But things feel a little different this time. The Eagles had a transformative offseason, tinkering with their offensive strategy and adding on defense, but dealing away their No. 1 weapon in wide receiver A.J. Brown. All the while, almost all of their NFC East foes took steps forward, at least on paper.
Let’s take a look at those steps. Are the Eagles destined to three-peat? Or will the revamped Giants, Cowboys or Commanders steal their crown?
Can Dak Prescott (4) and the Cowboys make a realistic run at the NFC East in Year 2 under Brian Schottenheimer?
Dallas Cowboys (7-9-1 in 2025)
NFC East title odds (FanDuel): +200
Last year’s results vs. Eagles: The Cowboys split their series with the Birds in 2025 in two heated installments that began with Jalen Carter spitting on quarterback Dak Prescott in the Eagles’ season-opening 24-20 win. Dallas won the return matchup, rallying for a 24-21 victory in Week 12.
Scheduled 2026 meetings vs. Eagles:
Oct. 26 (Monday Night Football) at the Linc
Nov. 26 (Thanksgiving) at Dallas
Biggest changes: The Cowboys can actually thank the Eagles for their biggest offseason change. In January, Dallas named lauded defensive mind — and former Eagles DBs coach/defensive pass game coordinator — Christian Parker its new coordinator for 2026. He’ll coach a promising defense that now has stud Ohio State safety Caleb Downs in the mix.
Why the Cowboys are optimistic: Offense never seems to be a concern for the Cowboys, who ranked second in yards per game last season (391.9). Defense has been their Achilles’ heel in recent years. But with a promising mind like Parker’s in the building and some exciting new faces (plus the first full season of defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, who was obtained at the 2025 trade deadline), there’s reason to believe their defense could carry them in 2026.
Why they shouldn’t be: The Cowboys just can’t help themselves when it comes to off-field distractions. The team still doesn’t have a contract resolution with wide receiver George Pickens, who ranked third in receiving yards last season (1,429).
The Commanders figure to be tougher with a healthy Jayden Daniels.
Washington Commanders (5-12 in 2025)
NFC East title odds (FanDuel): +450
Last year’s results vs. Eagles: The Commanders faced the Eagles twice in the final three weeks of 2025, with Washington already out of the playoff race. The Eagles took the first game on the road, 29-18, while Washington came to the Linc and won 24-17 in a regular season finale where the Eagles rested most of their starters.
Scheduled 2026 meetings vs. Eagles:
Sept. 13 at the Linc
Nov. 1 (Sunday Night Football) at Washington
Biggest changes: The Commanders front office somehow managed to underwhelm its fans more this offseason than in last year’s 5-12 campaign. The biggest change came in the coaching room, with the team firing defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. and parting ways with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. First-time coordinators Daronte Jones and David Blough will take over as DC and OC, respectively.
Why the Commanders are optimistic: Jayden Daniels is the only reason to be optimistic about the 2026 Commanders. He willed them to the NFC title game in 2024, so you can’t rule out the possibility of him doing it again. At the very least, if he can stay healthy, they’ll be competitive.
Why they shouldn’t be: GM Adam Peters’ splashiest move of the spring was adding running back Rachaad White, who’s not exactly a headline grabber. They’re reportedly in on 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, which might lead to more problems than solutions. Daniels might need another miracle season like his rookie campaign to help lift this group.
John Harbaugh had a .614 winning percentage during the regular season in 18 seasons with the Ravens, which made him attractive to the struggling Giants.
New York Giants (4-13 in 2025)
NFC East title odds (FanDuel): +550
Last year’s results vs. Eagles: The Giants split their 2025 series against the Eagles, securing a stunning 34-17 victory in a Week 6 coming out party for rookies Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo on Thursday Night Football. The Eagles rolled the Giants in the second matchup held 17 days later, 38-20.
Scheduled 2026 meetings vs. Eagles:
Nov. 8 at the Linc
Jan. 10, 2027 at New York
Biggest changes: It feels like everything changed for the Giants this offseason. The team made its splashiest head coaching hire since Tom Coughlin, bringing in John Harbaugh from the Ravens. They also had a headline-worthy draft, picking up Ohio State edge rusher Arvell Reese and Miami tackle Francis Mauigoa in the top 10, then bringing in linebacker Tremaine Edmunds in free agency.
Why the Giants are optimistic: Harbaugh is the main reason for optimism in East Rutherford. The Giants have had talented rosters, but lackluster coaching has helped hold them back. If Dart progresses and wide receiver Malik Nabers returns to form, they should be one of the most improved teams in the NFL.
Why they shouldn’t be: The Giants were a bad run defense with stalwart defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, allowing a league-worst 5.3 yards per rush last season (the worst such mark in team history). How much worse will things get with Lawrence now traded to the Bengals? Let’s just say new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson has his work cut out for him.
The Eagles are headed to the shore on Wednesday for Jason Kelce’s sixth annual celebrity bartending fundraiser event at Ocean Drive in Sea Isle City.
The Team 62 at Ocean Drive fundraiser will raise funds for the Eagles Autism Foundation. During last year’s event, Kelce and the Birds raised a record-breaking $1 million — surpassing the prior year’s total of $865,000. Since 2021, they have raised more than $2.4 million for the foundation.
Ahead of this year’s Team 62 fundraiser, which is set to take place between 4-8 p.m., there will be a family-friendly event hosted by the Eagles Autism Foundation at Excursion Park between 12-3 p.m. It will feature activities like mini football as well as cheer and drum line clinics. A $25 donation will grant families access to the event.
In addition to the bartending session at Ocean Drive on Wednesday, the fourth annual Beer Bowl starts at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Sea Isle City Yacht Club, where guests can watch teams compete for a $50,000 cash prize.
For general admission to the bartending session, there will be a $10 cover charge on a first-come, first-served basis. Ticket packages for early admission are available online with all proceeds from the evening benefiting the Eagles Autism Foundation.
Devan Kaney is saying goodbye to Philadelphia, at least for now.
Kaney anchored her final Fox 29 sportscast over the weekend and and is leaving town for a yet-to-be-announced job opportunity in a bigger market. Though she hinted she would still appear on Fox’s airwaves.
“I’m so grateful for the support all of my colleagues at Fox 29 have given me during my time there, but especially in the last few months,” Kaney said.
“As much as I would have loved to return as the sideline reporter, they never reached out,” Kaney said, “and I’ll be covering a different NFL franchise moving forward.”
Kaney had been with Fox 29 since 2023, serving as a part-time sports anchor and reporter. She also appeared on Good Day Philadelphia and featured prominently on the station’s Eagles coverage.
She’ll be replaced in part by former 6abc sportscaster Jamie Apody, who just landed an expanded role at Fox 29 and will anchor the station’s Saturday 10 p.m. newscast.
