It's been less than a month since the big day, but the fact remains that the Eagles are Super Bowl champions, and they pulled that off in dominating fashion. Before the new league year kicks off next week, here are five thoughts I currently have about the Birds…
Should the Eagles trade for Myles Garrett?
When a team rips off a 40-22 Super Bowl win, there isn't anything to complain about all offseason. That's a foreign concept in Philadelphia at times, but this is the reality we now inhabit. The conversation over the last few weeks has turned to how to boost the Birds and bring in reinforcements for a push for the Eagles to be back-to-back champs.
The big name there? Myles Garrett, of course.
The Browns' front office brass remains adamant that the organization is not trading Garrett, but when your franchise's best player in six decades requests a trade, it's hard not to see how this all ends.
The Eagles have always been one of the NFL's most aggressive teams under Howie Roseman. They build their roster, first and foremost, through the trenches. It feels likely that Josh Sweat will walk in free agency. They have a great young tandem at edge rusher in Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt, who came up huge in the playoffs. Adding perhaps the best defender of his generation, in addition to star interior rusher Jalen Carter, is a no-brainer, right?
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Garrett is entering his age-30 season and will require a new contract that could be of the record-setting variety. None of that worries me. This guy is on a Reggie White/Bruce Smith career trajectory where he can be an impact player throughout his 30s. Any combination of draft capital that Cleveland wants, have at it. I just don't want to part with someone like Smith or Hunt to get the deal done.
Sure, that shouldn't really be a holdup when dealing with a future inner circle Hall of Famer of Garrett's caliber, but we just saw these dudes ball out during a dominant Super Bowl run. This isn't some sort of baseball prospect hoarding. These guys are good now and contributing to championships! Don't get rid of them for Garrett. Pair them with him.
Maybe Garrett ends up in Baltimore or Buffalo or Washington. My gut feeling is that Roseman will give his best offer to Cleveland though and his two Super Bowl rings should inspire enough confidence that such a proposal is what works best for this franchise.
Scot Loeffler brings a Bowling Green connection to the Eagles
The Eagles have a new quarterbacks coach for 2025 in Scot Loeffler after Doug Nussmeier departed to be Kellen Moore's offensive coordinator in New Orleans. Loeffler spent the previous six seasons as the Bowling Green State University head coach in the MAC.
When I think of Bowling Green right now, I think of tight end Harold Fannin Jr.
Fannin Jr. was a beast last season, totaling 117 catches for 1,555 yards and 10 touchdowns. Those catch and yardage numbers led all FBS players. Yes, that was in the Mid-American Conference, but when a player just shines that brightly regardless of competition, the Eagles take notice. The Eagles took Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell out of the MAC in the first round last year and he was an immediate star on a Super Bowl winner. Build your team with SEC and Big 10 players, yes, but don't get too myopic.
Look, the Eagles aren't going to draft a tight end just because their QB coach once coached him in college, but Fannin Jr. would be a great Day 2 pick for this team. Dallas Goedert is here, but, as has been well-documented, the Birds drafted Goedert in the second round coming off a Super Bowl victory where Zach Ertz scored the game-winning touchdown. The Eagles deploy a healthy amount of 12 personnel, too, and Fannin Jr. would offer much, much more as a blocker in the run game than, say, someone like Grant Calcaterra before even getting back to his prolific receiving numbers.
Also, here’s Harold Fannin Jr. cleaning up Abdul Carter. He was supposed to be setting the edge— instead was moved six-yards upfield.
But, yeah. He ran a 4.72 so stay away. pic.twitter.com/JqALzEyvrY— Cabe Bond (@PrezBond) March 1, 2025
Hey, Loeffler was just a means to get me to gush about one of my favorite prospects from this draft cycle. His combine numbers weren't impressive at all, but the production is wild and the actual game footage remains great.
The downward trend of Washington wide receiver Deebo Samuel
The biggest NFL news over the weekend was the 49ers trading Deebo Samuel to the Commanders. Samuel, 29, gives Washington's offense another target for Jayden Daniels after the rookie QB led the team to a surprising NFC Championship Game appearance.
Eh, that doesn't move me.
Samuel was a disgruntled figure in San Francisco. He's coming off a season where he posted his worst numbers since an injury-plagued 2020 campaign. He's frequently banged up. That doesn't scream reliable for me and that Washington skill position core is a little too old to completely gel at the same time as Daniels rises into his true prime.
Samuel is a great villain for Philadelphia though given the Eagles-49ers battles over the last few seasons.
How about an Eagles-Commanders Week 1 season-opening matchup at the Linc?
Prepare for an epic Eagles-Bills game in 2025
Speaking of scheduling, the Eagles will head to Orchard Park to face the Bills this upcoming season. I could see this game being played on Sunday Night Football. The Buffalo tailgate scene speaks for itself and the Eagles' fan base is even better than that when it comes to partying and travel. The weather might deter some people and it's not like it's going to be a fun "vacation" outside of the game itself, but that's the road game Eagles fans should most want to go to in 2025.
Looking back at 'Silver Linings Playbook'
The Academy Awards were on Sunday night with "Anora" coming away as the big winner. 12 years ago, "Silver Linings Playbook" was in the Oscars race. It was nominated for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay with Jennifer Lawrence winning the award for Best Actress.
I rewatched the film a couple of days before this year's Super Bowl parade. Part of me loathes this film, but an equal part of me finds such comfort in it. Not to be a stereotypical English major, but the novel is infinitely better than the adaptation. David O. Russell, naturally, doesn't get what makes Eagles fans tick as much as author Matthew Quick does.
The countless memes that it spawned for Eagles fans to share on gameday are endearing, but there is an aspect of the film that feels like it's laughing at the Philadelphia faithful rather than with them. The novel has so much heart in comparison while also being funnier.
Still, J-Law was great and the film included Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro and Jacki Weaver. That's a hell of a cast for a story about the family struggles of an Eagles fan!
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