3 former Philadelphia Eagles players we’re glad are gone, 2 we wish stayed

Already this offseason, we have seen some prominent changes within the Philadelphia Eagles' roster.

Whether it be via retirements or players entering free agency, the Eagles have had a few notable players leave town.

The question is, will we miss any of them?

Former Eagles players we won't miss

Kevin Byard, S

When the Eagles traded for safety Kevin Byard last season, it seemed like a low-risk type of deal. Byard came over for a couple of late-round picks, plus safety Terrell Edmunds. In a move to clear some space, the Eagles released Byard and essentially sacrificed those picks for nothing.

Now, though, Byard is no longer in Philadelphia and instead chose to sign with the Chicago Bears. While he seemed fairly productive at times, Byard also looked like he had been on a downward trend compared to the All Pro guy he was a couple of years ago. Had this trade happened back in 2021 or 2022, maybe we'd feel a little differently. But, the cap savings and moving in a different direction seemed to be the right call.

Quez Watkins, WR

Outside of his career year in 2021 which saw him total over 600 receiving yards on 43 receptions, Quez Watkins has been merely an afterthought within the Eagles offense. His speed was something that drew fans in from the beginning, but pretty soon, we realized he was more of a one-trick pony. And, when the Eagles found better and more capable players to take his playing time, the offense didn't miss him.

Rashaad Penny, RB

The Rashaad Penny signing didn't seem to make much sense in the first place, but oh well. Penny had struggled with injuries prior to joining Philly, but the move seemed like a low-risk signing worth trying. In the end, Penny just fell out of favor with the coaches. He simply wasn't good enough to warrant playing time. The former first-round pick won't be missed, especially now with Saquon Barkley in the building. Penny is now 27 years old and might find himself out of the league very shortly, which is unfortunate, but reality.

Former Eagles players we would've liked to see stick around

Jason Kelce, C

At the top of any list like this, you've got to put the legend himself, Jason Kelce, right? The guy was the heart and soul of this Eagles offensive line for so long, and became one of the most beloved fan favorites this franchise has ever seen. Of course, we're going to miss him. But, the time was right, and we've got to respect the decision.

It doesn't make this any less difficult, though. It'll be a different-looking line in 2024, that's for sure.

D'Andre Swift, RB

This is a double-sided argument, because having Saquon now, the Eagles offense shouldn't miss a beat in the back field. Barkley is one of the best all-around backs in the league and does a lot of things that Swift did well, only better.

But, seeing the Swift trade pan out in such a strong manner was fun for Eagles fans. It was such a low-risk move, but ended up paying huge dividends. Swift is yet another former Eagle to sign in Chicago, so we'll see if he can continue his ascent with the Bears.