Philadelphia Eagles fans won’t forget how great the 2024 season was after the team won its second Super Bowl in franchise history. Now it’s about whether they can repeat as champions.
Leading the charge at quarterback was Jalen Hurts, who had one of the best seasons of his career. The stats won’t blow anyone away, but Hurts was efficient and protected the football, as evidenced by his career-high 68.7% completion percentage and a quarterback rating of 103.7. He capped it off with a stellar Super Bowl performance that earned him the game’s Most Valuable Player award.
The Eagles are in for another season where they should be Super Bowl contenders, but what would be holding them back from repeating?
While most analysts point to the historical difficulty of repeating as champions, the real challenge facing Philadelphia in 2025 isn’t the so-called “Super Bowl curse.” It’s something much more tangible and concerning: a defense that will rely heavily on unproven players at crucial positions.
The Eagles have undergone a massive defensive overhaul this offseason, and the numbers tell a sobering story. The team lost Josh Sweat to Arizona, Milton Williams to New England, released Darius Slay and James Bradberry, and traded C.J. Gardner-Johnson to Houston. In their place, Philadelphia has assembled a group heavy on potential but light on proven NFL production.
Consider the edge rusher position, where the Eagles will try to replace Sweat’s consistent pass rush. Azeez Ojulari, signed to a one-year deal worth $4 million, has managed just 46 games over four NFL seasons due to persistent injury issues. While talented when healthy, betting on Ojulari’s durability is a significant gamble for a championship-level defense.
The pass rush situation became even more uncertain when the Eagles traded away Bryce Huff to the San Francisco 49ers just yesterday, further depleting their proven edge rush options. This leaves the Eagles counting heavily on second-year player Jalyx Hunt, who showed flashes as a rookie but remains largely unproven in an expanded role. Josh Uche, a new addition, had one productive season in 2022 with 11.5 sacks but has otherwise struggled to produce consistently.
The linebacker corps presents an even starker picture of inexperience. First-round pick Jihaad Campbell is recovering from shoulder surgery and may be thrust into a starting role next to Zach Baun immediately due to Nakobe Dean’s ongoing recovery from a torn patellar tendon. The Eagles are also hoping for continued development from second-year linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr., who saw limited action as a rookie but could be called upon for a larger role. Asking a rookie linebacker to anchor a championship defense is a tall order, regardless of talent level.
In the secondary, the Eagles are doubling down on youth. While second-year players Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean performed admirably as rookies last season, they’re now being asked to carry even more responsibility with veteran departures. The team is also looking to third-year cornerback Kelee Ringo to finally step into a starting role after spending his first two seasons primarily on special teams. At safety, second-year player Sydney Brown is expected to compete for a starting position alongside Reed Blankenship. Adoree’ Jackson was brought in to provide veteran leadership, but he started only five games last season and has limited recent production.
The depth chart reveals just how much unproven talent the Eagles are banking on. By one analysis, four defensive starting positions remain up for grabs, creating uncertainty at nearly 20 percent of the defense. Even veteran coordinator Vic Fangio acknowledged that Huff’s future role remains unclear, suggesting internal uncertainty about key defensive pieces.
This isn’t to suggest the Eagles lack talent. Campbell was highly rated by scouts, Mitchell and DeJean showed tremendous promise as rookies, and Ojulari has flashed elite pass-rushing ability when healthy. The concern is timing. Championship teams typically rely on battle-tested veterans who understand how to perform under the intense pressure of defending a title.
The Eagles’ offensive continuity provides a stark contrast. Nearly every key offensive player returns, creating stability and chemistry that should make that unit even more dangerous. But defense often determines playoff success, and Philadelphia’s defensive transformation represents the biggest variable in their repeat chances.
History shows that even talented young players can struggle with the pressure and expectations that come with defending a championship. The Eagles will need multiple unproven players to not just contribute, but excel immediately. That’s a significant ask for any organization, even one as well-run as Philadelphia.
The Eagles have a chance to make history and repeat for the first time in franchise history. Hurts has all the capabilities to get the job done with Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert on offense to work with. The question isn’t whether they have enough talent to compete — it’s whether their defensive question marks can provide answers quickly enough to support another championship run.
There will be doubters that the Eagles can repeat, but Philadelphia has championship-level talent throughout the roster. The challenge lies in whether unproven defensive players can mature rapidly enough to handle the pressure that comes with being defending Super Bowl champions. In a league where defense often determines October success, that uncertainty represents the most significant threat to the Eagles’ back-to-back aspirations.