“I was absolutely not expecting Jayson Werth,” Kaney told The Inquirer earlier this month. “He’ll just drop the most insane stories, and it’s awesome to work with him.”
It goes without saying, but we’ll say it anyway. The Eagles still are more than two months away from cutting their roster down to 53 players by the Aug. 30 deadline for the 2026 NFL season.
A lot can change between now and then.
It’s almost a guarantee that there will be some player movement on and off the 90-man roster between now and then, and probably even before the Eagles take the field for the first time at training camp at the end of July.
Who’s going to be on that initial 53-man roster? We’re going to make predictions throughout training camp, and since the Eagles just finished their offseason program and have some downtime before camp begins, it’s worth taking a shot at predicting the roster now. Future iterations of this list will be more informed (not that this one isn’t!).
Without further ado, here is our initial 53-man roster prediction for the 2026 Eagles — and a first guess some players who will stick around on the practice squad, too.
How much would Cole Payton’s presence on the roster factor into what the Eagles do ahead of him at QB2?
Quarterbacks (3): Jalen Hurts, Andy Dalton, Cole Payton
Traded: Tanner McKee
Practice squad: TBD
Something’s got to give, right? The Eagles aren’t going to use four roster spots at the quarterback position. They also may be reluctant to expose a fifth-round pick (Payton) to waivers unless his camp is that uninspiring. But Kyle McCord was a sixth-round pick last year and the Eagles were able to pass him through waivers. Still, the Eagles have been rotating Dalton and McKee with the second-team offense throughout the offseason program, which means McKee’s grip on the No. 2 spot has loosened. The Eagles probably are hopeful McKee plays well at camp and in preseason games so they can deal their 2023 sixth-round pick for a draft asset.
As for that TBD spot in the practice squad, if McKee is dealt, count on the Eagles bringing in another body late in camp with the goal of keeping that player on the practice squad.
Running backs (4): Saquon Barkley, Tank Bigsby, Will Shipley, Cameron Latu (fullback)
Count Barkley and Bigsby as locks, but behind them is a real competition for roster spots. Shipley gets the nod here, but we’ll see what happens when camp starts rolling. Pierce and Mitchell bring some experience. Steele, meanwhile, is a fullback. Latu is listed as a tight end by the Eagles, but he transitioned to fullback last year and his best path to the roster is at that position. Whether the Eagles keep a fullback or not remains to be seen, but Latu is a pretty solid blocker and has made an impact on special teams.
Darius Cooper (left) and Dontayvion Wicks are part of a crowded receiving corps.
Wide receivers (6): DeVonta Smith, Makai Lemon, Dontayvion Wicks, Hollywood Brown, Darius Cooper, Elijah Moore
Cut: Johnny Wilson, Britain Covey, Danny Gray, Quez Watkins, Erik Ezukanma, Samori Toure
Practice squad: Covey, Wilson
The Eagles have begun life after A.J. Brown. There’s a pretty clear pecking order as things stand right now. The top four receivers seem pretty etched in stone, but there will be healthy competition for the back end of the depth chart. They could end up keeping five instead of six, too. Cooper and Moore slot in on this first pass and get the nod over Wilson, who should be easy to get through waivers since he’s coming off injury.
The Eagles liked what they saw out of Cooper, an undrafted free agent, last season and Nick Sirianni raves about the “dirty work” Cooper and Wilson bring to the table. Having them both may be a little redundant. Moore may be considered a relative long shot to make the team, but he has had his moments in the NFL and could push for a spot for a team that might need some more playmaking at wide receiver with A.J. Brown gone. Covey, meanwhile, could slot in on the practice squad and be called upon in the punt return game.
Can Grant Calcaterra stick on a team with bolstered depth at the tight end position?
Tight ends (3): Dallas Goedert, Eli Stowers, Johnny Mundt
Cut: Grant Calcaterra, Stone Smartt, E.J. Jenkins, Dae’Quan Wright
Practice squad: Wright
If all goes as planned for the Eagles, this position might be the most boring one in camp when it comes to figuring out who to keep and who to cut. Mundt was brought in to provide a big boost in the blocking department, and the Eagles drafted Stowers in the second round. There’s a world where they keep four, but Calcaterra, who has been a mainstay on the team over the last four seasons, seems like a long shot to make the roster given his deficiencies as a blocker and his slot work being superfluous with Stowers in the mix.
Offensive linemen (11): Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, Tyler Steen, Lane Johnson, Markel Bell, Fred Johnson, Drew Kendall, Michael Jordan, Micah Morris, Cameron Williams
The five starters are pretty set unless someone wows in camp and pushes Steen for a spot. Behind the starting unit is more talent than there was at season’s end. The Eagles made a concerted effort to add some depth to the offensive line. They brought back Fred Johnson and drafted Bell. The third-round pick might have first dibs on the swing tackle job. They also added some more experience on the interior in Jordan, who started 20 games over the last two seasons. Having Jordan makes it so that Kendall and Morris aren’t the primary backups on the interior. The Eagles likely will have a decision to make on the two tackles they drafted last season: Hinton and Williams. It seems unlikely both make the team.
Can Uar Bernard progress quickly from major project to a spot on the active roster?
Defensive tackles (5): Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Moro Ojomo, Byron Young, Uar Bernard
Cut: Ty Robinson, Gabe Hall, Zion Wilson, Ta’Quan Graham
Practice squad: Robinson, Wilson
This is a tricky one. How likely is Bernard to be claimed by another team if the Eagles waive him? Remember, the claiming team needs to put the claimed player on the 53-man roster. The first-time football player has some elite athleticism, but he doesn’t know how to play football. It’s hard to justify keeping a player on the 53 that is unlikely to dress for a single game. But Bernard is unique. Robinson is the roster casualty here, but last year’s fourth-round pick gets through waivers in this prediction and gets onto the practice squad, where he can be elevated for game days. Wilson is an intriguing prospect the Eagles probably would like to keep around.
Edge rushers (5): Jonathan Greenard, Jalyx Hunt, Nolan Smith, Arnold Ebiketie, A.J. Epenesa
Cut: Keyshawn James-Newby, Jose Ramirez, Joshua Weru
Practice squad: James-Newby, Weru (IPP)
The first four spots offer little intrigue. There’s an obvious trio at the top in Greenard, Hunt, and Smith, and Ebiketie, who signed a one-year deal worth more than $7 million, slots in as a rotational rusher. The last spot likely will come down to James-Newby, a seventh-round pick in this year’s draft, and Epenesa, who signed with the Eagles on the day minicamp ended after his free-agent deal with Cleveland fell through following a physical. We’ll give the nod to the experienced Epenesa and put the rookie on the practice squad for now, where he’ll join Weru, who won’t count against the 17-player limit on the practice squad due to his International Pathway Player (IPP) designation.
