Songs That Describe The Eagles' First Week of Free Agency
The soundtrack for losing key starters, finding upside, and not knowing what to do with A.J. Brown and Dallas Goedert
A great football team is like a great album. Every piece is placed perfectly, seamlessly coalescing into a body of work that commands your attention. Great teams are Abbey Road, Voodoo, Thriller. Mediocre teams are a collection of B-sides and skits that drag on too long. Bad teams are more like a user-generated YouTube playlist that fluctuates between Nas, Aphex Twin, and whale sounds.
As the league turns over a new year, free agency arrives as an opportunity for teams to chase that legendary album. Though free agency is no longer the primary team-building tool for well-run franchises (who prefer cost-controlled measures like the draft and the trade market), it’s still an opportunity to add key players who can sure up a team’s weak spots and cement a winning direction.
Less than a week in (which somehow also feels like a month), we’ve seen a center sign a record-setting contract, the Ravens trade for Maxx Crosby only to say “I’m just jokin’”, and a few highly-drafted quarterbacks being released by their teams’ new regimes. Free agency is a cold world.
Through it all, the Philadelphia Eagles are trying to Eat, Pray, Love themselves into a new offensive identity after being bounced in the wild-card round of the playoffs. The Eagles are like your roommate in college got fired from their VC firm, took psychedelics for the first time, and decided to commit themselves to practicing Reiki (“Derek, please stop commenting on my chakra”).
While other teams have aggressively built through free agency, the Eagles still have a lot to figure out. Like your least productive coworker likes to say, it feels like they’re just “juggling a lot right now.”
The A.J. Brown decision is swinging over their head like an All-Pro guillotine while the Eagles still need to make a call on re-signing Dallas Goedert or letting him walk. If the Eagles lose Brown and Goedert, that means their top two touchdown catchers will be out of the building (Goedert led the team with 11 touchdown catches in 2025, and Brown came in second with 7).
They also need to extend Jalen Carter while ensuring the 5th-ranked defense by points per game doesn’t take a step back. Still, it’s been an eventful week for the Birds since the legal tampering period started last Monday.
So we’re going to recount the Eagles’ free agency activity through the gift of song, creating our own soundtrack for free agency so far. Let’s see if the Eagles are trending towards Abbey Road or YouTube whale sounds.
Jordan Davis Signs a 3-Year $78 Million Extension
“So, I’m back up in the game…Running things to keep my swing…Letting all the people know…That I’m back to run the show” - Mark Morrison
“Ain’t really trip on the credit, I just paid all of my dues. I just respected the game, now my name all in the news” - Nipsey Hussle
Big man got paid! After an incredibly productive season, the Eagles awarded defensive tackle Jordan Davis with a $78 million 3-year extension with $65 million guaranteed. The big man got a big check (side note: teams should reward players with contracts by delivering giant Publishers Clearing House-style checks to their front doors).
The extension makes Davis the highest-paid nose tackle in league history and a living reminder of what happens when you ride your Peloton instead of using it as a clothing rack. In 2025, Davis ranked 6th in run stop win rankings, proving to be an elite run defender. He went from averaging 30 tackles in his first three seasons to 72 tackles in 2025. He also had career highs in QB hits, tackles for loss, and batted passes. His season featured highlight plays like the game-winning field goal block against the Rams.
More importantly, Davis is a leader in the locker room and a voice of reason for fellow defensive tackle Jalen Carter. It’s nice to see Davis hanging around in Philly for a long time.
Howie Roseman Stays Patient in Free Agency
“I just want to take it nice and slow” - Usher
As I wrote in my free agency preview, the Eagles are taking things slow in free agency as expected. The best course of action for a contender with an inflated balance sheet is patience and resolve in the face of shiny objects.
Howie Roseman notoriously uses free agency to hunt for undervalued players while avoiding overpaying for any significant contracts. With decisions looming on A.J. Brown and Dallas Goedert, Roseman is playing a delicate game with the Eagles’ cap sheet.
The Eagles are prioritizing compensatory draft picks (Philly Voice’s Jimmy Kempski keeps track of them here), which are awarded to teams that lose free agents to other teams. To redeem the draft picks from losing key starters from last year’s team, the Eagles need to ensure they don’t sign free agents at a greater or equal value than the players they lost.
Still, the Eagles have had a noticeably low number of free agent signings compared to their division rivals. The Cowboys have signed 9 new players in addition to trading a 4th-round pick for Packers defensive tackle Rashan Gary for some reason. The Commanders have signed 12 new players, and the New York Giants have signed 10. The Eagles have signed a grand total of 4 new players, all to 1-year deals.
The slow roll is the right approach for this team. With a team with this much talent, keeping the band together is bound to become expensive. The Eagles are counting on the draft and trade market to build a Super Bowl contender at a cost that makes sense.
Jaelan Phillips Signs with the Carolina Panthers
“North Carolinaaaa come on and raise up” - Petey Pablo
“Do you want him? Or do you want me? Cuz I want you.” - Prince
After acquiring him for a third-round pick from Miami last year, there was hope that all-world game-wrecking edge rusher Jaelan Phillips would re-sign with the Eagles. Phillips was the Eagles’ priority free agent, and reports state that they tried to make a push to bring him back. But an edge rusher of Phillips’ caliber commands a hefty payday and rightfully so.
