Author: Olivia Reiner

With Eagles training camp drawing nearer on the horizon, The Inquirer is taking a closer look at the more than three dozen new faces who are expected to report along with the rest of the team on July 28. Whether a 2026 draft choice, a veteran addition, or a rookie free-agent hopeful, we’re telling you more about each player’s potential role this season. We’re rolling out two players per day in a mostly unscientific order that balances offense and defense, bigger names with mysteries, and locks with longer shots to be chosen for the 53-man roster.

Player: Elijah Moore

Position: Wide receiver

Age: 26

Previous experience: Moore was taken three spots ahead of Landon Dickerson in the 2021 draft. He went to the New York Jets in the second round, No. 34 overall, after three seasons at Ole Miss. His rookie year arguably was the best of his NFL career, when he posted a career-high five touchdowns and 538 yards on 43 receptions in 11 games (six starts).

During his second season with the Jets, Moore reportedly requested a trade over his lack of involvement in the offense. But he remained on the team until March 2023, when he was traded to the Cleveland Browns. He posted a career high in receiving yards that season with 640 and two touchdowns on 59 receptions through 17 games (12 starts).

Moore played for the Browns for two seasons before signing with the Buffalo Bills as a free agent last year. He played nine games (two starts) and had nine receptions for 112 yards, plus six carries for 24 yards and a touchdown, before he was released in November.

Moore finished the season on the Denver Broncos’ practice squad and was elevated to the game day roster for the AFC championship game. The 5-foot-10, 178-pound receiver signed a one-year, $1.32 million contract with the Eagles in March.

Path to a roster spot: Moore is a potential wide receiver depth option. The Eagles have a clear-cut top four receivers in DeVonta Smith, Makai Lemon, Dontayvion Wicks, and Hollywood Brown, but they could carry at least another receiver or two on the active roster. Moore will compete in training camp for one of those depth roles, along with Darius Cooper and Johnny Wilson.

Moore’s experience sets him apart, especially as he vies for a role on a team in need of playmakers in the absence of A.J. Brown, his former college teammate and roommate. He still can show up in key moments and displayed his versatility on his second career rushing touchdown last season when he motioned out of the slot and took the handoff for a 4-yard score against the Jets. Earlier in that game, he also had a 31-yard catch-and-run reception on third-and-long.

Fun fact: In just eight games in 2020, Moore broke Brown’s single-season record at Ole Miss for receptions by one catch with 86. Moore accumulated 1,193 yards that season, 127 short of Brown’s total in 12 games in 2018. In his record-setting season, Moore led the nation with 149.1 receiving yards per game and 10.8 receptions per game.

Quotable: “I think he’s so sudden in and out of cuts. I think that he can play inside and play outside and have that versatility for us. Smart guy. He knows his stuff. And he’s a fun guy to be around, too.” — Bills quarterback Josh Allen on Moore in July 2025

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Player: Dameon Pierce

Position: Running back

Age: 26

Previous experience: Pierce brings four years of NFL experience to the Eagles. He was selected by the Houston Texans in the fourth round of the 2022 draft out of Florida. Pierce spent more than three seasons with the Texans, highlighted by his rookie year, when he started 13 games and rushed for 939 yards and four touchdowns on 220 carries.

An ankle injury ended his rookie campaign prematurely. Pierce fell down the depth chart in subsequent seasons and served as a depth running back and kick returner. In 2023, Pierce returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown against the Cleveland Browns.

Houston released Pierce in November 2025. He landed with the Kansas City Chiefs and appeared in one game. Last season, he took just 14 handoffs total and rushed for 36 yards. Pierce’s days as a full-time starter likely are behind him, but the Eagles could represent an opportunity for him to carve out a contributing role.

Path to a roster spot: Special teams and running back depth. With Saquon Barkley and Tank Bigsby locks to make the initial roster, Pierce will compete with Will Shipley and Elijah Mitchell for the third running back spot. As the incumbent, Shipley has a leg up, but training camp will provide an opportunity for the three players to compete for the role, with the consolation prize being a chance at making the practice squad.

Pierce could have an advantage over Mitchell, given his kick return experience. He has averaged 32.8 yards per return over the last three seasons. However, on four returns with Houston in 2025, Pierce averaged 23 yards per return.

Fun fact: Pierce told the Texans in 2022 that if he could go pro in another sport, he would choose pie eating. Tastykake, here’s your next spokesperson.