Jeremiah Trotter Jr. should see a lot of action at LB during the preseason.
With Jihaad Campbell recovering from shoulder surgery, Trotter got a chance to shine during the offseason program. The Eagles have two clear starters and a very capable backup in Trotter. Mondon had some moments on special teams last season. Could Chance Campbell push for a roster spot? Special teams would get him there. But the Eagles went heavy at offensive line in this projection and don’t have the space to keep five off-ball linebackers. Chance Campbell should get through waivers cleanly and onto the practice squad.
The Eagles should have one of the best defensive backfields in the league in 2026. Mitchell and Woolen will man the outside and DeJean, an All-Pro in 2025 like Mitchell, slots into the nickel spot, though he’ll play safety in base. Jones was brought in to provide some more depth on the outside. Ringo has had his chances and seems like a change-of-scenery candidate, but he’s been great on special teams and should earn his spot that way.
Will Marcus Epps (right) break camp manning a de facto starting role at safety?
Safety (3): Drew Mukuba, Marcus Epps, Michael Carter II
Cuts: Cole Wisniewski, Andre’ Sam, Kapena Gushiken, J.T. Gray, Max Pulley, Tucker Large
Practice squad: Wisniewski, Sam, Gushiken
We’re going light here for now since DeJean will play some safety. When the Eagles aren’t in base, which is the majority of the time, Epps is, as it stands, the guy who will play next to Mukuba. Carter II is a converted nickel corner who the Eagles will slot in a backup safety spot. Wisniewski was a seventh-round pick who could have some upside. If the Eagles keep 10 offensive linemen, or five receivers, Wisniewski likely makes the team if four safeties are kept. Keeping four is the more orthodox route. But it’s June, and we’ll start our first roster prediction with a little twist.
Special teams (3): Jake Elliott (kicker), Braden Mann (punter), Rocco Underwood (long snapper)
No cuts, no practice squad. These are the only three specialists on the roster.
Eagles wide receiver Makai Lemon has officially become a part of the Philadelphia community.
As the invited guest for the Open Door Abuse Awareness and Prevention football combine for young athletes in honor of Juneteenth on Saturday, attendees welcomed Lemon with both words and actions, rushing to gates at Mastery Charter School to greet Philly’s newest Eagle. Author and social media personality Wallace Peeples, more commonly known as Wallo267, was also a guest at the event.
The event combined athletic training with teaching emotional skills and was held at Mastery Charter for youth and high school football players.
Valencia Peterson, ODAAP’s founder, said that through its decade-long mission, the organization uses sports to share its message because of the captive audience it offers as athletes rotate through stations in agility, jumping, a 40-yard dash, and more.
“It’s all about dosing the kids, giving them a little bit at a time over and over again of the same things,” Peterson said. “Just like a rep in football, you swing your arms enough, you know how to do it automatically when you’re on the field, and so that’s what it’s like.”
Kamden Cintron, 11, participates in the 40-yard dash at the Open Door Abuse and Prevention youth football combine on Saturday.
After completing the different stations, Peterson turned things over to Lemon and Peeples to say a few words and offer advice to the athletes.
“This is a blessing. I’m just preaching to all the kids that it’s an opportunity that they shouldn’t take for granted,” Lemon said. “Super grateful, to be out here with all the kids.”
Aliyoh Turay, 24, was in the same position as the kids Lemon spoke to on Saturday. Growing up in Philadelphia, Turay was a part of the ODAAP programs in high school. Now, he volunteers by helping at events like the combine and coaching.
Turay said ODAAP was like a family that helped him grow and navigate adversity. He hopes the tools for self advocating and handling adversity will pass on to the next generation currently participating in these events.
“Growing up some of us aren’t really taught how to speak up for ourselves and how to talk about what we’re going through and ask for help,” Turay said. “So, ODAAP has really been a tool I have used to grow and reach out for help and talk about what I was going through.”
Bryant Paden, known throughout the city as “Coach Slice,” said the goal for these events is for the athletes to “learn, that it’ll grow in them, and that they’re beginning to teach it to the next generation.”
Paden, Liberty Charter’s Pop Warner president, said that demonstrating skills of emotional intelligence, especially as the brain is still developing, allows participants to retain the message more.
“We’re teaching them how to use their energy and their emotions in a positive way, even when competing in such a physical sport,” Paden said. “I think just saying it, it comes off as just words, and so we want to make sure that not only we’re saying it, we’re able to, throughout their growth, point out examples of people doing the right thing and the wrong thing, so that they can see the difference in the consequences.”
Makai Lemon speaks with a parent at the Open Door Abuse and Prevention youth football combine on Saturday.
In hopes of continuing this education after Saturday’s event, a free copy of Peeples’ book “Say Yes to You and No to Them” was given to each parent at the event, as well as each of the high school students attending.
Peeples, who grew up in Philadelphia, said it was important to him to give back to the community and invest in its future, and hopes to see more athletes like Lemon doing the same in the future.
“I hope that we start seeing more professional athletes in the community, because it’s not just about the community coming out there and cheering for you, it’s also about you showing up for the community in different ways,” Peeples said. “The big plays really start in the community and showing up for the community. That’s the biggest play that you can make.”
It’s rare that, in the same week in June, you see three separate stories that pull back the curtain on the most secretive team in town, the Philadelphia Eagles.
That’s what’s happened over the past few days. They sent NFL junkies into paroxysms of delight. They turned radio waves all atwitter with fresh meat during a typical time of famine.
The most significant and best done of the three pieces involved a look at Julian Lurie, who will one day ascend to the throne occupied by his father Jeffrey, who has owned the Eagles since 1993. Jeff McLane of The Inquirer gave us our first look at the sensitive 31-year-old who already lends his voice to the team’s biggest decisions, just as a crown prince should do.
Mike Silver was the most prolific and capable NFL profile writer when Sports Illustrated remained the industry standard 30 years ago, and he has not lost his fastball at the Athletic. Silver joined combustible coach Nick Sirianni at the Eagles’ annual playground construction project and walked away with superb detail regarding Sirianni‘s unlikely interview and subsequent hiring in 2021, all done from the beach, in flip-flops with a white board. But Silver also got an endorsement of Sirianni from superstar running back Saquon Barkley that sparked debate about how valuable and competent Sirianni is compared with his peers.
Finally, our old friend (and sometimes colleague) Joe Santoliquito, a local freelancer who specializes in in-depth exposés and, apparently, in infuriating Eagles executives. He dropped a brief piece on the Bleeding Green Nation website about the most polarizing figure in the city. The story indicates that starting quarterback Jalen Hurts is upset that the Eagles seem willing to replace him if he struggles to produce better numbers for a third straight season.
