The Reason A Few Obvious Eagles Voids Remain Unfilled

Patience has been the virtue that Eagles GM Howie Roseman has stressed this offseason in the most impatient of sports towns, perhaps emboldened by a second Super Bowl win in eight years.

You can plainly see the outline of the plan Philadelphia is putting in place with the idea that younger players on more cost-effective deals need to take on more significant roles, understanding the projected massive contract extensions for star players looming shortly.

The best example is at edge rusher after losing Josh Sweat in free agency and Brandon Graham to retirement, the Eagles want Nolan Smith to keep his late-season trajectory moving in a positive direction and second-year man Jalyx Hunt to become a critical piece of the rotation with one-year, prove-it players with upside in Azeez Ojulari and Josh Uche serving as the safety net.

That theme is replicated across the roster not only in the more high-profile spots like right guard (Tyler Steen with Kenyon Green and perhaps Matt Pryor as insurance) and cornerback (Kelee Ringo/Adoree' Jackson) but also for backups like at quarterback (Tanner McKee/Dorian Thompson-Robinson), running back (Will Shipley/A.J. Dillon), tight end (Grant Calcaterra/Harrison Bryant/Kylen Granson), and swing tackle (Kendall Lamm/Pryor).

The two notable positions that haven't been addressed in the form of a free-agent insurance policy are defensive tackle after losing Milton Williams to a massive deal to New England and safety after trading C.J. Gardner-Johnson to Houston. Less pressing is the LB3, where second-year man Jeremiah Trotter Jr. will be asked to step up after losing Oren Burks with no obvious contingency.

That might lead some to believe that the Eagles' confidence in Moro Ojomo at DT and Sydney Brown at safety is a little higher than the other positions.

The Eagles do like both players, but that's not the case.

Philadelphia's long-term plan this offseason has included the NFL's compensatory pick formula, which gives teams extra draft picks if they lose more qualifying free agents than they sign in return.

Right now the Eagles are projected for three comp picks in the 2026 draft ( a third-rounder for losing Williams, a fourth-rounder for Sweat's departure, and a fifth for Mekhi Becton's move to the LA Chargers).

If Philadelphia was to sign a free agent in the $4M range right now, they'd be risking cancelling out the Becton pick. Already the Eagles wiped out a sixth-rounder they would have projected to get for CB Isaiah Rodgers' moving to Minnesota by going up to $3.5M for Ojulari.

If the Eagles wait until Monday after the draft, they can add players without them counting into the 2026 compensatory pick formula, opening the door for someone like Justin Simmons at safety, a former Pro Bowl selection who would cost more than any of the Eagles' free-agent pickups to date and has publicly lobbied for a reunion with Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.

There isn't anyone as obvious or splashy at DT left on the open market, save for veteran Calais Campbell in the latter category, but there remain plenty of capable options who could be in play for $5M or so.

The other part of the equation is the draft, and if the Eagles nab a Day 1 or 2 prospect at those positions, the math could change.

Remember last year when the Eagles were unable to land an offensive lineman with guard/tackle versatility in what was considered a very deep draft for that kind of prospect, they immediately shifted toward Becton, who agreed to a one-year deal on April 29.