The Philadelphia Eagles are looking to shake up their defense next season.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Saturday morning that “the Eagles are having trade calls for DE Josh Sweat and edge Haason Reddick also has permission to facilitate a trade.”
Reddick’s permission to seek a trade is something we already knew, but the Eagles wanting to part ways with Sweat is a slight surprise.
In summary: The #Eagles are having trade calls for DE Josh Sweat and edge Haason Reddick also has permission to facilitate a trade. A really interesting situation to watch on the Philly defense as they rework themselves for 2024.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 9, 2024
It’s odd that the Eagles, who were close to another Super Bowl run last season before dropping their 10-1 start, are looking to move on from two of their top defenders. But knowing how Eagles general manager Howie Roseman operates, he’s not going to give the kind of money to Reddick and Sweat that they are looking for.
This move must mean that the Eagles are ready to plan for the future.
NFL Network’s James Palmer added to Rapoport’s report saying the Eagles “feel good about the trajectory of Nolan Smith’s development. Smith had a maintenance procedure on his shoulder this offseason, preparing him for a bigger workload in year two.”
The #Eagles feel good about the trajectory of Nolan Smith's development. Smith had a maintenace procedure on his shoulder this offseason, preparing him for a bigger workload in year two. https://t.co/LuytbUNIIn
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) March 9, 2024
Philly selected Nolan Smith with the No. 30 overall pick in last year’s draft, expecting him to make an immediate impact.
Instead, the Georgia product was buried on the depth chart and finished the season with a disappointing 18 tackles, three QB hits and a single sack.
But now with the possibility of Sweat and Reddick out of the picture, Smith will get a chance to redeem himself in 2024 as a projected starter in the Eagles’ revamped defense under Vic Fangio.