ClutchPoints
For the most part, the Philadelphia Eagles had themselves one heck of an offseason.
Entering the offseason with the burden of defending their second Lombardi Trophy of the last ten years, the Eagles had to say goodbye to some top free agents, make shrewd financial decisions, and draft at the end of each round.
And yet, through it all, Howie Roseman worked his magic, and the Eagles look like world beaters as a result. Roseman kept players whom many thought he could lose, added free agents few imagined would be in their price range, and most impressively of all, found a way to draft Jihaad Campbell at pick 31, headlining a 10-player draft class that could help the team for years to come.
Factor in a new deal for his head coach, Nick Sirianni, and the future is looking very bright for the Eagles, who look to remain on top of an NFC East that has gotten more interesting with each passing month.
With that being said, the offseason wasn’t perfect. Philadelphia had to say goodbye to quality free agents like Josh Sweat, Milton Williams, and Mekhi Becton, who all chose to sign elsewhere. But there’s one player the team actively chose to move on from, a player who has already been re-acquired after saying goodbye the season prior: CJ Gardner-Johnson.
Of all the moves the Eagles made in 2025, saying goodbye to CJGJ has the potential to hurt the team most of all because they simply didn’t get enough back in the deal to make it worth pursuing, with the biggest asset acquired arguably being the cap relief he provides next spring. Sure, Andrew Mukuba could be the guy moving forward, but if he struggles and players like Sydney Brown aren’t able to pick up the slack, fans will be up in arms over the decision.
When the Eagles acquired CJ Gardner-Johnson from the New Orleans Saints, it helped to solidify the back of their defense in a major way.
After spending much of his time in the Big Easy moonlighting as a slot cornerback, CJGJ looked like a certified star at the back end of Jonathan Gannon’s defense, intercepting an NFL-leading six balls to go with 67 tackles, five tackles for a loss, and two QB hits. CJGJ added some personality to a defense that really needed it while also producing at a high enough level to get his team to the Super Bowl, where one bad play by James Bradberry seemingly made the difference between an incredible win and a heartbreaking defeat.
In 2023, the Eagles decided to go in another direction, allowing Gardner-Johnson to sign with the Detroit Lions while allowing the combo of Reed Blankenship and Terrell Edmunds to start at safety with rookie Sydney Brown as their third option. This decision looked like a mistake for both sides, as Gardner-Johnson’s numbers returned back to earth – in no small part due to the Lions...
