“I bleed for this city.” GM Howie Roseman responded when Philly showed him love – maybe a little too much. Nevertheless, despite being injured, Roseman even took a beer can to his head in celebration, revealing that he bleeds for Philly. That was the case in the Super Bowl LIX parade. But now comes the real time when he has to prove how he can bleed for the nation. It’s because the Philadelphia Eagles are moving ahead this offseason with some important judgements to make.

The NFL on ESPN discussed the situation of the Eagles in their new episode. During this, the host quipped that Howie Roseman’s team has just $10.5 million in cap space, ranking 22nd in the league. Some key players are hitting free agency, including LB Josh Sweat, LB Zack Baun, DT Milton Williams, and OT Mekhi Becton. So, the big question is: Who should the Eagles bring back?

There’s mixed reactions to this question. One reaction is to go with Baun, while the other reaction shifts focus to Becton. In the show, ESPN writer Bill Barnwell quipped, “Yeah you’d love to bring everybody back, but the priority needs to be Zack Baun, who is coming off of one of the best seasons we have seen in recent memory by any linebacker in football. The numbers here are spectacular–he made more than 15% of tackles in Eagles games last year, highest rate of anybody in football, and led the NFL in tackles (150+) for no gain or a loss that created negative expected points for the offense. He was the best coverage linebacker in football per the NFL’s next gen stats. Then you get to the postseason, oh gosh, I mean three turnovers forced two fumble recoveries, I mean this guy was all over the place for the Eagles.”

Hence, Barnwell thinks Howie Roseman should keep Baun his priority. It’s because the Eagles’s defense thrives when it’s strong up the middle. But not everyone agrees with this thought. For instance, another guest of the show, ESPN Football analyst Sam Acho, believes that Baun’s success had more to do with Vic Fangio’s system. With the right pieces, the Eagles could replace him and still stay dominant. So, as per him, the focus should be on keeping Mekhi Becton.

The reason? Becton was a rock on the offensive line, started every game, and helped Saquon Barkley average a ridiculous 7.1 yards per carry when running behind him. The Eagles led the NFL in rush attempts—they needed to keep the O-line strong. So, what’s the move? Prioritize defense or lock in the offensive line?

Both the players’ 1-year contract sums up a total of $62,50,000 (Baun’s $3,500,000 and Becton’s $2,750,000). Given Philly’s current $10.5 million in cap space, Howie Roseman has some tough calls to make. Until then, they are on the road to sign 13 different players.

Who are the 13 newly-approached players of Howie Roseman and the Eagles?

The Eagles just locked in 13 players on futures contracts, setting the stage for next season. These deals don’t mean guaranteed roster spots, but they give players a chance to prove themselves when the new league year starts in March. And let us inform you that most of these players were already on the Eagles’s practice squad before the Super Bowl, except for WR Elijah Cooks, who had a brief stint in January.

Some names that stand out this time are: –

• DB Tariq Castro-Fields: He has bounced around the league but hasn’t played a snap for Philly yet.
• RB Tyrion Davis-Price: The former 49ers third-round pick, got limited action last season but showed promise in the preseason.
• WR Danny Gray: A speedster from SMU, ran a 4.33 at the combine and could be an intriguing deep threat for Howie Roseman’s team.
• DT Gabe Hall: He spent the whole year on the practice squad but flashed potential in training camp.
• DB Parry Nickerson: He stuck around after a strong camp in the Eagles and has experience with Vic Fangio.

Other than them, LB Dallas Gant, DE K.J. Henry, LB Ochaun Mathis, TE Nick Muse, DB Andre’ Sam, OT Laekin Vakalahi, and DB A.J. Woods were also signed. These signings are all about depth and potential. Some might turn into key contributors, while others are just camp bodies. But as we all know, in the NFL, all it takes is one opportunity. So, it remains to be seen who Howie Roseman and the Eagles might give the opportunity to?