Fran Duffy Praises Eagles’ Starting Lineup but Warns of Super Bowl Challenges Due to Lack of Depth, Suggests Targets for Howie Roseman

Philadelphia, PA – March 27, 2025, 09:00 AM PDT
Philadelphia Eagles analyst Fran Duffy has lauded the team’s starting lineup, calling it one of the NFL’s best, but cautioned that a lack of depth could hinder their chances of repeating as Super Bowl champions in 2025. In a recent Eagles Game Plan episode, Duffy highlighted the team’s offensive firepower and defensive core while offering GM Howie Roseman targeted suggestions to bolster the roster.

Duffy praised the offensive starters, led by Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown, and DeVonta Smith, noting their ability to dominate any defense. He also commended the defensive front with Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, and Zack Baun, alongside a promising secondary featuring Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. However, he expressed concern over the team’s depth, particularly at outside cornerback and edge rusher, after losing key players like Darius Slay, Josh Sweat, and Milton Williams. “The starters are elite, but injuries happen, and we’re thin at critical spots,” Duffy said. “Without depth, it’s tough to survive the playoff gauntlet” (web ID: 0).

To address these gaps, Duffy suggested Roseman target veteran free agents for immediate impact. For the secondary, he recommended Justin Simmons, a 31-year-old safety with 30 career interceptions and four Second-team All-Pro honors, who remains a free agent. Simmons could play deep safety, allowing DeJean to shift to outside CB alongside Mitchell (web ID: 7). For edge rusher, Duffy pointed to Haason Reddick, a former Eagle now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a 1-year deal. Reddick, with 16 sacks in 2022 for Philly, could be a trade target if the Bucs falter midseason (web ID: 0).