Step Right Up

The winds of change have fiercely cut through the aftermath of a championship celebration, with several Eagles starters and key contributors taking their talents elsewhere for 2025.

The plan, however, should be of no surprise if you’ve been paying attention, as the team’s executive vice president and general manager unveiled the offseason forecast at various points, including at the NFL Scouting Combine, when Howie Roseman discussed a maintenance offseason.

As the Eagles continue to skew toward building around its young nucleus of talent, several players — many from the 2023 draft class — will be called upon to take on more of a workload.

Here are seven Eagles currently positioned to undertake larger roles in 2025.

GETTY IMAGES: Third-year S Sydney Brown has a chance to seize the starting job.

S Sydney Brown

Softening the blow of losing backend playmaker and resident tone-setter C.J. Gardner-Johnson — traded last week to the Houston Texans — is that the Eagles now get an extended look at third-year safety Sydney Brown, who appeared in 11 games in 2024, notching 79 defensive snaps and another 205 on special teams after remaining on the PUP list to start the regular season.

The 24-year-old produced another interception, giving him a pair through two seasons, but his primary role was serving as a gunner on special teams opposite cornerback Kelee Ringo. Working his way back into the fold in October while navigating a new defense limited Brown’s opportunities.

If he can manage to harness his his aggression and tenacity, Brown — a fan favorite because he plays like a heat-seeking missile — must prove to his coaches this summer that he can be dependable and assignment-sound to earn the trust and confidence of coordinator Vic Fangio.

The 2023 third-round pick will likely have to contend with a drafted rookie, but Brown will be given every chance to etch out a starting role.

QB Tanner McKee

The trade that sent primary backup Kenny Pickett to the Browns returned another quarterback in Dorian Thompson-Robinson, but don’t expect camp competition between Thompson-Robinson and holdover McKee.

McKee, a player the team has remained bullish on for two seasons, validated the internal belief in 2024, when his number was called. The soon-to-be 25-year-old appeared in two games (one start), completing 30-of-45 pass attempts for 323 yards and four touchdowns. No interceptions.

Having showcased an ability to ably command the offense, McKee, a 2023 sixth-round pick, now vaults to the No. 2 slot behind Jalen Hurts. The perennial preseason standout can no longer be questioned, as McKee is primed and ready for an elevated role.

DT Moro Ojomo

An unsung hero on the league’s top-ranked defense, Ojomo correlated his training camp dominance into regular season success, flashing violent hands, interior quickness and savvy use of leverage across his 388 defensive snaps.

Ojomo’s play evidently garnered trust from his coaching staff, as the 23-year-old was on the field on the game-sealing play in the divisional round, when fellow defensive tackle Jalen Carter stormed through to provide pressure on Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford.

Ojomo, a 2023 seventh-round pick, is undersized, so it’s fair to have concerns whether an uptick in snaps will limit his effectiveness. But Ojomo has been a player who has continuously delivered in an expanded role. And with long-time interior disruptor Milton Williams departing in free agency, the Eagles will take a long look at Ojomo as they work to atone for the vacant snaps.

GETTY IMAGES: Third-year CB Kelee Ringo will battle to win the left cornerback job in 2025.

CB Kelee Ringo

A special teams standout last season — Ringo even garnered Pro Bowl and All-Pro consideration — Ringo never factored into Eagles’ defensive outlook in his second season. The Georgia product logged only 112 snaps across 17 games. His 340 special teams snaps led the team.

It wasn’t long ago – training camp to be exact – that Ringo was trading days as the first-team cornerback with Isaiah Rodgers, opposite Slay. For many of those practices, Ringo conjured shades of his Bulldog dominance, using his length and physicality to smother wideouts. Other days, the 2023 fourth-round pick was flagged for being excessively handsy, a tendency that must be rectified if he’s to take on greater responsibility.

With veterans Slay and Rodgers fleeing in free agency, the time is now for Ringo to seize a starting job. He has the athleticism and frame to be a good one if the technique and mental aspect of the position align.

In addition to Ringo, 2023 holdover Eli Ricks is also positioned for a game day spot after being active for only 7 games last season. The 23-year-old was likely retained despite the frequent roster toggling last season for this very circumstance.

RB Will Shipley

Slotted behind Saquon Barkley and Kenny Gainwell, opportunities for the rookie Shipley were slim, his duties mostly related to special teams, where he served as a core contributor, including a personal protector on punt coverage. In total, Shipley carried 30 times for 82 yards while snaring four receptions for 35 yards.

In the NFC Championship against the Commanders, Shipley produced 77 yards on four carries, including his first NFL touchdown. The Clemson product also forced a fumble just before halftime on kick coverage, a turning point in what became a thrashing.

Gainwell is now with the Steelers, but the Eagles did add an accomplished battering ram in free-agent A.J. Dillon, casting doubt from some that Shipley can leap him on the depth chart. Pass protection, a focal point for Shipley this offseason, could be the determining factor.

Working in Shipley’s favor is work ethic and drive, along with the fact that the 2024 fourth-round pick offers a different dimension and dynamism than Dillon, making him an ideal change-up back behind Barkley. Dillon, of course, must also prove he can overcome the neck injury that sidelined him for the 2024 season.

G Tyler Steen

Appearing in all 17 games (two starts), Steen rolled up 316 snaps in his second NFL season. The Alabama product entered training camp as the favorite to start at right guard, though an ankle injury opened the door for intriguing reclamation project Mekhi Becton to pounce and overtake.

Becton, who on Friday evening signed to a two-year, $20 million deal with the Chargers, is now out of the picture. But complicating matters is that the Eagles acquired embattled first-round guard Kenyon Green in the Gardner-Johnson trade. Green, like Steen, will be afforded the luxury of learning under acclaimed offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland.

But there are multiple things working in Steen’s favor, most notably this being his third season working with Stoutland. When pressed into service, albeit a minimal sample size, it’s arguable that Steen performed to a level comparable to Becton. Both players benefitted from playing on a line littered with All-Pro talent. The drop-off shouldn’t be as drastic as some are forecasting, and the year of development should serve Steen well as he eyes a starting job.

LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr.

Sharp-minded and instinctive, Trotter Jr. largely spent his rookie season waiting in the shadows for his opportunity. For perspective, the Clemson product recorded only 104 defensive snaps over 17 games (one start). Like Shipley, his former Clemson teammate, Trotter Jr. instead undertook a key role on special teams, accruing 295 snaps, third behind Ringo and fellow linebacker Oren Burks.

Burks has since departed, inking a two-deal with the Bengals. Another member of the 2024 Eagles linebacking corps, Ben VanSumeren, is seemingly being viewed solely as a fullback. And let’s not forget Nakobe Dean is recovering from a torn patellar tendon.

That leaves Trotter Jr., for the moment, second or third in the pecking order. He’ll need to add size and develop his play strength, to be sure, but he has the overall acumen to make the leap from sparse contributor to prominent, provided he builds on his progression during the offseason.

If only due to the sheer lack of bodies, expect the Eagles to add to the position via free agency or the upcoming NFL Draft.

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