Doug Pederson is following the well-worn path from coaching to broadcasting, but his first-ever TV gig might be a bit of a head scratcher.
The former Eagles head coach and Super Bowl LII champ is joining CBS this season to call 10 college football games on CBS Sports Network, beginning with Maryland vs. UConn on Sept. 12.
Outside of playing quarterback at Northeast Louisiana University, Pederson has no direct connection to the college football world. But as he made clear to CBS, his ultimate goal isn’t to have a second career as a college football analyst.
“My goal, my passion, is to get back to the NFL,” Pederson said. “But when it’s all said and done, this is a great opportunity to get my feet wet with the broadcasting side, get some really good coaching and insight [on] how it all kind of works.”
CBS certainly has plenty of NFL games, so Pederson could end up as an NFL analyst or land a role on a studio show like The NFL Today. But he could also see himself returning to the sidelines following head coaching stints with the Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars, where he spent three years before being fired following the 2024 season.
“I’m not closing the door to coaching,” Pederson said, “But this keeps me involved and sharp and connected to the game.”
Ex-Eagles quarterback Michael Vick turned a Fox gig into a head coaching job with Norfolk State.Alejandro A. Alvarez / Staff Photographer
He wouldn’t be the first to use broadcasting to land a coaching job. In 2022, former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton spent a season as a Fox analyst before landing a job with the Denver Broncos. Closer to home, Joe Girardi turned a role with the MLB Network into a short-lived job as the manager of the Phillies. And former Eagles quarterback Michael Vick used broadcasting as a path to becoming the head football coach at Norfolk State.
For now, Pederson’s focus is on broadcasting. A month before the start of the college football season, Pederson doesn’t know who his play-by-play partner will be or if it’ll be the same person each week. He does know his schedule, which includes North Dakota State, Kennesaw State, and three UConn games. About the closest he’ll get to Philly is calling a University of Delaware game in Newark, Del.
While this will be Pederson’s first time broadcasting games, he did travel to Los Angeles to audition with Fox, where he called a mock game alongside veteran play-by-play announcer Chris Myers. He’s also sought advice from a host of broadcasters ranging from Kirk Herbstreit to Greg McElroy — and even longtime ESPN veteran Chris Berman.
“I understand football and how it works, and being able to describe it is a different thing,” Pederson said. “So it’s going to be a learning experience.”
Former Eagles head coach Doug Pederson won Super Bowl LII behind the heroics of backup quarterback Nick Foles.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
After coaching high school football for four years, Pederson was hired as the Eagles offensive quality control coach in 2009 by then-head coach Andy Reid. He followed Reid to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2013, where he served as the team’s offensive coordinator for three seasons before being hired as the Eagles head coach in 2016.
In Philly, Pederson amassed a 42-37-1 record in five seasons, but his tenure includes the Birds’ improbable championship run during the 2017 season behind backup quarterback Nick Foles. A statue celebrating Pederson and Foles for the “Philly Special” play stands outside the Linc, though it was temporarily removed during the World Cup last season.
“They could’ve just put a soccer ball over the top if it,” Pederson joked.
The Eagles are continuing to invest in the defensive trenches this offseason, agreeing to terms with Jalen Carter on a four-year extension to keep him under contract through 2031, the team announced Tuesday.
The deal is worth $152 million, with $106 million guaranteed, NFL sources told The Inquirer’s Jeff McLane. His $38 million average annual value when the new contract begins will make him the highest-paid defensive tackle in league history.
Carter, 25, is entering the fourth year of his rookie deal and had his fifth-year option exercised in April. By extending him now, on the day players report to training camp, the Eagles are preventing Carter from testing the market as a free agent anytime soon.
Since the Eagles drafted him No. 9 overall in the 2023 draft out of Georgia, Carter has asserted himself as one of the top defensive tackles in the league. He earned original-ballot Pro Bowl nods in back-to-back seasons in 2024 and 2025. In his rookie season in 2023, Carter finished as the runner-up for the AP defensive rookie of the year award to Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson.
