Eagles free agency, from Saquon Barkley to Tyler Hall: How they fit, what they said, what we think

The league year is now one week old. During that week, the Eagles added 11 players — including four projected starters. Here’s an overview of who’s arrived via free agency or trade, what their roles will be, and the PHLY coverage on their additions.

RB Saquon Barkley

What’s his role: The Eagles broke their recent history by making Barkley one of the highest-paid running backs in the NFL The former New York Giants Pro Bowler will be a true three-down running back in an offense with the most talent and best offensive line in his career. The Eagles are guaranteeing Barkley $26.5 million in the first two years of the three-year deal, so the expectation is that he can be the type of game-changing back that elevates the offense akin to Christian McCaffrey in San Francisco. Look for the Eagles to take advantage of Barkley’s hands out of the backfield (he has a 91-catch season on his resume) and try to tap into the explosiveness that made Barkley the No. 2 overall pick in the draft. But with Barkley going into Year 7, the Eagles are fighting a workload curve.

What he said: “You know from watching from afar what this city is about, what this team is about. They want to win. I know everyone’s stuck on last year, but to be 11-6, make it to the first round, that’s a down year. That’s a great culture you want to be a part of, to have that mindset, ‘we need to do more.’ I know how special this place is, and I know how special of a player I can be, and I’m excited to be a part of it.  …Being around talented guys — especially on the offensive side, you’ve got Jalen, you’ve got A.J., DeVonta, tremendous offensive line. I feel like I’m a special player, I feel like I still got a lot left, I’ve got a lot to prove, and I can’t wait to get on the field and prove it and show it to the world.”

PHLY coverage: Grading the move

EDGE Bryce Huff

What’s his role: The Eagles must find a resolution with Haason Reddick, but they paid Huff $17 million per year to be a front-line player. That’s the expectation for Huff, who had 10 sacks last season while playing only 42 percent of the defensive snaps. He started only seven of 54 games in his career, so there’s projection to see if Huff can take on a bigger workload. What’s clear is he can get to the quarterback — he had pressures on 21.3 percent of his pass rushes last season — and the Eagles are expecting his second contract to be even more productive than his first.

What he said: “I feel like I’m capable of taking on a bigger role and really doing as much as I can to help us win on Sundays. …I feel like there’s always room for growth, especially when you get around the edge group, the D-line group we have here with Haason and all those guys, just going at it. They’ve gone hard the last couple of years. There’s a lot of room to grow and to learn from the guys in my room.”

PHLY coverage: Grading the move

DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson

What’s his role: After one year away, Gardner-Johnson returns to be the playmaking safety the Eagles sought in the back end of their defense. His versatility is a plus — Gardner-Johnson can also help in the slot — but he still believes he’s one of the top young safeties in the NFL and the Eagles are paying him to be an upgrade on the back end. Gardner-Johnson might freelance at times, although he’s often around the ball. The Eagles can use that in Vic Fangio’s new defense. And Gardner-Johnson’s competitive zeal will be welcomed on a team that benefited from his intensity in 2022.

What he said: “Take your feelings out of it, just be a man about certain things and accept certain things as a man. So coming back was a relief. ….The difference between this year and last year was we both saw eye-to-eye.”

PHLY coverage: Grading the move

LB Devin White

What’s his role: A former All-Pro and top-five pick who was benched last season in Tampa Bay, White has high-level traits at a position of need for the Eagles. He’ll have an opportunity to start and be a key player on defense, although he needs to show the consistency that he lacked with the Bucs in 2022. But there’s no barrier for entry to the lineup, and there’s a clear desire for a big-play linebacker who can run like White if he can rediscover previous form.

What he said: “Coming into the season, I had a lot of expectations of being the long-term guy there. And we didn’t get nothing done. And I worked my butt off the whole offseason to go prove it, go get another great year in. And the first couple of games I was showing that. And then a guy who never gets hurt got an injury — what a coincidence, against the Eagles — and really trying to battle through that mentally and physically. And it didn’t work out for me. It didn’t work in my favor. But at the end of the day, I found the positive side in it and I went back to work. And now I’m here in a great spot, ready to show who I am. Which a lot of people know, I’ve been in the league five years and have done a lot of great things. But none of that matters now. I got a clean start — zero tackles, zero sacks, zero picks, zero wins. And now I’m trying to go earn it all again.”

