The Eagles have four games to answer one blunt question: are they building for a push, or bracing for a reset?
With three of those games coming at Lincoln Financial Field and three against NFC East opponents, the next stretch carries plenty of weight before the Nov. 10 trade deadline. Philadelphia then heads into its bye after hosting the New York Giants on Nov. 8, and whatever version of the team shows up after that break could look very different when the Steelers come to town on Nov. 22.
Right now, the Eagles are 2-3 and stuck in a three-game losing streak. If they straighten things out, they could head into the bye at 6-3 and become buyers. If they split the next four and drop to 4-5, the sell-off conversation gets a lot louder.
If that’s where this goes, there are five names that could land on the block.
The defensive tackle stands out as the most obvious candidate. He’s probably moving either before the deadline or after the season.
Any team trying to pry him away would need to pay up, because the Eagles can still get value out of him this year. If he leaves in the offseason - assuming they can’t afford to re-sign him - they’d likely collect a third-round compensatory pick.
That means anything they get in a trade would need to top that.
The seven-year outside linebacker and edge rusher also looks vulnerable, but the return would likely be modest. He’s currently fifth on the depth chart behind Jonathan Greenard, Nolan Smith, Jalyx Hunt, and A.J. Ebiketie, which makes him the kind of player a team can probably move if the price is right.
Then there’s the running back, who has been able to show flashes when healthy but hasn’t stayed on the field enough. At 29, he dealt with a stinger in Week 2 and then sat out last week because of a hamstring injury.
When he has played, he has looked like he still has plenty left, which is exactly why the Eagles might be more inclined to keep him if he can get and stay healthy. A trade would also come with a massive dead money charge of $35 million, so the odds of him being moved are slim.
Tight end is another name worth watching. He might be easier to deal if Eli Stowers were ready to take on a role, but Stowers only just had his practice window opened after spending the first five weeks of the season on IR.
The Eagles could still move Goedert if the return is good enough. There’s also the possibility that Stowers is ready for a role in November, and that Zach Ertz has been added to the roster by then.
The one player who would really suggest the season has gone off the rails is one of the league’s best off-ball linebackers. He’s under contract through next year, and his $11.8 million cap hit is reasonable for a player who has led the team in tackles in each of his first two seasons in town and could do it again this year.
If the Eagles keep sinking, these are the names to watch.
In Other News...
Jalen Hurts Health Just Became A Bigger Eagles Concern
Jalen Hurts has quietly become one of the biggest health questions hanging over the Eagles as they try to halt a three-game losing streak. The quarterback confirmed he is dealing with a calf injury, even as he has continued to show up as a full participant in recent practices and on the teams injury report, a reassuring sign on the surface for a team that badly needs stability under center.
Hurts has not offered much detail about how the issue started or what exactly led to it, leaving the timeline of the setback a little murky for now. For Philadelphia, the larger concern is simpler: with the season already under pressure, any uncertainty around Hurts adds another layer of urgency to the weeks ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Suddenly Have A Week 8 Spotlight Problem To Watch
The Eagles Week 8 trip to Washington has become more than just another NFC East game on the calendar. The matchup between Philadelphia and the Commanders is still set for Nov. 1 at 8:20 p.m. ET, but the NFL is weighing whether to keep it in the Sunday night window, a decision that will come by Oct. 20. For a league that usually reserves prime time for games with clear national appeal, two teams carrying losing records right now make this one worth watching for reasons beyond the standings.
Philadelphia also has a few moving parts of its own as the week unfolds, with four players opening practice windows as they work back from injury. Washington, meanwhile, is dealing with its own health concerns and a difficult stretch ahead, including a meeting with the San Francisco 49ers. So even before the league makes its call, this game already has the feel of a slot that could look very different by the time Halloween weekend arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles' Start Has Put Nick Sirianni Back Under A Harsh Spotlight
Five games into the season, the Eagles have given plenty of reasons for a familiar conversation to resurface: how much of the teams direction still runs through Nick Sirianni, and how much is being shaped by the roster churn around him. The offense has been uneven, the defense has not looked as steady as expected, and the broader picture has only grown more complicated with the departures and trades that have thinned out familiar pieces on both sides of the ball.
The challenge now is not just getting the team back on track, but sorting out what this version of the Eagles is supposed to be after a youth push and the loss of veteran presence. Sirianni remains under the microscope, and so does the larger power structure that surrounds him, with Howie Roseman still central to every major decision. For a team trying to balance urgency with a roster in transition, those questions are unlikely to fade any time soon. [Read more 🡒]