Quotable: “I’m still learning. Coming into this year, I just look at it as, I got four years of experience on my side. I take every up and down in my career as a collective and just look at it and try to learn how to get better from it. Coming to Philly is just another step in my journey that I’m looking forward to. At the end of the day, man, I just want to play ball, and Philly gave me a great opportunity to do so.” — Pierce in March

With Eagles training camp drawing nearer on the horizon, The Inquirer is taking a closer look at the more than three-dozen new faces who are expected to report along with the rest of the team on July 28. Whether a 2026 draft choice, a veteran addition or a rookie free-agent hopeful, we’re telling you more about each player’s potential role this season. We’re rolling out two players per day in a mostly unscientific order that balances offense and defense, bigger names with mysteries, and locks with longer shots to be chosen for the 53-man roster.

Player: Andy Dalton

Position: Quarterback

Age: 38

Previous experience: Dalton has the most NFL experience on the 2026 Eagles — unless Brandon Graham returns. The veteran quarterback is going into his 16th NFL season. Dalton began his career with the Cincinnati Bengals, the team that drafted him in the second round, 35th overall in the 2011 draft out of TCU.

He started 133 games over nine seasons with the Bengals and reached the playoffs in five straight years (2011-15). Although Dalton was successful during the regular season, the three-time Pro Bowler has not won a postseason game in his career.

The Bengals eventually moved on from Dalton in favor of 2020 first-overall pick Joe Burrow, marking the beginning of the veteran’s journeyman career. Dalton has spent time primarily as a backup with the Dallas Cowboys (2020), the Chicago Bears (2021), the New Orleans Saints (2022), and the Carolina Panthers (2023-25).

He has started 36 games since 2020 (14 wins, 22 losses), completing 65.1% of his passing attempts while throwing 50 touchdowns and 33 interceptions. In his seven starts over the last three seasons with the Panthers (one win, six losses), Dalton completed 64.7% of his passes, throwing 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Path to a roster spot: Seeing as the Eagles tend to carry three quarterbacks on the active roster, Dalton is essentially a lock to make the team out of training camp. But in the aftermath of the offseason program, bigger questions linger about his role on the team.

Dalton and Tanner McKee split reps with the second-team offense behind Jalen Hurts, while Nick Sirianni did not commit to McKee as the backup for the upcoming season. Could Dalton have a chance to usurp the incumbent McKee for the QB2 role in training camp? And does Dalton’s contention for the job indicate that McKee could be a candidate for a trade ahead of the start of the regular season?

Alternatively, if teams aren’t willing to take a chance on the inexperienced McKee (who has started just two games over the last two seasons), could Dalton eventually be on the move before the November trade deadline? The Eagles seem to have options with their depth quarterbacks depending on their preseason performances and the team’s start to the season.

Fun fact: In addition to having zero career playoff wins, Dalton has thrown just one touchdown pass in the postseason. His lone passing touchdown — a 4-yard completion to tight end Jermaine Gresham — came in the Bengals’ 27-10 wild-card loss to the San Diego Chargers during the 2013 season.

Since 1970, 83 quarterbacks have played at least 10 NFL seasons and started at least four playoff games, according to Stathead. Dalton has the fewest passing touchdowns in the postseason among them.

Quotable: “Any time you’ve got a guy that’s got experience, different types of experiences, you lean on that. Having a relationship with him, I was with him in Carolina, so being with him prior, [I] knew that he had that wealth of knowledge, that he’s open to helping other guys as well … he’s a great resource for all of us to be able to lean on, just a guy that’s played a lot in the NFL successfully.” — Eagles quarterbacks coach Parks Frazier on Dalton

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Player: Kapena Gushiken

Position: Defensive back

Age: 23

Previous experience: As an undersized defensive back at 5-foot-8, 160 pounds, Gushiken wasn’t highly recruited coming out of high school in Maui, Hawaii, according to The Seattle Times. But his coach at Kamehameha High School knew the coach at Saddleback College, a community college located in Mission Viejo, Calif, a connection that would lead to the first stop in his college football career.

He spent two years at Saddleback and became a starter in his second season. As a sophomore, Gushiken posted 22 tackles (one for a loss), six pass breakups, one interception, and one forced fumble in nine games. His strong JUCO performance earned him opportunities at the Division I level, first at Washington State (2023-24) and then at Ole Miss (2025).