McLane‘s trademark thoroughness left little room for controversy or discussion despite the delicate nature of his subject, but that’s to be expected, since McLane is the best-sourced reporter in town.
But Barkley’s contention to Silver that Sirianni is “legendary,“ and Santoliquito‘s revelation that Hurts is unhappy … well, those struck a nerve.
Legendary?
Only four coaches who have coached at least 60 games, including playoffs, have a better winning percentage than Sirianni. All of them — Guy Chamberlin, Vince Lombardi, John Madden, and George Allen — are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
“He doesn’t get enough credit at all, in my opinion. I don’t get why he doesn’t. Like, what he’s doing, in real time, is legendary.”
Is it, though?
A head coach’s primary job is to win games, to reach the playoffs, and to battle for a title. Sirianni has not missed the playoffs in any of his five seasons. He’s reached the Super Bowl twice. He’s won it once.
Sirianni did all that winning while developing Hurts, a quarterback of limited skills but unlimited ambition — a mirror, in some ways, of Sirianni himself. But that’s a different topic for a different day. He won while handling malcontent receiver A.J. Brown. He won while handling distractions that Sirianni himself created, mainly jeering fans of both his opponents and his own team.
Which brings us to the crux of the matter. Fairly, or not, the narrative surrounding Sirianni is that the team often wins in spite of its coach.
He has been heavily involved in the offense three times: 2021, 2023, and 2025. Each time, it foundered. The other two seasons, the Eagles went to the Super Bowl and the offensive coordinators were hired away as head coaches.
An elite defense and a legendary season from Barkley sent the Eagles to their second Super Bowl. Sirianni has no involvement with the defense, which was run by first-year coordinator Vic Fangio, and Sirianni is considered a pass-first coach.
The Eagles have made the playoffs in each of Nick Sirianni’s five seasons as coach.
When Sirianni was hired in 2021, he was required to retain Jeff Stoutland, the assistant coach who ran the best overall offensive line in the NFL from 2013-2025. Stoutland, like Fangio, operated with almost complete autonomy, and he was the run-game coordinator to boot.
Sirianni also took over a talent-heavy team from Doug Pederson, who was fired mainly because Carson Wentz didn’t want him around any more. Sirianni inherited a wealth of mature locker-room leaders with incredible pedigrees: elite tackles Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata as well as center Jason Kelce; first-round receiver DeVonta Smith; defensive tackle Fletcher Cox; and defensive end Brandon Graham.
Finally, general manager Howie Roseman has consistently replenished the talent pool — Jalen Carter, Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Jordan Davis, Zach Baun, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, and Brown — to the degree that it’s fair to wonder if any coach could have failed to win, and win big.
So now you have a portrait of a coach with a sterling record but without a tangible identity. Nobody questions the character of Vince Lombardi, John Madden, or George Allen, and they all coached for at least a decade.
It’s hard to call anybody “legendary” five years into a career. Very good? Sure. Excellent? Maybe.
Legendary?
Let’s let that one breathe.
After all, Sirianni has always had stability at quarterback. Is that about to change?
The 2026 season is shaping up to be a big one for Jalen Hurts.
Hurt feelings?
Like McLane, Santoliquito specializes in long-play reporting that coalesces into bombshell stories that cause a sensation. Such was the case in 2019, when his piece just after the disappointing 2018 season included Eagles sources who called Wentz “selfish,” “uncompromising,” and “egotistical,” with crippling insecurities. After the story ran, Santoliquito received death threats, had property vandalized, and was castigated by both the Eagles organization and by Wentz’s camp.
I ripped him, too, for not giving the Eagles a fairer chance to respond. He admitted his error to me.
Within weeks, however, Santoliquito’s reporting was largely confirmed … by Wentz himself.
Unlike the landmark Wentz story, the recent article about Hurts was an opinion piece. The headline read, “Philadelphia better watch itself, or it will lose another superstar,” and Santoliquito wrote, “The fear here is that Philadelphia may be pushing another superstar out of the door.”
On that: No athlete since Phillies slugger Dick Allen was “pushed out” of Philadelphia by either the fans, the team, or the media. Not future Hall of Fame third baseman Scott Rolen, who was traded after contract negotiations collapsed; not ace Curt Schilling or stud Charles Barkley, who embraced trades after the Phillies and Sixers proved unable to build around them; and not even, as Santoliquito suggested, Wilt Chamberlain, who sought the brighter lights and cooler culture of Los Angeles as the Sixers underwent seismic changes after the 1967-68 season.
In this instance, Santoliquito, who has long been close to people in Hurts’ camp, relays signals from those contacts that Hurts is displeased that:
The Eagles, who wrote the book on saving money with early contract extensions, have not offered Hurts an extension; and,
The Eagles did not support him well enough when an ESPN story on April 1, citing sources on the team, painted Hurts as stubborn, uncoachable, and reluctant. The fallout from the story created a narrative that these traits have the Eagles considering moving on from Hurts if he struggles with the more complex scheme of new coordinator Sean Mannion.
Two things.
First: So what? So what if 2026 is a prove-it year for Hurts? If he plays well, he gets paid. Trust me, he won’t turn down cash. If he doesn’t play well he might get traded.
Second: The Eagles were irate that, as in 2019, Santoliquito did not come to them for comment in a timely manner (or at all, in this instance). Broadly, that’s a fair point. However, it’s a strange complaint in this instance, since it’s irrelevant whether Eagles players, executives, and coaches actually sufficiently supported Hurts. They did have a few words of support to offer, but it was not overwhelming.
What’s relevant is that Hurts, or his camp, feels that they didn’t support him enough.
In Santoliquito’s opinion, that might cost the Eagles the services of Hurts at some point in the future.
Following the Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX win, Deptford High School students Hunter Thomas and Dominic Alia made an Instagram fan page for then-rookie edge rusher Jalyx Hunt, who played a key role in wrecking Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ night.
Just over a year later, Hunt showed up to the high school graduation of the “Jalyx Hunt enthusiasts.”
On Thursday, while waiting to receive his diploma, Thomas received a text from his mother. Hunt, whom Thomas invited, was sitting in the away stands of Deptford’s football stadium. He waved to the Eagle, who signaled right back at Thomas and his friend, Antoine Sims.
“After that, my head starts spinning,” Thomas told The Inquirer. “There’s no freaking way that he actually came.”
Thomas first met Hunt at last year’s Eagles Autism Challenge. There, he showed the edge rusher the fan page called @jalyxhunt_enthusiast. Hunt loved it and followed the account back. Since then, Thomas and Alia have exchanged direct messages with Hunt, wishing him happy birthday and sending him messages throughout the season.
