The final week of the regular season hasn’t even kicked off yet, and the Philadelphia Eagles have already delivered one of their strangest roster decisions of the year.

In classic Howie Roseman fashion, the team announced a surprise release that immediately sparked confusion across the fan base. The move came without warning, involved a starter, and raised serious questions about timing, motivation, and what might be happening behind the scenes.

At first glance, it looks like a head-scratching decision. Philadelphia just welcomed back its primary option at a critical special teams position after a lengthy injury absence, only to cut him days later. For a team fighting for playoff positioning, the optics alone were enough to set off alarms.

The situation becomes even more puzzling when factoring in performance. When this starter has been available this season, the Eagles have been markedly more consistent. Special teams execution was cleaner, and the overall results spoke for themselves. Yet despite that track record, the team still chose to pull the trigger on a release that feels more procedural than permanent.

That’s where longtime Eagles observers start reading between the lines.

The player at the center of the move is Charley Hughlett, Philadelphia’s veteran long snapper. Hughlett recently returned from a core muscle injury that sidelined him for nine games, during which the Eagles turned to a replacement option. While that replacement filled in admirably, the numbers tell a clear story: the Eagles are undefeated when Hughlett has been in the lineup this season.

So why let him go now?

History suggests this isn’t about performance or trust. Roseman has built a reputation for manipulating the margins of the roster late in the season, using short-term releases to open spots, protect players from waivers, or create flexibility ahead of the playoffs. More often than not, these moves are reversed within days.

Adding another layer to the intrigue is the Eagles’ alternative at the position. Their other long snapper this season is currently on another team’s practice squad, making an immediate reunion unlikely. That reality only strengthens the belief that Hughlett’s absence will be brief.

For now, Eagles fans are left waiting — and wondering — as they’ve learned to do under Roseman’s watch. Whether this move is part of a larger roster puzzle or simply procedural gymnastics, one thing feels clear: this story probably isn’t finished yet.

And if Hughlett isn’t back soon, then something far bigger than roster shuffling may be brewing in Philadelphia — something that shouldn’t be happening in Week 18.