Through 40 games (28 starts) over his final three seasons, Gushiken racked up 143 tackles (5½ for a loss), 20 pass breakups, four interceptions (including one returned for a touchdown), two fumble recoveries, and a sack. Gushiken has played every spot in the secondary, from outside cornerback at Saddleback to nickel cornerback at Washington State to safety at Ole Miss.

Gushiken, now listed at 5-9, 189 pounds, signed with the Eagles as an undrafted free agent this offseason.

Path to a roster spot: Special teams and safety depth. Gushiken is a long shot to make the initial 53-man roster, but he has a chance to carve out a role on the team, especially on the practice squad. Still, in May, Vic Fangio called the starting safety spot vacated by Reed Blankenship “open,” acknowledging that Marcus Epps, Michael Carter, Andrè Sam, J.T. Gray, and “Gush” will each get a look in the competition when the Eagles are in nickel. Cooper DeJean will start at safety alongside Drew Mukuba in base.

Special teams will be Gushiken’s most likely path to a role on the Eagles in 2026. His overall athleticism, as evidenced by his 4.35 40-yard dash at his pro day, makes him a strong candidate for the unit.

Fun fact: In high school, Gushiken lettered in football, track, volleyball, and basketball. As a junior in 2019, he ran a personal best of 11.17 seconds in the 100-meter dash at the Hawaii High School Athletic Association Track and Field Championship.

Quotable: “He’s really versatile. He can play a bunch of spots, a really savvy player. Hoping he can be [former Ole Miss safety] Trey Washington-ish for us. He’s really smart. So it’s really good to have him.” — former Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin on Gushiken, via 24/7 Sports.

PHOENIX — With the expiration of Lincoln Financial Field’s lease looming in 2032, team owner Jeffrey Lurie made it clear that all options are on the table for the Eagles’ future home.

One of those variables is the prospective location of their home.

At his annual news conference at the league meetings on Tuesday, Lurie explained that the team is conducting “exploratory research” on the prospect of a new or renovated stadium. That research dates back to at least last year, when the organization sent out surveys to season ticket holders to solicit their opinions on a potential stadium renovation or a new building.

Before the Eagles’ move from Veterans Stadium to Lincoln Financial Field in 2003, Lurie said the organization conducted two to three years of exploratory research. Similarly, in the next year or two, he said he aims to have a more “definitive approach” to their stadium plans.

For now, the Eagles are taking it slow with the exploratory process, using the latest NFL stadiums belonging to the Tennessee Titans and Buffalo Bills, as well as renovated international stadiums such as Bernabéu in Madrid and Camp Nou in Barcelona, as case studies.

“Is there anything we can learn from Nashville and Buffalo?” Lurie said. “Is there anything we can learn from the renovations in Madrid and Barcelona? It’s really important. I think we want to maximize fan amenities and attract the best possible environment for Philadelphia. And to do that, you’ve really got to do the exploratory research. Don’t rush into it. This is a big decision.”

Part of the big decision includes the future site of the stadium, if the Eagles decide to build anew. Since 1971, the Eagles have called the South Philadelphia Sports Complex their home. The World War II-era Steagles aside, each of the team’s six permanent home stadiums throughout its 92-year history have been located within city limits.

But in recent years, some NFL teams with new stadium plans have explored moves outside of city centers, or even to different states entirely. Chicago Bears president Kevin Warren told Pro Football Talk on Tuesday that the team’s next stadium will likely reside in either northwest Indiana or Arlington Heights, Ill., after their lease expires at Soldier Field in 2033.

Public funding often plays a role in prospective stadium destinations. Indiana governor Mike Braun signed a bill in February that permitted funding for a potential new Bears stadium in Hammond, Ind., which is located approximately 25 miles northeast of Chicago.

Lurie wouldn’t rule out any potential locations if the team builds a new stadium, even if that means leaving South Philadelphia.

“Whatever’s best for the fans,” Lurie said. “I mean, we don’t really go on a geographical basis. It’s whatever’s best for the fans. And I can’t tell you where [the planned stadium in] Cleveland is, Barcelona is, I don’t know. Honestly, the bottom line is whatever is best for the fans.”

Lurie repeatedly emphasized that the fan experience is his top priority in the stadium plans. He said he doesn’t have any “non-negotiables,” even as it pertains to the decision to include a dome on their home. New stadiums and renovations to existing facilities around the league have often included roofs, increasing the eligibility of those cities to host events such as the Super Bowl.