Before the Eagles’ final regular-season game this past season, a 24-17 loss to the Washington Commanders, Hunt met Thomas and Alia above the tunnel to sign Thomas’ jersey. “Always love,” Hunt, who recognized the pair, signed. “Go birds!”
When graduation came around, Thomas had an extra ticket, so he thought to text his favorite player first. To his surprise, Hunt responded that he would be able to come. Immediately, Thomas employed his sister to decorate his graduation cap, complete with Hunt’s No. 58 and a throwback Eagles logo.
In a post to his Instagram story on Thursday, Hunt shared a photo of his view from the Deptford stands. “I’m locked,” he wrote, tagging the fan account which now sits at roughly 1,000 followers.
“I get my diploma, and my mom, because she’s a teacher, she gives it to me,” Thomas said. “I hug her, and when I walk back to my seat, I point out to Jalyx. He points back. When I did it, I was just thinking, ‘I got to show him some love.’”
Jalyx Hunt with Hunter Thomas at Thomas’ high school graduation.
After all his classmates’ names were called and his cap was thrown, Thomas made his way over to Hunt, who was now sitting with Thomas’ father. Hunt caught up with Thomas, telling him that he was cheering loudly when Thomas received his diploma. Eventually, Thomas found Alia on the field and the three posed for photographs.
“There’s a lot of NFL players with all this clout, and their heads are so big, and then he’s just the most down-to-earth [person],” Thomas said. “He’s like, ‘Yes I play football, but I’m still a normal guy at the end of the day.’
“He’s one of the nicest people I’ve ever met in my life. Me and Dom said, after we were like, ‘This is like a memory that we’re going to have forever.’”
The offseason program is over, and the next time the Eagles get together at the Jefferson Health Training Complex, it will be for training camp — the official start to the 2026 NFL season.
The longest stretch of downtime around the league is right now, so it’s a good time to take stock of what we just saw during organized team activities and mandatory minicamp.
The workouts allowed for a first look at new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion’s offense and a few new key players for the Eagles, but they also left some lingering questions about the team during the break.
Here are some of the things we’re still thinking about:
How long should the probationary period be for the new-look offense?
The short answer: Longer than will probably be allowed.
Eagles fans read and watched analysis here and probably elsewhere that told them Mannion’s offense was little match for Vic Fangio’s defense during the recent practice sessions open to reporters.
Jeffrey Lurie and Howie Roseman speak with Sean Mannion (right) during mandatory minicamp.
What’s the reaction going to be if the offense looks sloppy a few practices into camp? It’ll be an outsized one, for certain. But it shouldn’t be.
There are a few reasons why:
Fangio’s defense might be among the best in the NFL this season.
The Eagles are installing a new offense with new blocking schemes.
Jalen Hurts is taking more snaps from under center.
The Eagles are using more play action and more motion.
Football is football, and some players will say as much, but there are going to be some growing pains before the offense is firing on all cylinders.
Plus, while the focus of many will be on the play-calling and what the playbook looks like, it may all just come down to the health and force of the offensive line anyway.
That’s not what the question asked, though. How long should the probationary period be? The view here is that drawing major conclusions about Mannion’s offense won’t have enough context until at least three games into the regular season. Patience levels are personal, right?
Is it possible that the A.J. Brown trade was such a foregone conclusion that the biggest roster storyline in an otherwise pretty standard offseason program was the backup quarterback position?
Andy Dalton and Tanner McKee are splitting reps behind Hurts, Nick Sirianni says, but the coach wouldn’t commit to saying McKee is the backup quarterback, the spot on the depth chart he held last season. He doesn’t have to commit to anything in June or even July or August.
But the fact that Dalton took so many reps with the second-team offense was interesting.
Quarterbacks Andy Dalton (left) and Jalen Hurts work out during mandatory minicamp.
It’s fair to wonder if McKee will be on the roster by the time camp breaks, and the Eagles are crunching numbers to get to their initial 53-man roster. The Eagles used a fifth-round pick on quarterback Cole Payton after sending a seventh-round pick to Carolina for Dalton.
It’s hard to imagine they will keep four quarterbacks on the roster, and it’s hard to imagine them wanting to expose a fifth-round pick to waivers unless Payton has the type of uninspiring training camp sixth-round pick Kyle McCord had last year.
The guess here is that Howie Roseman is hopeful McKee puts some good play on tape in the preseason, and the Eagles get some draft value back in a trade for their 2023 sixth-round pick, who is entering the last year of his contract.
Is a quiet spring from top Eagles rookies concerning?
It shouldn’t be.
But their first three picks were hampered by injuries.
First-round pick Makai Lemon, who will be asked to contribute in a big way right away with Brown out of town, missed some time with a hamstring injury but is expected to be ready for camp. Sure, he didn’t get a ton of on-field reps, but it wasn’t like he was on an island somewhere while the Eagles were installing stuff in the meeting rooms.
Makai Lemon was bothered by a hamstring injury during minicamp.
Eli Stowers, the second-round pick out of Vanderbilt, did not stand out in early workouts despite the Eagles raving about his athletic traits after selecting the tight end at No. 54. He then wore a sleeve on his right leg during the final workout of minicamp and sat out some drills.
Markel Bell, the big tackle the Eagles took in the third round, also missed the last practice of minicamp.
As for Stowers, Sirianni continued to have a lot of good things to say about him on the last day of the spring session. The former college quarterback is still only a few seasons into playing tight end, and while the Eagles are high on him — “He has an unusual skill set at the tight end position with the matchups that he is going to be getting,” Sirianni said— they also know he has a lot of work to do.
It’s way too early to be alarmed about the rookie class.
Will there be any roster additions before training camp?
Roseman kind of answered that question just hours after the final on-field workout finished when he signed former Bills edge rusher A.J. Epenesa. That move made some more sense on Tuesday, when the Eagles placed free-agent signing Joe Tryon-Shoyinka on the reserve/retired list.
Epenesa, who was drafted one spot after Hurts in 2020, originally signed with the Browns, but that deal did not finalize after Epenesa’s physical. Edge rusher was one spot, however, where the Eagles needed some more talent for some bottom-of-the-depth-chart competition. There’s a clear trio at the top in Jonathan Greenard, Jalyx Hunt, and Nolan Smith, and then there’s Arnold Ebiketie. Epenesa, who had six-plus sacks in three consecutive seasons from 2022 to 2024, figures to be in the mix for a roster spot.
A.J. Epenesa, seen here as a member of the Bills, is a recent addition to the pass rushing depth chart.
Where else could the Eagles upgrade?
