Eagles Free Agency Gets a B Grade — Here's What Howie Got Right and Wrong
John Stolnis grades Howie Roseman a B-minus on a salary cap curve. The additions of Ebiketie and Woolen show smart process, but the Phillips walk-away and defensive departures leave real questions about the Super Bowl window.
The JAKIB Staff
contributor
Grading on a Salary Cap Curve
Week one of free agency is in the books, and the Eagles' report card depends entirely on which curve you're grading on. If you expected Howie Roseman to replace every departing starter with a bigger name, you set yourself up for disappointment. If you expected smart, strategic moves within salary cap constraints, there's plenty to like.
The consensus among analysts lands around a B-minus to B — and that feels right.
What Howie Got Right
The Tariq Woolen acquisition stands out. A 27-year-old corner with legitimate upside on a one-year deal is exactly how you draft-proof a roster without committing long-term capital. Arnold Ebiketie fills a similar mold at edge rusher — young, physical gifts, room to grow, affordable.
Getting Dallas Goedert back on a one-year deal for roughly $7 million was a quiet win that unlocks everything else. It removes a position of need from the draft board and keeps continuity in an offense undergoing significant changes.
The Phillips Question
The biggest debate centers on Jaelan Phillips. The Eagles' walk-away number was reportedly around $25 million. Phillips got $30 million on the open market. Was that $5 million gap worth losing your best edge rusher?
The argument for walking away: Phillips isn't a $30 million player, and overpaying now could hamper flexibility for a more impactful pass rusher in 2027. The argument against: when you're in a Super Bowl window, you don't nickel-and-dime over $5 million for a player who fits your defense perfectly.
There's also growing criticism of Roseman's policy against negotiating extensions mid-season. Had the Eagles approached Phillips in Week 15, they might have locked him in at their $25 million number before the market inflated.
The Departures Add Up
Reed Blankenship, Nakobe Dean, Jaelan Phillips — a starter lost at every level of the defense. Add in Darius Slay's retirement, C.J. Gardner-Johnson's trade, and Milton Williams' departure from last year, and the Super Bowl defense has been significantly reshaped.
The moves make sense individually. Collectively, they raise a fair question: is the window still open, or is it starting to close?
The answer depends on the draft. And Howie's track record there — Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Jihaad Campbell — has earned him the benefit of the doubt. For now.
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