“We’re so focused on fan amenities,” Lurie said. “To me, that’s the number one thing. Just as a boy growing up, you want to have as best a fan experience. The rest is architecture, design, and where it ends up.”

Lincoln Financial Field will turn 23 years old in August. The Jefferson Health Training Complex, the team’s practice facility formerly called the NovaCare Complex, is 24 years old. By the time the Washington Commanders’ new stadium is scheduled to open at the historic RFK Stadium site in 2030, Lurie acknowledged that the Eagles’ facilities will be the oldest in the division.

But Lurie said he loves Lincoln Financial Field and called it “wonderful.” The practice facility went from “worst to best” when NovaCare was built in 2001, he said. The team continues to make upgrades and renovations to its current facilities, plus investments beyond the physical buildings into player health and safety endeavors.

Just because the Eagles’ facilities are aging doesn’t necessarily mean that they can’t be improved or that a new stadium is a foregone conclusion, according to Lurie.

“There’s Fenway [Park], there’s Lambeau [Field], whatever, but there’s no question our practice facility and particularly our stadium will be the oldest in the division,” Lurie said. “We have put so much money into the stadium, so it doesn’t appear that way, and it’s still great, and people still love it, but it’s a fact of that exploration I was talking to you about.

“Do we want to be in 2045, 15 years older than every other stadium in our division or whatever? We’d have to see. Maybe. But it’s all part of it. I know part of our culture is to … maximize the athletic ability that we have of our players, our coaches and everybody. That will always be the top priority. So whatever we’re doing with [the] stadium, with [the] practice facility, if it’s not near top-notch, it’s not our goal.”

The Eagles are still at least a year away from cementing their stadium plans. The only certainty is that Lurie is considering every alternative.

“I think if you’re just humble about it and open that you don’t have all the answers, and do the exploratory work, you’ll end up with a better long-term situation,” Lurie said.

The Eagles are adding an option for their vacant third receiver spot, agreeing to terms with Marquise “Hollywood” Brown on a one-year deal worth up to $6.5 million, a league source confirmed to The Inquirer on Tuesday.

Brown, who turns 29 in June, is a seven-year NFL veteran who spent the last two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs. Though he missed all but the tail end of the 2024 season with a shoulder injury, he played in 16 games (six starts) in 2025.

Against the Eagles in Super Bowl LIX, Brown caught two passes for 15 yards, playing on 41 snaps.

In that span, the 5-foot-9, 180-pound receiver posted 587 yards (No. 2 on the team behind Travis Kelce) and five touchdowns (tied for the team high) on 49 receptions. Brown has been dependable when healthy, dropping just two passes since 2024 in the regular season and postseason combined, according to Pro Football Focus.

Brown began his career with the Baltimore Ravens, the team that drafted him No. 25 overall in 2019 out of Oklahoma. In his seven NFL seasons with Baltimore (2019-21), the Arizona Cardinals (2022-23), and Kansas City, Brown has played 90 games, collecting 4,322 yards and 33 touchdowns on 371 receptions.

He has established himself as a vertical threat who can line up out wide or in the slot. Last season with the Chiefs, Brown took 37.8% of his snaps in the slot (159) and 61.8% out wide (260), according to PFF.

Come training camp, Brown figures to contend for the third receiver role occupied the last two seasons by Jahan Dotson, who signed with the Atlanta Falcons in free agency. The receiving depth chart is currently led by A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, and Hollywood Brown would join a depth receiver corps that also includes Darius Cooper and Johnny Wilson.

The new-look Eagles offense may be the buzziest topic of the offseason, but change is coming for the defense, too.

Of the Eagles’ 19 pending unrestricted free agents, nine are on defense, and four — Jaelan Phillips, Nakobe Dean, Reed Blankenship, and Adoree’ Jackson — were starters for most of the 2025 season. So, more than one-third of the defensive starters could depart Philadelphia, come the start of the new league year on March 11, requiring Howie Roseman to fill their roles either externally or internally.

Some positions have more clear-cut internal replacements than others. Some pending free agents likely are higher priorities for retention than others. Because the Eagles are set to have approximately $13 million in cap space at the start of the new league year, even those priority players could be difficult to keep, depending on their open-market demand.

Ultimately, the Eagles could part with the majority of those midrange to big-ticket free agents if they want to extend players like Jordan Davis or Jalen Carter this offseason (and others in coming years such as Cooper DeJean, Quinyon Mitchell, and Jalyx Hunt).

