Projected Eagles depth chart answers lingering question about revamped defense

The small price to pay for winning the Super Bowl is that the Philadelphia Eagles get drilled with losing top talent. It also creates new opportunities for the younger players to step up.

One side of the ball that saw the most change from last year is on defense. Players like Milton Williams, Josh Sweat, Darius Slay, James Bradberry, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson are no longer on the team. This leaves the doors open for other players to step into their place.

The Eagles signed free agents to one-year deals and focused more on defense in the 2025 NFL Draft. Philadelphia hopes to sign young free agents who must prove themselves and have high upside while stealing top talent later in the draft.

With all the moves made, it's about putting together a starting lineup worthy of winning a second consecutive Super Bowl. That lineup is going to look much different, though.

Projected starting 2025 lineup gives more clarity into Eagles' new structure

Bleacher Report writer Matt Holder constructed projections for each NFL team's 2025 starting lineups. Here is who Holder believes will be in the starting lineup for the Eagles in 2025:

Offense: QB Jalen Hurts, RB Saquon Barkley, WR A.J. Brown, WR DeVonta Smith, WR Jahan Dotson, TE Dallas Goedert, LT Jordan Mailata, LG Landon Dickerson, C Cam Jurgens, RG Tyler Steen, RT Lane Johnson

Defense: Edge Nolan Smith, DT Jordan Davis, DT Jalen Carter, Edge Azeez Ojulari, LB Zack Baun, LB Jihaad Campbell, CB Quinyon Mitchell, CB Adoree' Jackson, NB Cooper DeJean, S Reed Blankenship, S Sydney Brown

"The defending champions are pretty set offensively, where they shouldn't have many position battles during training camp. That said, the one competition to keep an eye on is at right guard after the front office let Mekhi Becton walk and traded for Kenyon Green, who is expected to compete with Steen for the job."

"The other side of the ball is a different story, though. The Eagles lost several key defenders from last year, and Nakobe Dean is recovering from a torn patellar tendon, hence the reason Campbell is listed as a starter above."

"On top of that, edge-rusher is a wide-open competition in Philadelphia, as Jalyx Hunt, Bryce Huff or Joshua Uche could easily replace Smith or Ojulari."

Philadelphia's offense only has one concern regarding right guard: who will win the battle between Steen and Kenyon Green? The Eagles traded for Green as part of the Gardner-Johnson trade with the Houston Texans, as Green is a bit of a project with high potential. Steen's experience on the line with the Eagles would give him a leg up on the competition.

Defense is where there will be plenty of change. The surprise projection is that the former New York Giant Ojulari will start over Huff and Hunt at the edge position. Ojulari is another high-potential player who has struggled to stay healthy. Huff was massively disappointed in his first season with the Eagles and Hunt emerged late in the season to give him a shot at playing time.

The secondary for the Eagles could see another former Giant, Jackson, start on the other side of Mitchell at cornerback. Watch the safety position as Brown will compete with second-round pick Andrew Mukuba to start.

Dean's health will depend on how much Campbell plays in his rookie season. Jeremiah Trotter Jr. is a sleeper to earn playing time as well, entering his second season in the NFL after mainly playing special teams last year.

There might not be a clear roadmap for the depth chart until preseason happens, but Eagles fans at least have a benchmark to work off of that will surely change throughout the summer.