4 teams that can win Super Bowl 59 in 2024 NFL free agency
The Eagles are eager to put the second half of last season behind them, and making a strong showing in free agency would be a great way to do that
What happened to the Eagles last year? The reigning NFC champs looked like the best team in the league through the season's first half, but a second-half freefall left them searching for answers after they got blown out of the playoffs by the Bucs.
Depending on who you believe, head coach Nick Sirianni nearly didn't survive the chopping block. His coordinators were not so lucky, as Brian Johnson and Matt Patricia were relieved of their duties, and in their place are Kellen Moore and Vic Fangio, two coaches with excellent reputations that should immediately bring much-needed stability to the team.
General manager Howie Roseman has worked magic before, but it won't take a miracle to get the Eagles back into the NFL's elite tier. The two new coaching hires will go a long way, and with around $40 million in cap space, the room is there to make significant additions. Already, pass rusher Bryce Huff has been brought on board.
Philly lost two franchise legends to retirement in the past two weeks when Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox decided to hang up their cleats for good. Their absence will be felt in the trenches on both sides of the ball, and Roseman would do well to set his sights there.
Kelce is irreplaceable in more ways than one, but with the way the Eagles have always emphasized line play, they'll need somebody who's at least competent to protect Jalen Hurts. Mitch Morse, who is signing with the Jaguars after being cut by the Bills, would have been a tremendous choice to replace Kelce, but that ship has sailed. Connor Williams of the Dolphins is projected to snag a big contract, but his ACL tear in December makes him a risky play for teams looking to shore up their offensive line. I like Aaron Brewer of the Titans. He should be much more affordable than Williams, and with 34 starts in the past two seasons, he's much less of an injury risk.
The group of available free agent centers is pretty thin, but the defensive tackle market should be much easier to navigate. DJ Reader, Sheldon Rankins, Grover Stewart, and Javon Kinlaw could all slot in next to Jordan Davis with ease.
The Eagles could also use a slot receiver after patching things together with Julio Jones last year. Darnell Mooney and Tyler Boyd would be great fits that shouldn't break the bank.