Looking around at the Philadelphia Eagles' lineup that dominated Super Bowl LIX, it felt like it was the start of a long journey with a core of impressive stars.
Jalen Hurts isn't going anywhere. Neither is A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Saquon Barkley or what might be the best offensive line in the NFL. Philadelphia's defense was perhaps the best in the NFL and is filled with young stars like defensive tackle Jalen Carter who are just entering their prime.
The Eagles won 12 of their last 13 regular-season games and kept the hot streak going in the playoffs, capping it with one of the great performances in Super Bowl history as they knocked off the Chiefs. There are very few members of Philadelphia's core who are about to become free agents. And the Eagles have been great at adding talent every offseason in the draft and free agency.
There's no reason the Eagles can't be at least as good again next season. And with another year of experience from their young stars and perhaps an addition or two, there's a chance they'll be even better. That's hard to fathom after what we saw in Philly's 40-22 drubbing of Kansas City in Super Bowl LIX.
Eagles' drafts have led to success
The reason the Eagles have built up arguably the deepest roster in the NFL is that general manager Howie Roseman keeps dominating the draft.
Roseman has stocked the roster with stars like receiver DeVonta Smith, offensive linemen Landon Dickerson and Cam Jurgens, defensive linemen Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis and Nolan Smith and defensive backs Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean in recent drafts. He has relied on productive players from big schools (many of them from Georgia) and that formula has been a boon.
It's a reason the Eagles had one of the youngest rosters in the NFL this season. They have the youngest defense, and it might have been the best defense in the NFL this past season. They were the third-youngest team in the NFL in snap-weighted age this season, via Aaron Schatz of FTN Fantasy.
There will be some big contract extensions coming up. That's what happens when you hit on a lot of draft picks in a short amount of time. It's not the worst problem to have. But before the salary cap gets the best of the Eagles, they should continue to be one of the best teams in the NFL.
Even better if Roseman has another big offseason.
Eagles should retain most of roster
Roseman's offseason last season was highlighted by two things: signing Saquon Barkley, who would go on to win NFL Offensive Player of the Year, and fixing a suddenly slow secondary through the NFL Draft.
The two main priorities this offseason would seem to be retaining a couple of key free agents. Linebacker Zack Baun was a huge surprise, making first-team All-Pro, and now he's a free agent. So are edge rusher Josh Sweat and defensive tackle Milton Williams, two talented players who had monster performances in the Super Bowl. The Eagles aren't in bad salary-cap shape, with the 18th most projected cap space according to Spotrac. A lot of that space could be eaten up re-signing one or more of those free agents off the defense.
The Eagles don't have a lot of other needs for the offseason. They're always looking to add to both lines, and at some point elite tackle Lane Johnson won't be around anymore. He's 34 years old. Linebacker could be an issue if Baun leaves. Upgrading at the third receiver spot would be a luxury. But the depth of the roster means there aren't many holes to fill.
There will be a big hole on the coaching staff. Offensive coordinator Kellen Moore reportedly will be the New Orleans Saints' next head coach. Many media reports have speculated the Eagles could promote passing game coordinator Kevin Patullo, which would help with continuity for the offense.
Mostly, what you saw on Philadelphia's side in Super Bowl LIX will be what you see again next season. The rest of the NFL is on notice.
