Top Priorities

Next Monday begins the NFL’s “legal tampering” period, kicking off the frenzy of sorts with a wave of juicy tidbits and agreements.

The Super Bowl champion Eagles, who have 19 free agents, including four starters, have interesting decisions to make.

While some free agents might’ve priced themselves out of the Eagles’ range, taking the decision out of their hands, other factors could contribute to the thought process.

That’s where the progress and long-term projection of players, such as offensive lineman Tyler Steen and running back Will Shipley, come into play.

And for as well as Mekhi Becton and Kenny Gainwell performed, I’d argue that Steen and Shipley are primed and ready to take the reins. Both also happen to be on rookie contracts.

The reality of free agency is that teams can’t keep everyone, and many factors are taken into consideration. With that, here are five pending free agents who I believe make sense prioritizing:

GETTY IMAGES: Eagles LB Zack Baun, seen here picking off Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl LIX, should be a top re-sign priority.

LB Zack Baun

The Eagles for years have searched high and low in free agency and draft for adequate linebacker play, though the returns have often underwhelmed, some relative to expectations.

Baun, 28, signed a modest, one-year deal with the Eagles on Mar. 13, his presumed role being a depth edge rusher and core special teamer. But the grander vision of executive vice president Howie Roseman and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio soon came into focus, with Baun exhibiting inherent instincts and read-and-react ability as he transitioned to inside linebacker.

His football IQ unveiled itself in real time, as Baun steadily progressed throughout the summer and emerged as the Eagles’ top off-ball linebacker.

But Baun did far more than merely surface as the team’s most viable option at the position. The Wisconsin product became a game-changer in Fangio’s defense, showcasing sideline-to-sideline range, blistering closing speed and an ability to manufacture turnovers.

Baun also racked up tackles at am impressive rate. In all, Baun in the regular season produced 151 tackles (11 for loss), five forced fumbles, 3.5 sacks, five quarterback hits, four passes defended, and an interception. He would also have a hand in another five takeaways in the postseason (two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble), including an interception of Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl LIX.

He became a first-time Pro Bowl selection, first-team AP All-Pro and finished fifth in NFL Defensive Player of the Year voting.

While Baun’s free agency campaign will surely draw suitors, this instance feels like both the player and team would benefit greatly from a reunion, given Baun’s proven impact and scheme familiarity. Baun’s play transformed the NFL’s top defense last season and his vacancy, as history indicates, can’t easily be filled.

Given the team’s lack of depth at linebacker, their most valuable pending free agent is Baun, and he should command top priority.

LB Oren Burks

Allow me to illustrate the status of the Eagles’ linebacker group entering free agency. Baun, as mentioned, is a free agent. So is veteran Oren Burks, who started three postseason games in place of an injured Nakobe Dean.

Dean, a fourth-year pro, endured a torn patellar tendon in the wild card round and faces a daunting recovery process. Ben VanSumeren, a third-year pro who made the 53-man roster last summer, is also recovering from a knee injury, though my understanding is that he’s ahead of schedule.

That leaves the Eagles with only a 2024 fifth-round pick Jeremiah Trotter Jr. and practice squad holdover Dallas Gant — signed to a Reserve/Future contract in February – as the remaining linebackers on the offseason roster.

Burks, 29, was arguably the Eagles’ top unsung hero on defense during the Super Bowl run, logging 25 combined tackles (three for loss), two forced fumbles, a sack (two QB hits) and a pass defended across 230 snaps. He also kicked off the Super Bowl run by forcing a turnover on the opening kickoff of the wild card game against the Packers.

Retaining Burks not only ensures continuity, veteran leadership and special teams impact, but also offers insurance. Whether the team can reach an agreement with Baun or not, Burks responded favorably to Fangio’s system and would give the Eagles a known entity at the position. He could begin the season alongside Baun until Dean returns, while Trotter Jr. settles into the No. 3 linebacker role.

Overshadowed by other pending free agents such as Baun, Mekhi Becton, Milton Williams and Josh Sweat, Burks held a critical role and retaining him feels like a necessity.

GETTY IMAGES: No. 3 CB Isaiah Rodgers could come back as a starter if the Eagles move on from Darius Slay and re-up Rodgers.

CB Isaiah Rodgers

I’ll stand by it – Rodgers is the most under-discussed of Eagles pending free agents, relative to his contributions. He wasn’t a starter – Rodgers played 328 snaps, accounting for 36 percent of the defensive total – and the team has cultivated a stable of young cornerbacks for the future, but there’s something to be said for the way he responded every time his number was called. He prepared as if he would be starting, and the details and situational awareness always reflected that.

Whether relieving Darius Slay or Quinyon Mitchell, Rodgers admirably held down the boundary, his ball skills often on display. For perspective, Rodgers recorded three passes defended in the postseason despite minimal snaps. He scooped up a fumble in the divisional round, dashing for 40 yards, and nearly picked off Mahomes in Super Bowl LIX.

Perhaps the most impressive habit showcased by the 27-year-old is his ability to come up with pivotal plays on minimal snaps. The pass deflection-turned-interception and 4th-and-1 tackle on Ja’Marr Chase against the Bengals and the blocked point-after attempt in Tampa, immediately come to mind.

Darius Slay has vocalized his intent to play one more season, for either the Eagles or Lions, and his contract runs through the 2025 season. Salary cap considerations, at times, factor into the discussion and according to multiple reports, the Eagles are releasing Slay.

There’s likely to be teams who smartly view Rodgers as a starter, but depending on whether the Eagles remain intent on keeping Cooper DeJean inside, there’s a world in which Rodgers has a pathway to bracketing Mitchell on the outside.

Regardless, Rodgers not only provides valuable and viable depth at a premium position but also exemplifies the kind of teammate and person the Eagles seek from a culture perspective.

OT Fred Johnson

Beyond draft-proofing the roster and guarding against the urge to reach for a position of need, Johnson offers experience at both tackle spots and isn’t likely to be cost prohibitive. Johnson, 27, tied a career-high with six starts in 2024 and largely held his own.

Maybe there’s a team that saw enough over his six starts to present an opportunity to undertake a starting role, but the likeliest of scenarios is that Johnson is viewed as experienced offensive line depth, an area where the Eagles are razor-thin. Upbeat, loud and always jovial, Johnson made notable strides last season and is a key piece of the locker room dynamic. It would qualify as an under-the-radar retention, sure, but it’s the kind of move that savvy teams make, winning outside the margins.

LS Rick Lovato

A two-time Super Bowl champion, Lovato has been a pillar of stability for the Eagles for the past nine seasons, delivering snaps with timing, touch and accuracy. The Old Dominion product has established a strong rapport with kicker Jake Elliott and punter/holder Braden Mann, and it makes sense to keep that operation intact.

– Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com.