The Eagles are breaking up just a month after winning Super Bowl LIX. Five players headed for the exits when the window to NFL free agency opened wide on Monday.
Who were the biggest winners from the defections? Glad you asked.
Kelee Ringo/Eli Ricks. The cornerbacks are at the front of the line to start after Isaiah Rodgers left for the Vikings and reports that Darius Slay will go to the Steelers once the Eagles release him. Releasing Slay hasn’t happened, yet, so maybe there’s a chance he returns. Right now, Ringo and Ricks are it, though there are several ways the Eagles could go to fill the starting job opposite Quinyon Mitchell.
Ringo is a fourth-round pick from two years ago and special team standout, and Ricks, who was an undrafted free agent years ago, played just 14 defensive snaps this season and was active for only seven games.
Jeremiah Trottter/Ben VanSumeren. One of these linebackers could start opposite Zack Baun if Nakobe Dean isn’t ready to begin the season after Oren Burks fled for the Bengals. Even if Dean is healthy, Trotter or VanSumeren are in line to be the top backups. The question is, though, how healthy will VanSumeren be after knee surgery late in the season? The guess is that he will be OK by the time the season rolls around after seeing him at the Super Bowl.
K.J. Henry may also get some looks in OTAs and training camp. He is a 6-4, 255-pound defensive end who was drafted in the fifth round two years ago by the Commanders.
Tanner McKee. The third-team quarterback his first two years in the league will be elevated to Jalen Hurts’ backup after Kenny Pickett was traded to the Browns.
Jalyx Hunt. The outside linebacker/edge rusher should enter his second year supremely confident after excelling in a role that grew as the season went on, and that bodes well after Josh Sweat departed for the Cardinals. The Eagles will count on him taking a big step in Year 2, much like Nolan Smith did from his rookie year to last season.
Byron Young/Gabe Hall. This might be a stretch, but the Eagles kept Young on the roster and Hall on the practice squad all season. Both may get some looks and earn a handful of snaps early on and maybe more later in the year after Milton Williams took off for the Patriots. It’s more likely the answer to replacing Williams will arrive in the draft.
Young, 6-3, 292 pounds, was a third-round pick of the Raiders in 2023; Hall, 6-6, 295, was an undrafted free agent last year.
Lewis Cine. The Eagles signed the defensive back to the roster on Jan. 8. He is a former first-round pick of the Vikings, but a serious knee injury put his career in doubt. If he proves to be 100 percent healthy, he might be able to find a role in the secondary with Rodgers out and Slay possibly leaving, too. Again, there are several combinations that Vic Fangio will try in the back end, so it won’t be until training camp that more is known about what combination of players will work best.
