This is going to be a fascinating offseason for the Philadelphia Eagles, with some big-name free agents set to hit the open market and young talent who could be up for contract extensions.
Some of the top players entering free agency include Jaelan Phillips, Nakobe Dean, and Reed Blankenship. There are current players like Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis who have been looked at for potential contract extensions during the offseason.
The issue is that the team's financial situation might leave them tight on who they can extend, who they will have to let walk in free agency, or who they will have to wait another year on. So the real question is, who will be on the right side or the wrong side of these decisions?
Eagles reporters give some insights on the situation
The Athletic's Eagles reporters, Zach Berman and Brooks Kubena, combined on a piece that answered multiple offseason questions, including who the team will give contract extensions to. First off, Kubena and Berman both agree that defensive tackle Jalen Carter will be looked at, with Berman adding that Carter's fellow defensive tackle, Jordan Davis, will be looked at as well.
"Pay close attention to (Jalen) Carter and Jordan Davis. Roseman prioritizes homegrown players and premium positions, and these two are first-round picks who will be franchise pillars. Carter could become one of the highest-paid defensive players in the NFL — even if his season might not have ascended to the level expected following Year 2. Davis took a big jump, and the Eagles will look to him as a leader on defense for years to come. They play the same position, which won’t affect the Eagles’ prioritization of the two players."
Carter is coming off his second straight Pro Bowl selection despite missing multiple games due to different injuries. Davis worked hard last offseason, losing 26 pounds, which led to career-best numbers across multiple categories, and many believed he was snubbed from a Pro Bowl selection.
The Eagles traded midseason for edge rusher Jaelan Phillips, which turned the season around for the defense, as Philly had one of the best units in the NFL after his arrival. Kubena says to watch out for him and Eagles long-time safety Reed Blankenship, who will also get looks.
"I’d also expect Jaelan Phillips to be a priority. The Eagles spent a third-round pick to acquire him at the trade deadline, and, at age 26, Phillip’s profile is within range of Josh Sweat’s when the Eagles signed him to a three-year, $40 million deal in 2021. Safety Reed Blankenship should also be a target. Drew Mukuba’s rookie contract should give the Eagles the flexibility to extend Blankenship."
Berman added one more name to the list to watch out for, and that's Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who is at the point of not being one of the top-paid quarterbacks in the NFL anymore. The problem, though, is that his contract is about to become a non-team-friendly deal for Philly.
"One sneaky extension candidate to watch? Hurts. He’s now No. 11 in average annual salary among quarterbacks, No. 13 in average guaranteed per year, and No. 8 in total value. (All figures are peroverthecap.com.) This is no longer a top-of-the-market deal. Further, the cap ramifications of moving on from him decrease significantly after this season. That could effectively make 2026 like a contract year unless the Eagles give him an extension this offseason."
Other names were brought up, like re-signing Nakobe Dean, but that might be a challenge, given his market price is likely to be higher than what the Eagles can offer. Edge rusher Nolan Smith might be one to watch, but he could be one year away from being strongly considered.
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The Eagles will be more focused on their own players again this offseason than on adding big-money free agents. Philly has always taken care of their own first before moving on to others, so expect more of the same this offseason.