Leading up to kickoff of the 2026 NFL season, TeamFB7 went in-depth on each team from its strengths and weaknesses to breakout players, intriguing rookies and overall predictions. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of the Philadelphia Eagles.
If only looking at his resume on paper, it would seem outrageous to say that Philadelphia Eagles coach Nick Sirianni is on the hotseat in any way in 2026.
Just two years after winning a Super Bowl title, with four straight seasons of at least 11 wins, a 59-26 overall record in five years and two Super Bowl appearances.
But that’s the reality.
For an 11-6 playoff team last year, the Eagles never really found any rhythm or seemed to have many answers for why.
Maligned one-and-done offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo bore the brunt of Philly fans’ ire, but Sirianni received his share of the blame for sticking by Patullo as the Eagles’ once-mighty offense looked like a shell of itself across the board.
Sirianni also deserved criticism for letting the A.J. Brown saga hang over the team all season, as the star wide receiver’s discontent and apparently deteriorating relationship with quarterback Jalen Hurts was a weekly soap opera-like subplot and symbol of the Eagles’ general discord.
It was the second time in Sirianni’s tenure where it was fair to wonder if he’d lost control of the locker room a bit.
In 2023, the team started 10-1 before losing five of its final six games in a head-scratching freefall and then getting embarrassed in a 32-9 wildcard round loss to the Buccaneers.
But from that, Sirianni silenced the doubters by leading the team to a Super Bowl title the next season. Can he do it again?
Is Eagles Coach Nick Sirianni On The Hot Seat In 2026?
The 2025 spiral was a little different from 2023, but not totally. The Eagles started 8-2, then lost three straight before winning three in a row. After resting starters in the regular season finale and taking a loss, Philadelphia then lost a home wildcard game to the 49ers, 23-19, in a fourth quarter collapse.
The offensive collapse was astounding.
The Eagles were top 8 offense in 2024, averaging 27.2 points per game and 367.2 yards per game. Last season, they ranked 24th with 311.2 YPG and 19th in scoring at 22.3 PPG.
Saquon Barkley rushed for 2,005 yards on 5.8 yards per carry and scored 17 total TDs in 16 games in 2024. Last season, he averaged a meager 4.1 YPC and rushed for 1,140 yards with 9 total TDs in the same number of games.
Hurts mysteriously stopped running, undercutting the backbone of his value as a limited passer but dynamic dual-threat QB. His 105 rushing attempts for 420 yards and 8 TDs were all the lowest totals since his rookie season in 2020 and reflect a sharp dropoff from recent seasons when he posted rushing lines of 165-760-13 (in 15 games in 2022), 157-605-15 (in 17 games in 2023) and 150-630-14 (in 15 games in 2024).
And Brown became frustrated with his usage in the passing game and made that publicly known.
Can Eagles Offense Rebound In 2026?
Patullo was mercifully fired after the season with former NFL journeyman backup/depth QB Sean Mannion named offensive coordinator after just two seasons as an NFL coach on the Packers staff (including 2025 as QBs coach). And Brown was traded to the Patriots, with the Eagles replenishing the WR depth around DeVonta Smith by signing veteran Hollywood Brown, acquiring Dontayvion Wicks from the Packers and drafting USC star Makai Lemon in the first round.
But none of that guarantees the Eagles will be back to the Eagles of old.
In fact, the early returns from Week 1 weren’t very assuaging as Philadelphia mustered a modest 318 yards while holding on for a narrow 24-22 win at home over the Commanders. Hurts threw for 203 yards, 3 TDs and 0 INTs but only ran it 7 times (in line with his 2025 volume) albeit for 46 yards. Barkley averaged an encouraging 5.5 YPC for 83 rushing yards, while none of the WRs aside from Wicks (2 catches for 73 yards and a TD) really popped.
Beyond Patullo and the Brown saga last year, the biggest issue for the Eagles was really the strained health of a once-elite offensive line.
