November 09, 2023
The Eagles had a lot of roster turnover between the end of their Super Bowl run and the start of the 2023 season. Teams typically return anywhere from 50-to-70% of a previous year's roster, and heading into this campaign Philly had just about 15 significant changes to their 53-man postseason roster (around 28%).
Howie Roseman has had a streak of really good offseasons in recent years, and it's probably a bit too early to criticize his decisions from just a few months ago. But, the Eagles are on a bye week and it's just around the midpoint of the NFL season. Why not take a look at the players he and the front office allowed to walk? Did he get them right?
Miles Sanders, RB (Panthers)
Sanders signed a four-year, $25 million deal to go to Carolina that was clearly too rich for Philly's blood, as they refuse to sign a running back to a second contract. Philadelphia has one of the best running games in football led by D'Andre Swift — who they got in a trade for basically nothing. Sanders has missed a few games due to injury and has just 229 yards, one touchdown and a mediocre 3.3 yards per carry average.
✅ They got it right.
Gardner Minshew, QB (Colts)
This one isn't as cut and dry as Sanders, as Minshew has been forced into duty for Indianapolis with Anthony Richardson done for the season. The Eagles have not yet had to call on their backup, Marcus Mariota. In five starts, the former Eagle Minshew is completing 63.6 percent of his passes for 1,527 yards. He has 8 TD and 5 INT and the Colts are 2-3 in his starts.
🤷♂️ To be determined.
Trey Sermon, RB (Colts)
Sermon followed Shane Steichen as well to Indy, and has been a bench running back, receiving eight carries this season. He was basically replaced on the Eagles roster by Rashaad Penny, a more talented player.
✅ They got it right.
Zach Pascal, WR (Cardinals)
Pascal followed the other departing coordinator after last season, playing for Jonathan Gannon in Arizona. He has four catches on 10 targets. His replacement on the Philly roster Olamide Zaccheaus has outplayed him.
✅ They got it right.
Isaac Seumalo, LG (Steelers)
Seumalo has a Super Bowl ring from 2018 but was allowed to walk, at age 30, in free agency after 2022 due to the Eagles depth at offensive line and his contract demands. In his stead, Cam Jurgens has been a very good player when healthy, and Sua Opeta has been serviceable with Jurgens injured. Seumalo has played every snap in Pittsburgh and looks to be worth the three-year, $24 million deal they inked him too. Looks like both teams made good decisions here.
🤷♂️ Could go either way.
T.J. Edwards, LB (Bears)
Edwards is one of the few bright spots for the mundane Bears this season — he has the second most combined tackles in the NFL with exactly 100. His 57 solo tackles are the third most. Meanwhile the Eagles haven't exactly had an easy go of it with linebackers, as Nakobe Dean is injured again and they've cobbled together a unit now led by Zack Cunningham and Nick Morrow. Was three-years, $19.5 million really too rich for Philadelphia?
🙅♂️ They got it wrong.
Kyzir White, LB (Cardinals)
White is playing decently well for Gannon in Arizona, but the Eagles were trying to steer clear of the $10 million over two seasons he was signed for. He has 76 tackles and two sacks. He also has nine tackles for loss, two pass deflections and would have provided depth and leadership at linebacker.
🙅♂️ They got it wrong.
Javon Hargrave, DT (49ers)
Last year's interior d-line star has three sacks in San Francisco and just seven QB pressures so far. Seems like the Eagles dodged a bullet — the Niners inked him to a four-year, $81 million deal with $40 million guaranteed. Meanwhile, Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter are doing just fine.
✅ They got it right.
Linval Joseph, DT (Bills)
Like last season, Joseph was a late addition to a contending team this year. He's played one game with the Bills so far. He is 34 and the Eagles do not need him, nor do they need Ndamukong Suh or Robert Quinn, neither of whim has played yet in 2023.
✅ They got it right.
Marcus Epps, S (Raiders)
The Eagles let both of their 2022 starting safeties walk this offseason. We'll start with Epps, who left for Las Vegas and $12 million over two seasons. He's been okay for a pretty bad defense, starting all nine games and making 40 combined tackles. The safety question is tough to answer, as the Eagles' lack of depth and talent there led Roseman to make a trade for All-Pro Kevin Byard — a trade that didn't cost Philly all that much. It's hard to think they'd be better off with Epps as a starter even with their injury issues at the position. Reed Blankenship is worth mentioning, as he's stepped up in a big way.
✅ They got it right.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson, S (Lions)
After leading the NFL in interceptions last season, it was shocking to see the Eagles let him walk for just $8 million and one year, which is what he got in Detroit. But he tore his pec in Week 2 and isn't likely to return again this season. It's hard to really access whether he'd have been worth keeping in Philly — there were some baggage issues to be sure — but based on his season-ending injury one has to surmise the Eagles dodged a bullet anyway.
✅ They got it right.
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