Eagles Praised for ‘Textbook’ Free Agency Haul

Getty Images Saquon Barkley is among the Eagles' biggest free agency additions.

Howie Roseman has earned a distinction as one of the more aggressive general managers across the NFL, and the Philadelphia Eagles‘ haul in the early stages of free agency only bolsters that reputation.

After all, the Eagles went shopping at the top of the free agent market and came away with running back Saquon Barkley, edge rusher Bryce Huff, and veteran linebackers Devin White and Zack Baun, among others, fortifying a roster that’s one year removed from the second Super Bowl appearance of Roseman’s tenure.

Pro Football Focus gives Roseman and the Eagles high marks for their recent additions.

“This is textbook Howie Roseman on display,” Brad Spielberger writes, giving Roseman and the Eagles a “B+” for these early moves. “Eagles edge defenders Haason Reddick and Josh Sweat are the subjects of trade talks as they enter the final year of their respective contracts, and Philadelphia could trade one or both with an in-house replacement at the ready. Huff is as good a pure pass rusher off the edge as any player in the league, and the Eagles have always deployed the platoon-style approach that should fit his playstyle the best.

“This is a shocker. The Philadelphia Eagles not only spend at the top of the market for a running back here, but they also poach a former No. 2 overall pick of the New York Giants. There is probably an element to the running back market today that suggests teams may finally feel we’ve hit the inflection point of the market contraction for the position, but there also may not be a running back selected in the top 50 draft picks based on these contracts. Jalen Hurts and Barkley will be a dynamic duo in the zone-read game, and Barkley can be a pass-catching weapon, which Philadelphia could stand to add, as well as an improved pass blocker.”

Saquon Barkley on Changing Sides of NFC East Rivalry

The Eagles’ Barkley signing has the potential to simultaneously be among the most polarizing and most impactful this offseason.

Given Barkley’s ideal scheme fit in Hurts’ supporting cast, the Eagles have a real chance of bucking the trend of running backs not living up to their contract value.

But, there’s no question that the first time Barkley pulls on a midnight green jersey is going to be a bit of a shock for fans as well as the All-Pro running back, himself.

“We’ve been on the worse side of the rivalry, I guess you could say, the past couple years,” Barkley told reporters at his introductory press conference in Philadelphia on March 14.

Meanwhile, signing with the Eagles is a return to the Keystone State where he was a dominant presence at Penn State, and represents a chance for Barkley to compete for championships that was lacking during his six seasons with the Giants.

“They want to win,” Barkley told reporters. “I know everyone’s stuck on last year. But being 11-6 and making it to the first round and that’s a ‘down’ year? That’s a great culture you want to be a part of when you have that mindset where it’s like ‘No, we need to do way more.’ ”

How Much Cap Space do Eagles Still Have?

In a lot of ways, Roseman has conducted a free agency clinic.

Roseman has managed to buttress the roster by preserving spending flexibility this offseason by pushing much of the guaranteed money as far out as the 2026 campaign.

According to the Spotrac, the Eagles still have upwards of $39 million in cap space this offseason, fifth-most in the NFL.

Meanwhile, the Eagles are slated to have $60 million in cap space in 2026, with plenty of time to create additional spending flexibility via future restructures and cuts as cap casualties.