3 Eagles cut candidates entering 2025 offseason

02/17/2025 11:16 PM

After securing the ultimate NFL prize at the Super Bowl, parading the Lombardi Trophy down Broad Street after a commanding win over the Kansas City Chiefs, the Philadelphia Eagles have to do their best to remain on top of the NFL world, which starts with free agency in March.

Soon, fans will see which players Howie Roseman can retain, which players he can add, and which players, for one reason or another, have played their final snaps in Philadelphia, at least for now.

With roughly $18 million to play with under the cap, according, ironically enough, to Over The Cap, the Eagles are not one of the teams in the NFL who can go shopping for all of their needs in free agency but will instead largely be looking to retain some of their own players heading into the fall, with four of their Super Bowl starters, Mekhi Becton, Josh Sweat, Milton Williams, and Zack Baun, all potentially set to hit the open market.

Now granted, if there’s anyone who can work a salary cap in the NFL, it’s Roseman, who has consistently found ways to save the team money via void years, restricting, and other trickly dealings, so his $18 million might feel more like $30 million, $40 million, or even more. But don’t be surprised if the Eagles look to the oldest trick in the book, releasing players, to help add a bit more wiggle room under the cap, just in case. Fortunately, while the Eagles’ books are relatively clean, with only a few obvious release options, if anyone can free up a few million to spend come March, it’s Roseman, who will certainly use every trick at his disposal to get Philadelphia back to the Super Bowl next February.

1. James Bradberry

When it comes to obvious cut candidates on the Eagles’ roster, any conversation has to start with former All-Pro cornerback James Bradberry.

Initially signed away from the New York Giants after being released before the 2022 NFL season, Bradberry was a key cog in the Eagles’ defensive renaissance under Jonathan Gannon and helped the team make it all the way to the Super Bowl, even if his play ultimately cost them the game via a brutal holding call. After taking a step back in 2023 on a new contract, Bradberry was heading towards a cut last season before a leg injury allowed him to be stashed away on IR, where he instead used his time coaching up his young teammates Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell.

Discussing his Super Bowl run with reporters while clearing out his locker, Bradberry noted that he was happy to get a ring in any way possible, but he isn’t done playing just yet, even if coaching could be an option down the road.

“I think it was ultimately satisfying just to get a Super Bowl ring. At the end of the day, it was cool to beat the Chiefs. They are one of the better teams in the league, but fortunately we were the best team in the league this year. I know those guys are gonna go on and do remarkable things as the years go on,” Bradberry said via SI.

“I have thought about coaching, but I know those guys put in a lot of hours. That’s a whole other adjustment as a player. It’s one thing to put in the hours as a player and then get on the field and reap the benefits and the awards from all the hard work you put in. I mean, I thought about coaching a little bit. We’ll see.”

While saying goodbye to Bradberry won’t come cheap, as he currently has a cap hit of roughly $7.8 million according to Over The Cap, if Philadelphia releases him with a post-June 1 designation, they will save $4.7 million versus the cap, as opposed to negative $2.9 million if he was released with a pre-June 1 designation.

Is that a lot of money in the modern NFL? No, not particularly, but it could be enough to sign the next Becton, who only cost $2.75 million in 2023 and clearly overplayed that price point. With roughly $18 million to play with, every little bit helps towards both a successful title defense and long-term dynasty building.

2. Byron Young

Wait, the outside linebacker from the Los Angeles Rams? Nope, while a certain AFC West squad may have made that mistake once upon a time – even if that story hasn’t technically been confirmed just yet – the Eagles very much employ the Byron Young who played his college football at Alabama before being drafted and then released by the Las Vegas Raiders in short order.

Initially joining the Eagles midway through the 2024 season, Young played exactly zero snaps for Philadelphia all season long and effectively served as an insurance policy if one of the team’s main rotation players got injured. At 24, Young has pretty good size for the position at 6-foot-3, 292 pounds, and could theoretically earn a reserve role in Philadelphia if Milton Williams leaves in free agency.

With that being said, Young really doesn’t project to be more than just a body, and at $1.26 million with no penalty for his release, the Eagles could send him packing with no penalty and use that money to sign a mid-round draft pick they believe in more or this year’s version of Oren Burks, who only cost the team $1.25 million last season on another fantastic deal.

While some teams have loads of potential cap casualties, Roseman has crafted a lean book with very little fat around the edges, making little moves like this worth considering.

3. Bryce Huff and Jahan Dotson (via trade)

Alright, so what about Bryce Huff and Jahan Dotson, two of the Eagles’ biggest whiffs of the 2024 NFL season who are long shots to make any sort of big impact for Philadelphia in 2025? Surely, the Eagles would have to send one of these players packing to free up more snaps for a player like Jalyx Hunt, Johnny Wilson, or a rookie, right?

Sure thing, Roseman would love to get either player off of his books, as their money, especially Huff’s, could be much better spent on almost any of the team’s forthcoming free agency. The problem? Huff and Dotson do not actually give Philadelphia any cap relief if they are released, with the former actually costing the team multiple millions if he is released with a pre- or post-June 1 designation.

The solution? Make a trade.

That’s right, while Huff will always leave some dead money on the Eagles’ cap no matter how he is handed his papers, if Roseman can trade the former Jet to some other team with a post-June 1 designation, the team will save $4.28 million, which isn’t an incredible total, but could add up with corresponding moves to let go of Bradberry, Young, and other bottom-of-the-roster players.

And as for Dotson? Well he saves Philadelphia nothing with any sort of release, but could free up $2.76 million if traded with a pre- or post-June 1 designation. Is that a lot of money? No. Will Philadelphia be able to get back the assets they gave up for the PSU product in the first place? Nope, they would be lucky to net a seventh-rounder for Dotson’s services, but if freeing up money is a goal of the offseason, making such a trade could be a part of a grander strategy, especially with cheaper options available in the 2025 NFL Draft with similar upside.

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