Safety might be the only position on the team that still has some question marks. The Eagles plan to use Cooper DeJean at safety in their base defense with Quinyon Mitchell and Riq Woolen manning the outside corner spots. But that leaves around 75% of the reps next to Drew Mukuba for someone not named DeJean. Right now, it’s Marcus Epps’ spot to lose. But Epps is 30 and was available as a practice-squad addition last August.
Behind Epps is Michael Carter II, who has played mostly nickel, and J.T. Gray, another 30-year-old with mostly special teams experience. Then there’s a mix of young and unproven players.
Fangio has expressed confidence in Epps, and thinks Carter has the chops to play safety, but don’t be surprised if Roseman adds some more talent to the group before camp.
New Eagles edge rusher Jonathan Greenard met the media Saturday.
As the newest Eagles edge rusher, Greenard expressed an understanding that he isn’t just representing the current group. He emphasized his admiration for the players of the past, including Brandon Graham, Chris Long, Derek Barnett, and Josh Sweat, who have set the standard for the newcomers.
“I respect the hell out of the guys that have come before me, and all I can do is continue to just carry that light and make sure the things they’ve done in the past doesn’t go in vain,” Greenard said. “So I love everything about it. I love the historic franchise. I’m wanting to be a part of that.
“I want to be a part of having some hardware on my finger.”
Still rehabbing, Greenard thinks he could play today
Football has been on the back burner for the last several months as new Eagles edge rusher Jonathan Greenard recovered from season-ending left shoulder surgery in December. The injury limited him to just 12 games in 2025. Greenard said he is still rehabbing, but he is making progress.
“They don’t want me to say it, but if we had to play, I could play,” Greenard said. “But ultimately, man, I feel good. I’m in a good spot, and coming here with the best trainers as well, and the best docs here, stuff like that, I know I’m in good hands.”
As he gets back on football field in 2026, Greenard will look to return to the Pro Bowl form he achieved in 2024, his first season with the Vikings. That year, he registered 12 sacks, four forced fumbles, three pass breakups, and 18 tackles for a loss.
But the Steelers may have been violating a league rule.
They weren’t on the clock until pick No. 21, and were apparently unaware the Eagles jumped in front of them and traded with Dallas for pick No. 20.
Former Eagles executive turned consultant Jake Rosenberg pointed out on X Friday that “clubs that are not ‘on the clock’ may have discussions with the representative of one or more draft-eligible players not yet selected (or discussion with the players themselves) regarding the player’s interest in playing in the League, playing with a particular club or type of club, the player’s health, or other such non-financial matters, so long as these discussions do not interfere with discussions between a player and the club that is ‘on the clock.’”
According to Pro Football Talk, that is the correct interpretation of the rule, and PFT reached out to the NFL about the rule. “The league reviews all aspects of the Draft the week after its conclusion,” the NFL told PFT in a statement.
It’s unclear of course if the league will do anything about the phone call, of course, or just chalk it up to an simple mistake. It certainly made for embarrassing opening night for Pittsburgh, the draft’s host city.
The Eagles got their guy, and the Steelers had to settle for Arizona State tackle Max Iheanachor.
Penn State Nittany Lions offensive lineman Drew Shelton is headed to the Cowboys.
Drew Shelton, a two-year starter at Penn State and a Downingtown West graduate, was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys 112th overall in the fourth round of the NFL draft.
Shelton, who succeeded Jets offensive linemen Olu Fashanu at left tackle beginning in the 2024 season, becomes the second consecutive Downingtown West graduate to get drafted. Will Howard was selected by the Steelers in the sixth round of last year’s draft.
Leading up to the draft, Shelton was training in Dallas with Duke Manyweather, the offensive line guru and the cofounder of OL Masterminds with Lane Johnson.
Now, he will have an opportunity to return at least once a year when Dallas travels to Philly for one of two matchups inside of the NFC East.
Eagles center Jason Kelce (left), offensive tackle Jordan Mailata (second from left), and running back Kenny Gainwell (right) were all Day 3 picks.
The Eagles only have three remaining picks on Saturday — for now — and they’re not on the lock until pick No. 178, but this day has historically brought them some important players.
To be sure, some not-so-good players, too. And only having three picks makes it a little less statistically likely they have a high hit rate on the Day 3 class in 2026.
But in case you need some reminding, here are some of Howie Roseman’s best Day 3 picks:
C Jason Kelce: The Eagles picked the future Hall of Fame center at No. 191 (sixth round), helping save an otherwise bad 2011 draft class that started with Danny Watkins, the first-round firefighter, and second-round pick Jaiquawn Jarrett.
LT Jordan Mailata: Mailata had never played American football before the Eagles selected him in the seventh round in 2018. He’s now one of the steadiest left tackles in football, and part of arguably the best Eagles draft class under Roseman.
DT Moro Ojomo: Ojomo is another seventh-round steal, this one in 2023. Ojomo has turned into a productive interior defensive lineman who likely will earn a nice paycheck in free agency after this season.
DE Josh Sweat: Sweat, a fourth-round pick in that 2018 class, had a strong argument for Super Bowl MVP two seasons ago.
CB Jalen Mills: Another seventh-round pick, Mills helped the Eagles win a Super Bowl.
There are some notable honorable mentions, too: Kenneth Gainwell; Tanner McKee; Avonte Maddox; Beau Allen; Grant Calcaterra; and more.
Greenard got his first taste of Philly at Sixers game: ‘It’s different up here’
Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jonathan Greenard jogs off the field after an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions in Detroit, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/David Dermer)
New Eagles edge rusher Jonathan Greenard has never played at Lincoln Financial Field, but he got a taste of Philadelphia fans during Friday night’s Sixers playoff game at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
“They lost, but that was a crazy environment,” Greenard said. “I was just at the Hawks game back home in Georgia. Looking at that and comparing the two, I was just like, man, this environment was way, way, way better. No disrespect to them. Ultimately, man, it’s different up here. They take pride in it. They take pride in everything they do. It’s a blue collar city. When you work your tail off, everything is going to be rewarded back to you. They’re just passionate, and I love that.
“Ultimately, they want one thing. And why not? We want the same thing. I carry that chip on my shoulder. I respect the hell out of this city, respect the hell out of this [organization], and I just definitely understand what putting this jersey on, putting this helmet on, actually means to this city. And I’m going to take pride in that.”
How Jonathan Greenard sees himself fitting on Eagles defense
The Eagles introduced their new edge rusher, Jonathan Greenard, Saturday morning, just over 12 hours after acquiring him from the Vikings for a pair of third round picks.
So what does he think of the defense already in place? And how does he see himself fitting alongside the team’s current front seven?
