The Philadelphia Eagles are coming down from the high of winning the Super Bowl and are crashing into the reality of free agency. The roster that general manager Howie Roseman created to take down the Kansas City Chiefs could be in jeopardy as 19 players could hit the market in the coming weeks. But there are some free agents that weigh heavier than others.
The quartet of Mekhi Blackmon, Zack Baun, Josh Sweat and Milton Williams is a prime example. All four players are ranked in the top 100 of Pro Football Focus’s available free agent list and while the Eagles were helped out by the NFL’s recent salary cap increase, decisions will have to be made with just $19.5 million in cap space heading into the offseason.
This could lead to two high profile players with a foot out the door when free agency begins on Mar. 13 and the Eagles looking much different as they defend their title next season.
Adam Schefter Thinks Milton Williams, Josh Sweat Will Leave Eagles in Free Agency
ESPN’s Adam Schefter discussed the Eagles’ offseason plans during a radio appearance on 97.5 The Fanatic with John Kincade and Andrew Salciunas on Wednesday morning. While he mentioned that Becton and Baun are likely to stay in Philadelphia, he had a different tone when it came to Williams and Sweat.
“Milton Williams sounds like a guy who is going to get paid. A guy that’s going to leave,” Schefter said. “Josh Sweat is a guy that is going to get paid and is going to leave.”
“Milton Williams sounds like a guy that’s going to get paid — sounds like a guy that’s going to leave. Josh Sweat sounds like a guy that’s going to get paid, and going to leave.”
— 97.5 The Fanatic (@975TheFanatic) February 19, 2025
- @AdamSchefter
(via Kincade & Salciunas)
📸 Emilee Chinn/Getty Images pic.twitter.com/QxkgVVODMw
The possibility of the Eagles losing two key defenders was always a scenario this offseason. Sweat is ranked 10th in PFF’s free agent rankings after collecting 41 total tackles, eight sacks and 14 tackles for loss last season. He ranked 12th among edge rushers with 66 pressures and Spotrac estimates he could command a deal worth $18.8 million annually in free agency.
Williams is in a similar situation. The 25-year-old broke out in his fourth season out of Louisiana Tech, recording 24 tackles with five sacks and seven tackles for loss and ranked 10th among interior defenders with 54 pressures last season. He also had PFF’s highest pass-rush grade at his position at 91.7 and could command $12 million annually per Spotrac.
Williams’s value could have also been driven up by a dominant performance in the Super Bowl, leaving him out of the Eagles' price range.
While this development may be frustrating to Eagles fans who want to see the team run it back in 2025, Schefter mentioned it’s life for a Super Bowl champion in the salary cap era. When Kincaid and Salciunas mentioned that only 25% of the past 23 defending champions get back to the Super Bowl and 35% miss the playoffs the following year, Schefter admitted there are a lot of things that need to happen for Philadelphia to join that group.
“They built a really good team and they’re going to lose players this offseason and that’s going to hurt and they have to find the guys,” Schefter said. “...But that’s part of being a champion. You lose these guys like there’s going to be somebody that’s willing to pay Milton Williams and Josh Sweat, in all probability more than the Eagles can and will. And so they’re going to have to find guys to step in and take their spots.”
After finding Jordan Davis, Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith Jr. in recent drafts, the Eagles may have to use a similar strategy to replace two of their top defenders in 2024.