Three-time Pro Bowl left guard Landon Dickerson tore the meniscus in his right knee in the preseason last year, got surgery and played 15 games nonetheless while admitting he was never full-strength. Six-time Pro Bowl right tackle Lane Johnson was limited to 10 games by a Lisfranc foot injury (and also played through a neck injury). And two-time Pro Bowl center Cam Jurgens admitted he was never full-strength after having back surgery in February 2025 and playing through lingering issues last year.
Getting that unit back as close to full strength as possible is the X-factor, and already the Eagles got some bad news with Dickerson going on injured reserve for his knee this week.
Philadelphia Eagles Reset
2025 Finish: 11-6, lost 23-19 to 49ers in wildcard round
Head Coach: Nick Sirianni, sixth season (59-26, 6-4 playoffs, won Super Bowl LIX, lost Super Bowl LVII)
Hot Seat Meter (0-10): 7
Offensive Coordinator: Sean Mannion, first season (formerly Vikings QBs coach, replaces fired OC Kevin Patullo)
Defensive Coordinator: Vic Fangio, third season
Best Offseason Move(s): Trading for WR Dontayvion Wicks and drafting WR Makai Lemon
The price was right as the Eagles gave up a 2026 fifth-round pick and a 2027 sixth-rounder to the Packers for Wicks, who was a bit lost in the shuffle for a Green Bay team that had a glut of WR 2/3s.
A fifth-round pick out of Virginia in 2023, Wicks put up receiving lines of 39-581-4, 39-415-5 and 30-332-2 (in just 14 games last year) in his three seasons in Green Bay. He at least has some potential untapped upside, more so than the Eagles’ additions of veteran known-commodities Brown and Elijah Moore.
Wicks flashed some of that with a 64-yard deep strike from Hurts in Week 1 (and a TD reception).
Meanwhile, the Eagles traded up three picks to No. 20 to select Lemon, whom the Steelers were reportedly eyeing with the 21st selection. Lemon won the Biletnikoff Award as the top receiver in college football last season at USC with 79 catches for 1,156 yards and 11 TDs (plus 2 rushing TDs and a passing TD).
He plays in the mold of another former Trojans WR, Lions star Amon-Ra St. Brown, in that he can be moved all over the field, is an elite route runner with sure hands, major yards-after-catch ability and plays with a relentless physicality and toughness.
Lemon had a quiet NFL debut with 3 catches for negative yardage, but there’s a good chance he makes a major impact as a rookie this season.
Worst Offseason Move: Not getting more value in the A.J. Brown trade
Philadelphia had to trade Brown in the end, but it should have been able to find a stronger market and return than what it ultimately received.
In an offseason where the Broncos traded 2026 first- and third-round picks for Dolphins WR2 Jaylen Waddle (and a fourth-round pick swap, the Eagles settled for a 2028 first-round pick and 2027 fifth-rounder from the Patriots for a true star WR1 in Brown.
Because the trade had to be made after June 1 for salary cap reasons, that prohibited getting any 2026 draft value in return, but waiting until 2028 for a first rounder that will likely be near the end of Day 1 given the Patriots’ trajectory seems like the Eagles settled for below market value.
Philadelphia Eagles Roster Breakdown
Biggest Strengths: Offensive line/run game and defensive front seven
As noted, the Eagles have already incurred the first setback to the O-line with Dickerson now set to miss at least four games resting his balky knee.
But if the Eagles can have the unit mostly healthy most of the way this season, that is still a major strength and advantage for this offense.
PFF ranked Philadelphia second in its preseason offensive line rankings (prior to the Dickerson injury setback).
With better blocking and support in 2026, Barkley should be able to bounce back at 29 years old — probably not to 2,000 yards again but somewhere in between that peak and his 2025 nadir. That said, outside of a 42-yard run Sunday vs. the Commanders, Barkley averaged just 2.9 yards over his other 14 carries.
But for this offense to truly level back up again, the Eagles needs Hurts to be a willing and aggressive runner. It’s the dynamic that changes the way all opposing defenses have to gameplan for Philadelphia. Without that threat front of mind, the Eagles are much simpler to scheme against.
