Philadelphia Eagles 2026 NFL Season Preview

Offense

It’s hard to say that Hurts had a bad year in 2025, given his 3,224 passing yards, 25 TDs and six interceptions, but he did post his lowest QBR (55.2) since 2021, and his 421 rushing yards were his fewest since his rookie season. There were also reports he did not mesh with former offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, and the Birds’ less-effective ground game also hampered his performance.

But Hurts is a winner and a strong leader. He will make some big plays, but the Eagles need him to run more, throw the ball into the middle of the field and acclimate quickly to Mannion’s offense. The Eagles signed veteran Andy Dalton to compete with Tanner McKee for the backup spot.

It will help if running back Saquon Barkley can approach the form that he exhibited in 2024, when he led the league with 2,005 rushing yards. His total dropped to 1,140 last year, and his yards per carry dropped from 5.8 to 4.1. He’s still one of the best in the NFL, and if the Birds’ line is healthy, he should threaten 1,500 yards. Tank Bigsby is a strong backup who averaged 5.9 yards per carry last year.

Tackles Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson are both elite, although Johnson missed much of last year due to a Lisfranc injury. He’s 36 and not a sure bet to play 17 games. Backup Fred Johnson is serviceable but a significant drop-off. Mammoth third-round pick Markel Bell didn’t allow a sack last season at Miami (Fla.) and is a strong addition to the tackle rotation. Guard Landon Dickerson had injury issues last year. If healthy, he’s a standout. Center Cam Jurgens is a good one, while right guard Tyler Steen struggled often last season but is young. He could find himself in a tough battle with sixth-round pick Micah Morris, a super-sized interior force from Georgia.

Trading up to draft Makai Lemon in the first round makes sense given Brown’s departure. (Editor’s note: Brown was traded to the Patriots after the magazine went to press.) Lemon is a versatile receiver with good speed. DeVonta Smith is now WR1. Smith is talented and can get open down the field, although he needs to improve on last year’s four touchdowns. The Birds imported some depth by signing Hollywood Brown, who caught 49 passes last year, and Dontayvion Wicks, a possession receiver who runs good routes. Tight end Dallas Goedert is back after scoring 11 times last year and catching a career-high 60 balls. Grant Calcaterra is serviceable, but rookie Eli Stowers, a second-round pick from Vanderbilt, has excellent pass-catching ability.

Defense

It’s hard to blame the Eagles’ defense for last year’s problems. The team gave up the fifth-fewest points (19.1 per game) in the NFL in ’25 and returns several of its key performers from last season, most notably third-year cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, both of whom earned first-team All-Pro honors last year.

Mitchell mans the left side but can travel with other teams’ top receivers, while DeJean is an impressive slot corner. The rest of the secondary is not as certain. Safety Andrew Mukuba had a solid debut — until he broke his ankle. He has the potential. The strong safety is Marcus Epps, who started four games last season and will be asked to make a big jump. Expect Riq Woolen, whom the Eagles signed as a free agent, to be the other starting corner. He has tremendous skill and athletic ability, but he made some key late-game mistakes last year and must improve his consistency. Kelee Ringo is a serviceable backup corner. Seventh-round pick Cole Wisniewski is strong against the run at safety and can cover tight ends.

The Eagles locked up one of their D-line mainstays when they signed Jordan Davis to a three-year, $78 million contract that made him the highest-paid nose tackle in NFL history. He teams with Jalen Carter in one of the league’s top interior tandems. Davis had 72 tackles and 4.5 sacks last year.

Jalyx Hunt had a big year on the outside last season, piling up 6.5 sacks and picking off three passes. Tackle Moro Ojomo posted six sacks, while free-agent signee Arnold Ebiketie had two sacks for the Atlanta Falcons after posting six in ’24. The Eagles traded for Jonathan Greenard, an edge rusher who had three sacks in 12 games last season with the Vikings, and signed him to a fat extension. He exerts plenty of pressure on the pocket.

Zack Baun leads the linebacking corps and topped the team with 123 tackles last season. He is reliable and productive. Second-year man Jihaad Campbell had 80 stops last year and is expected to blossom in the middle in 2026. Jeremiah Trotter Jr. and Smael Mondon Jr. are solid young backups.

Specialists

Punter Braden Mann had an exceptional season last year and was fifth in the NFL with a 49.9-yard average. The kicking situation isn’t as settled. Jake Elliott made 20-of-27 field-goal tries last season and was just 4-of-8 from beyond 50 yards. He also missed three of his chances from 40-49 yards.

Britain Covey is a reliable punt returner who can break off some big gainers, and Will Shipley averaged 26.8 yards on kickoff returns, with a long of 41.

Final analysis

The team enters 2026 with some significant questions on offense, most notably whether Hurts is capable of working with Mannion to make the passing attack more productive, something that will become more difficult in Brown’s absence.

The offensive line works well in theory, provided Johnson and Dickerson are healthy and Steen can be steady at guard. If that doesn’t happen, Barkley will not be the force he could be in the ground game, and the attack will falter again. Barring injury, the attack should be more potent, but matching the 2024 levels will be difficult.

There is experience and talent on defense, although the team needs more production in its pass rush and at safety, where neither Makuba nor Epps is a proven starter. Adding Greenard will help, but the team lacks quality depth, particularly on the O-line and in the secondary. The Eagles are a playoff team, but a deep run will be tough to accomplish.