Each year, we try to determine which 10 players the Philadelphia Eagles can least afford to lose to injury. Obviously, the Eagles' best players are included, but we also try to consider their importance to the scheme, depth behind them, long-term vs short-term effects, and other factors.
This exercise is probably more fun to go back and look at in hindsight. For example:
• In 2017, they won the Super Bowl despite missing No. 1, No. 3, and No. 7 on that list.
• In 2018, the Eagles were among the final eight teams remaining despite losing No. 1, No. 9, No. 10, and occasionally No. 8 on the list.
• In 2019, by the time the clock hit all zeroes in the playoff game against the Seahawks, they were without No. 1, No. 9, and No. 10.
• In 2020, No. 1 got benched, No. 8's season ended in June, and Nos. 2, 7, 9, and 10 all missed significant chunks of the season.
• In 2021, the Eagles had incredible injury luck, as there were no players in the top 10 who missed more than five games.
• In 2022, once again the Eagles had injury luck on their side, though they did miss No. 1 and No. 2 for a few weeks late in the season, and No. 4 for five games.
• In 2023, the Eagles couldn't blame their epic late-season collapse on injuries, as the top 8 players on the list all started at least 16 games.
• In 2024, No. 2 and No. 6 each missed a few games, and No. 9 missed seven games, but on the whole the Eagles were among the healthiest teams in the NFL.
Here's our list for 2025, in descending order:
10) CB Cooper DeJean
After the Week 5 bye during his rookie season, DeJean entered the starting lineup, replacing Avonte Maddox, and his presence in the secondary helped turn the season around.
DeJean didn't have a regular season INT, but he had 51 tackles, a forced fumble, and six pass breakups while solidifying the slot corner spot in the Eagles' defense, both in coverage and as a tackler.
DeJean saved his biggest moments for the playoffs, with his interception of Patrick Mahomes serving as the signature play of Super Bowl LIX. He will likely resume his role in the slot for the Eagles in 2025, and I imagine he'll stay on the field and play outside corner on the rare occasions the Eagles are in their base defense.
The Eagles backup slot corner is probably fifth-round rookie Mac McWilliams.
2024 rank: Unranked
9) EDGE Nolan Smith
In less than a year, Smith went from a struggling second-year player who had to play in the Eagles' final preseason game with guys who weren't going to make the team to their most important edge defender.
In 2024, Smith got out to a slow start, but the light seemed to come on for him after the Week 5 bye. In the 15 games he played from October on, Smith had 10.5 sacks, a pair of forced fumbles, and he did a lot of the dirty work in the defense like taking on pulling guards and burying them.
2024 rank: Unranked
8) CB Quinyon Mitchell
Mitchell was an impact player for the Eagles in his rookie season in 2024, serving as a major upgrade over 2023's CB2, James Bradberry.
Mitchell finished the regular season with 46 tackles and 12 pass breakups. He did not have a regular season INT, but he collected his first pick in the playoffs against the Packers, and added another against the Commanders in the NFC Championship Game.
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If we're including the playoffs, Mitchell was the best defensive rookie in the NFL in 2024, in my opinion. He'll enter 2025 as the CB1 with Darius Slay moving on to Pittsburgh.
The Eagles already have a question mark at the other outside cornerback spot. If Mitchell were to go down, they'd have two question marks. #Math.
2024 rank: Unranked
7) LB Zack Baun
During the regular season, Baun finished with 151 tackles, 3.5 sacks, five forced fumbles, four pass breakups, and an INT. He was named First-Team All-Pro, Pro Bowler, and finished in the top five in NFL Defensive Player of the Year voting.
The Eagles made signing Baun a priority over retaining Milton Williams and Josh Sweat. They already have some questions at linebacker with Nakobe Dean likely to begin the season on the PUP list.
2023 rank: Unranked
6) LT Jordan Mailata
Mailata is a bona fide star player at one of the most important positions in football. It would obviously be a very sharp downgrade from Mailata to whoever would replace him in the lineup.
2023 rank: 5
5) WR A.J. Brown
The wide receivers took a tumble in this exercise this year. Brown is down from his No. 2 spot a year ago, and DeVonta Smith slipped out of my top 10. (I'd have Smith 11th, for the record.)
That's not an indictment on Brown or Smith as players. They remain one of the best WR duos in the NFL. However, if Saquon Barkley plays anywhere near the level he played at in 2024, the Eagles will likely remain a run-heavy team, thus minimizing Brown's and Smith's importance to some degree.
2023 rank: 2
4) RT Lane Johnson
Lane Johnson is the best offensive lineman in the NFL, and has been for over a half decade. Remember the Eagles-Bucs game in Tampa where the offense got almost nothing going? Lane missed that game.
Since 2016, the Eagles are 12-24 when Johnson is out of the lineup.
• 2016: 2-8
• 2017: 1-0
• 2018: 0-1
• 2019: 3-1 (0-1 in the playoffs)
• 2020: 2-7
• 2021: 1-3
• 2022: 1-1
• 2023: 1-0
• 2024: 1-1
2024 rank: 3
3) RB Saquon Barkley
Barkley is good at football. #Analysis. More accurately, he was probably the best player in the NFL in 2024.
A season ago, the Eagles knew full well that they were putting a lot of mileage on Barkley's odometer, but they continued to do it, because, you know, they were winning. They probably can't continue to do that much longer and expect Barkley to stay elite (and healthy), but for now he is the Eagles' most dangerous weapon in a loaded offense.
2023 rank: 8
2) iDL Jalen Carter
Carter is the Eagles' best defensive player, and he is quickly becoming one of the best players in the NFL. He faces constant double teams, and yet finds ways to make plays anyway, while allowing his defensive line teammates to capitalize favorable matchups. He make everyone's job on the defense easier, and was the key to the Eagles' No. 1 defensive ranking in 2024.
2024 rank: 4
1) QB Jalen Hurts
Let's not overthink this. Hurts remains the most important player in the Eagles' franchise. If he were to get hit by a bus today, the Eagles' win total over-under would go from 11.5, to, what, like 8.5? No other player on the roster would have that kind of impact if they were to be lost for the season.
2024 rank: 1
Dropped out of the top 10:
• S C.J. Gardner-Johnson (10th last year, no longer on the team)
• TE Dallas Goedert (9th last year)
• CB Darius Slay (7th last year, no longer on the team)
• WR DeVonta Smith (6th last year)
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