Jaelan signed with the Carolina Panthers for 4-years and $120M with $80M guaranteed. His contract value is greater than the GDP of the small island nation of Tuvalu (where my Tuvalu-heads at!?).
The 26-year old pass rusher is a star and joins a fast-rising Carolina team that’s rehauling its defense. Unfortunately, there’s no way the Eagles could’ve resigned Phillips at a number close to that. They have too many mouths to feed. Still, Phillips helped take this defense from good to dominant. He’ll be missed as the Eagles look for ways to replace his production.
The Eagles Lose Reed Blankenship, Nakobe Dean, and Jahan Dotson
“Tell me why…is it so…don’t wanna let you go” - Michael Jackson
Free agency can be cruel. The Eagles lost three key starters from their Super Bowl team, signaling a significant shift at key positions.
Wide receiver Jahan Dotson signed with the Atlanta Falcons in the pursuit of more opportunities that reflect his first-round draft pick pedigree. Reed Blankenship is heading to Houston to play under DeMeco Ryans legendary defense. And Nakobe Dean is heading to Vegas to help turn around the struggling Raiders.
Dotson, though underutilized, is a receiver with a lot of potential. With the status of A.J. Brown in the air, I thought the Eagles might hold onto Dotson as insurance. He’d make an excellent second wide-out behind DeVonta Smith. But the price was too steep.
Blankenship has been a key part of the Eagles’ secondary since joining the team as an undrafted free agent. Losing him leaves a hole at the second safety spot next to rookie Andrew Mukuba, a talented player but one the Eagles don’t totally trust yet. With several notable safeties like Jalen Thompson and Jaquan Brisker signing elsewhere, the Eagles are in the wind looking for Blankenship’s replacement.
The Nakobe Dean was heartbreaking but expected. The Eagles drafted Jihaad Campbell last year, signaling that Dean’s time as an Eagle was coming to an end. Still, Nakobe was the beating heart of this defense. He had led the team in forced fumbles and made a highlight play every week. From what we’ve seen of Campbell, he’s up to the challenge to replace Dean, but Vic Fangio also mentioned this week that Campbell will miss most of the offseason recovering from shoulder surgery, which…isn’t ideal.
The Eagles Sign Two Tight-Ends
“You’re not the one” - Sky Ferriera
Philadelphia re-signed a tight end, but it’s just not the one we were expecting. Grant Calcaterra is back in Philly on a 1-year deal. Calcaterra is a solid second tight end.
The receiving threat had his best season in 2024 when he had 24 catches for 298 yards and a touchdown. Last year, he had a whopping 9 catches for 76 yards. Still, Calcaterra has chemistry with Hurts (they were college teammates at Oklahoma) and Hurts has referred to him in the past as a “special player.” He’s a great backup to have on the team as long as you don’t ask him to block (please don’t ask him to block).
Which brings us to the Birds bringing in Jaguars backup tight end Johnny Mundt on a 1-year deal. Mundt’s skillset is that of a brick wall. He’s an excellent blocker, joining a team in need of tight ends who can actually block. As Bleeding Green Nation’s Jonny Page said in a recent film review of Mundt, “His blocking technique is outstanding, and he can play various blocking roles despite not being the biggest.” Despite his blocking skills, Mundt isn’t a threat as a receiver.
Mundt has been in the league for 10 seasons and most notably played with new Eagles offensive coordinator Sean Mannion for 4 seasons with the Rams and the Vikings. Mundt is another player familiar with the Shanahan/McVay offensive scheme that the Eagles are shifting towards.
This isn’t a signing that will light the world on fire, but it’s good to have good players that fit this system in the building. Still, neither Calcaterra nor Mundt is the one. If Goedert moves on, the Eagles will still be in pursuit of a #1 tight end on this roster.
Tariq Woolen Signs with the Eagles
I get on they a**, yeah, somebody gotta do it…I make ‘em **** mad, yeah, somebody gotta do it - Kendrick Lamar
The Eagles signed former Seahawks cornerback Tariq Woolen to a 1-year deal a month after Woolen won his first Super Bowl with the Seahawks. The 5th-year cornerback is insanely talented. At 6-foot-4, Woolen boasts a rare combination of size and speed.
He was a revelation in his rookie season, finishing the season as a finalist for defensive rookie of the year. In the three seasons since, Woolen’s performance has fluctuated. He has a lot in common with Eagles fans, he talks a lot of shit and is unnecessarily aggressive at times. Our boy will fit right in.
For all of his physical gifts, Woolen can suffer from poor tackling, lapses in concentration, and a healthy dose of penalties. He’s a bit of a hothead who’s been benched on separate occasions due to both on-the-field performance and violating team rules.
Coach Mike Macdonald explained Woolen best to ESPN, saying, “When he’s locked in, I think he’s as good as it gets. And then when he’s not as locked in, then that’s when some technique errors show up. But it has nothing to do with his ability.”
