The challenge is a huge one and the Philadelphia Eagles perform it as well as any team in the NFL: Build your roster to compete for a championship now and keep an eye on the next two, three, five years down the line.

Sounds hard, right? It's even more difficult to accomplish.

But the Eagles are in a position unlike most in the league, so their early approach to this free-agency period follows exactly what Executive Vice President/General Manager Howie Roseman said the plan was when he spoke at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis a few weeks ago.

"We have to get creative to make sure that we're keeping as many of our good players as we can," Roseman said. "I sat up here last year and I said that's going to include playing young players and I think that's going to be a huge part of what we are going forward because we're fortunate enough to have a lot of good players who are making a lot of money."

There are four facets in this plan – let's take it through the 2027 season, for a reasonable overview:

1. Retain the core of the roster

At quarterback, Jalen Hurts is signed through 2028 while both Tanner McKee and Dorian Thompson-Robinson are signed through the 2026 season. That is as enviable as any quarterback room in the 32-team NFL. This is a position of enormous strength and depth and talent. At running back, Saquon Barkley is signed for the long term, Will Shipley is in the second year of his four-year rookie contract, and newly added A.J. Dillon is in on a one-year deal. Again, great situation. Same at wide receiver with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith signed through 2027 and Jahan Dotson in the fourth year of his rookie deal.

The offensive line is in place for years to come – Lane Johnson is under contract through 2026 and both Jordan Mailata and Landon Dickerson have deals through 2028.

You see how locked in the offense is, right? The defense has some long-term pieces in place – linebacker Zack Baun was a huge keep prior to free agency – but what you mostly see on that side of the ball is youth. Tackles Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, and Moro Ojomo are in their rookie contracts. Ditto edge rushers Nolan Smith, Jr. and Jalyx Hunt, along with cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, and Kelee Ringo. Safety Reed Blankenship is entering just his fourth NFL season. Sydney Brown is on his rookie contract as are linebackers Nakobe Dean (final year of his deal) and Jeremiah Trotter, Jr.

Look, there is some work to do, of course. There are some contracts to consider and, certainly, there are steps needed from some young players.

But we're early and the Eagles are in great shape with the roster as it stands today. And it's only going to get better.

2. Add players in free agency who provide good value

If there is an exceptional talent out there, the Eagles have shown over and over that they are in the game. And they executed again this year with the retention of Baun and the very deserved contract extension for Barkley. Other than that, the Eagles have looked for good players with "value" contracts, so we will see how it works out.

They have taken little risk – giving all of their free-agent signees one-year deals to date – and they have scouted up these players, a testament to the team's Pro Personnel department. We will see how, for example, Dillon helps in the backfield. How much can former first-round draft pick Kenyon Green benefit from working in Jeff Stoutland's offensive line room? What kind of role will tight end Harrison Bryant have in the offense?

Outside linebacker Joshua Uche is here to play a role in the defense, and the Eagles think he's a good fit for that assignment. Cornerback Adoree’ Jackson has started a lot of games in this league, and the Eagles want to see him in his scheme. And so on, and so on.

The point is this: The Eagles didn't overreach, they didn't panic, they didn't have to throw around money at mistakes. They didn't tie themselves into long-term contracts. Instead, they are bringing good football players into a winning culture with a great coaching staff and every one of these players knows that they have a chance to present the best versions of themselves.

3. Continue to develop the young roster

This is really critical, and the Eagles are set up so nicely here. The youth of this roster is impressive on both sides of the ball and on special teams and the key is to keep developing these players, keep coaching them hard, and making sure they understand, always understand, that if you're not moving forward in the NFL, you're moving backward. You're getting passed by. A lot of young players are going to see action in 2025, as they did in 2024. This is how you build the roster – draft well, develop the players, and retain the best of the best.

This is the formula that has helped the Eagles win two Super Bowls in eight seasons.

4. Dominate the NFL Draft

At this very moment, by meticulous count, the Eagles have 16 total draft picks in the NFL Drafts of 2025 and 2026 – eight in each draft and a total of nine picks combined in the first four rounds of those drafts. There is also the expectation of four compensatory draft picks in the 2026 NFL Draft after the team saw guard Mekhi Becton, cornerback Isaiah Rodgers, outside linebacker Josh Sweat, and defensive tackle Milton Williams sign elsewhere in free agency – a couple of which could be in Rounds 3 or 4. We'll learn more about that in time.

The Eagles have an amazing opportunity here. They have valuable NFL Draft capital and Roseman, maybe more than any other NFL GM, knows how to use it.

The goal, Roseman said at the NFL Scouting Combine, is to "keep the window open as long as possible," and the way the Eagles have this roster situation set up, everything is possible.