Here’s a look at where the Eagles stand with their pending defensive free agents and which potential additions might pique their interest:

Edge rushers

The biggest defensive domino of the Eagles’ offseason (and the one that likely will fall first) is Phillips. The 26-year-old pass rusher is one of the better players in this year’s pending free agent class, given his youth, his on-field impact, and the premium position he plays.

Of the Eagles’ pending free agents, he ought to be the biggest priority to retain. He seamlessly transitioned to a new defense at the trade deadline, and while he didn’t post gaudy sack numbers (two in eight games), he made the players around him better. His injury history could be cause for concern for any organization, but he made it through the 2025 season healthy while playing over 70% of the defensive snaps with the Miami Dolphins and the Eagles.

Phillips could have other suitors, though, which may drive up his asking price and push him out of the Eagles’ range. The Athletic projected his next contract at four years, $98 million ($24.5 million per year), while Spotrac is more conservative at three years, $52 million ($17.3 million per year). The reality could lie somewhere between those figures.

Whether Phillips returns or not, the Eagles must add edge rushers through free agency and the draft. Hunt and Nolan Smith are the only two players at the position who were on the active roster in 2025 and are under contract next year. Brandon Graham, Joshua Uche, Azeez Ojulari, and Ogbo Okoronkwo are pending free agents.

Besides Phillips, some of the other free-agent edge rushers worth considering include:

Bradley Chubb: On Feb. 16, the Dolphins released Chubb, who turns 30 in June, so he is available now if the Eagles are interested. The veteran edge rusher has ample experience playing for Vic Fangio, first with the Denver Broncos from 2019 to 2021 (including a Pro Bowl season in 2020) and in 2023 with the Dolphins. He rebounded in 2025 from an ACL injury sustained the year prior to collect 8½ sacks in 17 games.

Khalil Mack: Another former Fangio pupil (with the Chicago Bears). Mack just turned 35, so it seems unlikely that the Eagles would go after him if they also decide to bring back the soon-to-be-38-year-old Graham for another year. But if they move on from Graham and Mack is looking to add a title to his long list of career accolades, the Eagles could make sense as a landing spot. Despite suffering an elbow injury that kept him sidelined for five games in 2025, Mack finished with 5½ sacks and 32 tackles for the Los Angeles Chargers.

Maxx Crosby: OK, he isn’t a free agent, and his contract with the Las Vegas Raiders is staggering. But according to Sports Illustrated, Crosby could be a candidate for a trade, and the Eagles are among the teams “keeping tabs on his availability.” This would be the splash that Roseman explicitly said was unlikely this offseason. Still, Crosby has had offseason surgery the last two years, which could impact the return for him in a trade. One can dream of what the five-time Pro Bowler would look like in Fangio’s defense, even if it would take some serious maneuvering to pull off.

Other names to watch: Arnold Ebiketie, Boye Mafe, Kingsley Enagbare

Cornerbacks

The Eagles are set with DeJean and Mitchell returning as starters, but the secondary has a hole at the second outside cornerback spot. Jackson, 30, is poised to become a free agent after holding down that starting role for the majority of the 2025 season.

As the season progressed, Jackson’s play improved. He could be a candidate to return to the Eagles in 2026 if they believe he can continue to play at a high level. They also could open the competition internally to Kelee Ringo, who vied for the job last training camp, or Mac McWilliams, who trained at outside cornerback and at nickel in practice last season.

Or, they could go the external route through the draft or free agency. Seeing as the Eagles have a number of long-term needs on offense (especially at tight end and on the offensive line) that could require premium draft capital, will free agency be the best route to acquire an outside cornerback?

Riq Woolen: The 26-year-old Woolen was one of the members of the Seattle Seahawks’ Super Bowl-winning “Dark Side” defense. He excelled at locking down his opponent, allowing the fewest yards per snap among outside cornerbacks with at least 250 coverage snaps entering Week 18, according to Next Gen Stats. Woolen is one of the better man coverage cornerbacks in the league, and while the Eagles play mostly zone, they deployed one of the higher rates of man coverage in the NFL in 2025 (24.5%; No. 12, according to Sharp Football Analysis).

