With under 1 month until the start of training camp and the grind of the offseason almost completely behind us, there’s enough information out there to get a feeling for how NFL teams improved or got worse in the 5 months since the season ended.
According to ESPN’s Seth Walder, there is 1 team that sits above all others in that stretch, with the Philadelphia Eagles receiving the lone “A” in his offseason grades for all 32 teams.
The Eagles’ shining grade was even more pronounced because they traded away 1 of the NFL’s best wide receivers in 3-time NFL All-Pro and Super Bowl champion A.J. Brown — the machinations of which received the most praise from Walder.
Brown was traded to the New England Patriots on June 1 in exchange for a 2028 1st-round pick, after several years of Brown stoking discontent in the locker room.
“As is often the case, Eagles general manager Howie Roseman was busy in the trade market this offseason. That meant the long-awaited and finally consummated Brown deal to the Patriots, netting Philadelphia a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick,” Walder wrote on June 30. “Losing Brown is a short-term knock, but it became clear his time as an Eagle was up and Philadelphia was able to flip him for a first-round selection — which comes with years of expected value — before Brown’s decline really set in. The Eagles prepared for the loss of Brown by trading fifth- and sixth-round picks for Dontayvion Wicks and selecting Makai Lemon in the first round of the draft. I particularly like the Wicks acquisition. The former Packer has a 69 open score over the past three seasons — well above average — and perhaps has not fully realized his upside.”
The Best Thing the Eagles Did on Offense Was …
By far, ridding themselves of the Brown locker-room cancer was the best thing the Eagles did this offseason.
For all his talent, Brown’s unprofessional behavior in continually calling out his teammates in public — particularly quarterback Jalen Hurts — had worn thin long ago.
The last memory Eagles fans will have of Brown will now be Eagles security chief Dom “Big Dom” DiSandro having to separate head coach Nick Sirianni and Brown during a screaming match on the sideline during a home loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Wild Card Round.
It all happened after Brown dropped 2 long passes from Hurts and right before the defending Super Bowl champions went into halftime with a 13-10 lead on the way to a 23-19 loss.
The Best Thing the Eagles Did on Defense Was …
Just as much as ridding themselves of Brown was considered a good and necessary move, the Eagles viewed adding another competent starting cornerback to play opposite NFL All-Pro Quinyon Mitchell as equally important.
They exceeded their own expectations by signing Riq Woolen to a 1-year, $12 million contract that could hit up to $15 million with incentives.
Woolen was 1 of the standouts for the Seattle Seahawks in 2025 on the way to winning a Super Bowl title but didn’t get the offers he was hoping for in free agency.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell called signing Woolen the NFL’s “Best Offseason Move” before his standout performance at minicamp.
“Bringing in Woolen upgrades the Eagles at two spots,” Barnwell wrote. “In their nickel subpackage, Woolen’s size and ability to disrupt routes should appeal to Fangio. The former Seahawks corner has allowed a passer rating under 80 in each of his first four seasons as a pro. He’ll also play on the outside when the Eagles are in their base defense, allowing DeJean to move to safety in four-DB sets, which will help the Eagles cover for the departed Reed Blankenship.”
Eagles Receive Rare Grade for Series of Offseason Moves