While the Philadelphia Eagles made a few notable additions to improve the roster this offseason, some executives around the league believe the loss of two major players could set them up for disappointment in 2024.
After the Eagles got off to a dynamite 10-1 start in the 2023 season, they became one of the biggest stories in the league not for their continued excellence but a shocking second-half downward spiral. Over the final six weeks of the season, they lost all but one game, blew their lead in the NFC East, and ended up being surprisingly bounced in the opening round of the NFL Playoffs.
Since their sad end to the season, the organization has undergone a major overhaul. While head coach Nick Sirianni held on to his job despite being on a very hot seat the team has two brand new offensive and defensive coordinators. They also made a huge free agency splash by signing Giants star Saquon Barkley, traded for former first-round pick Kenny Pickett, and signing talented pass rusher Bryce Huff.
However, they also lost team greats Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox to retirement and it seems those two departures have left a major void in leadership that some around the league believe the Philadelphia Eagles will have trouble filling.
NFL executive believes Philadelphia Eagles lost irreplacable players that developed team’s winning culture
“I just don’t know who they are. I think they lost their identity and lost their confidence,” an NFL executive told The Athletic’s league insider Mike Sando on Wednesday. “Teams say they want to build from the inside out, but you lost your two staple inside players in Kelce and Cox. Not only that, but those two guys were the culture guys. You lose those guys in a year when the head coach already has his back against the wall, I don’t see it ending well.”
There were rumors late in the season about a disconnect between players and coaches that even Kelce and Cox had issues closing the gap on. The offensive line great went to seven Pro Bowls as a member of the Philly locker room while Cox earned Pro Bowl honors on six occasions for the Eagles.
It is understandable for some around the league to feel the organization can’t replace not one, but a pair of star players that were also leaders for winning teams in recent years.
