Eagles Stay or Go 2025: Should Eagles prioritize Milton Williams?

https://sports.yahoo.com/article/eagles-stay-2025-eagles-prioritize-070000513.html

Eagles Stay or Go 2025: Should Eagles prioritize Milton Williams? originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Reuben Frank and Dave Zangaro bring back Stay or Go in 2025, trying to figure out the futures of every Eagles player on the roster.

We already took a look at quarterback, running back, receiver, tight end, interior offensive line, offensive tackle, specialists and edge rusher.

Up today: Defensive tackle

Thomas Booker IV

Roob: Booker ate up some snaps in that interior line rotation – about 10 per game – and he wasn’t terrible, but he really didn’t do anything to make you think it was a priority to bring him back. Booker is a free agent and if he comes back it’ll be on a minimum-wage deal that will give him an opportunity in training camp with no guarantees. I think the Eagles can do better with a rotational interior lineman.

Verdict: Goes

Dave: He didn’t play a ton in 2024 but Booker was able to give the Eagles 166 defensive snaps in the regular season and they were quality snaps. He ended up with a sack, 2 QB hits, 2 TFLs and 4 pressures in limited chances. Booker is 25 but could theoretically see his role grow this season depending on what happens in the offseason. It’s not a lock that he makes the team but Booker flashed enough to keep around.

Verdict: Stays

Jalen Carter

Roob: Just a monster Year 2 from Jalen Carter, who established himself as one of the top young interior linemen in the NFL. Any questions about his fitness or his durability or his work ethic were answered resoundingly as Carter played 84 percent of the Eagles’ defensive snaps, despite leaving every blowout win early. During one six-game stretch as the Eagles were chasing the No. 1 seed late in the season, Carter averaged 91 percent of the snaps. The best thing about Carter is that he genuinely doesn’t care if he makes a play or occupies a couple linemen to allow someone else to make a play. When he’s doubled, he’s opening things up for someone else. When he’s singled, he’s going to dominate. A truly elite young lineman without a trace of selfishness. Can’t wait to see where he takes his career next.

Verdict: Stays

Dave: We saw the kind of jump from Jalen Carter in his second season that the Eagles hoped they would see. Carter is a special player and he’s just scratching the surface of how good he can be in the NFL. The most impressive thing about Carter’s season is how many snaps he was able to play throughout the season. The one word we heard with Carter all of last offseason was “conditioning” and for good reason. Vic Fangio played Carter a ton in 2024 and Carter somehow never wore down. Carter had just 4 1/2 sacks in 2024 but don’t let that fool you. He was an absolute game-wrecker and got doubled-teamed at a really high rate. And then he ended up with a couple sacks in the playoffs, including a huge one against Matthew Stafford and the Rams to help close out that game. The Eagles might not have even made it to the NFC Championship Game without Carter’s efforts. He won’t be eligible for a contract extension until next offseason but Carter shouldn’t be going anywhere for a long time.

Verdict: Stays

Jordan Davis

Roob: Davis is an interesting guy. Has he played up to expectations as the 13^th pick in the 2022 draft? Nah. But he plays a very important role as a run stuffer on the NFL’s top-ranked defense and he does it well. He even showed some pass rush ability in the postseason with a couple sacks. Will the Eagles exercise his 5^th-year option at $11 ½ million or risk losing him after 2025? I’m guessing they either exercise his option or sign him to a long-term deal. He’s not a guy who’s going to pile up fancy stats, but where are you going to find an athletic 6-foot-4, 345-pound interior lineman who can eat up blocks, stuff the run and occasionally get to the quarterback? I think Vic Fangio wants him around beyond 2025, and I expect Howie Roseman to make that happen.

Verdict: Stays

Dave: The Eagles have a decision to make on Davis this offseason. They have until May 2 to pick up the fifth-year option on Davis’s rookie contract, which is for just under $11.5 million in the 2026 season. This isn’t a slam-dunk decision but the Eagles will probably exercise this option. Davis played just 388 snaps (37%) in 2024 and he hasn’t really been worth the No. 13 pick. But Davis is a really run-stuffer who eats double teams and is a big piece of the locker room. Davis will enter Year 4 in 2024 and sometimes it can take a long time for defensive tackles to reach their potential in the NFL. Davis is massive and has unique athleticism that is worth seeing through.

