After coming up a few rounds short of their preseason goal, the reigning – for now – Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles will have some tough decisions to make about their roster, with over a dozen players set to test the open market in free agency.
Fortunately for Philadelphia, most of their starters are still under contract, with just two from the offensive side of the ball and three – or four – from the defense set to hit the market in March. While they may look to add a few more pieces from opposing teams to further fortify their depth, Howie Roseman has always been a fan of rewarding homegrown talent whenever possible to avoid Bryce Huff-type situations that can happen from time to time.
Will the Eagles bring everyone back? No, but they have three players who should be a priority, as they bring a ton to the table for a team with Super Bowl aspirations.
Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Jaelan Phillips
When the Eagles traded for Jaelan Phillips, fans assumed he would serve as more than a simple one-year rental.
Sure, technically, if the Eagles let Phillips leave in free agency, they will secure a compensatory pick, which could offset the 2026 third-round pick they initially traded away to secure his services, but of the defensive ends on the open market, are any really that much better than the UCLA by way of Miami product?
Trey Hendrickson has famously been looking for a multi-year deal potentially worth nine figures depending on the number of years, Kahlil Mack will be a free agent, even if he’ll be 35 next year, and other options like Odafe Oweh, Kwity Paye, and AJ Epenesa could hit the market if their teams don’t lock them up, but Phillips will be in demand for his impressive career stat line, even if his injury history could limit his ceiling.
In 2025, the Eagles watched the Arizona Cardinals sign Josh Sweat to a four-year, $76.4 million contract worth roughly $19.1 million a year in AAV. While the Eagles could have kept Sweat if they wanted to, they have a number of young defenders who are approaching monster paydays in the not-too-distant future, from Jordan Davis to Jalen Carter, Cooper DeJean, and eventually Quinyon Mitchell, so keeping things cheap on the defensive side of the ball in the short-term allowed money to flow to offense instead.
With Goedert potentially out at tight end, AJ Brown a popular name on the trade block, and a small window to give a contract to a defensive player before the rest of Vic Fangio’s unit becomes very expensive, if Phillips is willing to sign a two-to-three year contract, even at his Spotrac Calculated Market Value of $17.3 million, it could give the Eagles some continuity as they figure out the long-term future of their edge rusher position.
Contract projection: Three-year, $51.7 million, $43.5 million guaranteed
Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Nakobe Dean
When the Eagles drafted Jihaad Campbell in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, it looked like the end of the road for Nakobe Dean’s time at middle linebacker.
On paper, it made sense, right? Dean, though very good, has had injury issues throughout his NFL career, and the prospects of having Campbell perform at a similar level on a late first-round pick contract simply made financial sense regardless of the additional benefit he can produce as a pass rusher.
What the Eagles didn’t expect, however, was for Dean to take his game up a notch and become an absolute weapon for Fangio in the run game, helping to turn the tides in multiple contests down the stretch with his relentless motor between the tackles.
Because Dean played at such an elite level, it makes sense that another team may come calling, just like they did with TJ Edwards or Alex Singleton, and make him an offer the Eagles can’t match, forming the core of a new defense elsewhere. But Spotrac only projects Dean to land a contract worth $7.9 million, or just under $32 million over four years.
If Dean believes he’s worth more than that, or simply wants to bet on himself, he could opt to return to Philadelphia on a one-year deal above market value and test free agency again next spring, when Zack Baun will be in the final year of his $51 million contract, and the Eagles may be more willing to lock him up long-term.
Contract projection: One-year, $10 million, $8.5 million guaranteed
Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Marcus Epps
Of the starting defenders set to hit free agency in March, the most obvious safety to bring back would be Reed Blankenship, the UDFA-turned-Super Bowl starter who is one of the feel-good stories of the Nick Sirianni Era.
Blankenship is an Exciting White, is the quarterback of the secondary, and has a penchant for picking off passes, but in 2025, he was the Eagles’ worst-rated defensive starter according to Pro Football Focus, and gave up a touchdown in the Wild Card Round that ultimately played a big role in Philadelphia going home early.
Fortunately, the Eagles have another safety who played surprisingly well as an injury replacement in relief of Andrew Mukuba, and he won’t cost nearly as much to re-sign in Marcus Epps.
A Super Bowl starter back in February of 2023, Epps cashed in on his great play with a two-year, $12 million contract with the Raiders, where he played until a torn ACL ended his 2024 season. From there, Epps signed a one-year, $1.4 million contract with the Patriots last spring before being released in August, allowing him to sign with the Eagles’ practice squad during the regular season.
Playing 250 defensive snaps and 119 more on special teams over 12 appearances with four starts, Epps was a calming presence for a safety unit that struggled overall in 2025 and could fill that utility role again in 2026, regardless of when Mukuba is ready to play and who the Eagles select in the 2026 NFL Draft. For around $2 million, that is an incredible value.
Contract projection: One-year, $1.6 million, $0 guaranteed
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