The Philadelphia Eagles have made it to the Super Bowl in even-numbered seasons since 2022, and, oddly enough, have gone one-and-done in the playoffs in odd-numbered seasons. Philly won it all in 2024 but fell flat on their face in 2025, getting bounced out of the playoffs by the San Francisco 49ers.
And yet again, the team has a new offensive coordinator and has gone through some transition on both sides of the ball. If nothing else, this team knows how to win games and wins a lot, even in their 'down' seasons. If this funny trend keeps up, which has been the case since 2021, the Eagles would indeed make the Super Bowl in 2026.
But if the roster, in its current state, does not get better, those Super Bowl hopes would be dashed, though there could be some bargain-bin, late free-agent signings General Manager Howie Roseman could make.
Philadelphia Eagles late free agency fit could be for safety Xavier Woods
In Bleacher Report, Gary Davenport talked about why Xavier Woods could be a logical fit for the Eagles:
"The Philadelphia Eagles are in something of a tricky spot.
They have a talented roster, but it is aging at a number of positions. And while the team appears to be well-positioned against the salary cap, if the long-rumored A.J. Brown trade comes to fruition, it is going to blast a major hole in that cap space.
That could leave the Eagles sifting through the bargain bin to fill gaps on the roster, including at safety after Reed Blankenship signed with the Houston Texans.
There isn't a lot left on the veteran market at safety—a mixture of aging veterans like Harrison Smith and second-tier options like Ifeatu Melifonwu and Ashtyn Davis.
Xavier Woods kind of splits the middle between the two camps.
To be fair, the 30-year-old's lone season with the Tennessee Titans in 2025 was a disappointment—he missed six games and had a career-low 39 total tackles. But just two years ago with the Carolina Panthers, he set a career high with 119 total tackles and tied a career best with three interceptions. The season before that, his passer rating against was an outstanding 65.4.
There's no guarantee Woods will be able to recapture that form, but he's an inexpensive player with 121 career starts who can play both safety spots."
Losing Reed Blankenship in an already thinner secondary was a huge blow. Blankenship signed with the Houston Texans, but Philly did snag Riq Woolen on a one-year deal. As of now, the Eagles' starting secondary would feature Woolen, Marcus Epps, Andrew Mukuba, Quinyon Mitchell, and Cooper DeJean.
The cornerback room is actually in a strong spot, but the safety position simply isn't. Both Epps and Mukuba are, as of now, fringe-starters at best, so the Eagles simply have to address this position in free agency, and Woods does make a ton of sense.
The veteran safety could come right in and contribute. He's set to turn 31 years old this summer and has 134 regular-season games of experience. He's amassed 15 interceptions, 50 passes defended, and 660 tackles over his nine-year career.
Sure, he had a down year with the Tennessee Titans, but that could have been more due to the incompetence of the Titans rather than Woods' skillset. Coming into a defense led by Vic Fangio and sporting solid talent would elevate Woods' game and perhaps have him playing closer to his 2024 self.
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Woods is functional in coverage and has been able to play close to the line of scrimmage as well. Aside from a major trade, which I guess could always be in the cards as long as Roseman is running the show, addressing the safety room in free agency is how this team is going to get better at the position.