Subscribe
Follow Us
They did it, they freakin' did it: the Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl.
All of the hard work has been justified, all the hurdles along the way have been cleared, and Philadelphia can now ride off into the sunset knowing that they have built one heck of a team that can hopefully remain competitive as the cream of the NFC's crop moving forward.
And the best part? Howie Roseman and company did it with a ton of help from 2024 free agency.
That's right, while the Eagles have been one of the best drafting teams as of late and have pulled off more than a few trades ranking from meh to blockbuster, they struck gold in free agency last spring, adding not one but two All-Pro players on contracts well below their on-field value plus a few more choice option who made plays in the “Big Game.”
First came Saquon Barkley, who is being paid like a solid WR2 but just turned in one of the all-time greatest running back seasons in NFL history. While he didn't go for triple-digits in the Super Bowl and didn't even lead the Eagles in yards on the ground, Barkley's gravity opened things up for Jalen Hurts to operate in New Orleans and quite literally had opposing defensive coordinator Steve Spagnola shadowing him with a spy even when he didn't get the ball on a read-option, just in case.
Factor in the incredible play of Zack Baun, who intercepted Patrick Mahomes in one of the plays of the game, plus contributions from the likes of right guard Mekhi Becton, weakside linebacker Oren Burks, and midseason fullback addition Khari Blasingame, and the Eagles made the most of their new veteran talent in 2025.
Not too bad for a team that essentially whiffed on their most expensive free-agent addition of the offseason, Bryce Huff, huh?
And so, with the 2025 offseason officially on the horizon and Roseman having an opportunity to do it all again in the pursuit of a title defense, which free agents should the Eagles prioritize next month? Well, considering even the World Champions have a few areas of weakness, it's not hard to identify at least a few.
1. Brandin Cooks
In quite possibly the weirdest twist of the entire Super Bowl, the first player to score a touchdown was none other than Jahan Dotson, the former Washington Commanders first-round pick who was largely MIA as Philadelphia's WR3 in 2024.
Originally intended to fill out the best wide receiving trio in the NFL, for one reason or another, be it Philadelphia's run-first mentality or his shortcomings as a route runner, separator, or pass catcher, Dotson only ended up catching 19 of the 33 balls thrown his way for 216 yards and no touchdowns during the regular season.
Granted, could Dotson ride his momentum into 2025? Sure, considering he's in the final year of his rookie contract, he remains a cheap reserve option who will likely stick on the roster unless Philly takes another receiver high in the 2025 NFL Draft or he really struggles in training camp.
Still, that doesn't mean Philadelphia shouldn't pursue some veteran support to help improve their depth overall and assuming he doesn't earn a massive, long-term deal elsewhere, Brandin Cooks feels like the perfect speedster to add a field-stretching ability to the offense Philadelphia hasn't reliably employed since Quez Watkins was on the team as WR3… assuming you can call Watkins reliable.
Originally one of the six players Chip Kelly wanted to select in 2014 before he went all in, for some reason, on Marcus Smith out of Louisville, Cooks has almost become an Eagle several times, but over and over again, he landed on another team, including his most recent run with the Dallas Cowboys from 2023-24.
While the past few seasons haven't been particularly kind to Cooks, as he only appeared in 10 games with nine starts in 2024, he remains a speedy option who can take the top off of opposing defenses and deploy on either the outside or in the slot. He's caught 64.6 percent of the passes thrown his way over his career, a good mark for a deep threat, and his yards per reception of 13.4 would have ranked second on the team in 2024, behind only AJ Brown.
If the Eagles want to add some speed to their receiving corps, and they do not want to worry about finding that player in the 2025 NFL Draft, as options like Oregon's Tez Johnson or Texas' Isaiah Bond could come off the board before they pick on Day 2, Cooks could fill that role on a team-friendly contract and give fans a chance to see if he can still speed down the field… assuming Hollywood Brown is too expensive.
2. Chase Young
Jumping from a Dallas speedster to one of the biggest “what-ifs” in Washington's franchise history – regardless of their name at the time – if the Eagles want to add some size, strength, and pedigree on the edge, one interesting option is a player they know very well: Chase Young.
Initially expected to become what Myles Garrett ended up being in Cleveland, Young looked like a world-beater as a rookie before tailing off at the end of his rookie-scale contract, being traded to the San Francisco 49ers before testing free agency last year, where he then landed in New Orleans on a one-year, prove-it deal with the Saints in 2024.
Did Young “prove it” in New Orleans, showing why he deserves to be a nine-figure player in the NFL? Eh, not really, as despite appearing in all 17 games and logging 63 percent of the team's defensive snaps, with his 742 being the most he's played since his rookie season, Young registered just 31 tackles and 5.5 sacks, to go with eight tackles for a loss and an admittedly impressive career-high 21 QB hits.
And yet, at just 25, it's safe to assume some team will offer Young a new contract at, near, or even slightly over the $13 million he played for in 2024 due to his pedigree and still-present upside.
Why should that team be the Eagles? Well, because they might have a massive hole at the position, depending on how the offseason shakes out.
That's right, after having huge games in the big game, it's safe to say two of Vic Fangio's top pass rushers, Milton Williams and Josh Sweat, could be in line for contracts bigger than what Philadelphia can offer, with Roseman having to potentially replace both if, say, Jonathan Gannon's Arizona Cardinals come correct with a massive offer in free agency. While the Eagles still have Nolan Smith, who turned into a player in 2024, Jalyx Hunt, and Huff – should he play – under contract, a rough free agency, coupled with Brandon Graham's retirement, could leave Philadelphia light at the edge/outside linebacker spot.
After striking gold with one former Saint who wasn't used to the best of his abilities, who knows, maybe Young could become the player he was supposed to be back in the NFL East, surpassing Sweat to become a must-extend player for Roseman and company.
Beginning his NFL career as a true three-down player, Young could look to curry favor with Fangio with his run defense and prove why he deserves an expansive workload in his defensive front, where his 6-foot-5, 265-pound frame could serve as a nice contrast to the speedier Hunt and Smith. If he can do that, then pass-rushing opportunities will open up, too, which is where Young could get paid if he plays his cards right.