Carter took on the biggest workload on the defensive line in the Eagles’ 2024 Super Bowl-winning season, playing 79.4% of the defensive snaps. But Carter entered the 2025 season nursing shoulder injuries, forcing him to miss three games in the second half of the year while recovering from procedures.
Jalen Carter struggled with shoulder injuries in 2025 but was extremely effective in the Eagles’ Super Bowl season of 2024. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Because of his injuries, Carter wasn’t entirely himself last season, and he admitted as much. He generated a career-low 7.7% pressure rate while facing a double team on a career-low 41.7% of his pass rushes, according to Next Gen Stats. He had five pressures on 158 double-teams, a drop-off compared to his output in 2023 (12) and 2024 (15).
Carter was not present for the two sessions of organized team activities — both voluntary — open to the media this offseason. He was on the field during mandatory minicamp but did not participate in team drills. In June, Nick Sirianni would not say whether his lack of participation was related to his contract or his injuries. However, Vic Fangio said in late May he thinks Carter’s shoulders are “fine.”
“He’s had a good offseason of lifting,” Fangio said. “I think he started that earlier than normal for him and you can see the difference in that regard. I think he’s in a better spot now than he was.”
By inking Carter to a new deal, the Eagles are showing they believe he can elevate his play. The same can be said for Jordan Davis, whom the Eagles signed to a three-year, $78 million deal in March. Between the two defensive tackles, the Eagles have security on the defensive side of the trenches.
Carter and Davis were two of the defensive candidates eligible for extensions entering 2026. Moro Ojomo, who turns 25 in August, has not received one as he enters the final year of his rookie deal. With this new crop of young defenders earning lucrative contracts, general manager Howie Roseman is attempting to balance the scales by adding inexpensive talent through the draft, notably on offense this year.
The Eagles report to training camp on Tuesday, with their first practice set for the Jefferson Health Training Complex on Wednesday. In advance of that event, reporters Olivia Reiner, Jeff Neiburg and Ryan Novozinsky identified 11 storylines that will be worth tracking in the coming weeks — then ranked them in order of priority.
Jake Elliott (4) was less dependable than usual during an inconsistent 2025 season. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
11. Kicker Jake Elliott’s progress after a shaky 2025.
The two-time Super Bowl champion struggled at times last season, going 20-for-27 on field goals and 4-for-8 from 50-plus yards. Over the past two seasons, Elliott is 5-for-15 from 50-plus yards out, which is dead last in the NFL among the 35 kickers with at least five attempts.
The Eagles showed faith in their longtime kicker when they restructured his contract in March, but if he doesn’t return to form, he might find his way off the roster sometime soon. A rock-solid training camp showing should ease any concerns the organization may have in the 31-year-old. It’s on Elliott to prove he’s still got it. — Novozinsky
What will the presence of Jonathan Greenard mean for Nolan Smith Jr.’s playing time off the edge?Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
10. How the reps will be divided within an altered edge rusher rotation.
Out is Jaelan Phillips, in is Jonathan Greenard. That’s the big change at the top of the depth chart, and the only two returning edge rushers in the rotation are Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith Jr. Two from that trio will be on the field most of the time for the Eagles, and Hunt may continue to see a higher workload than Smith. But beyond them, the position is an interesting one to watch in camp.
Arnold Ebiketie is the clear No. 4 as camp begins based on his one-year deal worth more than $7 million. But he’ll face some competition for snaps from players looking to make an impression and claim a spot on the 53-man roster. A.J. Epenesa wants to prove he still has more in the tank. Keyshawn James-Newby, the rookie seventh-round pick, wants to show that he has the skill set to make up for his lack of size. Jose Ramirez is still fighting to stay in the NFL.
The top trio is going to eat up the first-team reps, and Ebiketie likely will get some looks there, too, but how the Eagles divvy up reps among the unit will be something to monitor as camp gets rolling.
