The Eagles were never going to come close to matching the Patriots' $104 million offer to Williams, who was an extremely valuable piece of the strongest part of the Eagles' defense — the interior defensive line. Williams will be missed, but Carter and Jordan Davis are still here and will start next year as a potent duo in the middle.

The Eagles’ strategy has become clear. There will be a core. They will get paid. There will be a supporting cast. They will be young or looking for a career re-birth. On Monday, two transactions by Howie Roseman further illustrated this philosophy.