became a dominant pass-rusher for the Falcons, he still contributed positively in the team’s rotation. Ebiketie’s pass-rushing metrics improved every season since 2023, culminating in a 73.4 PFF pass-rush grade and 16.8% pass-rush win rate in 2025. Although Ebiketie may not become Philadelphia’s primary starter at edge defender, he should offer high-upside depth without major financial commitments.
Darius Slay announces NFL retirement – BGN
After an impressive 13 years in the NFL, former Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay has announced his retirement from the game of football. The 35-year-old shared the following post on social media.
Eagles Free Agency Reset With BLG! – The Ringer’s Philly Special
Sheil is joined by Brandon Lee Gowton of Bleeding Green Nation to discuss the Eagles’ free agency so far. Tight end Dallas Goedert will return to the Eagles on a one-year deal, but why wasn’t the market more robust for Goedert, who tied Trey McBride for the most touchdowns at the TE position? Of course, the dreaded A.J. Brown conversation continues. Will he ever be traded? Plus, what positions will the Eagles be looking to utilize their top picks on in this upcoming draft?
2026 NFL free agency: Experts debate best, worst signings – ESPN
Which team has taken a step backward over the past week, and what is one move you’d like to see it make? SCHATZ: Schatz: The Eagles. Woolen will help the Eagles solve their CB2 problem, but they lost several other players. Phillips helped transform their defense at midseason. Safety Reed Blankenship was an important part of the secondary. They could afford to lose linebacker Nakobe Dean because they have Jihaad Campbell, but the depth took a hit. Arnold Ebiketie was a good addition to make up for the loss of Phillips, but with the top free agent safeties on new teams, the Eagles should improve that position through the draft.
Patience Grasshopper – Iggles Blitz
Some teams have attacked the offseason aggressively, signing a lot of players to fill a lot of holes. Other teams have made big moves, hoping to put them over the top. The Eagles fall into the third bucket. They are one of the teams that has had to shop for bargains. They have lost more than they have gained so far this offseason. That’s no fun for the fans. It has to be even more frustrating for Howie Roseman. Howie is one of the most aggressive GMs in the league. He loves to make moves and take risks. He’s now a victim of his own success. By drafting well and putting together such a strong roster he’s got to find a way to pay those guys. That means limited resources for some of the open spots. For those of us on the outside it can lead to confusion. Why isn’t Howie doing anything at safety? All the good players are getting signed! He should have kept Reed Blankenship. What’s going on? Patience, grasshopper.
Eagles depth chart analysis: With Dallas Goedert re-signed, what free-agent targets are next? – PHLY
As I reported after the scouting combine, there’s plenty of optimism about Drew Kendall’s development, but the departures of Brett Toth and Matt Pryor leave space for the Eagles to add some trustworthy depth behind two players whose health will be a major question next year. Thinking of how banged up Landon Dickerson and Cam Jurgens were for most of last year, it’s a good time to revisit the outlook for Dickerson when the Eagles drafted him in 2022. The second-round pick didn’t have a clear path into the starting lineup when he was drafted, but played 15 games because of a season-ending injury to Brandon Brooks. The Eagles could find themselves in a similar situation this year because of Dickerson or either of the other two linemen penciled in as Week 1 starters at the moment.
How a phone call with Jordan Davis persuaded Arnold Ebiketie to join Eagles – NBCSP
Before officially deciding to join the Eagles in free agency, edge rusher Arnold Ebiketie spoke on the phone with Jordan Davis to get a full breakdown of the defense in Philly. Ebiketie liked what he heard. “He told me the obvious,” Ebiketie said on a videoconference call with reporters on Monday. “Philadelphia Eagles defense, they’re going to put the work in, they’re going to play together, in sync as a defense. They’re going to stop the run and have the opportunity to get after the quarterback. That pretty much aligned with what I was looking for, so that’s why I decided to come here.” The Falcons initially drafted Ebiketie — who goes by A.K. — in the second round out of Penn State back in 2022. After playing out his four-year rookie contract in Atlanta, Ebiketie became a free agent this offseason. Ebiketie, 27, said he was open to a one-year or multi-year deal. He really prioritized football fit first and he thinks he found that in Philly.
Spadaro: My exclusive Q&A with outside linebacker Arnold Ebiketie – PhiladelphiaEagles.com
Spadaro: You’ve gotten a taste of Philadelphia as a football city from your time at Temple, and you have a sense of the culture here. What is that feeling? Ebiketie: “The fans in this City and the Eagles, it goes hand in hand. Everything is about the Eagles. I saw that at Temple. Everything matters to them. I’m here and I know it’s fast-paced and very, very important. This is a championship culture. That is the standard here. I embrace that. I want that and I know it’s going to help bring out the best in me.”