Eric Stokes: Stokes covers two squares on the Roseman Prospective Target Bingo Card: draft pedigree and Georgia ties. The 27-year-old cornerback was the Green Bay Packers’ first-round pick (No. 29)in the 2021 draft. His early career with the Packers was marred by injury, but he stayed healthy as a starter with the Raiders last season. Stokes’ 77.2 passer rating against ranked 14th in the NFL among cornerbacks with at least 500 coverage snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.

Asante Samuel Jr.: If the Eagles can’t afford Woolen or Stokes, Samuel could be an option. Samuel, 26, underwent spinal fusion surgery last offseason and returned to action with the Pittsburgh Steelers in November. He started three games (in six appearances) in 2025, bringing his total career starts to 50. So long as the Eagles aren’t spooked by his injury history, he could compete for the starting gig on a low-cost deal with the team his father played for from 2008 to 2011.

Other names to watch: Josh Jobe, James Pierre, Benjamin St-Juste

Safeties

Is this the end of the “Exciting Whites”? Blankenship, 27, is set to become a free agent after four seasons (three as a starter) in Philadelphia.

He has a special story with the Eagles, signing with the team as an undrafted free agent out of Middle Tennessee State in 2022 and playing his way into a prominent role on defense. But he could earn a payday elsewhere — Spotrac projects his next contract at two years, $14.4 million ($7.2 million per year), while The Athletic estimates his potential deal at four years, $42 million ($10.5 million per year).

If Blankenship walks, the Eagles will be in the market for a safety who can start alongside Drew Mukuba, who is coming off a season-ending fibula fracture. However, given Blankenship’s body of work over the last few seasons and the lack of depth in the room, he could be one of the Eagles’ priorities ahead of free agency.

The Eagles lack internal replacement candidates, so they may have no choice but to spend money at the position. Sydney Brown could compete for the job again, but he struggled to hold it down at midseason while Mukuba was sidelined.

Marcus Epps: The 30-year-old safety usurped the starting job from Brown for four of the Eagles’ final five regular-season games and fared well in limited action. He could return on a relatively inexpensive, short-term deal while the Eagles add youth to the position through the draft.

Kam Curl: It seems unlikely that the Eagles would break the bank for a safety, so the addition of Curl would be a long shot, given that he’s one of the best in this free-agent class. Still, he’s worth checking in on, as he will be just 27 years old in 2026 and has 86 career starts, including 33 over the past two seasons with the Los Angeles Rams. He is a versatile, intelligent player who could provide an upgrade to the Eagles’ back end.

Kevin Byard: Could a reunion be on the horizon? Even at 32, Byard won’t come cheap, given his standout 2025 season with the Bears (including a league-high seven interceptions). But the Eagles evidently liked him enough to acquire him from the Tennessee Titans during the disastrous 2023 season. He would be better positioned for success under Fangio.

Other names to watch: Jaquan Brisker, Coby Bryant

Inside linebackers

No one from the Eagles defense in 2025 exceeded expectations more than Dean. The 25-year-old inside linebacker began the season on the physically unable to perform list because of the patellar tendon tear he sustained in the 2024 wild-card round. Entering the season, he faced questions about whether he would return to the level of play he achieved before his injury.

He never appeared limited upon his return to action. While most homegrown players of Dean’s caliber would warrant an attempt at an extension, the Eagles could move on from him this offseason. Jihaad Campbell, the 31st overall pick out of Alabama in 2025, is on standby to succeed Dean as the starter alongside Zack Baun.

After Campbell and Baun, the Eagles have solid depth at the position under contract in 2026, including Jeremiah Trotter Jr. and Smael Mondon. Even Chance Campbell, a 2022 sixth-rounder out of Ole Miss, built a strong reputation throughout his season on the practice squad. It seems unlikely that the Eagles will make any major additions to the unit in free agency.

Despite the league’s attempt to keep the annual NFL Players Association’s 2026 report card out of the public eye, ESPN reported its results on Thursday night. The Eagles reportedly finished 20th — an improvement from 22nd a year ago — in the annual poll.

The Eagles’ grades with each category range from glowing — especially surrounding the coaching staff — to glaring.

Nick Sirianni passed with flying colors. The Eagles head coach received an A grade, an improvement over his A- finish in 2025. Sirianni was one of 11 coaches who earned an A or higher. Only two head coaches — Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams and Dan Quinn of the Washington Commanders — earned A+ grades.

Sirianni wasn’t the only Eagles coach who garnered a strong grade. Vic Fangio was one of three defensive coordinators to receive an A+, joining Jesse Minter of the Los Angeles Chargers (now the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens) and Aden Durde of the Seattle Seahawks.

