The 2025 Free Agency Thread

[Gooseneck]

Here is the thing I am wondering about Barkley. He had almost 500 touches last year, including the playoffs. There have been three running backs in the last 20-ish years that have had that many touches:

• DeMarco Murray, 2014 (497)
• Arian Foster, 2016 (460)
• Larry Johnson, 2006 (475)

All three cratered the next year: Murray had 237 touches, Foster 143, and Johnson 188. Very few RBs double up on that workload--and the ones that do are in their early 20s (23, 24), but still face a significant drop off. Barkley is different--but it's really hard for a body to take that kind of pounding.

My thoughts exactly

 

[RexTomb]

Here is the thing I am wondering about Barkley. He had almost 500 touches last year, including the playoffs. There have been three running backs in the last 20-ish years that have had that many touches:

• DeMarco Murray, 2014 (497)
• Arian Foster, 2016 (460)
• Larry Johnson, 2006 (475)

All three cratered the next year: Murray had 237 touches, Foster 143, and Johnson 188. Very few RBs double up on that workload--and the ones that do are in their early 20s (23, 24), but still face a significant drop off. Barkley is different--but it's really hard for a body to take that kind of pounding.

And the best news about that is that if Barkley does have a huge drop off next year, the Eagles are on the hook for his massive salary over the next three seasons.

 

[RandyHolt]

Barkley was labeled by some as injury prone but he pushed back (accurately IMO) that what does anyone expect when a 320 DT stomps on a high ankle.

Regardless him missing a few games should be expected like any RB after monster workloads / father time.

 

[RexTomb]

ust seems a bit of an overpay to stop the run vs one team. What if either player get injured.

But it's not just that one team. Next season, we face a number of teams with a rushing threat... GB, Detroit, Minnesota, SD, Denver, etc.

 

[RandyHolt]

But it's not just that one team. Next season, we face a number of teams with a rushing threat... GB, Detroit, Minnesota, SD, Denver, etc.

Fair point.... and more than that, every team runs the ball and if they don't, will choose to if our defense is a wet noodle up front.

 

[Riggo44]

And the best news about that is that if Barkley does have a huge drop off next year, the Eagles are on the hook for his massive salary over the next three seasons.

I saw analysts praising the Eagles for that and I thought it was really dumb--definitely a Laurie move, not Roseman.

 

[Discobob]

It sure seems like they went all in on Kinlaw leading the change in our defensive approach all to stop Saquon F'in Barkley.

The other DLinemen that that they signed seem to be run stuffers over pass rushers.

I understand that folks are kinda WTF on Kinlaw, but if his previous assistant GM (Peters) and Dline coach are here pushing for the move, ya gotta assume they aren't stupid and that there is a method to their madness.

 

[Riggo44]

Jahymr Gibbs gashed us too--no idea why Johnson decided to start throwing the ball (Gibbs had 14 car for 105 yrd)

 

[RexTomb]

Jahymr Gibbs gashed us too--no idea why Johnson decided to start throwing the ball (Gibbs had 14 car for 105 yrd)

As did Bijan, and guess what? ATL is on the schedule again this coming season.

 

[mistertim]

I get the "elephant end" idea, but at 6'5 315, I can't see Kinlaw being an edge rusher from a 5 or 7 tech position. Maybe he kicks inside in obvious passing situations? If so, who is then our edge rusher? Are we potentially selling out to stop the run at the expense of not being very good at rushing the passer?

 

[RexTomb]

I get the "elephant end" idea, but at 6'5 315, I can't see Kinlaw being an edge rusher from a 5 or 7 tech position. Maybe he kicks inside in obvious passing situations? If so, who is then our edge rusher? Are we potentially selling out to stop the run at the expense of not being very good at rushing the passer?

I would not be at all surprised if we double up on DE in rounds 1 and 2 this year (assuming we don't make a trade for Hendrickson). And even then, I think we go pass rushing DE with whichever pick is still with us.

 

[Utah]

Mainly because we had adjusted to him and he ended the 2nd half with 5 carries for 9 yds. And they were losing. He got stressed and we applied the proper pressure to force him into trying to strike. He lost his effectiveness in running the ball vs an offense who could trade punches. Flow of the game.

 

[Utah]

A quick reminder. As a team, we had more sacks than the Bills, Chiefs and the Eagles in the regular season. We had, numerically, the 3rd best passing defense. We had the 29th rushing defense in the league.

We are looking for a very specific type of DE. He has to have certain traits. In our case, its not QB sacks, but pressure. What we determine to be QB pressure, not anyone else. But, for what to me is an obvious choice, he needs to be really damn good vs the run, can physically set the edge. IF he can do both at a high level, then awesome. Thats why the Garrett idea was so seductive. We are going to have to grow one it looks like, so we are going to have to grab guys that can stop the run first and rush second til someone shows the ability to do both at the level we would love to have. Clearly, our defensive scheme can create the necessary pressure while we grow our pass rush 1v1 player. However, we need the traits of our DE to stop the run first and work on the pass rush. Last year showed us we didn't have that guy on a consistent basis and we lost more than we won when we needed to stop the run.

 

[Chris 44]

I forget who I was listening to but they said we were surprisingly top 10 against the run on first down but dead last on 2nd down. Ill see if I can find who said it...Hoffman maybe?

 

[DWinzit]

I would not be at all surprised if we double up on DE in rounds 1 and 2 this year (assuming we don't make a trade for Hendrickson). And even then, I think we go pass rushing DE with whichever pick is still with us.

Man, I don't know. All of the signings make it look more like they need a LB/Edge. I am not feeling any more dramatic FA signings at least until after the draft. Either way you are correct that one of the top two picks needs to be pressure oriented. They also still need to focus on another good DB that has cover skills.

 

[RexTomb]

I actually want us to draft a RB with the second pick if we don't need another DE necessarily. We need a better running threat than BRob - his vision for holes and cutback lanes is not what everyone thought it was.

 

[burgold]

It's amazing how quickly the first wave of free agency is over.

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

I think the plan is to play Kinlaw at DE on first and second down and play him at DT on obvious passing downs - he's huge and can help set the edge, something Ojulari struggles with. DQ did something similar with Red Bryant back in Seattle, and that guy was a key piece to the Legion of Boom. You couldn't run on them very well to soften them up.

View attachment 10349

These are pretty "meh" pff grades for Ojulari. I don't get the hype.

I'd feel better about this post if Kinlaw's run defense PFF grade was not, wait for it.......50.8.

 

[Gooseneck]

Still some decent CB's out there.

James Bradberry	CB		Offer
Chidobe Awuzie	CB		Offer
Asante Samuel Jr.	CB		Offer
Rasul Douglas	CB		Offer
Mike Hilton	CB		Offer
Kendall Fuller

 

[burgold]

I think the plan is to play Kinlaw at DE on first and second down and play him at DT on obvious passing downs - he's huge and can help set the edge, something Ojulari struggles with. DQ did something similar with Red Bryant back in Seattle, and that guy was a key piece to the Legion of Boom. You couldn't run on them very well to soften them up.

View attachment 10349

These are pretty "meh" pff grades for Ojulari. I don't get the hype.

I think you may be right, but you also have to be wary of wearing him down. There are very few 300 lbs D linemen who play all three downs. It's a very sub dependent position.