You could understand why the Eagles' defense started this season lacking the same punch as it did at the end of 2024, when the group overcame an iffy September to skyrocket to No. 1 by January, a rise capped by an utter domination of the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl.

This season, the Eagles needed to replace about half their starting defense after losing Milton Williams, Josh Sweat and Darius Slay in free agency; after salary-dumping safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson in an offseason trade; and after temporarily losing group leader Brandon Graham to retirement.

The Eagles opened 2025 with two rookies in the starting lineup, lost edge rusher Nolan Smith in Week 3 to a major injury, had Nakobe Dean still sidelined from an offseason surgery until Week 6, and were rocked by the sudden retir

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