Special teams coordinator Michael Clay and the training staff both earned As. The strength coaches and position coaches both received A- grades.

Former offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo was awarded a C+, the lowest grade of the coaching staff.

For a second straight year, owner Jeffrey Lurie earned a B grade. General manager Howie Roseman took home a B, too.

The Eagles’ worst grades didn’t have to do with the coaching staff or the front office. Just like last year, the team was awarded an F in team travel. In the 2025 survey, players noted that they should get first-class seats on team flights, instead of the coaching staff.

A team source told The Inquirer the organization held a meeting with the Eagles leadership council last offseason to address the concerns detailed in the 2025 NFLPA report card and determine improvements. The only concern the organization had heard related to team travel is that the whole team does not have first-class, lie-flat seats for every road game.

The team introduced first-class seating for starters on flights over three hours, but the Eagles only played one of those long-distance games this past season. For flights of less than three hours, about 28 players have an entire three-seat row to themselves.

The New England Patriots, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were also given failing grades in team travel.

The Eagles locker room was rated a D, down from a D+ in 2025. Last year, players expressed a concern about the lack of space in the locker room at the practice facility, which is now called the Jefferson Health Training Complex.

The players gave the Eagles a C+ for “treatment of families,” a minor improvement over last year’s C- grade. A team source said that they took feedback and introduced a postgame space for players and their friends and family that was not open to season ticket holders.

Additionally, Lincoln Financial Field earned an A, as did the food and dining areas at the training facility. The Eagles received an A- for their weight room, a B+ for their nutritionist/dietician, and a B- for their training room.

A team source told The Inquirer the Eagles are in the midst of a multi-million-dollar facility upgrade driven by the acquisition of the former Rothman Orthopaedics space, which includes an overhaul to the training and recovery areas, including upgraded massage rooms, spaces dedicated to mental health, sleep, and total body wellness.

According to ESPN, the survey was conducted from Nov. 2 to Dec. 11. The report cards were based on responses from 1,759 players, each of which were on a 2025 roster during the time of the survey.

The NFLPA has been conducting anonymous player surveys since 2023. Before this year, they were distributed for public consumption. However, earlier this month, the NFL won a grievance against the NFLPA that argued the report cards were a violation of the collective bargaining agreement.

The NFLPA responded by releasing a statement saying it would continue to conduct the surveys regardless of the ban on public distribution.

INDIANAPOLIS — After a five-year hiatus, Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton rejoined the competition committee this offseason. He said he likes “our league” and having a say in the rules that govern it.

But every once in a while, his self-described “B.S. meter” spikes.

Last year’s discussions surrounding the Tush Push struck a sour note with Payton. He claimed the competition committee spent hours highlighting the health and safety risks of the push sneak, all the while introducing the dynamic kickoff in 2024 that would lead to an uptick in returns, and in turn, concussions.

Thus, Payton suggested that furthering the health-and-safety argument to effectively ban the Tush Push would be hypocritical.

“Look, I think if that ever goes away, it’s not a health and safety thing, right?” Payton said on Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine. “We discussed that last year for two hours, and we just adopted 1,000 more kick returns. Which play do you think is more of a health risk? One thousand more kick returns. So I think if we choose to ever move on from that, it won’t be because of health and safety. It will just be like, we don’t like it, which is OK.”

Despite previous leaguewide critiques of player safety and aesthetics, the Tush Push could be poised to live another season. Competition committee cochairman Rich McKay told reporters on Monday that he doesn’t anticipate a team submission of a rules proposal seeking to eradicate the push sneak recently popularized by the Eagles.

While the play had been scrutinized since its inception in 2022, the Green Bay Packers were the first team to take a formal shot at a ban when they submitted a rule change proposal in March. The proposal did not garner the requisite support from the league’s owners to be adopted last season.

The past could stay in the past. Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said Tuesday that his team has no plans to revive its proposal, which fell short by two votes last year.

The waning ire directed at the play correlates with the Eagles’ declining efficiency in 2025. According to tushpush.fyi, the Eagles attempted a league-high 33 push sneaks while converting 21, a 64% success rate (the league average is 73.8%). By the end of the regular season, the Eagles decided against running their signature sneak in short-yardage situations.

