For the Philadelphia Eagles, winning the trenches has been a primary reason behind their success in the past. That was especially true during the team’s most recent run, which was capped off with a Super Bowl victory.
The Eagles’ offensive line won’t have a ton of turnover heading into the 2025 NFL season. The same can’t be said for the defensive side.
Oftentimes, winning comes at a great cost. The Eagles witnessed their pass rush feast on Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl just months ago, but they also witnessed teams line up to pay some of the free agents, causing some Philadelphia stars to walk out the door.
A little worry would only make the Eagles human. The team’s defensive coordinator, Vic Fangio, recently fielded questions about the state of his defensive line. The Eagles prepared for the cost of success, and Fangio remains confident in his team’s ability to stay strong after some key losses in free agency.
“I feel good about Nolan [Smith]. “I think we’ll feel good about Jalyx [Hunt] now that he’s gonna get a lot of reps and develop,” Fangio told reporters, according to Pro Football Talk. “He played good for us down the stretch last year, and played a lot, as you saw, so I feel good about those two guys, and I think they’ll continue to improve.”
Beyond the obvious replacements, the Eagles are encouraged by the depth.
“We’ve got [Josh] Uche, we’ve got Azeez [Ojulari], we’ve got three other guys there. I think we’ll be fine.”
Josh Sweat, a homegrown defensive lineman for the Eagles, took his talents to the Arizona Cardinals. He leaves the Eagles with 104 regular-season games under his belt. He collected 43 sacks over that time, including nearly three in this past postseason.
The 2021 third-rounder, Milton Williams, is another player who cashed out this offseason. Since his rookie season, Williams has played in 67 games, with 19 starts. He collected 132 tackles (25 for a loss), 11.5 sacks, and nearly 30 hits on opposing QBs. Williams leaves the Eagles for a run with the New England Patriots.
Beyond the younger players who picked up a big payday, the Eagles also lost their seasoned veteran, Brandon Graham, to retirement. Eventually, Graham’s age caught up to him throughout the 2024 NFL season, but without injuries he was still quite productive.
The Eagles will face a ton of tests in 2025, and how they perform up front on defense will be the biggest question heading into the new year. It’s easy to assume that all will be right for Fangio’s unit, but the Eagles don’t see a reason to be overly concerned at this time.
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