One of the biggest reasons why the Philadelphia Eagles have enjoyed as much success as the franchise has over the last decade is their impeccable record in the NFL Draft.
Regardless of whether it is on the offensive or defensive side of the ball, Howie Roseman and the front office continue to hit on high-impact players with their top selections. That ripple effect has allowed Philadelphia to lock in young, talented players on team-friendly deals that help them then use cap space to target veterans that fill specific needs.
Unfortunately, sometimes those successes in the draft make it so that established veterans are no longer needed. As those young players quickly grow into the roles the Eagles have planned for them, they receive the bulk of the reps in practice and snaps in games. That made one veteran linebacker who was on the roster as recently as the 2023 season expendable, and now he is showing out for one of the biggest threats in the NFC to Philadelphia defending its title.
Zach Cunninham flew into he backfield and hit Wilson. That could have been a sack. Cunningham is definitely making this roster.
— Mike Payton (@AtoZ_Payton) August 16, 2025
Ex-Eagles Linebacker Zach Cunningham Standing Out for NFC Rival
Once the Eagles added Nolan Smith Jr. and Nakobe Dean to the roster, nothing was stopping those two from jumping into the starting lineup very early on in their respective careers. Those additions, in particular, along with other players that have been added to the fold, left no real need for a veteran like Cunningham, even with his knack for finding his way to the football.
After spending the 2024 campaign as a member of the Denver Broncos, Cunningham is now on the Detroit Lions and has been a standout performer throughout the preseason in Motor City. Fans in the City of Brotherly Love don't need to be reminded that the Detroit Lions are going to be among their toughest tests in returning to the Super Bowl.
Cunningham started in 10 of the 13 games he appeared in for Philadelphia during the 2023 campaign. In that time, he racked up 85 total tackles with 54 of those being of the solo variety. While the Eagles are in a fine spot without him, Cunningham helping the Lions inch closer to winning the NFC for the first time in franchise history would be a tough pill to swallow.