Will the Eagles’ defense be among the league’s best this fall? Their free-agent exits already have raised some doubts.

It certainly has heightened interest along their defensive front and offensive line depth, while other positions may seem more secure.

And could Chiefs legend Travis Kelce have solved the Eagles’ tight end dilemma? Or could Zach Ertz return?

In this version of my Inside the Huddle column, I’ll take a look at the Eagles’ current free-agent situation and a glimpse back as well. In the process, I’ll present the status of some of their positions. I’ll also recall the career of a legendary football figure.

Leaving the Nest ... On Day One of free agency, the Eagles lost edge rusher Jalean Phillips, linebacker Nakobe Dean, wide receiver Jahan Dotson and safety Reed Blankenship.

Phillips’ departure was a bit of a surprise, as the prevailing feeling was the Eagles would work out a deal. But Phillips received a four-year, $120 million deal from Carolina that pushed the Eagles out of the market.

There were also some lukewarm feelings about Blankenship, who many believed would price himself out of the market. He received a three-year, $24.75 million pact from Houston.

Dean was also seen as a likely departure, and signed with Las Vegas on a three-year, $36 million contract.

The surprise here was Dotson, who bolted for Atlanta on a two-year, $15 million deal.

Unbeknownst to many, backup lineman Brett Toth, who proved invaluable behind left guard Landon Dickerson and center Cam Jurgens, bolted for the 49ers on a one-year deal, and backup Matt Pryor joined the Cardinals on a one-year pact. Backup quarterback Sam Howell also inked a one-year deal with the Cowboys.

Phillips, Dean and Blankenship were key pieces of Vic Fangio’s unit, and the Birds will have to find ways to replace them. Extending lineman Jordan Davis was a major step forward.

Hot Corner ... One significant signing by the Birds was former Seattle All-Pro cornerback Riq Woolen to a one-year deal.

In four seasons, Woolen has 12 interceptions, six of them in his rookie year. According to Pro Football Focus, Woolen’s 76.6 defensive passer rating is second to Houston’s Derek Stingley since 2022.

Of 126 cornerbacks who have been targeted at least 100 times since 2022, Woolen’s 70.6 defensive passer rating ranks second-best, behind only Stingley’s 55.1.

He and All-Pro Quinyon Mitchell give the Birds one of the better tandems in the league, and Adoree’ Jackson, Kelee Ringo and Cooper DeJean provide a deep unit.

On The Edge ... Josh Uche, once an anticipated Patriots star, also left the Birds to join the Dolphins. The Eagles had hoped to re-ignite his career, but Uche managed only two sacks.

His departure leaves them with only Nolan Smith, Jalcyx Hunt and futures player Jose Ramirez on the edge. Longtime favorite Brandon Graham could be brought back, and Ogbo Okoronkwo is a free agent. Azeez Olujari left for Atlanta on a one-year deal.

Ex-Dolphin Bradley Chubb was with Fangio in Miami, and could fit in the Birds’ scheme. Joey Bosa and Jonathan Greenard might be options, with Greenard the better fiscal choice.

The Eagles apparently were involved in talks regarding Maxx Crosby, but that would involve top draft picks. If GM Howie Roseman decided to roll the dice, Crosby would be worth it.

Getting Tight ... Tight end Dallas Goedert is still a free agent, and should stay with the Eagles because they have pushed back the negotiating period.

Did the Eagles ever think about Kelce? With his brother’s high-profile status, you would think it would be a natural fit, even at age 36. Ertz is 31, and still looks effective.

As insurance, the Eagles traded for Jacksonville tight end Johnny Mundt and re-signed Grant Calcaterra.

Former Browns tight end David Njoku could be an option, as the nine-year veteran caught 33 passes with four touchdowns last season.

Playing It Safe ... Losing Blankenship left the Eagles with a void at safety.

They will return Drew Mukuba and Sydney Brown, with Marcus Epps still a free agent. Andre Sam is back on a futures contract.

Philly is expected to make safety a priority in the draft, but ex-Patriot Kyle Dugger, ex-Dolphin Ashtyn Davis or ex-Bill Jordan Poyer could be reasonable alternatives.

Look for the Birds to add a veteran presence along the way.

How It All Began ... Free agency can be traced back to former Eagle Reggie White, who became the first unrestricted free agent in 1993 with his four-year deal with the Packers.

White’s signing signaled the flurry of stars who went elsewhere, such as Joe Montana, Gary Clark, Jeff Hostetler, Boomer Esiason, Kevin Greene and Ronnie Lott.

That year, Philly signed tight end Mark Bavaro, quarterback Bubby Brister, defensive end Tim Harris and defensive tackle Keith Millard in the offseason.

During the season, the Birds signed 15 free agents, among them kickers Matt Bahr and Roger Ruzek, quarterback Ken O’Brien and wide receiver James Lofton.

Pickin’ It ... Over the years, Roseman has made his mark in many ways, one being compensatory picks.

This season, the Birds will receive picks in the third and sixth rounds in April’s draft as a result of losing free agents last season. With those picks, Roseman will have nine selections in April, and he has used them well in the past.

Next season, the Eagles will receive an extra third-round pick and three extra sixth-round picks as a result of Phillips, Dean, Blankenship and Dotson leaving.

According to the league, compensatory picks are determined by a league formula that evaluates free agents lost versus free agents signed during the previous offseason.

The system considers several factors, including a player’s average annual salary, snap count during the following season and postseason honors such as Pro Bowl or All-Pro selections.

All The Love ... Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, who won the Doak Walker Award as college football’s top running back, is projected to be a top-10 pick in the draft.

There has been growing speculation that Love will be drafted by the Giants at No. 5, but could also go to the Titans at No. 4 or the Commanders at No. 7.

Love ran for 1,732 yards with 18 touchdowns last season, and accumulated 2,497 yards with 35 touchdowns over the past two years.

The last Notre Dame running back drafted in the first round was Vagas Ferguson by the Patriots in 1980. Paul Hornung was the league’s top overall selection by the Packers in 1957.

Scrapbook ... In each column, I will peel back the pages and review a former local standout from the past.

Jim Tkach revived and kept Northern Lehigh among the area’s most successful programs in his 14-year run that produced an overall 106-57 record.

Tkach led the team to four Colonial League and two District 11 championships. His teams reached the Eastern Pennsylvania finals twice, and the state finals in 2003. He was named Colonial League Coach of the Year four times, District 11 Coach of the Year in 2003, and Associated Press Small School Coach of the Year in 2004.

Tkach coached 19 All-State players, a Lehigh Valley Scholar-Athlete and a U.S. Navy/ESPN First-Team Academic All-American.

As a player at Lehighton, Tkach was an All-State honorable mention linebacker, and earned similar honors as a four-year starter at Lycoming College, where he played on Warrior defenses that were ranked No. 1 in the country in Division III.

Matriculating Down The Field ... In each column, I will trace back the career of a former player or coach.

Cornerback Troy Vincent signed a five-year, $16.5 million deal with the Eagles in March 1996 after a four-year stint with the Dolphins. Vincent was a five-time Pro Bowler and a two-time All-Pro in his eight Eagles seasons.

He recorded 28 interceptions over 118 starts, and is a member of the team’s Hall of Fame.

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