“If you look at it across the board, they’ve got some dogs,” Greenard said of the Eagles current defensive front. “Already, you start interior-wise, [Moro] Ojomo and obviously J.C. [Jalen Carter] and J.D. [Jordan Davis], they’re going to do their things. On the edge guys, it’s such a young presence and guys who are just relentless. I feel like that’s where I can add to it, just like a vet presence. You’ve got Nolan [Smith] already doing his thing and elevating his game, and Jalyx [Hunt] as well. …
“All these guys are just hungry, and I think that adding my little expertise, and then still bringing my relentless energy and my effort to the game and polishing up my techniques — because I’m still learning too. Even though I’m a vet, I still feel like I’ve got a long way to go polishing up my technique. But just adding to what has already been put here is something I want to bring to the table. I’m not going to change anything up, change anything about what I do myself, just going to play ball and keep doing what I’ve done since I’ve been in the league.”
Former Eagles receiver coached Eli Stowers in college
As a first-year coach I had the honor of working with @eli_stowers3 every day. Coaching is easy when your players possess his level of athleticism, intelligence, and playmaking ability. AND he’s an even better person. @Eagles fans, you’re going to LOVE him! pic.twitter.com/xvsBQ8aasH
The Eagles enter the third and final day of the draft with three picks, at least for now. Here’s a look at their picks:
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With only three picks, what’s the Eagles plan for Day 3?
Eagles GM Howie Roseman has been active during the NFL draft.
On Day 3 of the draft, Howie Roseman has said in the past he is looking for players with unique traits who can develop into starters.
But as it currently stands, the Eagles are set to take fewer swings at identifying those future starters on the draft’s final day. Roseman has just three picks at his disposal — Round 5, No. 178, Round 6, No. 197, and Round 7, No. 244. He traded 2026 picks away to move up for Makai Lemon and to acquire Jonathan Greenard from the Minnesota Vikings and Dontayvion Wicks from the Green Bay Packers.
Roseman considers Greenard and Wicks to be exploits of this draft, even though they are veterans. Still, Roseman expressed a sense of longing for his since-departed Day 3 picks.
“It stinks,” Roseman said on Friday night. “We have a great meeting tomorrow morning where everyone has passion players on Day 3. Not picking in the fourth round hurts, but I think that when we look at what we’ve done and the players that we added overall, we’ll get through those couple hours and be excited about the guys we have and the opportunities that we have tomorrow to add some players.”
What are the Eagles’ remaining needs?
On Day 3, the likelihood that the Eagles will be addressing immediate roster needs are slim. Instead, as mentioned above, they’ll attempt to identify players with starting upside.
Still, the biggest question mark among the starting jobs is at safety alongside Drew Mukuba. Michael Carter and Marcus Epps are the likely contenders for the gig, but could the Eagles add a competitor to the mix, either through the draft or via trade?
While the Eagles added a tackle in the third round on Friday in Markel Bell, they likely aren’t finished adding to the offensive line. Last year, the Eagles went into training camp with 17 offensive linemen. As the roster currently stands, they have 13. One noteworthy deficiency is guard depth behind Landon Dickerson and Tyler Steen.
The Eagles will also add a quarterback at some point before training camp. Typically, the team carries four quarterbacks on the 90-man roster. The room currently stands at three with Jalen Hurts, Tanner McKee, and Andy Dalton.
Additionally, the Eagles have four running backs on the roster in Saquon Barkley, Tank Bigsby, Will Shipley, and Dameon Pierce. Last year, they went into training camp with seven.
Bowry, the 6-foot-5, 314-pounder, was a two-year starter at left tackle at Boston College. He is heralded for his athleticism at the position, as evidenced by his 5.08 40-yard dash (80th percentile) and his 34.5-inch vertical jump (96th percentile). Bowry could be better suited for guard at the next level given his size, although he did not play the position in college.
RB Nicholas Singleton, Penn State
Could the Eagles add another running back from Penn State? According to PennLive, Singleton took a pre-draft visit to the Eagles. While the top of the team’s depth chart is set with Barkley and Bigsby, Singleton could still compete for a role with Shipley and Pierce. Singleton had an underwhelming 2025 season and broke a bone in his foot at the Senior Bowl, hence his availability on Day 3. But he was stellar in 2024 as a junior, eclipsing 1,000 rushing yards.
DB Jalon Kilgore, South Carolina
Kilgore, 6-1, 210, is a versatile defensive back who primarily played at nickel throughout his three seasons at South Carolina. Over the last two seasons in particular, he had excellent ball production, combining for seven interceptions and 15 pass breakups in that span. Those skills combined with his elite athleticism (4.4 40-yard dash) should be enticing to a team like the Eagles in search of a prospective starting safety.
Howie Roseman explains Eagles’ moves on ‘eventful’ Day 2
The Eagles acquired edge rusher Jonathan Greenard from the Vikings Friday night.
Jonathan Greenard, edge rusher
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman sat at the podium Friday night after what he called an “eventful” Day 2 of the 2026 NFL draft.
The Birds made two draft picks, but the bigger move was acquiring Minnesota edge rusher Jonathan Greenard, who the Eagles signed to a four-year deal worth $100 million.
“There wasn’t a game that we didn’t watch of his, and what you see is a relentless player,” Roseman said. “We just felt like we had a really good D-line but we wanted to elevate it.
“It really made sense with where our football team was to acquire the player.”
Markel Bell, offensive lineman
Roseman called 6-foot-9 tackle Markel Bell, the Eagles’ third-round pick, a “passion player” throughout the draft process.
The Eagles selected Bell with the 68th pick. He has rare size at the position and didn’t allow a sack in 2025. Roseman said he wondered what might happen if the 21-year-old Bell went back to college for another year. As in, he probably would be a more sought-after prospect next draft cycle.
“Really, when you watch the tape, he is hard to get around in pass protection,” Roseman said. “This was a guy that’s hard to find.”
Eli Stowers, tight end
Stowers, a first-team All-American, had 62 receptions for 769 yards and four touchdowns with the Commodores. The 6-foot-4, 239-pound native of Texas is a former quarterback who has played tight end for just three seasons after beginning his college career at Texas A&M as a quarterback.
Shoulder injuries made it so that Stowers “couldn’t throw the ball the same,” he said. He transferred to New Mexico State, where he competed with Diego Pavia for the starting quarterback job. Pavia won, but Stowers went into offensive coordinator Tim Beck’s office and told him he’d do “anything” to get on the field, he said.
He transitioned to tight end, went with Pavia and the coaching staff to Vanderbilt, and has excelled.
“I think it’s exciting that he has only played the position for a short time,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. “We’ve done a ton of homework on the guy, obviously. Great character guy. High football IQ having played quarterback. Those guys continue to develop, and excited to work with him because he’s got a lot of room to improve.”
