- From Saquon Barkley to Zack Baun, Howie Roseman expertly navigated the offseason: The Eagles' general manager addressed his team's biggest weaknesses with stars and previously unheralded players.
- Coordinators Vic Fangio and Kellen Moore put on a masterclass: Both added this offseason, Fangio and Moore led the Eagles' defense and offense, respectively, to new heights.
- 2025 NFL Draft season is here: Try PFF's best-in-class Mock Draft Simulator and learn about 2025's top prospects while trading and drafting for your favorite NFL team.
Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes
The Philadelphia Eagles were a team in turmoil at the end of the 2023 season, having lost six of their final seven games, including a blowout defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the wild-card round. General manager Howie Roseman was tasked with improving a team with several issues. His offseason grocery list included:
- Replacing both coordinators after firing Brian Johnson and Sean Desai
- Improve a running back room that finished 31st in PFF rushing grade
- Replace the production of retired center Jason Kelce
- Fix a defense that ranked 28th in PFF coverage grade, including last in slot coverage grade
- Find answers at linebacker, where both of their starters left via free agency
Philadelphia first brought in Vic Fangio, who had served as a consultant with the team in 2022, to be their defensive coordinator. Armed with elite personnel, Fangio used his array of zone coverages to lead his unit to the highest PFF defensive grade in the NFL. The greatest accomplishment for the defense was finishing this season with the lowest explosive pass rate allowed after ranking 10th worst in 2023.
Along with Fangio came offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, who made the adjustment to center the offense around Saquon Barkley and simplify the Eagles’ passing game for Jalen Hurts. During their 2-2 start, Philadelphia ran the ball on 41.1% of their plays, the 15th-highest rate in the NFL. Over their run of 16 victories in their last 17 games, they ran the ball nearly 55% of the time. No other team cleared 50% in that span.
The proper coordinators were in place on the sideline and the proper personnel was on the field. Chief among the newcomers was Barkley, who set the all-time single-season rushing record, including the postseason. The Eagles always block well in the run game, but Barkley’s explosiveness brought their attack to an unstoppable level.
Saquon Barkley: Career PFF Grades
For a time, that blocking was in question after legendary center Jason Kelce retired. The plan was always for Cam Jurgens to take over that spot, but the Eagles then needed to find a replacement at right guard. That came in the form of Jets castoff Mekhi Becton, who had never played a snap at guard — either in the NFL or college — until this season. His contributions helped the Eagles maintain their usual elite production up front.
Philadelphia saw a resurgence in its secondary after signing old friend C.J. Gardner-Johnson in free agency. Roseman also made a shrewd move in selecting cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean with his first two selections in last year’s draft.
Gardner-Johnson posted the best PFF coverage grade of his career while picking off six passes and breaking up six others. Mitchell was excellent on the outside all season, breaking up 10 passes. Perhaps the most impactful was DeJean, who became one of the best slot cornerbacks in the NFL and returned an interception for a touchdown in the Super Bowl.
The linebacker unit dramatically improved with breakouts from multiple players. Zack Baun, PFF’s Breakout Player of the Year, arrived from New Orleans and took advantage of his first real opportunity to play off the ball. In large part because of Baun, The Eagles rose from 18th all the way to first in PFF overall grade from their linebacker unit.
Highest-Graded Linebackers in 2024 (Regular Season Only)
Even Roseman’s depth signings made a huge impact. Nakobe Dean was having an outstanding season before suffering a season-ending injury in the wild-card round, pushing ex-49er Oren Burks — one of Roseman's savvier signings — into a critical role in the postseason as the starter alongside Baun.
Free-agency decisions from Becton and Baun, among others, loom large over the team's short-term future. The Eagles will also pick 32nd in the 2025 NFL Draft, though picking lower in rounds hasn’t bothered them lately. If there’s anyone equipped to deal with the rigors of the offseason, it’s Howie Roseman. He’s proven it time and again, and his incredible work in the 2024 offseason is the primary reason the Eagles just won their second Lombardi Trophy.
© 2025 PFF - all rights reserved.