Verdict: Stays

Gabe Hall

Roob: The Eagles kept Hall around on the practice squad as an undrafted rookie out of Baylor and re-signed him to a futures contract, and he could be earmarked for the practice squad again but hard to imagine room for him on the 53.

Verdict: Goes

Dave: After the 2024 draft, the Eagles didn’t sign very many undrafted players but Hall was one that stuck on the practice squad all of last season. Hall (6-6, 291) has some traits that are worth developing, which is why the practice squad is still probably where he belongs in 2025.

Verdict: Goes

Moro Ojomo

Roob: Another young lineman who showed significant growth as the season went on. Ojomo improved to the point where he averaged 23 snaps per game during the regular season and 26 per game in the postseason. On a top-ranked defense on a team making a deep postseason run, that’s impressive stuff for a 23-year-old former 7^th-round pick. When you can find contributors in the seventh round, you’re really helping yourself.

Verdict: Stays

Dave: The Eagles might have found something in Ojomo. He was a 7th-round pick in 2023 and definitely showed a lot of growth from Year 1 to Year 2. He’s a player who will likely need to have an expanded role as he prepares to go into the third year of his career. While he didn’t have a sack all regular season, Ojomo came through with one in the fourth quarter against the Rams to help the Eagles get to the NFC Championship Game. Ojomo in the regular season and playoffs had a pressure rate of 9.5%, which was second among Eagles’ DTs behind only Milton Williams at 12.3% in 2024.

Verdict: Stays

Byron Young

Roob: Young was a Raiders 3^rd-round pick out of Alabama in 2023, so you know there’s something there. He didn’t play a snap this year – was either inactive or on Injured Reserve all year. With his pedigree he’s got a shot at finding a roster spot with a strong training camp, but he’s still a longshot.

Verdict: Goes

Dave: It’ll be good to get a longer look at Young in training camp this summer. The former 3rd-round pick was claimed by the Eagles in August after the Raiders released him at final cuts. He never played in a game (inactive the first six weeks) before landing on Injured Reserve. The Eagles actually activated Young’s practice window but then shut him down for the season. This one is hard because we really haven’t seen much of Young at all. It’s possible he can earn a roster spot but for now, I have him off the roster.

Verdict: Goes

Milton Williams

Roob: A tricky one. Williams’ price skyrocketed this year as he had his best regular season and then an outstanding postseason and superb Super Bowl. He may have priced himself right out of the Eagles’ range. Williams is now considered by many one of the top free agents regardless of position in the entire market. He has a unique skill set, with the ability to get after the quarterback, stop the run and even line up outside on early downs. Like most of the Eagles’ free agents, Williams wants to be here, but if the money is appreciably better somewhere else, he’s not going to stick around. So Howie Roseman’s challenge is to make the money make sense for Williams. I do expect Howie to make Williams Priority 2 behind Zack Baun but a close Priority 2. If it means losing Josh Sweat and Mekhi Becton, I think Roseman will do that to keep Williams.

Verdict: Stays

Dave: Williams is exactly the kind of player the Eagles want to prioritize and keep. He’s a homegrown 3rd-round pick, who plays a premium position and who hasn’t even turned 26 yet. The problem is that Zack Baun has to be the Eagles’ priority this offseason and I just don’t think they’ll be able to sign both of them this offseason. And Williams is about to get paid. Even before his 2-sack performance in the Super Bowl, Williams already had a career season in Year 4 with 5 sacks, 10 QB hits and 7 TFLs. He was a really good complement to Carter on the interior of the Eagles’ defensive line. Sure, he benefited from all the double-teams that Carter saw but it’s not like it’s easy to consistently win 1-on-1s in the NFL and Williams did that at a really high rate. Spotrac estimates Williams’ next contract to be three years, $36 million for an annual average of $12 million. That feels way too low. If that’s the deal, sure, do it. But Alim McNeill, who was drafted a spot ahead of Williams and who plays DT too, just got a four-year, $97 million contract. Even if Williams doesn’t touch that, I still think he’s going to end up out of the Eagles’ range.

Verdict: Goes

https://sports.yahoo.com/article/eagles-stay-2025-eagles-prioritize-070000513.html