Still, Woolen is a stud. He has the potential to reclaim his status as an elite corner, especially playing alongside Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. He’s a level up from Adoree Jackson. In 2025, Woolen allowed a 54.2% completion percentage and a 75.5 rating for opposing quarterbacks in the regular season. For reference, Adoree Jackson allowed a 62.7% completion percentage and an 87 rating.
The Eagles seem comfortable with shifting their weak spots on defense from the second cornerback spot to safety. Woolen has the potential to be the best outside corner Quinyon Mitchell has played across and make this secondary even more formidable than it was last year. For a one-year prove-it deal, this could be a slam dunk for Howie and the Eagles. The hope is that new Eagles secondary coach Mike Pellegrino can work the wonders that former secondary coach Christian Parker did in player development before Parker left for Dallas. Speaking of…
The Eagles Sign Cornerback Jonathan Jones
“Fully equipped, you know we come wit’ all the supplies” - Busta Rhymes
The Eagles collect cornerbacks like Pokémon cards. Going into training camp in 2025, the Eagles had 11 cornerbacks on the roster. After signing Jonathan Jones, the Eagles currently have 8.
At 32-years-old, Jones is a veteran corner who once upon a time had an elite pedigree. He played 10 seasons in New England with new Eagles secondary coach Mike Pellegrino, winning two Super Bowls. Jones was on the Patriots team the Eagles beat to win their first ring, but didn’t play in that game due to injury.
He played for the Commanders last year, starting a few games in the outside corner spot. In two matchups with the Eagles last season, Jones gave up a 50% and 100% completion percentage, respectively. He’s a smaller corner who currently has the 3rd most games played of any corner in the league behind Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay.
It’s unusual for the Eagles to sign a cornerback in their early 30s, but Jones is a depth piece meant to save us from continuing to watch Kelee Ringo see how many pass interference penalties he can get in a single drive. It won’t move the needle, but depth is good, I guess.
The Eagles Sign Edge Rusher Arnold Ebiketie
“I’m an alligator, I’m a mama-papa coming for you” - David Bowie
As Bob Marley once said, “One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.” The opposite can be said for new Eagles defensive end Arnold Ebiketie.
The former Falcons edge rusher signed a 1-year deal with the Birds, coming off a season in Atlanta where he was 10th in the league in pressure rate. The former second-round pick out of Penn State led the Falcons with 6 sacks in 2024. He lacks consistency in defending the run, but Ebiketie is an intriguing prospect with ridiculously high upside.
Taking a flier on a proven player with high upside is Roseman’s theme song. While Ebiketie can be a valuable piece, we can still expect the Eagles to explore bringing in premium pass rush talent.
There are rumors that they’re sniffing around Vikings defensive end Jonathan Greenard and potentially looking at a reunion with former Eagle and current Arizona Cardinal Josh Sweat. Another name to consider after the Ravens pulled the rug out from under the Raiders is Maxx Crosby. The Eagles were rumored to be one of the teams involved in talks with the Raiders up until the trade took place. Do the Eagles part with some draft capital to bring in Crosby and sure up the line?
The Eagles Pause A.J. Brown Trade Talks…For Now
“So many years we’ve tried…To keep our love alive…But baby, it ain’t over ‘til it’s over” - Lenny Kravitz
According to a report from The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, the Eagles have decided to pause any trade talks around A.J. Brown for now. As I referenced in my piece on why the Eagles shouldn’t trade A.J., this was always going to be the next step. Trading Brown before June 1 would force the Eagles to incur a $43M dead cap hit. That’s no way to live.
Though the Patriots, Broncos, and Rams were reportedly interested, the Eagles will hold for now. Despite the risk that Brown’s market will shrink after the draft, the Eagles know that the suitors for a top-5 wide receiver are always there.
I wouldn’t put it past Roseman to have a handshake deal with a team like New England in place that they decided to execute after that June 1 date. I hope that the Eagles decide to take a look at A.J. in Sean Mannion’s offense to see if a better scheme can heal all wounds. Maybe Howie Roseman will pull up to A.J.’s house and lift a boom box over his head that plays Eagles Super Bowl highlights until A.J agrees to come back. But it still seems like a separation is imminent…even if it takes a few more months.
The Eagles Push Back Dallas Goedert’s Void Date
“I will wait for you… yeaa yeaaaa” - Majid Jordan
The biggest domino yet to fall is what to do with Dallas Goedert. For the second time this week, the Eagles have agreed to push back Goedert’s contract void date to March 16.
Once Goedert’s contract is voided, he becomes an unrestricted free agent, and the Eagles will incur $20.5M in dead money. Reports say the Eagles are buying time to negotiate with Goedert. But if Goedert leaves, as I mentioned earlier, the Eagles will have a huge hole at TE1 and lose their top touchdown catcher.
If that happens, expect the Eagles to look at former Browns tight end David Njoku or a player like former Steelers tight end Jonnu Smith. Both players can carry a TE1 load. It should be a wild week.