The Eagles did not make many splashy moves this offseason because most of the key members of their Super Bowl-winning team are locked up long term. However, an ESPN analyst is concerned about the losses on defense and says there could be trouble early in the season.
ESPN NFL analyst Ben Solak wrote a piece Tuesday that previewed the upcoming regular season 100 days before it starts. Solak had the Eagles among his three least improved teams from the offseason, stating the loss of several players from their top-rated defense and a schedule full of playoff teams are setting them up to have a slow start.
“It’s not particularly revolutionary to claim that the Super Bowl champion is going to have a hangover, but boy howdy did the Eagles lose a lot of talent,” Solak said. “In fact, 4,114 defensive snaps from 2024 are out the door with defensive linemen Milton Williams, Josh Sweat and Brandon Graham and defensive backs C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Darius Slay Jr. and Isaiah Rodgers. Of course, they have young players waiting in the wings, but I’d expect a rocky start as they shake off the cobwebs. The Eagles start with the Cowboys, Chiefs, Rams, Bucs and Broncos — five potential playoff teams. Things could get squirrelly.”
The Eagles will face the fourth-toughest strength of schedule in the league, with their 17 opponents having a .561 winning percentage last season. Only the Giants (.574), Chicago Bears (.571) and Detroit Lions (.571) will face teams with higher winning percentages.
Solak did mention one of the potential replacements, cornerback Kelee Ringo, as someone to watch during OTAs and training camp. With Slay gone, Ringo is in position to be a starting cornerback, and Solak thinks he has a shot to do well.
“Ringo has played fewer than 400 defensive snaps in his two seasons as a pro, but he’s just turning 23 this summer — the same age as some rookies,” Solak said. “He has elite athletic traits to boot. If Ringo is ready for his moment, the Eagles’ defense looks adequately and rapidly retooled for another postseason push.”
Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription.
Chris Franklin may be reached at cfranklin@njadvancemedia.com.