Here are four ways the Eagles are building the roster for now and the future

The challenge is a huge one and the Philadelphia Eagles perform it as well as any team in the NFL: Build your roster to compete for a championship now and keep an eye on the next two, three, five years down the line.

Sounds hard, right? It’s even more difficult to accomplish.

But the Eagles are in a position unlike most in the league, so their early approach to this free-agency period follows exactly what Executive Vice President/General Manager Howie Roseman said the plan was when he spoke at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis a few weeks ago.

“We have to get creative to make sure that we’re keeping as many of our good players as we can,” Roseman said. “I sat up here last year and I said that’s going to include playing young players and I think that’s going to be a huge part of what we are going forward because we’re fortunate enough to have a lot of good players who are making a lot of money.”

There are four facets in this plan – let’s take it through the 2027 season, for a reasonable overview:

1. Retain the core of the roster

At quarterback, Jalen Hurts is signed through 2028 while both Tanner McKee and Dorian Thompson-Robinson are signed through the 2026 season. That is as enviable as any quarterback room in the 32-team NFL. This is a position of enormous strength and depth and talent. At running back, Saquon Barkley is signed for the long term, Will Shipley is in the second year of his four-year rookie contract, and newly added A.J. Dillon is in on a one-year deal. Again, great situation. Same at wide receiver with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith signed through 2027 and Jahan Dotson in the fourth year of his rookie deal.

The offensive line is in place for years to come – Lane Johnson is under contract through 2026 and both Jordan Mailata and Landon Dickerson have deals through 2028.

You see how locked in the offense is, right? The defense has some long-term pieces in place – linebacker Zack Baun was a huge keep prior to free agency – but what you mostly see on that side of the ball is youth. Tackles Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, and Moro Ojomo are in their rookie contracts. Ditto edge rushers Nolan Smith, Jr. and Jalyx Hunt, along with cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, and Kelee Ringo. Safety Reed Blankenship is entering just his fourth NFL season. Sydney Brown is on his rookie contract as are linebackers Nakobe Dean (final year of his deal) and Jeremiah Trotter, Jr.