Dave Spadaro

One of the reasons the Eagles have been so good for so long is that the organization has the ability to keep the long-term in mind while addressing the present roster. Cam Jurgens, for example, was drafted in 2022 with an eye on eventually replacing Jason Kelce at the center position. Before that happened, of course, Jurgens earned a starting job at right guard and had a strong 2023 campaign before taking over the center spot and earning Pro Bowl honors last year.

All along, Jurgens had the benefit of working with Kelce, just as Dallas Goedert learned from teaming up with Zach Ertz at tight end, and just as Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter gained from observing Fletcher Cox, and the same for the players in the defensive end/outside linebacker room improved with Brandon Graham helping guide them.

A succession plan.

It is always sought and rarely attained, but for whatever myriad of reasons, the Philadelphia Eagles have made it work.

"To have the guy in there, whether it's Jason Kelce with Cam, or whether it's Fletch with Jalen Carter or Jordan Davis, whether it's BG with Nolan (Smith), to be able to watch that tape to show the standard of what something looks like and hey, 'This is exactly the way we want this play to look like here, watch BG right here,'" Head Coach Nick Sirianni said. "Now, to be able for Nolan to be able to go, or (outside linebacker) Jalyx (Hunt) to be able to go to BG and say, 'Why did you do it that way? I saw what had happened, take me through that process.' That is a huge, huge tool and advantage that we've been able to have here for the past, since I've been here, because of the great players that we have."

The 2025 roster, to date, is similar to those in the past in that it has a blend of experienced players and younger talent, and players in the latter category understand how it works: The older guys lead the way and, some day, it will be time for the next wave of players to pay it forward. Graham understood all of that, and in the 2024 World Championship season he talked at length about the role and the importance of showing the younger players the right way to do things.

"It meant a lot to me when players like T Cole (Eagles Hall of Fame defensive end Trent Cole) and those guys would help me," Graham said. "So, it's important for me to do that to these young guys. I want my voice to be heard, but I also want to encourage those guys to step up and speak up. Some day, it's going to be them in my shoes."

With that, the Eagles continue building their roster for the season ahead and next up is the 2025 NFL Draft. The Eagles are going to add a lot of young talent to the roster in two weekends, and it is important for the success of the team in both the immediate picture and for seasons down the line that the older players show the way.

Lead by example. Encourage and coach up the kids. Help make them the best versions of themselves.

"That's what we do around here," All-Pro right tackle Lane Johnson said during the 2024 season. "Help them become great players. Jason Peters (former Eagles All-Pro left tackle and future Hall of Famer), I can't tell you how much time I spent with him learning what made him so great. Players like that helped me along, so it's only the right thing for me to help the young players here know what I know. The better they are, the better this football team is."

That's the Eagles' way, one that has won a lot of football games and two World Championships along the way.