The 2025 Free Agency Thread

[Anselmheifer]

It's a wild guess. But I'd guess Clowney. I'd guess his run stopping-full package would be hard for them to resist.

Regarding your earlier comments about not being sure if our run stopping will be good, I probably agree. But the guys they signed are all going to be better than Dante Fowler, for instance. It might not be, “good”, but I definitely think it will be, “better”.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

MOF open and a bang 8 with a receiver isolated against a baker off a 3 step timing throw? That’s day 1 install stuff and a match up that your eyes light up when you see it pre snap.

But I do accept making that throw on the last snap of the game when it is shit or bust is a hell of a lot different to making that with your eyes closed in 7 on 7 during OTAs.

I dot t have a lot of faith most of the QBs except the ones I mentioned could make say 1 of install throws.

 

[burgold]

From the description above, Clowney would be my choice too.

 

[RexTomb]

MOF open and a bang 8 with a receiver isolated against a baker off a 3 step timing throw? That’s day 1 install stuff and a match up that your eyes light up when you see it pre snap.

But I do accept making that throw on the last snap of the game when it is shit or bust is a hell of a lot different to making that with your eyes closed in 7 on 7 during OTAs.

 

[skinsinparadise]

Regarding your earlier comments about not being sure if our run stopping will be good, I probably agree. But the guys they signed are all going to be better than Dante Fowler, for instance. It might not be, “good”, but I definitely think it will be, “better”.

Agree. I suspect the run defense will be better. But lol its ironic that PFF grades all of their new additions as average to mostly below average run stoppers. Goldman at one point in his career was a great run stopper. PFF isnt gospel but when I see really bad scores it gets my attention - Goldman in the 40s last season and the 30s the prior season as to run defense.

Still, Ill go for the ride that Goldman once majored in run stopping and will find that form again. Wise who doesn't look like as to PFF scores to ever be much of a run defender but the idea is he will find his form and his size alone should make a difference or so so alone is an improvement. Kinlaw has had atrocious run stopping scores until last season where he was just below so so. But lets say his so so season is the sign of things to come and he's a big dude so he can be used to set the edge.

My point is it takes some projection with all three of these additions.

I'll give them the benefit of the doubt but Clowney wouldn't be a projection -- there is nothing there with the idea of yeah he might have sucked or been so so against the run but we expect the narrative to be better here because X, Y, Z. No projections needed with Clowney. He is the real deal on that front unlike the other additions who are maybes.

 

[burgold]

I think it may also matter if the coaches emphasize that run stopping is what they really care about.

 

[skinsinparadise]

“I got more in the tank than people think,” Clowney said. “I just keep bringing it, and they’re gonna keep counting me out.”
Clowney, 32, had 5.5 sacks in 14 games last season. He has played in 140 career games, with 127 starts. Beyond his 58 career sacks, Clowney has a history of high performance in one specific area that has yet to be recognized as an official statistic. It’s called “eff up the play” by Simms — who (to no surprise) often uses a word other than “eff” when citing it whenever the topic comes up on PFT Live.
The challenge will become finding the sweet spot between Clowney’s financial expectations and the potential offers to come from other teams. For now, other teams would be wise to take a close look at his 2024 film, and then to decide whether there’s a spot in the lineup for a player who has a history of creating havoc, even if that havoc doesn’t always manifest itself on the stat sheet.

Jadeveon Clowney vows to keep playing

"I got more in the tank than people think," Clowney says.

www.nbcsports.com

 

[skinsinparadise]

two reporters who are speculating the Ravens

 

[burgold]

If the Ravens want him (and want him back) that ups my interest.

 

[DWinzit]

If the Ravens want him (and want him back) that ups my interest.

Exactly, he had a good year with them in 23 with 9.5 sacks and 43 tackles.

 

[Anselmheifer]

two reporters who are speculating the Ravens

The Ravens make too much sense. I'd be happy if we signed him, even in the slightly longer term. Honestly, he'd be great as a starting DE across from whatever guy we get next year as a pass rusher with more juice.

I'd also be fine if we used that $12 million to resign Terry and Tunsil and we went hard at edge in FA and the draft next year.

 

[Gooseneck]

still plenty of good edges at there for a decent price

 

[Bulldog]

We seem to be waiting for the porridge that is not too hot, not too cold at DE.

While we signed a lot of guys at other spots quickly, the restraint on showing any urgency at edge rusher is a bit puzzling.

For a team with the 3 year window on Daniels I would have expected a Howie Roseman type bold move or two to shore up this area.

We have the money and can be creative on 2-3 year deal to even the hit out.

 

[Commander Wraith]

We seem to be waiting for the porridge that is not too hot, not too cold at DE.

While we signed a lot of guys at other spots quickly, the restraint on showing any urgency at edge rusher is a bit puzzling.

For a team with the 3 year window on Daniels I would have expected a Howie Roseman type bold move or two to shore up this area.

We have the money and can be creative on 2-3 year deal to even the hit out.

I hear you.

Going off reporting/rumors, how the FO has addressed other spots/weaknesses, and what actually transpired, I’d guess something like:
Plan A: Joey Bosa
Plan B: Hendrickson (trade for Tunsil and asking price nixed this plan)
Plan C: Draft (They looked at tons of DEs, but seems like they couldn’t pass on Conerly and Amos. DT was also a possibility - ie increasing interior pressure.)
Plan D: Look at remaining FAs and/or wait to see who gets cut

And of course, they brought in Morgan and Wise (and maybe Kinlaw if he plays outside at times) from the outset to give a baseline of competition at the spot, plus they have Luvu/Wagner to help generate pressure.

