Eagles Ditch 2 Key Players as Nick Sirianni Receives Major $6.4M Roster Update

Remember when the Eagles‘ secondary was tighter than the plot twists in a Christopher Nolan movie? Well, fast forward to now, and things are looking more like a reality TV show—unpredictable and full of drama. Just last season, they shook things up by drafting Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, two CBs, ready to cement their name in pro football. And let’s not forget the surprising exit of veteran Darius Slay, who, despite a stellar career, found himself on the chopping block.

With such plot twists—the Eagles’ fans just can’t help but wonder what’s Nick Sirianni’s team’s team’s next move for their seasoned players. Because, let’s be real—after winning the Super Bowl, the Birds are flying sky-high. That means, the team will do anything to win another Lombardi next season, even if they’ve to cut another veteran CB—James Bradberry.

Go on, read that again because that’s not a typo. According to ESPN’s NFL Insider, Jeremy Fowler, “Eagles have informed cornerback James Bradberry that he will be released when the new league year starts.” The Philadelphia team is designating him as a post-June 1 cut, which will save $2.1 million on the 2025 salary cap space for the Birds.

In his 2023 season, he started 16 games and registered 13 passes defensed with an interception and a fumble recovery. The 31-year-old Bradberry suffered a torn Achilles in practice during the 2024 preseason. Following the injury, the team put him on IR and the guy had to miss out on the whole season. Though he recently admitted that he’s now recovered from his injury and wants to play in 2025, the Eagles had other plans.

Initially drafted by the Panthers back in 2016, the Bradberry signed a 3-year $38M contract with the Eagles a couple of years back. Fast forward to now, he’ll be hitting free agency. Following his release, the team will clear some cap space. However, Bradberry is leaving the Eagles’ locker room after mentoring the young corners of the team.

Speaking of which, Philly is eyeing its second year CBs to take charge in 2025. First of, Quinyon Mitchell had a standout rookie season with the Super Bowl champs. The guy will now enter his sophomore year after recording 46 tackles and 12 PD. Then there is Cooper DeJean, who is expected to take a more experienced role. And why not? I mean, the guy surely caught everyone’s attention in his rookie season after recording 51 tackles and 6 PD.

Besides the young talents on their roster, Philly is also exploring the free agency market to bolster their D-line. After all, they’ve already parted ways with Darius Slay as well.

Nick Sirianni’s Eagles parted ways with six-time Pro Bowl CB

Before landing in Philadelphia, Darius Slay spent his first seven seasons with the Detroit Lions. And it was back in 2023 when the Birds offered him a three-year contract worth $42 million. The guy was all set to enter his final year of contract after winning his first Lombardi last month. And to top it off, the 34-year-old veteran CB also expressed his desire to finish his contract with Philly.

“I’ve got one more left (on my contract), but you know how that works,” Slay said. “Whatever they want to do, I might re-sign back, hopefully. If I ain’t, we’ll see what I’m doing because I do want to play one more year, for sure.” But nope, after five seasons, the Eagles decided to release Slay and now’s he’s ready to hit the free agency.

As for the Eagles…well, cutting Slay will clear a $4.3 million cap space for them. The guy has ended his five seasons with the Eagles recording nine interceptions, 56 passes defended and 272 tackles. However, the real question’s still looming—why are the Eagles cutting their seasoned players?

Well, let’s just say there could be a couple of reasons. First of, Mitchell and DeJean are entering their sophomore season with the team. That said, the Eagles surely want to develop the young CBs. Second, with the guys like Zack Baun, Josh Sweat, and Milton Williams heading into free agency, Nick Sirianni’s team had to make some tough calls.

After all, they’re looking to sign some of the key players in the free agency. Plus, they certainly want to remain at the top of the league after winning their second Super Bowl title.