Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles carry a league-fifth-worst $68.8M in dead money this season, but $26.2M in current room and a projected $68.3M next season give them real spending power if they trim the cut candidates now.

29 contracts expiring

Madden Tools Analysis

Five starting spots have weak depth behind the starter.

The roster's top strength is its offensive line and skill-position talent headlined by a 97-overall Lane Johnson and elite perimeter weapons, while the SAM linebacker spot, where Smael Mondon Jr starts at just 67 overall, is the clearest weak link.

• LShigh

  Rocco Underwood is the starter at long snapper but is flagged as a high-severity need, making a roster upgrade there worth addressing.

• SAMmedium

  Smael Mondon Jr starts at SAM but brings only a 67 overall, making a more capable presence at the position a medium priority to shore up the linebacker depth.

• Run & ShootoffensiveGood

  Jalen Hurts' dual-threat ability, DeVonta Smith's route-running, and Saquon Barkley's explosiveness as a receiver out of the backfield give the offense the personnel to thrive in a spread, pass-heavy system.

• [EA] 4-3 Cover 3defensiveGood

  Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis form a disruptive interior, the edge duo of Nolan Smith Jr and Jonathan Greenard can generate pressure, and Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell are long, physical corners built for a cover-three shell.

• 62J.T. GraySSJ.T. Gray sits third on the SS depth chart behind Marcus Epps and Michael Carter II, and releasing him frees $1.3M against only $180K in dead money, making him an easy cap cleanup candidate.Frees $1.3M · $180.0K dead
• 71Andy DaltonQBAndy Dalton is the backup QB behind Hurts and brings a 71 overall at age 38, and cutting him costs nothing in dead money while freeing $1.5M in cap space.Frees $1.5M · $0 dead
• 65Fred JohnsonLTFred Johnson is third on the LT depth chart behind Jordan Mailata and Cameron Williams, and his release frees $1.3M with only $160K in dead money, representing poor value for a non-contributor.Frees $1.3M · $160.0K dead
• 72Jonathan JonesCBJonathan Jones is a 72-overall corner entering the twilight of his career and sits fourth in the CB rotation behind DeJean, Mitchell, and Woolen, and releasing him frees $1.3M against just $140K in dead money.Frees $1.3M · $140.0K dead
• 69Grant CalcaterraTEGrant Calcaterra appears third at TE behind Dallas Goedert and Eli Stowers and also serves as a fullback backup, but his 69 overall as a 27-year-old makes his $1.8M salary hard to justify when cutting him leaves only $180K in dead money.Frees $1.8M · $180.0K dead

The Eagles are a win-now roster built around a core of Superstars and X Factors. Jalen Hurts, DeVonta Smith, Saquon Barkley, and a dominant offensive line give the offense a championship-caliber ceiling, while Jalen Carter, Quinyon Mitchell, and Cooper DeJean headline a young and ascending defense. The window is real and open, but several key contributors, including Lane Johnson and Zack Baun, are entering the later stages of their careers, meaning the front office must balance immediate contention with deliberate succession planning. With $26.2M in cap room now and a projected $68.3M available next season, the Eagles have the flexibility to add at their needs and re-invest in the young core before the committed salary climbs to $268.9M the following year. Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell give the secondary a franchise-caliber future, and Jihaad Campbell at MIKE is just 22 with a Star dev trait, suggesting the defense will remain competitive well into the mid-term.

The Eagles were founded in 1933 when a syndicate led by Bert Bell and Lud Wray paid a $2,500 entry fee (and assumed $11,000 in debts owed by the bankrupt Frankford Yellow Jackets) to secure the NFL rights to the Philadelphia market, naming the team after the "Blue Eagle" symbol of FDR's National Recovery Administration. After a decade of struggle, losing their debut 56-0 to the Giants and a 1943 wartime merger with the Steelers as the "Steagles" (Phil-Pitt), Earle "Greasy" Neale launched the first golden era, with Steve Van Buren leading back-to-back NFL titles in 1948 and 1949. A second peak came in 1960 when Norm Van Brocklin and Chuck Bednarik beat Vince Lombardi's Packers for the championship. Dick Vermeil reached Super Bowl XV after 1980, the late-'80s/early-'90s "Gang Green" defense featured Reggie White, and Andy Reid paired with Donovan McNabb for five NFC title-game appearances and a Super Bowl XXXIX loss. Under Doug Pederson, Nick Foles led the 2017 team to a Super Bowl LII upset of New England for the first Lombardi Trophy. After a Super Bowl LVII loss to Kansas City, Jalen Hurts and the Eagles returned to dominate the Chiefs 40-22 in Super Bowl LIX (February 2025) for their second Super Bowl title.