The Philadelphia Eagles' Super Bowl-winning, No. 1 ranked defense has already lost seven players in the first 24 hours of free agency. It may feel like it's hard to understand what the Philadelphia Eagles are doing to kick off free agency, but don’t overreact.
When safety CJ Gardner-Johnson left the Eagles in 2023 for the Detroit Lions, he said during a live stream that his least favorite part about Philadelphia was the “obnoxious” fans.
While Gardner-Johnson joked that he thought Eagles fans would think that’s a compliment when he returned to the Eagles this time last year and helped win their second Super Bowl title, let’s be honest about the die-hard and passionate fanbase in Philadelphia. It’s football season 24/7 in Philly.
Let’s now resurrect that word once again, as Gardner-Johnson is traded to the Houston Texans along with a 2026 6th round draft pick to the Texans for guard Kenyon Green plus a 2026 fifth-round pick, according to NFL Network.
Eagles fans, don’t be obnoxious!
Of course, one thing is clear: Vic Fangio's top-ranked defense has taken a major hit.
Eagles' No. 1 Ranked Defense Has Lost 7 Players Already
- Milton Williams
- Josh Sweat
- Darius Slay
- CJ Gardner-Johnson
- Isaiah Rodgers
- Oren Burks
- James Bradberry
First of all, it’s way too early to overreact to what the Eagles have done so far in free agency because you don’t know the Eagles' entire vision and game plan. It's only day two of the early negotiation window — free agency hasn't even officially opened.
Secondly, let’s not forget the Eagles just won a Super Bowl for the second time in the last eight seasons. This isn't the New York Jets, Cleveland Browns or Jacksonville Jaguars.
So again, don’t be obnoxious.
This is the Philadelphia Eagles, one of the most well-run football franchises in the NFL and certainly the most successful in the NFC over the last 20-plus years.
The money both Williams and Sweat got in free agency was over the top for their production. They leave behind a lot of production for the Eagles to replace, but Philly can do that much cheaper.
It's too early to overreact. If this was the middle of the season and the Eagles' defense looked bad, then I get it, go ahead and criticize the moves. Not now, though; it's way too early.
Eagles GM Howie Roseman gave a glimpse into what he might do just a few weeks ago at the NFL combine in Indianapolis.
"We have to do whatever we can to make sure we keep this window open as long as possible. We have to get creative to make sure we’re keeping as many of our good players as we can. That's going to include playing young players, and I think that's a huge part going forward."GM Howie Roseman
There’s no question the Eagles have young talent on the defense — just look at how Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt rose to the occasion in last season's Super Bowl push.
Eagles' Young Defensive Talent Excuses Offseason Departures
Smith had an Eagles record for sacks postseason sacks after recording 6.5 in the regular season. Hunt was hunting down quarterbacks in the playoffs as a rookie, too, racking up 1.5 sacks, 3 QB hits, and 10 combined tackles.
Moro Ojomo is a prime candidate to get a shot at defensive tackle to replace Milton Williams. The former seventh-round pick played in 17 games last year, including one start, and had 22 quarterback pressures and 20 tackles in 388 defensive snaps and had a playoff sack on Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford in the snow, which helped the Eagles advance to the NFC championship game. Remember, they were one play away from losing to the Rams.
Jeremiah Trotter Jr. could see more playing time in his second season. The son of Eagles legend Jeremiah Trotter Sr. got a ton of experience as a rookie out of Clemson, appearing in all 17 regular-season games. He came up with a fumble recovery on the opening play of the playoffs against the Green Bay Packers, which helped set the tone for their Super Bowl run.
Sydney Brown is likely to get a shot to start and could very well be an impact player in the secondary if the safety can stay healthy.
Kelee Ringo is another young player drafted in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL draft who could be ready for a bigger role after playing in all 17 regular-season games last year.
Roseman, who is a big believer in building through the trenches, will almost certainly try to pick up a defensive lineman as he accumulates draft picks for the 2025 draft. This is believed to be a very heavy and deep defensive tackle draft, among the best in years. The Eagles will need to take advantage of that if they want to keep their Super Bowl window open for years to come because they need young talent at a cheap price to play and produce.