And, finally we arrive... The ball drops, and the NFL's new year begins at 4 p.m. EST. All of those deals and releases we've heard about become official. The Philadelphia Eagles begin their title defense as they navigate another free-agency frenzy.
Vice president/general manager Howie Roseman asked for our patience. That's good enough. We knew we'd endure loss during the offseason.
Fans have dropped 'Howie SZN' and 'In Howie we trust' posts via social media for a while now. We'll soon learn who truly believes and who's tossed about with the wind. No, that isn't true.
Some Birds fans have already reached levels of panic. Darius Slay and James Bradberry are expected to be released. Kenny Pickett and C.J. Gardner-Johnson are reportedly going to be traded. Josh Sweat, Milton Williams, Isaiah Rodgers have reportedly signed with other teams.
And, now it appears another member of the offense is moving on.
Eagles news: Kenneth Gainwell expected to join the Steelers
According to Jordan Schultz, the Pittsburgh Steelers are finalizing a deal to add Kenneth Gainwell for one season. He was a valued and important member of the Eagles offense.
Kenny G got a bad rap sometimes from some of the fans. He wasn't the greatest pass protector we've ever seen, but he was good at catching the ball out of the backfield, hitting a few open running lanes, and providing value in two-minute situations.
This is a more significant loss than some may realize, but he isn't irreplaceable. That's what the Birds are banking on. They're equally enamored with now-second year tailback Will Shipley.
More Eagles news: No compensatory picks for the Eagles in 2025
The NFL has awarded compensatory picks for the 2025 NFL Draft, and unfortunately, the Birds won't be receiving any this time around. The Dallas Cowboys, on the other hand, have four.
Fear not. This isn't tragic. The Eagles still own eight picks in the coming NFL Draft thanks to the Kenny Pickett trade, and with the exorbitant amount of losses they've already endured this offseason (some of them being starters), this sets the stage for a nice haul in 2026 at this same time next offseason.
