The Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles are both locked into their Super Bowl LIX preparations ahead of Sunday night’s showdown in New Orleans.
Winning a Vince Lombardi Trophy requires razor-sharp focus and the ability to shut out all distractions, but come Monday morning, whatever the result, attention will turn to the 2025 season.
The military-industrial complex of the NFL means that the offseason calendar rarely gives a team to catch their breath, with the NFL Combine following later this month before free agency arrives.
Both the Eagles and Chiefs have some key players currently set to enter free agency, meaning both teams could be looking very different next season. DAZN News takes a look at the major upcoming free agents who could be set to play their final matches for their current side.
One of the main reasons the Chiefs are aiming for a third consecutive Super Bowl victory this weekend is that they have been able to enjoy a period of continuity on both sides of the ball in recent years.
This recent success has been largely attributed to their 2021 draft class, which means that rookie contracts for this cohort are now coming to an end. While linebacker Nick Bolton and guard Trey Smith are now scheduled to hit the market, Creed Humphrey and Noah Gray have been extended.
Both Smith and Bolton, who has been a surprisingly reliable player for Steve Spaguolo’s defense, would be among the top offensive lineman available and might earn a large salary.
Additionally, the Chiefs will need to decide what to do in terms of safety. Tershawn Wharton and Justin Reid, a defensive end, may need major surgery on that side of the ball.
At wide receiver, where players like DeAndre Hopkins, Hollywood Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Justin Watson, and Mecole Hardman are all in their final years, the Chiefs are also worried because only Xavier Worthy and Rashee Rice have contracts for the upcoming campaign.
If the Chiefs want to make sure that their dynasty runs smoothly into the second half of the 2020s, a significant offseason is in store.
While the Eagles list of free agents isn’t as daunting as the Chiefs, they will likely have to address some significant gaps.
Top of that list is linebacker Zack Baun, who signed on a one-year deal 12 months ago and enjoyed a breakout season which means he will be one of the most in-demand players on the market this offseason.
Linemen Josh Sweat and Milton Williams are the other notable defensive names, but the Eagles will be buoyed by the likelihood that defensive coordinator Vic Fangio will remain with the team.
Mekhi Becton is the only name that stands out on offense, but the Eagles team should not be much weaker the next season and will be in a strong position to contend for another Super Bowl run because of the way general manager Howie Roseman has assembled this group.