Early risers after the first wave of free agency, from Rams to Raiders – The Athletic
Despite chatter late last week surrounding his status, Brown remains on Philadelphia’s roster for now. I still believe he has played his last down as an Eagle. Two teams, the Rams and Patriots, pushed hard to acquire the three-time Pro Bowler. But Eagles general manager Howie Roseman hung onto Brown for the time being, also re-signing Dallas Goedert to a one-year deal after postponing the tight end’s void date a second time. So, what does it all mean? In the grand scheme of Philly’s void-year-riddled cap puzzle, trading Brown after June 1 makes more financial sense. Interest remains in the 28-year-old, and I expect trade buzz to likely heat up in earnest again closer to June.
Former Broncos star says the team will add “explosive” player soon – DenverSports
What Broncos Country has been hoping for Aqib Talib says is coming soon. The former All-Pro cornerback not only picked Denver to win the AFC but his reasoning was based on a big move that he says is coming. “My pick is the same… the Eagles and the Broncos… Denver is coming off a conference championship loss and normally those teams don’t fair well but the matter in which they lost, losing our quarterback it will be different,” Talib said. They’re bringing back that same defense, same D-coordinator, a minor tweak on offense letting the young mind Davis Webb call the plays. And there will be a new explosion player on offense, remember I told you that. There will be a new explosion player on offense I’m just telling you, when it breaks, Talib said that.” His co-host Skip Bayless wondered if it would be Eagles wide out AJ Brown coming to Denver, but Talib wouldn’t name any names on “The Arena: Gridiron” show.
Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olsen will call Saturday’s Fanatics Flag Football Classic – PFT
Two teams of current NFL players, former NFL players, and random celebrities will compete against the U.S. men’s national flag football team. Tom Brady and Jalen Hurts will captain one team (coached by Sean Payton), and Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels will captain the other (coached by Kyle Shanahan).
The Dallas Cowboys spent the first week of free agency bolstering a historically bad defense. Owner Jerry Jones believes that since he’s owned the Cowboys, no unit has been improved in the outset of free agency as much as this year’s defense. “I’ll tell you, when you have the challenges we had last year, there’s no place to go but up on the defensive side of the ball,” Jones said via the team’s official website. “Had we played a lick of defense last year, we would’ve had ourselves, I think, a real playoff run.” The Cowboys’ defense ranked 30th in total yards allowed and dead last in pass defense. They gave up 377 yards per game and a league-high 60 touchdowns. The offseason brought change with new defensive coordinator Christian Parker, who is reshuffling the play style to a 3-4 front.
Top free agent LBs left for Cowboys to sign – Blogging The Boys
The Cowboys are in dire need of help at the linebacker spot. With Marist Liufau moving to outside linebacker (on paper at least), DeMarvion Overshown (five starts last season) and Shemar James (six starts) are the only returning linebackers from last year. Banking on the draft to get a starting inside linebacker is a pretty risky strategy, so the Cowboys need to shore up the position in free agency. The Cowboys are well aware of this, and reportedly were “in the mix” for Quay Walker (LV: 3 years, $40.5 million), had “legitimate interest” in Nakobe Dean (LV: 3 years, $36 million), and “were talking to” Devin Lloyd (CAR: 3 years, $45 million), but missed out on all three.
NY Giants NFL free agency 2026: Veteran backup center visits New York – Big Blue View
In need of an experienced interior offensive lineman with significant experience at center after Austin Schlottman signed with the Tennessee Titans in free agency, the New York Giants on Monday hosted Ryan Bates for a visit. Bates, 29, is a 6-foot-4, 306-pound player with seven years of NFL experience. He has played in 92 regular-season games with 21 starts for the Buffalo Bills and Chicago Bears. Bates joined the Bills as an undrafted free agent in 2019 when Giants GM Joe Schoen was assistant GM there, and spent five seasons in Buffalo.
Washington Commanders Free Agency: Thrift Shop Edition 2026 – Hogs Haven
The Commanders’ cornerback room is frighteningly understocked at the moment and a lot of corners were signed early during the legal tampering period. An addition with both size and experience would be welcome, and Rasul Douglas would provide both. Featured in the value section of Hogs Haven writer MattInBrisVegas’ free agency article, Rasul is a big, physically imposing corner. Signed late in the preseason last year by the Dolphins on a bargain one-year, $1.57M deal, the veteran quickly became a starter. In 15 games and 13 starts, he delivered 62 tackles, 1 sack, 2 INTs, 13 passes defended, and a forced fumble. Although he will turn 32 before the season starts, Rasul continues to play at a high level, is strong in run support, and can play in the slot.
March Madness brackets don’t need big upsets. Why you should pick chalk this year – SB Nation
Did the NIL and transfer portal kill Cinderella? It’s a question that should on everyone’s mind as they go to fill out a 2026 men’s NCAA tournament bracket. It certainly feels like it happened last year. The 2025 tournament saw all four No. 1 seeds make the Final Four for the first time since Derrick Rose was playing college basketball back in 2008. It feels like there’s a damn good chance it happens again this season given how impressive the four top seeds look heading into March Madness.
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