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The NFL Believes The Eagles Are Still Very Talented

Jun 10, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) runs a drill during minicamp at Jefferson Health Training Complex. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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The NFL Believes The Eagles Are Still Very Talented

Originally posted on Philadelphia Eagles on SI
By John McMullen | Last updated Jul 16, 2026 9:00 PM ET

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PHILADELPHIA — The rest of the NFL still believes the Philadelphia Eagles are pretty good.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler finished up his seventh annual top 10 lists, where league executives, coaches, and scouts are polled to determine who the best players are at each position entering the 2026 season.

The lists are designed to be snapshots, not nostalgia for what players have done or projections for what they might do in the future.

The Eagles finished with eight players who made the top 10 lists, and only the Detroit Lions finished with more at nine.

Rated by most observers as the top team in football entering the upcoming campaign, the Los Angeles Rams had five players on the lists.

The exercise began with the running backs on July 6, and the Eagles' Saquon Barkley finished highly at No. 3 overall despite a down season in 2025. Only Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson, and the Lions’ Jahmyr Gibbs finished higher on the list than Barkley.

The cornerbacks, a Philadelphia strength, came next with both Quinyon Mitchell (No. 6) and Cooper DeJean (No. 10) finishing in the top 10. Newcomer Riq Woolen, who signed as a free agent after winning a Super Bowl with Seattle, also received some recognition but did not reach the honorable mention threshold.

The first whitewash at any position was at edge rusher. It was a little surprising that trade pickup Jonathan Greenard didn’t receive some votes, but the 2024 Pro Bowl selection had his final season in Minnesota derailed by a shoulder injury. While not placing on the edge, with Greenard and ascending young players in Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt, the Eagles regard the position as a strength.

Big Reputations

The interior of the defensive line scored higher with Jalen Carter finishing at No. 3 despite persistent shoulder pain that impacted his 2025 campaign, and nose tackle Jordan Davis landing at No. 10 after a breakout season. Interestingly, former Eagles DT Milton Williams was one spot ahead of Davis at No. 9. It should also be noted that Carter, along with Barkley, were the top finishers for Philadelphia, highlighting their reputations.

While veteran Dallas Goedert is no longer among the top 10 tight ends, he still received votes, although not enough to reach honorable mention.

The clear strength of the offense remains at tackle, where both Jordan Mailata (No. 4) and Lane Johnson (No. 7) placed highly.

On the interior offensive line, both Landon Dickerson and Cam Jurgens received some support after injury-plagued seasons, but not enough to merit honorable mention. Typically, Dickerson would be a staple in the top 10.

The quarterback position was the most controversial list among Eagles fans with Jalen Hurts finishing last in the honorable mention category and No. 17 overall.

At off-ball linebacker, Zack Baun was No. 4 overall, and second-year player Jihaad Campbell already received some support as he gets set to start his first season as the full-time starter opposite Baun.

Wide receiver was the penultimate list, and former Eagles star A.J. Brown came in at No. 9, while the new WR1 for the Eagles – DeVonta Smith – was in the other players receiving votes category.

The safety position was the final list and no Eagles players were mentioned, hardly a surprise because that’s considered the weakest group on the team entering training camp. Drew Mukuba headlines the unit entering his second season with veterans Marcus Epps and Michael Carter vying for playing time next to Mukuba.

Overall, 15 different Eagles players received some support by league decison-makers for the lists.

This article first appeared on Philadelphia Eagles on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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