The 2024 Eagles had an all time season and were even ranked the best team to win a Super Bowl since 2000, according to CBS. Whether it was their stellar offense, headlined by the best running season of all time, or the team’s strong defense, which was ranked second in least points per game allowed and first in least total yards allowed each game, having one of the best rosters in the NFL was what won the Eagles’ games. However, to keep a full roster of Super Bowl winners is expensive and key players’ contracts are up. Many decisions have to be made on who to sign and who to get rid of. Here is my prediction on who the Eagles will keep and who will move on.
Makhi Becton
The Eagles have limited cap space coming into this offseason and only 22 million dollars available to sign players. The Eagles need to make decisions on many key players, one of them being offensive lineman Makhi Becton. Before being picked up by the Eagles, Becton played for the New York Jets. After the Jets’ right tackle got hurt, the team converted Becton to the position, where he struggled. Weight problems and knee injuries caused him to be released at the end of the 2023-2024 season. Nobody expected Becton to become an elite tackle, but the Eagles gave him a shot. This turned out to be one of the best decisions Howie Roseman has made as General Manager. The Eagles shifted Becton to right guard where he thrived this past season. Becton was one of the best guards in the 2024 season and was a key reason Saquan Barkley was able to rush over 2000 yards. Becton is not going to be cheap to re-sign after having a great season, and the Eagles will most likely have to give up a majority of their available cap space to keep him. As much as Eagles fans want him to stay, I think it would be the best move to let him walk as we have more important positional needs. Tyler Steen, Becton’s backup, is also a very viable option and is still under contract. Although Tyler Steen is no Becton, I think because of how good the rest of the offensive line is, and the fact that the Eagles have the best running back in the NFL, they will not suffer from losing the right guard.
Josh Sweat
The Eagles’ defensive line has played a large role in the team’s success in past years. This year was no different and Josh Sweat was part of why it was so dominant. Leading the team in sacks with eight, Sweat also recorded 2.5 sacks in the Super Bowl. At the end of the 2023-2024 season he agreed to sign a one year contract for 10 million dollars, a value slightly less than his fair value to stay on the team, according to Spotrac. The high-end, veteran-edge rusher is expected to sign a large contract this year and fills the gap many teams have on the backend. In my opinion, his cost is too high. Although he is a great edge rusher, he is replaceable. The Eagles can look to pick up an edge rusher in the draft and they also have another outside linebacker in Nolan Smith, who had a great rookie season. If the Eagles let Josh Sweat go, they have other players to step up in his absence and will do just fine.
Milton Williams
Milton Williams had a great season with the Eagles and has done so for the last couple years. With defensive tackle Jalen Carter drawing the majority of attention, Williams slyly dominated his matchups and recorded five sacks and ten QB hits. Along with the rest of these players, if the salary cap was nonexistent, signing Milton Williams would be a no brainer. He is young, athletic, and overall a top defensive tackle in the league. Williams will probably take up all our cap space if we do re-sign him. Although he is a great player, I think any player can excel alongside Jalen Carter, and while we may not fill the role with a player of Milton Williams caliber, I do not think we should spend this much money on the defensive tackle position as long as we have Carter. The Eagles also have Jordan Davis who has shown potential, but has struggled to play a bulk amount of snaps during the season.
Zach Baun
At the start of Zach Baun’s career, he was primarily used as a reserve linebacker for the New Orleans Saints and did not play a steady amount of snaps for the four years he was there. After the end of the 2023-2024 season, the Saints released Baun and the Eagles picked him up for only 1.6 million dollars guaranteed. In my opinion, this was the greatest signing in Howie Roseman’s career as the Eagles General Manager. Under Eagles Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio, Zach Baun dominated. Baun finished the regular season with 93 solo tackles (third in the NFL), five forced fumbles (tied for second in the NFL), and a selection to the 2024 All-Pro Team. To end the season, he even recorded an interception in the Super Bowl. Zach Baun is undeniably one of the best defensive players in the entire NFL. As a result, he is not going to be cheap. Even if the Eagles pursue him as their number one priority they still may not be able to get him if another team offers more money than we have. I still believe that we should pursue him with all the money we have even if there is a chance we can’t get him. I do not see any way this defense will be nearly as productive without Zach Baun. Although Howie Roseman does not historically prioritize middle linebackers in comparison to other positions, he should see the non-replaceable value that Zach Baun provides and re-sign him.
The Eagles and GM Howie Roseman are going to have to make some tough decisions this offseason and are going to lose difference makers throughout the roster. Despite the loss of talent, the Eagles will continue to dominate due to their depth and talent. I believe that if we can re-sign Zach Baun we are in a perfectly good position to win back-to-back Super Bowls and dominate for years to come.
