On Tuesday, Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson retired. The Eagles traded center Cam Jurgens to the Ravens on Wednesday.
The sudden disappearance of 40 percent of the Eagles’ offensive line raises obvious questions about their plans for the rest of the season.
Consider general manager Howie Roseman’s comments after the team sent Jurgens to Baltimore.
“We weren’t looking to move Cam,” Roseman said, via Zach Berman of Athletics. “Obviously the Ravens were looking for a center…We kind of told them it wasn’t something we were looking to do. In the last 24 hourswe got to the point where we thought it could be a win-win for them. Obviously, having a player that was a two-time Pro Bowl center and obviously for us, being able to get the picks that we can get, and using that money to draft players as well. I had a chance to watch Drew (Kendall) here, the play center is doing a good job. Have a young player there.
The Eagles sent Jurgens and a 2027 seventh-round pick to the Ravens for a 2027 fifth-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick.
“I think for us, when you talk about twos and fives, going from seventh to fifth,” Roseman said. “We had some success in the fifth round, plus the money, the more you (have) Drew playing, we felt like we had four players to one, and we just felt like for us, you know, with all these guys that we brought in, a lot on the defensive side of the ball that we want to re-sign and we want to extend, we felt like it was a good situation.”
The most significant aspect of Roseman’s explanation is the timing of the acceleration of negotiations. “In the last 24 hours,” he said.
He points to Johnson’s retirement as the moment the Eagles decided to further undermine the current season in the name of preparing for a brighter future. This is not tanking in the classic sense of the term; it’s a conscious, clear-eyed assessment of the Eagles’ 2026 prospects coupled with an analysis of the future direction of roster construction.
By moving Jurgens now (obviously, they could have traded him after the season), they maximize the return of a team that desperately needed help now at the center position, they offload the ongoing salary obligation to Jurgens and position themselves to keep players like cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, both of whom are eligible for new contracts after the current season.
Yet, by moving Jurgens a day after Johnson retires, it feels like the Eagles are throwing in the towel in 2026. Which opens the door to more trades that could hamper the Eagles in the short term while still allowing them to properly shape the roster in the long term.
And here is the reality. Philadelphia’s defense is a strength. The offense has become a liability, with fewer than 250 yards gained in two straight games and a dismal 2-of-21 on third down in back-to-back losses.
As the Vikings discover that a strong defense and a no-nonsense offense that focuses more on ball protection than explosive plays can provide a formula for winning (their streak dating back to 2025 stands at nine games), other teams will pay attention. Which means everyone should be paying attention to what the Eagles do between now and the trade deadline along with other key pieces of an offense that’s struggling to stay on the field.
Gn sports