Even in the red zone, the Eagles opted for variations of the sneak instead of calling upon quarterback Jalen Hurts to drive his legs through defenders and across the line to gain. Tight end Dallas Goedert’s success in the red zone (10 touchdowns inside the opponent’s 20-yard line) in 2025 occurred in part due to the Eagles’ struggles at executing the push play.

The competition committee and the teams could still submit proposals ahead of the annual league meeting in late March. But John Lynch, the San Francisco 49ers general manager and another member of the competition committee, suggested that the crusade against the Tush Push has lost steam after defenses caught up to its dominance.

“That’s all we talked about last year,” Lynch said. “And I will tell you, it felt like there was momentum going into league meetings that it would be overturned. And then it kind of flipped, and those things happen. I think now, we went through a year, maybe people have gotten a little bit better at defending it. Maybe they’re doing it less. People aren’t wanting to put their quarterbacks in those types of situations. You’re seeing more variety. They line up in the Tush Push, they run outside.

“So maybe, just maybe, it’s kind of solving itself, but we’ll see. I think you’ve got to monitor those things over time to see the trends, and that’s something we’ll continue to do.”

The Tush Push isn’t in the clear just yet, so Nick Sirianni said he doesn’t “have to cross that bridge” until its legality in 2026 is official. Still, the Eagles coach said he is looking forward to reimagining its fit in a new-look scheme under offensive coordinator Sean Mannion.

“I think there’s some things that teams did this year that they did a good job of being able to stop it and we either have to get back to being able to be as dominant as we were at it, or we find new avenues to be able to convert on third down or in the red zone,” Sirianni said. “And so that’s the fun part about [the] offseason, is to be able to go through those processes. You go through them during the season as well. I think you saw us do some cool things off of it, and you still want to be able to do that.

“We know it took a little bit of [a] step back, and we’ve got to coach it better and we’ve got to execute it better. And looking forward to seeing where that goes in the future.”

Mannion draws praise

As quarterbacks coach with the Seattle Seahawks in 2022, Dave Canales would refer to his cadre of quarterbacks as his “bullpen.” But while the starting quarterback garnered the bulk of the reps, Mannion, the third-stringer, still prepared as if he was the go-to guy, according to Canales.

“Sean wanted to make sure he got all the throws, and then he wanted to make sure he put himself in the most impossible physical positions to try to get the throw done,” said Canales, now the Carolina Panthers’ head coach. “I learned so much in our times [together]. Different progressions, different types of drills he forced himself into were things that I took with me as I continued to coach quarterbacks over the last couple of years. But [he’s] brilliant, asks the right questions, catches the loopholes in protections and different things like that.”

Those interactions over the course of their year together gave Canales the confidence that Mannion had the offensive aptitude to take on a coaching role following his NFL playing career. But his football intelligence wouldn’t be the only determining factor.

“It was just a matter of if he was dumb enough to get into the profession,” Canales said with a smile. “But I guess he is, so here he is.”

Here he is, just three years into his coaching career. After Mannion’s two seasons with the Packers — one as an offensive assistant and another as quarterbacks coach — the Eagles hired him to succeed Kevin Patullo as offensive coordinator in late January.

The precise ins and outs of his prospective scheme remain unknown, although Sirianni has acknowledged it is influenced by the Kyle Shanahan/Sean McVay scheme, an ode to Mannion’s roots as a player and as a Packers assistant.

Despite Mannion’s lack of play-calling experience, his coaching acumen is highly regarded by his peers, including new Atlanta Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski. The Wayne native and St. Joseph’s Prep/Penn product was Mannion’s offensive coordinator with the Minnesota Vikings in 2019. They kept in touch over the years and discussed coaching opportunities, Stefanski said, but Mannion elected to keep playing.

“You could tell right away he was wired to do this,” Stefanski said. “His dad’s a coach. When you’re [in] the backup [quarterback] role, I think great coaches come from that role, because you have to prepare yourself to play, even when you’re not getting the reps. So I think he’s been really developed into it, developed by the different stops that he’s had with the different people that he’s had. But it’s always been in him to coach, and I think that just goes back to how he was brought up.”

Gutekunst said he wasn’t surprised by Mannion’s quick rise up the coaching ranks, either. However, Mannion’s departure was “unfortunate,” Gutekunst said, seeing as he hoped to keep “a young, really talented coach” on staff for more than a couple of years.

“He’s going to do a great job,” Gutekunst said. “The ability to see the game through a quarterback’s eyes because of his playing career, coming from a coaching family, there’s just a lot to like there.”