The 2025 Free Agency Thread

[Chris]

Though Hopkins would bring some immediate help, at 32 he really doesn’t offer a lot of runway for growth with JD.

 

[burgold]

Though Hopkins would bring some immediate help, at 32 he really doesn’t offer a lot of runway for growth with JD.

I just don't think Hopkins provides what we need. I think we need players that stress the defense. Hopkins is a possession receiver at this point. We had chain movers. We need game breakers.

 

[DWinzit]

Sign or draft a tackle. They have to do this.

YES! This needs to be the #1 priority! One way or another.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

Sign or draft a tackle. They have to do this.

Then you move Wiley inside to RG while Cosmi rehabs. If we can add a quality starter at either OT or OG in free agency and draft someone in the first or second round who can start we could end up with Wiley as the primary backup at both OT and G which is probably the ideal outcome.

The focus of the off-season needs to be upgrading the O’Line, D’line and corner. Which is easier said than done obviously.

Sure. I don’t have time to do this now but the problem is there aren’t any obvious upgrades in FA. I will go through the FA options at some point. There are guys, and we will sign some of them. But teams don’t let starting quality OL get to FA.

And with a late draft pick, are you going to get a guy who can compete and be a clear upgrade immediately? Maybe. Probably not.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

YES! This needs to be the #1 priority! One way or another.

Can I add: sign or draft a tackle which will be an upgrade to the tackles they have?

That last part is the tricky one.

They’re GOING to sign AND draft a tackle. I have no doubt about that. The question is, will they be immediate upgrades. And that’s a bigger question.

I think it’s going to be easier to draft guys at guard who could be more impactful earlier than at tackle.

Tackle is going to be a chore.

 

[DWinzit]

Can I add: sign or draft a tackle which will be an upgrade to the tackles they have?

That last part is the tricky one.

They’re GOING to sign AND draft a tackle. I have no doubt about that. The question is, will they be immediate upgrades. And that’s a bigger question.

I think it’s going to be easier to draft guys at guard who could be more impactful earlier than at tackle.

Tackle is going to be a chore.

For sure because there are few FA's that can step right in at starting T, same with the draft and it would probably take a trade up in he 1st to get one. I am pretty certain that will not occur. They might be able to get a starting RT however.

One talented LT that hasn't been mentioned is Jedrick Wills. Young and talented. The things are, is there an issue with his right knee and/or did he kind of give up on his team

 

[Iraolaball]

Can I add: sign or draft a tackle which will be an upgrade to the tackles they have?

That last part is the tricky one.

They’re GOING to sign AND draft a tackle. I have no doubt about that. The question is, will they be immediate upgrades. And that’s a bigger question.

I think it’s going to be easier to draft guys at guard who could be more impactful earlier than at tackle.

Tackle is going to be a chore.

This FO was able to draft a guy who started at LT for a majority of this past season, in the third round. I’ll put my faith in these guys who get paid to make these decisions, regardless of who they choose.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

This FO was able to draft a guy who started at LT for a majority of this past season, in the third round. I’ll put my faith in these guys who get paid to make these decisions, regardless of who they choose.

Yeah, but the consensus is he’s an “ok left tackle” and ideally could move to the right side or inside.

Well, replacing him means finding somebody better than him in order for that to happen. And you’re going to be looking st reasonably similar talent levels at our first few picks.

And the FA market is THIN.

Upgrading tackle is going to be the hardest thing to do this off season.

 

[Boone]

Whose 'consensus' though?

I don't know how the team will evaluate Coleman's first season. Why are we so sure they have decided his ceiling is too low to be our long-term starter at LT? I'm not saying they won't conclude he's a bit in over his head at that critical spot, I'm just saying I haven't seen or heard anything to indicate they have come to that conclusion.

 

[DWinzit]

Whose 'consensus' though?

I don't know how the team will evaluate Coleman's first season. Why are we so sure they have decided his ceiling is too low to be our long-term starter at LT? I'm not saying they won't conclude he's a bit in over his head at that critical spot, I'm just saying I haven't seen or heard anything to indicate they have come to that conclusion.

There definitely is no consensus on that. There is pretty much a consensus that he could be a stud LG which is a great fallback to know that. We do need for him to be able to show vast movement this year though or he will need to move inside. That means we will need to be certain to have someone that can start behind him. We so need an answer at RT as well. Wylie isn't a great RT and will not get any better, he reached any peak he can. We need to have a replacement for him either a rookie that can work his way into that slot or better, one that can start and allow Wylie to move to RG and backup RT or get cut. My first move would be resigning Lucas

 

[NoCalSkins]

Another thing to keep in mind is that while there are always similarities between good, great, & championship teams, they all find their own combination in getting there. I think what usually transfers between them all however is being able to win in the trenches. The Eagles are built with all that star power on offense because they have to be otherwise Hurts would not be as effective as a QB. He basically stands behind a wall of protection every time he drops back and just waits. You could make a similar observation about Brock Purdy in SF, I know if you ask a 49ers fan, they will say 2024 was a down season due to injuries but look at their roster, even with the injuries and compare it to many others in the NFL and if Purdy was who they claim he is, he should have still had that team in the playoffs.

