After Super Bowl loss, Eagles will have slew of veteran free agent decisions

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After Super Bowl loss, Eagles will have slew of veteran free agent decisions

Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, Jordan Mailata, Lane Johnson, Darius Slay and Haason Reddick will all be back next season.

 

But while the Philadelphia Eagles will still be one of the Super Bowl favorites in 2023, they'll struggle to duplicate their impressive depth as a slew of veterans become free agents.

Reigning executive of the year Howie Roseman will enter this offseason with approximately $8.3 million worth of cap space, per Over The Cap. Here's a look at all the key players that will become free agents this offseason:

Miles Sanders - Running Back

A second-round pick out of Penn State in 2019, Sanders rushed for 1,259 yards and 11 touchdowns in a contract year. He's going to garner interest from other teams if he reaches free agency, given that he wasn't run into the ground in four seasons with the Eagles, carrying the ball 739 total times. In an ideal world, he'll be back in Philadelphia for a fifth season. If not, Kenneth Gainwell could see an increased role, and the Eagles could use another relatively early draft pick on a running back.

Brandon Graham - Defensive End

Graham -- selected in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft -- is the longest-tenured player in Philadelphia sports currently. After a torn left achilles limited him to just two games in 2022, Graham bounced back with an 11-sack season in 2023. Graham will turn 35 in April, but if he wants to keep playing, he should be able to.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson - Safety

Acquired in a late August trade with the New Orleans Saints, Gardner-Johnson finished in a tie for the league lead with six interceptions in 2022, despite being limited to 12 regular season games. Mike Garafolo of NFL Media said this past weekend that he believes the Eagles will make "a big push" to re-sign the 25-year-old.

If Kelce wants to continue playing, one would think the Eagles will work out a deal with him. He's a five-time All-Pro, and each of those nods has come since he's turned 30. Now 35, Kelce could cement his Hall of Fame case -- if he hasn't already -- with another elite season or two.

Andy Lyons/Getty Images) Photo credit (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Boston Scott - Running Back

Scott has never had more than 87 carries in a season, but has developed into a nice change-of-pace option post Darren Sproles. If for nothing more than the impact he seems to have twice a year against the New York Giants, one would think the Eagles would have interest in retaining the 27-year-old.

Fletcher Cox - Defensive Tackle

One of the greatest players in franchise history, Cox was released by the Eagles last offseason, before being re-signed to a one-year/$14 million deal. Cox played in all 17 games this season, and recorded seven sacks and seven tackles for a loss. The 32-year-old will have a market in free agency, but it does feel like his time with the Eagles may have drawn to a close with a loss in Super Bowl LVII.

James Bradberry can become a free agent this offseason. Photo credit (Eric Hartline/USA Today)

James Bradberry - Cornerback

While his hold on JuJu Smith-Schuster essentially ended the Super Bowl, Bradberry was a strong No. 2 cornerback opposite of Darius Slay. The Eagles lucked into getting Bradberry on a one-year deal after he was released by the New York Giants last May. This time around, he figures to command a multi-year deal.

Isaac Seumalo can become a free agent this offseason. Photo credit (Elsa/Getty Images)

Isaac Seumalo - Right Guard

Seumalo was drafted in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft, and has been one of the latest success stories at "Jeff Stoutland University." Given how well the Eagles have developed linemen in recent years, you wonder if Seumalo might be allowed to leave in free agency and replaced in the draft.

Gardner Minshew can become a free agent this offseason. Photo credit (Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

Gardner Minshew - Quarterback

Minshew gave the Eagles a chance to win in a 40-34 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Christmas Eve, before struggling in an ugly New Year's Day loss to the New Orleans Saints. It's unlikely that he's going to get a chance to start elsewhere, but there may be other situations where the 26-year-old has a better chance to get on the field. Historically, the Eagles have placed an emphasis on having a strong backup option, so if it's not Minshew, they'll likely find another veteran QB to be Jalen Hurts' understudy.

Javon Hargrave can become a free agent this offseason. Photo credit (Bill Streicher/USA Today)

Javon Hargrave - Defensive Tackle

The three-year/$39 million deal that the Eagles signed Hargrave to ahead of the 2020 season proved to be one of the better signings in the Roseman Era. Hargrave was a Pro Bowler in 2021, and had a career-high 11 sacks in 2022. He's certainly not the biggest name on this list, but the 30-year-old would be among the most impactful departures of those being considered.

The Rest

Linval Joseph, Ndamukong Suh, Robert Quinn, Andre Dillard, Kyzir White, T.J. Edwards, Marcus Epps, Tyree Jackson and Rick Lovato can all become free agents this offseason as well. Joseph and Suh were mid-season additions, and could very well consider retirement this offseason.

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