When Eagles general manager Howie Roseman evaluates his free agency and draft decisions at the end of the 2025 NFL season, Roseman might regret not adding better competition at offensive guard and cornerback.
During free agency, the Eagles released cornerback Darius Slay and chose not to re-sign right guard Mekhi Becton — both players made significant contributions during the Eagles’ Super Bowl run.
Those moves could backfire because Philadelphia’s replacements for Slay and Becton are unproven.
Eagles cornerback Kelee Ringo and offensive guard Tyler Steen — the front runners to replace Slay and Becton — both have been backups since entering the league in 2023. Over the last two years, the Eagles have only started Ringo four times and Steen three times.
If Steen and Ringo don’t play well in their first season as starters, the Eagles could struggle to return to the Super Bowl in 2025.
So Roseman might wish he didn’t wait until the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft to pick an offensive lineman (Boston College center/guard Drew Kendall) and a cornerback (Central Florida’s Mac McWilliams).
As it currently stands, Steen and Ringo won’t face much competition for their starting jobs.
On March 12, Philadelphia traded safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the Houston Texans in exchange for first-round bust Kenyon Green.
Green should be considered a long shot to beat out Steen for the right guard job.
During his first three seasons with the Texans, Green dealt with injuries and played poorly. The 24-year-old has been a liability in pass protection and run blocking.
Steen was Pro Football Focus’ 131st best guard in the NFL last year, which was one spot ahead of Green.
Unless Steen takes a big step forward or Green surprisingly resurrects his career, the right side of the Eagles’ offensive line will regress.
The Eagles should be more confident in their cornerback depth, but it’s still a potential weakness.
Outside of Ringo, the Eagles’ best options are Adoree’ Jackson, Eli Ricks and McWilliams.
Jackson has started 82 games in his eight-year career, and he still could be a functional starter in his ninth season.
The Eagles’ defense, which was the No. 1 unit in the NFL last season, could regress if Ringo becomes a weak link. Roseman could have avoided that potential problem by drafting a cornerback in the top three rounds or signing a better player than Jackson.
