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The Eagles have 19 pending free agents, and with some big names looking to cash in, the Philadelphia defense could look remarkably different in 2024.
During his Super Bowl opening-night press conference, the Eagles GM provided insight into his thinking, explaining to Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia why he didn’t extend contracts to several key free agents.
“Once you start doing that, it’s almost like, are you picking favorites?” Roseman said. “And the other guys start saying, ‘What about me?’ And they start playing for themselves as opposed to the team.
“Now, we’ve seen that probably costs you money in the long run as you’re doing it. But when you have an opportunity to compete for a championship, it’s worth that sacrifice I think.”
Philadelphia has several critical free agents who probably want to return to the Eagles but could land massive paydays on the open market. Zack Baun, Mekhi Becton, Milton Williams, Josh Sweat, Isaiah Rodgers, and Kenneth Gainwell could land lucrative deals when the new league year begins.
Roseman admitted that he watches Baun and Becton’s price tag grow daily but sacrificed potential long-term deals for a Super Bowl run without distractions.
“I’ll do anything for a championship,” Roseman said. “So if that’s the trade-off and maybe we lose a player, I won’t like that, but I’ll take it.”
The six free agents listed above will all have major suitors on the open market, but if those players depart, the Eagles can land upwards of four compensatory picks.