Despite having one of the best defensive showings in Super Bowl history, the Philadelphia could be facing trouble as they go further into free agency. In just the opening days of free agency, the Eagles have already lost quite a few key players on defense including Milton Williams, Josh Sweat, and Darius Slay. While these aren’t necessarily surprises, it definitely stings a little for Philadelphia.
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The Curious Case of C.J. Gardner-Johnson
That said, the Eagles did surprise a lot of fans as they traded away star safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson. This was a very curious move as nobody expected it and he was really solid last season. Even so, their secondary could remain one of the best in the league if they can add some depth. Philadelphia is expecting Sydney Brown to make a push to be the starting safety, but he’s coming off a season-ending injury from 2023 and saw limited playing time last season. Even so, with their young stars, they should be set for quite a while.
It is worth noting, however, that they also lost Oren Burks, who was a very solid backup at linebacker. One position that the Eagles will need to look to fill is EDGE as they don’t have much depth and losing Sweat is leaving some big shoes to fill. That said, the Eagles might be able to find their solution in the draft.
A Potential Draft Solution: James Pierce Jr.
Tennessee Volunteers star EDGE James Pierce Jr. is one of the best defensive options in this draft and will almost certainly go in the first round. Though he could go higher in the round, multiple respected outlets such as ESPN and USA Today have predicted that he will fall to the Eagles at pick 32.
Why Pierce Fits the Eagles’ Future
Over his last two years with the Volunteers, Pierce has been a defensive monster, having a combined 65 tackles and 17 sacks as well as three forced fumbles. The Eagles have a lot of young talent on their defensive line with Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith leading the pack on that front.
Adding Pierce to the line would make it a nightmare as we look into the future. They could always look to fill their void in free agency, but young talent is some of the best possible, and is a big reason why they just won the Super Bowl.
For those looking to put some skin in the game, now’s the time to check out the futures market. Will Pierce Jr. cash as a Defensive Rookie of the Year long shot? Can Sydney Brown’s return lock up the secondary? If you like playing the odds, a BetRivers bonus code can give you a little extra juice on your bets.
