We don't have many gripes about this life of journalism we have chosen for ourselves. We get to talk about the Philadelphia Eagles for a living. How cool is that? But, admittedly, sometimes we expreince fatigue, and aw never seem to be at fault when that happens.
One of our biggest pet peeves is being called 'hypocritical' for simply changing our minds. It's as if once you express an idea or theory, you aren't allowed to change it. What those who complain always seem to forget when that happens is the circumstances that have influenced your thought process have also changed.
Guess what people! New information sparks new ideas.
Once upon a time, we thought we'd love having Micah Parsons on the roster. Then, Philly drafted Jalen Carter. Now, we feel like it would have been impossible to pay both of them.
Once we thought Nick Sirianni didn't have the tools to lead the Eagles to greatness. Now, we realize, though he may not be the guy we want to call plays, he does so many other things exceptionally well.
Our feelings have also wavered about the expected roster turnover this season. Sometimes, we get emotional. We've come to like Josh Sweat. Sometimes, we think Philly spent too much money on the offensive side of the ball.
But, you know what? One thing that hasn't changed is our trust in this organization. You won't find better at the professional level.
Reasons for a slightly concerned Eagles fan base to be optimistic
Speaking of changing our minds, how about a hand for Howie Roseman? Honestly, as we endured the 2018 and 2019 seasons, we didn't know what we felt about him.
As it turns out, he's a genius, but don't hold past statements against us. Let's not act like Howie was always above reproach. That's our point. Things have changed, so we have to grade him differently. We trust him.
So, if Howie asks for patience, we'll give that to him. We know you have all had an emotional offseason since Super Bowl 59, but if you're worried, don't be. This team is in good hands, and there are many reasons to be optimistic.
Saquon Barkley has some help.
As brilliant as Saquon Barkley was last season, you don't know how many times we held our breath when he took a shot. After all, he plays football's most punishing position.
He led the NFL with 345 carries. That's a ton, so even though A.J. Dillon's signing may not be the sexiest we've seen, we're glad another workhorse is here to shoulder some of the workload tailbacks are asked to carry.
Respectfully, Josh Sweat isn't irreplaceable.
Josh Sweat is a phenomenal pass rusher. Sometimes, he was asked to do other things, but during Super Bowl 59, he was given one assignment.
'Go get Patrick Mahomes'. That's exactly what he did to the tune of 2.5 sacks. Heck... He almost won the Super Bowl MVP trophy.
He's a great Eagle. He'll be missed. His loss is indeed significant, but at the risk of sounding disrespectful, life in Philly will go on without him.
Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith are terrific. This is a deep class for pass rushers in the 2025 NFL Draft. As good as Sweaty was, Philly's leadership can and will find another edge rusher.
Maybe Josh Uche is that guy. No one knows, but our fingers are crossed. And, remember... Some of you thought Haason Reddick was irreplaceable.
Moro Ojomo might be just as good as Milton Williams is.
Truthfully, we never saw a scenario that ended with Milton Williams staying home. He was the third defensive tackle on Philly's depth chart.
The Birds will need some coins to pay Cam Jurgens, Jordan Davis, Nolan Smith, and Jalen Carter soon. They were never going to pay massive amounts of money for the third guy at any position.
As it turns out, he lands in Foxborough and is now the highest-paid player in the history of the New England Patriots organization. Do you see what we mean? There was no way Philly would pay him $26 million per season.
But, this defense is in good shape, and the rotation along the interior will remain solid. We have a smaller sample size to grade Moro Ojomo, but he looks to be just as talented as Miton Williams was.
Moving off Slay and James Bradberry saves the Eagles some coins.
Slay and Bradberry's leadership and veteran wisdom will be tough to replace, but Philly has to find a way to do so.
Both have special places in our hearts for what they contributed here, but paying their salaries when the goal was to get younger wasn't a good idea. As a result, the Eagles will move on.
They are now designated as post-June 1st roster cuts. That will save the Birds some money. Thankfully, the Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean selections look to be paying off.
Depth and maybe another outside cornerback is needed, but next year's starter may already be on the roster.
The Eagles like Kelee Ringo more than some of their fans do.
Isaiah Rodgers is also gone. He's one of those lesser-mentioned guys. Some of the fan base and media wanted to hang on to him, but let's not forget about Kelee Ringo. We've heard some skepticism, but we're encouraged because his coaches and teammates have confidence in him.
Remember... He almost beat out Rodgers for a backup role behind Darius Slay last season.
Sydney Brown will make everyone forget about C.J. Gardner-Johnson (we hope).
For the second time in three years, Philly has moved off C.J. Gardner-Johnson, and by all accounts this appears to be the last time they'll do so.
His attitude will be missed. Then again, his attitude might also be some of the reason the BIrds are moving on.
Say what you will about some of the off-field antics. He brought an attitude and swagger to Philadelphia's defense. But, Sydney Brown is a headhunter who also plays with his hair on fire.
The coaches love Syd. They have full confidence in him. Let's see if he brings a similar energy. He'll certainly get his opportunity.