Plus … will Brandon Graham’s return be necessary? — Neiburg
Cooper DeJean (33) goes from All-Pro nickel to All-Pro nickel with additional safety responsibilities. Nick Wass
9. The impact of new faces — and altered duties — in the secondary.
Vic Fangio’s defense doesn’t have many holes. It may not end up having any holes. It’s a defense with stars at every level, at every position. Still, it’s the defensive back group that will be the most fascinating thing to watch on Fangio’s side of the ball during camp.
Quinyon Mitchell, an All-Pro last year, is one of the best cornerbacks in the league. Riq Woolen, who signed a one-year deal with $12 million guaranteed, has flashed potential and was one of the standouts of the offseason program. Cooper DeJean, meanwhile, is an All-Pro nickel. But the Eagles plan to use DeJean at safety in their base defense next to second-year safety Andrew Mukuba, and the battle for the second safety spot may be one of the most exciting of the summer.
The Eagles are only in base about 20% to 25% of the time, which means the safety not named DeJean is going to be on the field pretty often. Right now, that spot is Marcus Epps’ to lose. But Epps is 30, has dealt with injuries, and wasn’t a starter last year until the Eagles needed him after Mukuba went down. Will Michael Carter II take to a position change from nickel and push Epps? Can veteran J.T. Gray, a career special teamer, finally have a breakthrough? Will Andre’ Sam show all that he’s learned in Fangio’s defense the last few seasons? Will rookie Cole Wisniewski go from seventh-round pick to a key role? Undrafted free agents Kapena Gushiken and Maximus Pulley want their names in the mix, too.
All of this is without mentioning the battle that will take place for the depth-chart spots at corner behind the top three. Veteran Jonathan Jones may be a lock for a spot, and Kelee Ringo has the special teams chops to claim a job. What does that mean for Mac McWilliams and Jakorian Bennett? Time will tell. — Neiburg
Can Makai Lemon give the receiving game a jolt after missing mandatory minicamp due to injury? Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
8. The impact of the Eagles’ top three 2026 draft picks.
Our first look at the top three draft picks was a bit incomplete during the offseason program. Wide receiver Makai Lemon was held off the field for minicamp with a hamstring injury. Tight end Eli Stowers had a sleeve on his right leg at one point and didn’t go through the entirety of the workout. Then tackle Markel Bell missed the final workout of the spring with an undisclosed injury.
All three are expected to be at 100% when camp opens this week, which means all three will be under the microscope as the new-look offense takes shape.
Their importance for the 2026 Eagles is ranked in draft order. Lemon will be expected to take on a pretty significant role in the offense as the Eagles begin life without A.J. Brown. Stowers, meanwhile, won’t have the same kind of pressure. Dallas Goedert is still in town, and Johnny Mundt was brought in to be a blocking specialist. But the Eagles have raved about Stowers’ athleticism and his ability to create mismatches. Will we see some of that in camp?
As for Bell, the tallest player on the roster (6-foot-9) got the first crack at filling in for Lane Johnson during OTAs. Will he be the preferred swing tackle? Or is that job still Fred Johnson’s? — Neiburg
Could Tanner McKee’s days in Philly be numbered?David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
7. The QB depth chart, and how many the Eagles will keep at the position.
By the end of training camp, the Eagles will have to make a decision about how many quarterbacks they will keep on the initial 53-man roster.
Typically, that quantity would be three. A fourth quarterback would land on the practice squad. Last season, for example, Tanner McKee and Sam Howell filled out the active-roster depth behind Jalen Hurts, while Kyle McCord signed to the practice squad.
This year could be different. McKee, 38-year-old Andy Dalton, and fifth-round rookie Cole Payton round out the depth behind Hurts. It seems unlikely that the Eagles would cut Payton, given he was a fifth-round pick. Could the Eagles opt to move McKee or Dalton ahead of the regular season? Or, could they see the value in carrying all four quarterbacks on the initial 53, at least to start the season?
