Eagles 2025 free agency primer: Pending free agents, cap space available, what to know this NFL offseason

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Eagles are coming off one of the most dominant Super Bowl runs in recent memory, crushing the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX and ending Kansas City’s chances at a three-peat. There’s no rest for the weary, as the Eagles are preparing for a monumental offseason two weeks after their Super Bowl win. 

Philadelphia has a lot of talent on its roster, but also has good players hitting the free agent market. The Eagles can’t re-sign them all, making the offseason more intriguing as general manager Howie Roseman will have to get creative in managing the team’s cap space. Don’t expect Roseman to have his typical offseason, even if he’ll continue to be aggressive in making the roster better. 

“We have a lot of guys who I think are in the prime of their careers under long-term contracts, who are kind of in this 26-, 27-, 28-year old-range, and so really we have to do whatever we can to make sure that we keep this window open for as long as possible,” Roseman said at the NFL Scouting Combine this week. “The most important season — this one coming up, 2025 — and doing whatever we can to maximize that, but we have to get creative to make sure that we’re keeping as many of our good players as we can. 

“I sat up here last year and I said that’s going to include playing young players, and I think that’s going to be a huge part of what we are going forward because we’re fortunate enough to have a lot of good players who are making a lot of money.”

As the Eagles head into another crucial offseason, let’s take a look at what they are up against heading into free agency:

Eagles free agency lookahead

Unrestricted free agents: Josh Sweat (EDGE), Brandon Graham (EDGE), Zack Baun (LB), Mekhi Becton (G), Avonte Maddox (CB), Milton Williams (IDL), Rick Lovato (LS), Le’Raven Clark (RT), C.J. Uzomah (TE), Fred Johnson (T), Jack Driscoll (RT), Nick Gates (C), Parris Campbell (WR), Oren Burks (LB), Kenneth Gainwell (RB)

Projected cap space: $22,375,816

Team needs: EDGE, LB, WR, G

Key free agents

Josh Sweat: Sweat performed in the final year of his contract, finishing with 54 pressures and 8.0 sacks for the Eagles. He also finished with 15 quarterback hits and a career-high 14.1% pressure rate. Sweat had 12 pressures and 2.5 sacks in the playoffs, having seven pressures and 2.5 sacks in Super Bowl LIX. Sweat likely outperformed his previous contract with the Eagles, and should cash in this offseason as one of the best pass rushers available. 

Zack Baun: Baun signed a one-year, $4 million deal with the Eagles last March and moved to inside linebacker after defensive coordinator Vic Fangio thought he would be a good fit at a new position. He rewarded the Eagles with an All-Pro season, finishing with 151 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, five forced fumbles, four passes defended and an interception in 16 games. He upped his game in the postseason, finishing with 33 tackles, three passes defended, a forced fumble and two interceptions — including one in the Super Bowl LIX victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. Baun is the first player since tackles became an official statistic in 1987 to have 150+ tackles and five+ forced fumbles in a season. The Defensive Player of the Year finalist will be getting a major raise for the 2025 season and beyond, as one of the top free agents available. 

Mekhi Becton: Signing a one-year contract last offseason, the Eagles moved Becton to guard and he became a force on the offensive line. Becton admitted he’d rather play guard for the Eagles or his next team, as he allowed three sacks and 22 pressures this season at guard (5.2% pressure rate allowed per dropback). He allowed three sacks and eight pressures in the playoffs (7.2% pressure rate allowed per dropback). There’s a strong chance Becton returns to the Eagles, as he hinted at a possible return and many of his teammates would like him back. 

Milton Williams: One of the Eagles’ best pass rushers, Williams netted a career-high 40 pressures to go with five sacks in 2024. He had a team-high 14.8% pressure rate to go with 10 quarterback hits. In the postseason, Williams posted 14 pressures, two sacks, two batted passes and a 12.7% pressure rate. Williams will be hard to retain this offseason, as he wants a pay bump but also indicated he would return to Philadelphia if the price is right. 

What could happen

The Eagles will have to replenish the pass rush, as it appears unlikely Sweat and Williams will be back. Philadelphia is also awaiting the final decision on Graham, who has stated in the past that last season was his final one in the NFL (Graham did leave a door open to a potential return). 

If Sweat and Williams depart, that leaves Nolan Smith, Jalyx Hunt and Bryce Huff as the lone pass rushers on the active roster. The Eagles will have to make a decision on Huff as well, as he was inactive for the Super Bowl as a healthy scratch — the first year of a three-year, $51 million deal. There’s no way the Eagles can release Huff without suffering a dead cap hit of at least $12 million, so he may still be around. 

The Eagles are likely to bring Becton back into the fold, even if Philadelphia has Tyler Steen to replace Becton at right guard should he depart. 

The biggest decision will be with Baun, as the franchise historically hasn’t paid a linebacker under Roseman (or even prior to him). Baun is a crucial part of Vic Fangio’s defense and one of the best off-ball linebackers in the game. The Eagles will be thin at off-ball linebacker if they re-sign Baun or not, as Oren Burks is a free agent and Nakobe Dean is rehabbing from a torn patellar tendon in his left knee (Dean expects to be back by Week 1). Jeremiah Trotter Jr. is the only off-ball linebacker remaining on the active roster, so bringing back Baun is paramount. 

If the Eagles bring back two of the four of the key free agents, credit goes to Roseman for keeping important players intact. 

Other free agents Eagles need to make decision on 

Oren Burks had a successful year with the Eagles, especially during the playoffs when he filled in for Dean. Burks ended up with 24 tackles and a sack in the playoffs, also having a 79.2 passer rating allowed in coverage when he was the primary defender. Burks is likely seeking a multi-year deal after signing one-year deals with different teams in consecutive years. The Eagles will need off-ball linebacker depth, and can solve that problem by re-signing Burks — who has also proven he can start in the league. 

Kenneth Gainwell is a running back Nick Sirianni likes, but the Eagles have money tied into Saquon Barkley and Will Shipley is ready for an expanded role in his second season. Gainwell had 290 rushing yards and averaged 3.9 yards per carry in the regular season, which will make it interesting to see what his market will be. The Eagles could bring Gainwell back or find a replacement later in the draft. 

Howie Roseman didn’t shut down a potential pursuit of Garrett, but he was also realistic regarding this offseason and the free agents the Eagles have to retain. 

“I’m not going to talk about anyone under contract with another team,” Roseman said. “One thing I can promise our fans is that there will not be a player that’s available that we won’t study, that we won’t look at and see if we can help the team.”

“Sometimes those opportunities work. And sometimes they don’t.”

Garrett would solve a significant problem with the Eagles pass rush, giving the Eagles a No. 1 pass rusher to pair with Nolan Smith and a dominant player on the edge to work with Jalen Carter in the middle of the defensive line. The Eagles would have to trade multiple first-round picks and a player to get into the conversation of acquiring a player of Garrett’s caliber, and the No. 32 pick isn’t as valuable as other first-round picks in 2025. 

Acquiring Garrett is a long shot, but never rule the Eagles out of the sweepstakes. They are in their contention window, and Garrett would be a major piece toward a repeat. Keep in mind the Cleveland Browns still have no desire to trade Garrett, but it’s also early in the offseason. 

How free agency unfolds will affect whether the Eagles make a serious pursuit of Garrett or not.