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The most outstanding unit of the Philadelphia Eagles during Super Bowl LIX was their defense, led by coordinator Vic Fangio. However, maintaining the Vince Lombardi trophy will be a challenge, as several of the key defensive players from the team have decided to leave Philadelphia in search of better salaries, others have been traded to new franchises, and some will not remain due to salary cap restrictions.
It is common for Super Bowl-winning teams to lose key players in free agency, as other franchises look to capitalize on available talent. One example is Milton Williams, who signed a four-year, $104 million contract with the New England Patriots. In the Super Bowl against the Chiefs, Williams made his mark with two sacks and two tackles for a loss.
Another prominent player is Josh Sweat, who left Philadelphia to the Arizona Cardinals with a $76.4 million contract over four years. Sweat, who earned $10 million in 2024 with the Eagles, will now receive $19.1 million after ing the Cardinals, following a stretch of more than 6.5 sacks in the past three seasons.
Cornerback Isaiah Rodgers will also switch teams, g an $11 million, two-season contract with the Minnesota Vikings. His time in Philadelphia was notable, as he was instrumental in their Super Bowl victory, a year after being suspended for gambling.
Meanwhile, linebacker Oren Burks, who shone in Super Bowl LIX, signed with the Cincinnati Bengals for two years and $5 million. Although he didn't play much in the regular season, he became a starter in the playoffs due to Nolan Smith's injury, particularly standing out in the Eagles' victory in the NFC Championship Game.
Strategic Trades and Reinforcements
Trades in the NFL aim to balance the needs of franchises, such as filling the void left by veterans or freeing up salary cap space. Before the 2024 season, the Eagles signed CJ Gardner-Johnson to a three-year, $27 million deal but traded him to the Houston Texans for a fifth-round draft pick and guard Kenyon Green. This trade makes sense, as Green will help fill the gap left by Mekhi Betcon, one of the most sought-after offensive linemen in free agency. During his time in Philadelphia, Gardner-Johnson started all 16 games, recording 59 tackles and six interceptions.
Darius Slay s the Pittsburgh Steelers
Another significant move in free agency was the departure of cornerback Darius Slay from the Philadelphia Eagles. After winning a Super Bowl with Philadelphia, Slay signed a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to an AP source. The transaction was not publicly announced, but the source confirmed the agreement on condition of anonymity.
Slay, a six-time Pro Bowler, was released by the Eagles when the new league year began. The 34-year-old veteran is heading to Pittsburgh, where he will reunite with Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, with whom he worked previously at the Detroit Lions from 2014 to 2017. Slay s a young defensive group that includes Joey Porter Jr., a third-year cornerback, and Cory Trice, a rookie from last season.
This move comes after Donte Jackson, who led the Steelers with five interceptions in 2024, signed with the Los Angeles Chargers. Slay brings experience, with 28 career interceptions and a league-leading eight picks in 2017. However, in 2024, he did not record any interceptions in 14 games, marking the first time since his rookie season that he failed to intercept at least one .