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On the other side, Philadelphia opened the vault this offseason to lock-up defensive linemen Jordan Davis (three years, $78 million) and Jalen Carter (four years, $152 million) to lucrative extensions.
The Eagles traded a pair of third-round picks to the Vikings for veteran edge rusher Jonathan Greenard (24.5 sacks between 2023-24 before dropping to 3 in 12 games last season) to bolster a pass rush that lost Jaelan Phillips in free agency.
And the linebacker unit is in good hands with two-time Pro Bowl standout Zack Baun alongside 2025 first-round pick Jihaad Campbell, even with former starter Nakobe Dean leaving for the Raiders.
Biggest Weakness: Safety depth
With Reed Blankenship leaving for the Texans in free agency, the Eagles are left with Andrew Mukuba (who played just 11 games as a rookie last year) and Marcus Epps (mostly a reserve over seven NFL seasons with the Eagles, Vikings and Raiders) as the starting safety tandem.
Though standout cornerback Cooper DeJean could get significant work at safety in addition to nickel as a result of the limited options.
Most Intriguing Rookie: WR Makai Lemon
Don’t read too much into Lemon’s quiet NFL debut. He will emerge over the course of this season and be a factor for Philly.
Breakout Player: EDGE Jalyx Hunt
An under-the-radar 2024 third-round pick out of Houston Christian, Jalyx Hunt actually led the Eagles with 6.5 sacks and 9 TFLs in his second NFL season (and incredibly also led the team with 3 INTs).
The best is still yet to come for Hunt, though.
MVP Pick: QB Jalen Hurts
The Eagles need him to be their MVP if they’re going to return to Super Bowl contender status, and again, that hinges on Hurts being a willing runner and restoring his top-tier dual-threat value.
2026 Philadelphia Eagles Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Time (ET) |
| Week 1, Sept. 13 | vs. Washington Commanders | 1 p.m. |
| Week 2, Sept. 20 | at Tennessee Titans | 1 p.m. |
| Week 3, Sept. 28 (Monday) | at Chicago Bears | 8:15 p.m. |
| Week 4, Oct. 4 | vs. Los Angeles Rams | 1 p.m. |
| Week 5, Oct. 11 (in London, England) | vs. Jacksonville Jaguars | 9:30 a.m. |
| Week 6, Oct. 18 | vs. Carolina Panthers | 1 p.m. |
| Week 7, Oct. 26 (Monday) | vs. Dallas Cowboys | 8:15 p.m. |
| Week 8, Nov. 1 | at Washington Commanders | 8:20 p.m. |
| Week 9, Nov. 8 | vs. New York Giants | 1 p.m. |
| Week 10 | BYE WEEK | |
| Week 11, Nov. 22 | vs. Pittsburgh Steelers | 4:25 p.m. |
| Week 12, Nov. 26 (Thursday) | at Dallas Cowboys | 4:30 p.m. |
| Week 13, Dec. 6 | at Arizona Cardinals | 4:05 p.m. |
| Week 14, Dec. 13 | vs. Indianapolis Colts | 1 p.m. |
| Week 15, Dec. 19 (Saturday) | vs. Seattle Seahawks | 5 p.m. |
| Week 16, Dec. 24 (Thursday) | vs. Houston Texans | 8:15 p.m. |
| Week 17, Jan. 3 | at San Francisco 49ers | 8:20 p.m. |
| Week 18, TBD (Flex Game) | at New York Giants | TBD |
Philadelphia Eagles Season Prediction And Parting Thoughts
Season Prediction: 11-6
The Eagles look like the clear favorites to win a third straight NFC East title, but the expectations in Philadelphia begin in the postseason.
Another wildcard exit could have Sirianni’s future in real jeopardy.
But the Sirianni/Hurts duo has proven in the past that doubting them comes with its own peril.
All the pieces are in place for the Eagles to be a legit Super Bowl contender, but there’s a lot of variables that have to line up for that to happen — Hurts returning to past form, the offensive line staying mostly healthy (at least in time for the postseason), the secondary sorting itself out, etc.