Again, total speculation on my end, but I think this is just the way things fell for them. They could have forced something (and it’s still possible they do), and they can potentially still find help at the spot. I just think they’re trying to balance resources, risk vs reward, and short vs long term planning/goals… and this is how it worked out. Time will tell if they’ve got it right I suppose.

 

[SkinsLife]

My guess is that fundamentally they are running a different D that does not rely on DE production. Someone posted an article earlier that mentioned that while Eagles had the number #1 Defense in the NFL, their DEs actually weren't anything special in the sack department. Their best DE was Sweat who got 8 sacks and is now gone. No one else had more that 3.5. they relied heavily on stud DTs and LB play...along with great DB play.
lets look at what they did over the last year.
1. Trade for one of the top corners and drafted a corner high = if all are healthy the CB play should be pretty damn good. Safeties are solid
2. Got rid of undersized DTs and replaced them with bigger/ heavier run stopping DTs/ DEs
3. Brought it Luvu, Wagner and Drafted a couple of LBs w speed.

I believe Quinn is trying to reproduce Eagles D success here.. I dont see him making any more splash moves in DE space this year, lets see how it plays out.

 

[Conn]

The Eagles aren’t purposely lacking in elite EDGE rushing talent because their scheme doesn’t need it, they’re just stacking talent where they can actually get it and scheming around that. They would take a stud pass rusher if they could reasonably add one to their roster, just like us. It’s not that they don’t “need” them schematically, they’re just harder to find in a way that’s conducive to building the rest of an elite roster. Elite EDGE players always break open the bank in FA when they (rarely) get there—leading to even Josh Sweat types being overpaid; and they generally don’t fall to competitive teams in the draft either, without some sort of potentially fatal (or off-field) flaw. Trey Hendricksons and Danielle Hunters are pretty rare.

 

[burgold]

Fred Smoot made an interesting comment the other day. He said the top receivers and top pass rushing DEs pretty much never wind up in the Super Bowl, but that very often you see the top DTs make it to the big game so he speculated that interior pass rush might have a higher correlation to winning even though the DEs and outside rushers get all the glory. I don't know if it's true and it may be skewed because Brady won so many Super Bowls without any elite receivers, but that also goes to his point. The sexy positions may not be the motor of the race car.

Not that I don't want us to get a DE and have an outside pass rushing threat. It feels like a big weakness especially given all the mobile QBs. I can see the Jalen Hurts and Aaron Donalds being very disruptive, but I don't know that I see them finishing and finishers are important. Maybe we're hoping for interior pass rush from Kinlaw, Payne, and Newton and then ends that contain which lead to sacks?

 

[SkinsLife]

The Eagles aren’t purposely lacking in elite EDGE rushing talent because their scheme doesn’t need it, they’re just stacking talent where they can actually get it and scheming around that. They would take a stud pass rusher if they could reasonably add one to their roster, just like us. It’s not that they don’t “need” them schematically, they’re just harder to find in a way that’s conducive to building the rest of an elite roster. Elite EDGE players always break open the bank in FA when they (rarely) get there—leading to even Josh Sweat types being overpaid; and they generally don’t fall to competitive teams in the draft either, without some sort of potentially fatal (or off-field) flaw. Trey Hendricksons and Danielle Hunters are pretty rare.

Obviously you want elite talent at every position if possible. But they did not prioritize DEs.. hence their first round pick was a LB even when there was perceived DE talent still on the board and Sweat was already gone. While they did not have good DEs, they still had the number one D... hence perhaps having an elite DE is overvalued in todays NFL.
Its not by accident that players like Hendrickson, Bosa, Garret, Crosby largely play for teams with non-dominant Ds.

 

[heisenberg]

---

Commanders sign offensive lineman Tyre Phillips​

Commanders sign offensive lineman Tyre Phillips

The Commanders are adding some depth on their offensive line.

www.nbcsports.com

Why do we bother trying to figure out what the team needs and then try to make sense of who they sign instead.

Sometimes it's an exercise in futility.

This one seems to be because of his connections to Bobby johnson but still funny how we need edge help and are stacked at o line and yet here we are bringing in o lineman.

 

[Conn]

Obviously you want elite talent at every position if possible. But they did not prioritize DEs.. hence their first round pick was a LB even when there was perceived DE talent still on the board and Sweat was already gone. While they did not have good DEs, they still had the number one D... hence perhaps having an elite DE is overvalued in todays NFL.
Its not by accident that players like Hendrickson, Bosa, Garret, Crosby largely play for teams with non-dominant Ds.

The best EDGE’s rarely come out of nowhere, they aren’t usually developed. They usually are drafted at the top of the 1st round, it’s a very projectable position where elite athleticism is highly coveted. Bad teams usually draft at the top of the draft, that part isn’t super complicated imo.

The Eagles won a SB without an elite QB and built around what he does well, while acquiring elite players they COULD acquire. I still think they’d probably prefer a top-5 QB if you gave them the choice. Same with the 49ers in their most competitive recent years.

I think it’s the same with elite teams and elite EDGE rushers that eat disproportionate amounts of cap space and/or cost unrealistically high draft picks (most of the time)