Former first-rounder reinforces negative Eagles trend that needs more attention from the franchise

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Former first-rounder reinforces negative Eagles trend that needs more attention from the franchise

Sep 14, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Cleveland Browns defensive end Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (90) warms up. at M&T Bank Stadium. Peter Casey-Imagn Images

Ryan Brown · AtoZ Sports

Thu, Jun 18, 2026 ·

4 min read

A tough but not shocking decision

We probably should have seen this coming. Tryon-Shoyinka did not show up to OTAs or mandatory minicamp, and that was a red flag from the jump. The guy went through a lot of physical injuries during his time in Tampa Bay , and that kind of toll breaks down more than just your body. When you stack up injury after injury and you lose the ability that got you drafted in the first round, that is a massive blow to your confidence and mental well-being. The mental side of this is a much bigger factor than people want to acknowledge.

We don't know all the details behind his decision, and frankly, we don't need to. The man made a choice for himself and his health at 27 years old. You have to respect that. But it does explain why the Eagles went out and signed former second-round pick A.J. Epenesa last week. That move felt a little random at the time, but now it makes all the sense in the world. Philadelphia clearly knew this was coming and had already started preparing for it.

A bizarre pattern that won't quit

Tryon-Shoyinka is the fifth player in four years to retire after joining the Eagles, and that's the weirdest part. Think about that for a second. Myles Jack in 2023 , DeVante Parker in 2024 , Za'Darius Smith in 2025 . And now Tryon-Shoyinka in 2026. On top of all that, cornerback Jaire Alexander was traded by the Baltimore Ravens to Philadelphia at last year's trade deadline and retired before ever showing up with the team.

That is not normal. I don't care how you spin it. Five players walking away from football after joining one organization in a four-year window is a trend that raises some questions.

Now, I'm not sitting here saying the Eagles are doing something wrong. Many of these situations are coincidental and circumstantial. Maybe some of these guys come to Philly hoping for a fresh start and a better opportunity, but then they get here and realize just how much competition there is on this roster. Philadelphia is a team that has been built to win, and the depth chart is stacked. If you're a veteran who is already battling injuries and trying to hang on, showing up and seeing you might not even crack the rotation could be the final straw.

Maybe it's another hit to the mental side of things on top of everything else they're already dealing with physically. I don't know the answer. But for whatever reason, this keeps happening to the Eagles, and it is bizarre.

What it means for the roster

The good news is Philadelphia already made its contingency move with the Epenesa signing, so the roster isn't left scrambling. The Eagles have enough depth along the defensive line to absorb this, and the front office clearly had a plan in place before the retirement became official.

But you do lose a guy who was brought in for a reason. Tryon-Shoyinka was a former first-round talent who the Eagles believed could contribute in Vic Fangio's defense. Losing that potential, even if it was far from guaranteed, is still a setback. The hope now is that Epenesa and the rest of the edge rusher room can fill the void and keep this defense humming.

I wish Tryon-Shoyinka nothing but the best in whatever comes next. Taking care of yourself should always come first. But this pattern with the Eagles is one of the strangest things I've seen, and I genuinely have no explanation for why it continues to happen every single year.