This is going to be a busy week in the NFL.
Free agency begins today when the NFL’s negotiating window opens at noon. It’s the first time teams are able to negotiate with the agents of pending free agents. Before today, teams had exclusive negotiating rights with their own pending free agents.
When this negotiating window (sometimes called legal tampering) began, there wasn’t news of deals. But that has all changed. We’ll hear about terms of contracts beginning at noon today.
But nothing can become official until 4 p.m. on Wednesday. That’s when the new league year officially begins. Every year, it seems like a move or two ends up not happening, so keep that in mind.
Entering free agency, the Eagles are projected to have just under $22 million in available cap space. That’s way less than they had a year ago. So don’t expect them to be nearly as active in free agency this time around. In fact, you can probably expect them to lose some key free agents.
Moves so far
• The Eagles already took care of their top priority this offseason when they agreed to terms with linebacker Zack Baun on a three-year contract reportedly worth $51 million. Baun played the 2024 season on a one-year, $3.5 million deal but was an All-Pro and finished fifth in Defensive Player of the Year voting. The Eagles couldn’t let him walk and make sure to lock him up long-term.
• Even though he still had two years left on his deal, the Eagles rewarded Saquon Barkley with a two-year extension, reportedly worth $41.2 million, including $36 million in guaranteed money. Barkley was an All-Pro and the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year after a historic running back season.
• The Eagles informed both Darius Slay and James Bradberry of their pending releases. The team is using a post-June 1 designation for both Slay and Bradberry, which will split up the dead money left on their contracts between this season and next. The Eagles will save $4.3 million in cap space by releasing Slay and $2.1 million by releasing Bradberry but they won’t get that relief until June 1. The Eagles will have to carry their full cap hits through that date.
What’s next
The Eagles will likely have to let some of their key free agents walk this offseason but they will try to bring back a few of them. The good news is that after winning Super Bowl LIX, the Eagles still have a roster that is pretty stacked.
The most obvious move that should come this offseason is an extension with starting center Cam Jurgens, who enters the final year of his rookie contract in 2025. Jurgens was a Pro Bowler in his first season replacing the legendary Jason Kelce and the Eagles will want to make sure they lock him up long-term. Not only is it obvious that the Eagles will want Jurgens long-term, but extending him should offer some cap relief in 2025. Another candidate for an extension is starting safety Reed Blankenship.
Eagles pending free agents
Here’s a look at the full list of Eagles’ pending free agents: LB Zack Baun (signed), OL Mekhi Becton, LB Oren Burks, WR Parris Campbell, T Le’Raven Clark, WR Britain Covey (RFA), OL Jack Driscoll, RB Kenny Gainwell, OT Fred Johnson, LS Rick Lovato, DB Avonte Maddox, CB Isaiah Rodgers, OLB Josh Sweat, TE C.J. Uzomah, LB Ben VanSumeren (ERFA), DT Milton Williams
And here’s a look around some top league-wide free agent lists to see where the Eagles rank:
NFL.com’s top 101
1. Milton Williams
3. Zack Baun (signed)
5. Josh Sweat
49. Mekhi Becton
94. Kenny Gainwell
PFF’s top 150
10. Josh Sweat
17. Milton Williams
23. Zack Baun (signed)
42. Mekhi Becton
105. Isaiah Rodgers
107. Brandon Graham
The Ringer’s top 50
6. Milton Williams
9. Josh Sweat
12. Zack Baun (signed)
34. Mekhi Bectcon
CBS Sports’ top 100
3. Josh Sweat
6. Milton Williams
10. Zack Baun (signed)
19. Mekhi Becton
Playing the comp pick game
The Eagles are going to lose more free agents than they add this offseason so they will be playing the compensatory pick game a bit. And they won’t be interested in really screwing up the potential to get comp picks by signing a bunch of normal free agents.
But any players who were released by their previous teams do not count toward that comp pick formula. The Eagles will likely be interested in these players. So guys like Javon Hargrave, Dre’Mont Jones, Jonathan Allen, DeMarcus Walker, etc. might be extra intriguing for Howie Roseman and the Birds.
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