Local and national media react to the Eagles’ free agency departures: ‘I’m not worried’
Josh Sweat and Milton Williams got big paydays from new organizations. Sweat is reuniting with Jonathan Gannon, while Williams is headed to New England.
A few hours into the NFL’s legal tampering period on Monday, several key defensive players from the Eagles’ Super Bowl squad headed their separate ways — including defensive end Josh Sweat, cornerback Isaiah Rodgers, and defensive tackle Milton Williams.
Sweat reportedly agreed to a four-year contract worth $76.4 million with the Arizona Cardinals. The 25-year-old Williams agreed to a four-year contract worth $104 million with the New England Patriots. Rodgers will head to Minnesota, agreeing to a two-year worth $15 million, while veteran cornerback Darius Slay is reportedly in talks to sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Linebacker Oren Burks agreed to terms with the Cincinnati Bengals on a two-year, $5 million deal later in the day as well, an NFL source told The Inquirer.
» READ MORE: Former Eagles Milton Williams, Josh Sweat, Isaiah Rodgers, and Oren Burks cash in on Day 1 of free agency
The news comes after the team made Saquon Barkley the highest-paid running back in NFL history and re-signed linebacker Zack Baun to a three-year, $51 million contract. Here’s how the media is reacting to the latest moves from the Eagles …
National and local media reactions
Perhaps one of the biggest moves of the day — other than the Washington Commanders trading for Houston Texans left tackle Laremy Tunsil — was Sweat landing with the Cardinals. Sweat played a huge role in the Birds’ Super Bowl win over the Kansas City Chiefs — finishing the night with 2½ sacks and six tackles.
“Sweat’s going to be one of the best signings in free agency,” ESPN’s Louis Reddick said. “Josh Sweat can rush the passer. Whoever gets him — the dude is just a bona fide pass rusher.”
Now, Sweat will be reuniting with Arizona coach Jonathan Gannon, Sweat’s former defensive coordinator for two years in Philly, including Sweat’s Pro Bowl season in 2021 — when he recorded 45 tackles and 7½ sacks. Local Arizona media believe acquiring Sweat has already revamped the Cardinals defense.
“Seattle has gotten significantly worse on paper,” said Luke Lapinski of Arizona Sports radio. “Doesn’t mean that they’re suddenly going to fall off the map and there’s still plenty of time but they’ve gotten worse on paper. The 49ers have gotten worse on paper and the Cardinals have gotten undeniably better on paper. This is not a move you have to talk yourself into. This is a great move.”
And Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray seems to agree. “Woke up in South Korea to some good news, we got a dog coming to the Valley. @SweatyJ_9 Welcome bro,” Murray wrote on X.
Meanwhile, the Patriots managed to scoop up Williams — beating out both the Cardinals and the Panthers in the bidding process — and New England’s media is happy about the team’s latest addition.
“New Patriots DT Milton Williams: bull rush, swipe-rip, arm over/swim, effective penetrator on interior stunts, moves well laterally down the line vs. the run. Highly disruptive addition to the Pats D-Line,” wrote Evan Lazar, a senior reporter for the Patriots team website.
ESPN’s Pat McAfee praised Rodgers, the former sixth-round pick, for his journey after being suspended for the entire 2023 season for breaking the league’s gambling policy as a member of the Indianapolis Colts.
“Isaiah, I would assume in his own words, made some decisions that I assume he regrets,” McAfee said. “He was a young lad, he got punished for it, looked at himself, got better, bounced back, wins a Super Bowl with the Eagles. Now, he gets $8 million guaranteed. I’m incredibly pumped for Isaiah Rodgers. That’s how you would hope any situation like that would go. And he’s a great ballplayer.”
Despite the Eagles’ defensive losses, ESPN’s Mina Kimes isn’t concerned about the team’s future.
“I’m not worried,” Kimes said. “I think that they made the right decisions prioritizing bringing back Zack Baun, who they signed early on to a reasonable deal. To me, he was the hardest player to replicate on that defense. And one, they’re really deep on the defensive line still. Two, they just have such an unbelievable track record when it comes to drafting and continuing to draft and develop there.”