Of course I want all the talent possible on this team but I am not sure if this offseason is the one you are going to be seeing the future-selling type moves being made, I think that is probably another offseason away when AP looks over the roster and feels it is secure in it's longevity both cap-wise and sustainability and once that is all in place, then, you start going after those dime pieces on the FA market who you can sign without the long term cap rammifications etc etc

 

[MartinC]

Sure. I don’t have time to do this now but the problem is there aren’t any obvious upgrades in FA. I will go through the FA options at some point. There are guys, and we will sign some of them. But teams don’t let starting quality OL get to FA.

And with a late draft pick, are you going to get a guy who can compete and be a clear upgrade immediately? Maybe. Probably not.

Stanley would be a clear upgrade at one of T spots. Same with Jackson from the Rams. Jackson would be significantly cheaper than Stanley (likely). You could plug Jackson in at LT and move Coleman to RT.

Draft someone like Donovan Jackson at plug him in at LG and play one of the Wylie or Alegretti at RG until Cosmi is ready.

It’s not a rebirth of the 91 Hogs but it’s (almost certainly) an upgrade.

 

[MartinC]

Whose 'consensus' though?

I don't know how the team will evaluate Coleman's first season. Why are we so sure they have decided his ceiling is too low to be our long-term starter at LT? I'm not saying they won't conclude he's a bit in over his head at that critical spot, I'm just saying I haven't seen or heard anything to indicate they have come to that conclusion.

I thought Coleman held up reasonably well as a rookie being thrown in to sink or swim at LT. He (mostly) swam. You’d hope he benefits from the snaps and a full offseason and comes back even better.

He, along with the whole line, were massively helped by having elite QB play and elite pocket awareness/and mobility.

The pipe dream is giving JD the time Hurts has for the Eagles and some of the weapons around him. Do that and … look out!

 

[DWinzit]

Stanley would be a clear upgrade at one of T spots. Same with Jackson from the Rams. Jackson would be significantly cheaper than Stanley (likely). You could plug Jackson in at LT and move Coleman to RT.

Draft someone like Donovan Jackson at plug him in at LG and play one of the Wylie or Alegretti at RG until Cosmi is ready.

It’s not a rebirth of the 91 Hogs but it’s (almost certainly) an upgrade.

I like what you are laying down. Not sure if Coleman can play the right side but it sure would be worth a shot. Worse case he becomes the starter at LG

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

Whose 'consensus' though?

I don't know how the team will evaluate Coleman's first season. Why are we so sure they have decided his ceiling is too low to be our long-term starter at LT? I'm not saying they won't conclude he's a bit in over his head at that critical spot, I'm just saying I haven't seen or heard anything to indicate they have come to that conclusion.

So I think “consensus” is what I’m hearing from reporters and fans. Clearly not the team.

I’m actually of the opinion I think Coleman CAN play LT, he did ok for a rookie with no training camp. If he gets a full off season, he could improve tremendously.

But just about all the best reporters are talking by about him moving inside or to the right side.

And I’m fine with all of that. I think he’s playing somewhere on the line in 2025.

Ideally they can upgrade from Wiley. They need a fill in for Cosmi while he is out.

I personally think they should resign Lucas, leave Coleman at LT and find a way to draft/sign Wiley’s replacement.

They also need to find somebody to play RG for half the year or else Carter can wreck our first game with the Eagles all by himself. (Assuming we play the Eagles early in the season at least once.)

 

[method man]

I'd be lying if I said I watched much of Hopkins lately so i don't know. I have watched plenty of Slayton. I know I'd want him if the price is right. I watched a ton of Elijah Moore in college, he was one of my favs, he's not been as good as I thought he would be in the pros but I'd still like him as a good price.

If he's healthy and cheapish, I'd like D. Lawrence. He's a complete edge, very good run stopper too.

If we had some sort of odds chart, D Lawrence would probably be top 5 in terms of odds of FAs ending up here

 

[skinsinparadise]

If we had some sort of odds chart, D Lawrence would probably be top 5 in terms of odds of FAs ending up here

Yeah agree with the Dallas connections. Olu should be interesting. I've heard that Quinn loves him. But he likely commands big bucks. I'd figure it would spell the end of Jonathan Allen if they sign him.

 

[Gooseneck]

 

[Boone]

I keep hearing 'big bucks' as a barrier. Here's the thing... we HAVE big bucks. I get that Adam Peters rep is as a guy who is not going to spend recklessly or massively overpay. But we do have a ton of cash to spend if there is a guy or two they don't feel we can pass on. With $75 million plus available, only the Raiders and Patriots have more cash to spend. Dallas is in absolute cap hell, the Eagles have 1/4th to spend that we do, and the Giants have around $43 million. We are in the drivers seat if we want to be big FA players.

 

[burgold]

One part of the BGO podcast that I enjoyed was the discussion on free agency and how many hits Adam Peters had. I think that's the easy to say and hard to do key to it all. You can spend big and feel good for it if you get bang for the buck. In other words, I don't want to spend great for good. Now, here's where I'm weird. I think some players deserve to be overpaid. Usually, those are home grown guys or guys who took a gamble with the team and proved it. I view prove-it deals as a bet. If the player wins the bet then the GM should pay out. I think thats why (even if he proved somewhat correct in the end) Bruce Allen needed to open up contract negotialtions with Kirk at a high level. Instead, the QB who "proved it" and won the bet got lowballed, was justifiably pissed off, and we lost him for a compensatory pick.