PHLY coverage: Grading the move

OL Matt Hennessy

What’s his role: Look for Hennessy to be the top reserve on the interior, perhaps even with a chance to push for playing time at right guard. A 2020 third-round pick who was on the Eagles’ radar in the draft, Hennessy started 22 games in three seasons with the Falcons before missing last year because of a season-ending injury. He’s mostly played center, but he was in line to start at guard last year. Cam Jurgens is expected to take over at center for Jason Kelce this season. Hennessy gives the Eagles an experienced backup who’s still only 26.

What he said: “It’s an organization I admired from afar — the players, the coaches, the fan base. It’s somewhere that’s close to home for me, I went to college at Temple, loved it there and loved this city, so I’m excited to be back. …Driving past the Linc yesterday, I had goosebumps. Excited to be home.”

PHLY coverage: Grading the move

WR DeVante Parker

What’s his role: Parker was a depth signing. He brings nine years of experience to the wide receiving corps, with contested-catch ability on the outside behind A.J. Brown. But the low-risk deal does not come with a guarantee to make the team.

What he said: “Getting an opportunity in jump-ball (situations), just making contested catches, whatever it is – anything I can to contribute to the team. …It’s a great organization, a great quarterback, unlimited talent — the talent here is amazing. I wanted to be a part of that.”

PHLY coverage: Grading the move

LB Zach Baun

What’s his role: Baun played both off-ball linebacker and edge rusher in New Orleans, and the Eagles can try to tap into that versatility. His best role might be as an edge rusher, where he excelled at Wisconsin, and his smaller frame (6-foot-3, 225) could signal how the position is evolving under Vic Fangio. Regardless, you can expect Baun to contribute on special teams. He was a key part of those units in New Orleans, playing at least 79 percent of the snaps on special teams during the past three years.

What he said: “I have a lot of experience doing both, and I think I can do both at a high level. I’m interested to see where the coaches utilize my skill set and decide to play me. But I’m down to play wherever and do whatever. …My experience with the Saints was very — it was a learning process throughout the whole thing. I was making the transition from outside ‘backer to inside backer. And I was able to learn and increase my general football IQ and at the end, I finally got the opportunity to finally rush the quarterback, I thought I did a good job, and here I am today.”

PHLY coverage: Grading the move

QB Kenny Pickett

What’s his role: Pickett was acquired in a trade to be Jalen Hurts’ backup quarterback. Even though Pickett was a former first-round pick who started 24 games for the Steelers, there’s nothing close to a quarterback controversy in Philadelphia. If anything, Pickett must hold off Tanner McKee. Pickett gives the Eagles a young, cost-controlled quarterback under contract for at least two more seasons who has shown that he can help a team win in the NFL. He’ll now transition to the Eagles’ offense and try to improve the passing efficiency that he lacked in Pittsburgh with less pressure and near his childhood home of Ocean Township, N.J.

What he said: “It’s pretty unbelievable. I’ve been coming to games in the Linc since I was 5-years old. I have great memories of my dad taking me here, my grandfather, all my family coming out to the game, having great memories. Now hopefully I can provide some great memories for families coming up. It’s pretty surreal and a full-circle moment. …”I just thought it was time (for a fresh start). I just felt it was time from the things that transpired. Wanted to get a chance to get somewhere and grow my career.”

PHLY coverage: Grading the move

LB Oren Burks

What’s his role: Burks lasted six years in the NFL mostly because of his special teams prowess. He played his most defensive snaps last season in San Francisco as the third linebacker. Perhaps that’s the role he takes in Philadelphia, where he’ll be a veteran with a good athletic profile who can help Michael Clay’s unit while also pushing at linebacker.

What he said: “I’m just going to add value wherever I can – whether that’s on special teams, defense, wherever I can. I know the type of player I am. They obviously liked my tape to bring me here. So I know they see something in me that I know I can bring to the table. …The defensive line here is amazing, so as a linebacker, who wouldn’t want to play behind this defensive line? And then just the culture around, just wanting to win, playing at a high level, those are the things I looked at in terms of fit.”

PHLY coverage: Grading the move

DT PJ Mustipher

What’s his role: Mustipher played four games for the Saints last year and will compete for a depth spot at nose tackle for the Eagles. He went undrafted out of Penn State last season.

CB Tyler Hall

What’s his role: Hall was a contributor in the slot in Las Vegas during the last two seasons. The Eagles need depth at that spot and Hall, 25, will push for a roster spot as a nickel cornerback entering Year 5. The Eagles lacked sufficient depth there last summer and have a bigger need now after Avonte Maddox’s release.