The Eagles really changed in free agency
By: Jake Rajala
The Philadelphia Eagles lost many key players in free agency. Perhaps they will open a work out for the public and find their next Vince Papale. Sorry, I had to get that out of my system. There aren’t many Eagles players that have a movie made about them.
So, the Eagles lost the following “notable” players; safety Reed Blankenship, edge rusher Jaelan Phillips, linebacker Nakobe Dean, cornerback Adoree Jackson, and wide receiver Jahan Dotson. If Philly wants to return to compete in an NFC conference that had the top two scoring offenses (Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks), they can’t take steps backward on defense. Their division may be weak, but Dak Prescott and Jayden Daniels have proven to have the ability to put up fireworks. Dak unleashed 30 passing touchdowns a season ago. In 2024, Jayden Daniels led his team to the NFC Championship.
The Eagles really need an edge rusher now. Not only is Phillips gone, but Brandon Graham will likely retire this offseason. Nolan Smith Jr. is a slightly above average pass rusher. The former first round pick had three sacks last season. However, he only played in 12 games. In his last full season (in 2024), he recorded 6.5 sacks, eight TFLs, and two pass deflections.
Nolan Smith still wasn’t a Pro Bowl-caliber pass rusher when he was with Philly. Jalen Carter demands double teams, but he’s also not a top-end pass rusher. I’d love to see Philly reel in a veteran edge rusher like Cameron Jordan (10.5 sacks last season) or Von Miller (nine sacks last season). They could draft a DE in round one. I’d like to see them draft a cornerback or safety on Day 2. Hopefully, they don’t land with a “Marcus Smith” in the first round. He was one of their biggest busts in the 21st century.
If there was a defender that the Eagles should have moved on from, it was Blankenship. He had a PFF grade of 46.5, which was good for 92nd out of 98 safeties. The Eagles should acquire a safety via a trade, just as how the New York Jets traded for the versatile Minkah Fitzpatrick. Blankenship wasn’t worth a contract of three years, for $24.5 million. The only thing going for him right now is that he is 27 years old, so there’s time for him to turn it around.
Nakobe Dean has been all over the map in his young career. He had four sacks, several tackles for loss, and a couple of forced fumbles. He only played in 10 games last season. He is clearly versatile, but he did struggle in coverage. In 2024, he notched 128 combined tackles, four pass deflections, and nine tackles for loss (in 16 games). He was blatantly more impressive in 2024 than 2025.
I would have liked to see the Eagles retain Dean. He is still developing. His fellow teammate, Zack Baun, was a late bloomer. It won’t be easy to find a “productive and young” linebacker. They may have to lure in a “veteran” LB such as Bobby Wagner or Lavonte David. They may have a couple of seasons left in the tank.
There have been rumors of the Eagles trading away their all-star DT Jalen Carter. I would be astonished if that actually came to fruition. The Eagles just extended Jordan Davis. They need his sidekick (Davis) extended, too.
The Eagles will most likely lose Adoree Jackson in free agency. They should rightfully move on from him. He’s 30 years old and he had a PFF grade of 54.6. This placed him 89th out of 114 cornerbacks. I know I’m breaking the trend that the Eagles need younger defenders. Well, there are very few “young and stout” CBs in free agency. Hence, I’d like to see them bring in a veteran, who can be a solid CB2 or CB3, such as Trevon Diggs.
We know that Jahan Dotson is no longer an Eagle. So, are the Eagles in a dire need of a wideout? He only managed to record 262 yards and a touchdown last season. It’s safe to say he didn’t prove his worth as a first round draft in 2022.
I would like to see them have a shifty WR that can be clutch on third downs. AJ Brown may not be happy, but he can share a little more. The former New England Patriots WR Stefon Diggs may be a nice target for the Eagles. With Saquon Barkley on the decline, they need to improve their passing game.
With that all said, there is plenty of time for the Eagles to succeed in free agency. It will take a lot of work, but we’ve seen many teams make a lot of noise in a single day on Monday.
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