Jeffrey Lurie Chairman and Chief Executive Officer | Philadelphia Eagles Website
Jeffrey Lurie Chairman and Chief Executive Officer | Philadelphia Eagles Website
Shortly after celebrating their Super Bowl victory on February 14, the Philadelphia Eagles' personnel department switched focus to off-season preparations. With the NFL Scouting Combine only two weeks away and free agency talks beginning on March 10, there was no time to savor their second championship in eight years.
At the top of the Eagles' agenda was securing contracts for three key players instrumental in their 2024 Super Bowl win.
Running back Saquon Barkley signed a new contract following a season where he earned NFL Offensive Player of the Year honors, rushing for 2,005 yards in the regular season and achieving the most rushing yards in a single season, including playoffs.
Linebacker Zack Baun also agreed to a new three-year contract before the start of free agency, ensuring he remained with the Eagles and did not test the open market where he would have been highly pursued.
Right tackle Lane Johnson, deemed the best in his position, signed his fifth contract with the team since being drafted fourth overall in 2013.
Executive Vice President and General Manager Howie Roseman emphasized the importance of retaining key players, saying, "The first priority is always keeping your own great players, great people, so when we talked about what we wanted to do this offseason, there were a lot of challenges – coming off the Super Bowl, having a lot of free agents, having a lot of young players we would want to extend in the future. But when we looked at those three guys – Saquon and Lane and Zack Baun – difference-making players, difference-making people. It was so important to keep those guys in the building."
The inclusion of Baun and Barkley in the 2024 offseason received significant acclaim, but Roseman once again stressed their long-term contributions. "They've both been here for one season. They have much more Eagles football to play," he stated.
Reflecting on the impact of the new deals, Roseman added, "They elevated this team to help us win another Championship. They were huge pieces. They earned those deals."
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