The Eagles are sending mixed messages about their 2024 intentions

When NFL free company started, I believed I knew what the Eagles had been doing.

Coming off a stinging end-of-season meltdown and embarrassing loss within the wild card sport to the Bucs, Howie Roseman seemed to be a person on a mission, including Bryce Huff as a younger, up-and-coming edge rusher, shockingly signing Saquon Barkley for the backfield, bringing again CJ Gardner-Johnson to solidify a security spot, and nabbing various different function gamers of various levels of significance.

It positive appeared just like the Birds had been going all-in for 2024, welcome information for head coach Nick Sirianni, who’s undoubtedly teaching for his job this season. Offensive coordinator Kellen Moore was introduced in to do plenty of the heavy lifting, whereas Vic Fangio was added to architect a protection that had grow to be one of many worst within the NFL by season’s finish.

That’s why it was so bizarre that the Haason Reddick commerce rumors continued earlier than free company started, finally culminating in his commerce to the New York Jets final Friday for a conditional 2026 third spherical choose that can grow to be a second if Reddick hits sure enjoying time and efficiency bench marks.

In brief, the Eagles swapped out a confirmed celebrity go rusher within the 29-year-old Reddick, a participant who tallied 27 sacks in his two seasons in Philadelphia, for a participant in Huff who logged a career-best 10 sacks, 21 QB hits, and 67 QB pressures in 2023. In doing so, the Eagles didn’t actually save themselves something when it comes to the wage cap this 12 months, by way of Over The Cap:

In accordance with a number of shops the Eagles can pay Reddick’s roster bonus previous to formally executing the commerce with the Jets. That may depart the Eagles with $21.515 million in lifeless cash from Reddick’s contract, which is actually the identical value on the wage cap as if he had been nonetheless on the staff. They do, nevertheless, save themselves $14.5 million in wage for the 12 months.

As soon as the choice was made to signal Huff and go youthful at edge, it turned clear Reddick or Sweat’s presence on the roster was in jeopardy. The Eagles selected to stay with the youthful participant in Sweat (27), and Reddick turned expendable.

So as a substitute of conserving a Professional Bowl edge rusher and signing him to an extension that might have lessened the cap hit in 2024 and saved a participant getting old into his 30s for an additional few years after that, Roseman made the calculated gamble that Huff is an ascending participant who can grow to be an each down contributor over the following 3-4 years. He’s additionally relying on Nolan Smith to see elevated enjoying time and contribute in the way in which a second-year, first spherical choose ought to.

It’s a daring technique that would find yourself paying off if Huff and Smith progress the way in which Roseman and the entrance workplace consider they are going to, nevertheless it may additionally make them weaker in 2024, a season during which nothing lower than a Tremendous Bowl look can be acceptable.

Roseman and the teaching workers have a fragile balancing act to juggle, as Roseman himself acknowledged after the commerce (by way of Eagles.com).

“I feel that something you’re attempting to do, you’re attempting to mix what you’re attempting to do that 12 months and what you’re attempting to do sooner or later,” Roseman mentioned. “I feel that’s the toughest job. Don’t need to get into any specifics with any conversations with gamers however have large respect for the participant and individual.”

The Eagles must guarantee that draft picks are progressing and receiving sufficient enjoying time to take action, but in addition they must win as many video games as doable this season. It’s exhausting to argue the Eagles’ line of defense is best now than it could be if Reddick had been nonetheless manning one of many edges, however they clearly consider it’s price this roll of the cube.

The conditional third spherical choose acquired on this deal will be unable to assist the staff in 2024, nor in 2025 (barring it being packaged in a commerce). As an alternative, that participant received’t be an Eagle till 2026, at which era Sirianni, Moore, and/or Fangio may very well be lengthy gone. Roseman could make a deal like this as a result of he is aware of he isn’t going wherever. Job safety permits a normal supervisor to swing a deal for a possible second spherical choose that received’t be an Eagle till after two extra seasons have been accomplished as a result of he is aware of his neck isn’t on the road if issues don’t work out instantly.

It’s doubtless the Eagles have completed their low season heavy lifting when it comes to free company. Maybe there can be draft trades that deliver a high quality veteran participant to the Eagles, however extra doubtless than not, the remainder of the roster can be stuffed in with their 2024 draft picks and free brokers on one-year offers. The Eagles will enter the season with Huff, Sweat, Smith, Brandon Graham and probably Zack Baun as their major edge rushers, and it’s truthful to be involved attempting to separate the child at one of the crucial necessary positional teams on the staff will hinder or assist their probabilities of reaching the one acceptable purpose right here in 2024.

Getting again to the Tremendous Bowl.