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler said “Stowers will need to prove himself as a serviceable blocker at the NFL level, but he is explosive as a pass catcher, and I love the way he maximizes his catch radius. He has mismatch-creating potential and can eventually develop into an NFL starter.”
Eight days out from the draft, and the biggest question of the offseason has yet to be answered.
What is the Eagles’ plan for the post-A.J. Brown Era?
This isn’t a question that you can shrug off. It would be just as pressing if Brown were guaranteed to return in 2026. He and Dallas Goedert almost certainly won’t be with the team in 2027 or beyond. Even if they are, they are highly unlikely to be anywhere close to the players they were when the Eagles’ offense was at its best. The chapters are short in the NFL. The pages must be turned.
The story of this year’s draft better be the pass catchers. Even if the Eagles somehow think their passing game can tread water with Dontayvion Wicks and Marquise Brown as their second and third options out wide, and with a 31-year-old and clearly diminished Goedert at tight end, those aren’t long-term solutions. The Eagles desperately need to find at least one in this year’s draft after going four years without selecting a pass catcher higher than 152nd.
You don’t find a lot of franchise-level offensive tackles in the second half of the first round.
Not since 2017 has a future All Pro tackle been drafted between picks No. 17 and 49. Even multiyear Pro Bowlers are few and far between. The Cowboys nabbed left tackle Tyler Smith at No. 24 in 2022. Before that, Garrett Boles was the biggest success story, going to the Broncos at No. 20 in 2017. Boles was the first offensive lineman off the board that year, thanks in part to a confluence of circumstances. Going before him were three quarterbacks, two unicorn running backs, and the first three members of a loaded cornerback class (Marshon Lattimore, Marlon Humphrey, Adoree’ Jackson).
The Eagle know first hand how hard it is to find a fixture in the second half of the first round. The last two offensive linemen they drafted there were Andre Dillard and Danny Watkins. There simply isn’t a lot of logic in the idea that the Eagles will be prioritizing an eventual Lane Johnson replacement at No. 23.
“If you’re forcing something, you’re not really filling the need anyway,” general manager Howie Roseman said on Tuesday.
The Texans went 4-12 in 2020. And while Deshaun Watson put up the best numbers of his career — 4,823 yards, 33 touchdowns, seven interceptions, a 70.2 completions percentage — the game script had something to do with them.
Jihaad Campbell was the Eagles’ pick at No. 31 overall during the 2025 draft.
The Eagles have spent a lot of draft capital on the defensive line over the last several seasons.
Again, that’s not to say that they’d turn down an opportunity to draft an edge rusher they have graded as a potential elite talent who can start immediately. Chances are, anybody who fits that profile will be long gone by the time the Eagles are on the clock. They used the No. 31 pick on Jihaad Campbell last season. They drafted Nolan Smith at No. 30 in 2023. Of the last 11 picks that the Eagles have made inside the Top 115 overall, 10 have come on the defensive side of the football.
Jalen Hurts is a quarterback who needs an elite weapon that a defense can’t shade coverage to on every play.
DeVonta Smith counts as an elite weapon. But people need to pump the brakes on the idea that he is Jaxon Smith-Njigba in waiting. Several different media outlets have mentioned the construct in their reporting on the Brown situation. The theory goes something like this: with Brown gone, Smith will be better than he ever has been, similar to how Smith-Njiba blew up in 2025 after the Seahawks traded away D.K. Metcalf.
The problem with that reasoning is that Metcalf’s departure was the least significant of three major variable changes in the Seahawks offense last season. The first two were a new quarterback and a new offensive coordinator.
In fact, you might consider it four variable changes if you include Geno Smith’s departure in addition to Sam Darnold’s arrival. Jakobi Meyers’ decreased production year-over-year after Smith’s arrival at quarterback looks suspiciously similar to Smith-Njigba’s increased production in the wake of Smith’s departure. Meyers saw a 23% drop in his targets and a 36% drop in his receiving yardage on a per-game basis in his seven weeks with Smith compared to his 2024 output. And Meyers didn’t have to play in the shadow of Metcalf, either.
The real yin to Smith-Njigba’s yang was Justin Jefferson. In 2024, he caught 103 passes for 1,533 yards with Darnold as starter. This, despite the presence of Jordan Addison, whose numbers were practically identical to Metcalf’s. Addison was still there last year. Darnold wasn’t. Jefferson caught 84 passes for 1,048 yards.
A tidier summation:
Jefferson without Darnold vs. ’24: 13 less targets, 19 less receptions, 485 less yards.
Smith-Njigba with Darnold vs. ’24: 26 more targets, 19 more receptions, 663 more yards
Fairly symmetrical, no?
Smith-Njigba’s breakout happened because he had a quarterback who could make all of the throws, including those in traffic in the middle of the field. Hurts hasn’t shown to be that quarterback.
Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq should be at the top of the Eagles draft board. But don’t bet on him falling close to their range.
I’m still a bit puzzled that the majority of mock drafts have Sadiq falling into the second half of the first round. He is a physical specimen who tested off the charts at the combine. The only guy in his class over the last 20 years was future All-Pro Vernon Davis. The college production wasn’t eye-popping, but it also wasn’t much different from Colston Loveland, who went 10th overall to the Bears last season. All it takes is one team higher than the Eagles to fall in love with him. I’ll be surprised if he falls beyond No. 15.
Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq is the top projected tight end in the NFL draft.
That being said, if the Eagles somehow find a way to get themselves in position to draft Sadiq, they would have a tidy answer to their question of where to go after Brown (and Goedert). Sadiq is the one player in this draft outside the projected Top 5 who has the potential to immediately fix a lot of the Eagles’ offensive question marks, run-blocking included.
Even if Sadiq isn’t an option, the Eagles have good reason to hope they can nab a player who can help them in both the short and long-term.
Neither Texas A&M’s K.C. Concepcion nor Alabama’s Germie Bernard profile as the sort of outlier that Brown is/was. But both have skill sets and polish that would pair nicely with DeVonta Smith. Both are players who could exploit whatever attention defenses pay to Smith. Concepcion has a lot of Stefon Diggs to his profile, while Bernard looks like a potential Deebo Samuel with the frame and rushing ability to go with his hands. I’ve seen a few mock drafts that have Bernard on the board when the Eagles pick at No. 54. That would be a stroke of luck on the level of Cooper DeJean.
The moral of the story is simple. The Eagles can’t afford to force a pick at any position. But they also aren’t in a situation where they can afford to go purely for the best player available. They need to factor in their future salary cap and talent distribution. You can’t have too many All-Pro cornerbacks, but you can have too many who you need to pay.
Further, you can have too few players at positions that have shown themselves to be just as important to the Eagles’ success over the last several seasons.
Roseman shouldn’t get trapped into picking the best pass-catcher available. But he does need to hope a viable one is there.