The Eagles also must choose a primary backup to Hurts by Week 1. McKee held that role last season. The Eagles acquired Dalton from the Carolina Panthers this offseason, seemingly identifying their QB3, but the 15-year NFL veteran split second-string reps with McKee during the offseason program. Dalton didn’t exactly separate himself from McKee in a very early, limited window during OTAs and minicamp. Still, the competition between the two depth quarterbacks could continue in training camp. — Reiner
A Jalen Carter contract extension has been in the wind throughout the 2026 offseason. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
6. Jalen Carter’s health, and his contract.
(Note: Carter signed a record extension on Tuesday, hours after the publication of this story.) Answers about Carter’s health and the status of a prospective contract extension could be straightforward. Carter, 25, dealt with shoulder injuries last season and missed time as he recovered from procedures. In late May, Fangio said Carter’s shoulders are “fine,” adding that “he’s in a better spot now than he was [last season].” If that is still the case two months later, then there shouldn’t be much concern about Carter’s ability to fully participate in camp.
Carter did not participate in team drills during the Eagles’ two-day mandatory minicamp in June, however. Was his lack of participation injury-related, or was it something of a hold-in, given Carter is eligible for a contract extension? Nick Sirianni declined to offer an explanation during mandatory minicamp.
After the Eagles picked up Carter’s fifth-year option this offseason, he has two years left on his rookie deal. The Eagles could theoretically tag him, too, when the time comes to keep him under contract for a third. It isn’t necessarily imperative that the Eagles sign Carter to a new deal before the season.
But GM Howie Roseman is typically proactive about extending key players. He has also said he prefers not to do new deals during the season. Time is of the essence, as Carter will likely reset the defensive tackle market when he signs his next contract. (Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons leads interior defensive linemen at $35.3 million per year.)
Why has Roseman waited to extend Carter? He likely has his rationale, but he tends not to comment on ongoing or upcoming contract negotiations.
If Carter is on the field Wednesday fully participating in all drills, then there might not be anything to see here. Perhaps the Eagles want to see another year from Carter before they make a long-term commitment, even if his market value increases in the meantime. If he’s missing or sitting out, bigger questions could arise, either about Carter’s health or the status of his future in Philadelphia. — Reiner
The Eagles’ fortunes rose and fell at times on the availability of Lane Johnson last season. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
5. The health of Lane Johnson and other veterans coming off injuries.
Is there a bigger storyline in camp than the health of the offensive line? Sure, you may counter and say duh, it’s the Sean Mannion offense, dummy! But I would counter by saying none of it matters if Lane Johnson, Cam Jurgens, and Landon Dickerson aren’t healthy. Heck, Kevin Patullo might still be the coordinator if the line was healthy, because one would assume that the Eagles, with a sturdier line, would have been able to run the ball a lot better, which means they would have faced a lot fewer third-and-long situations, and so on.
Johnson is coming off a season-ending foot injury. Jurgens and Dickerson, meanwhile, flew to Colombia separately this offseason to get stem cell therapy treatment to manage pain. Jurgens has had back issues. Dickerson has had many lower-body ailments. How the three of them look during the early stages of camp will be informative.
Then there are others, like Mukuba, who fractured a fibula and had his rookie season stopped early. Jalen Carter got injections in his shoulders to help him finish out the rest of the 2025 season. Nolan Smith aggravated his triceps injury and was limited to 12 games. Jihaad Campbell spent some time this offseason recovering from a shoulder injury. And Greenard, the major acquisition of the offseason, had his 2025 season ended early due to a shoulder injury.
All eyes will be on the offensive line, but there are some other Eagles worth monitoring as the training camp workload dials up. — Neiburg
Can Saquon Barkley (right) find more running room in an offense that has moved away from ex-assistant Jeff Stoutland’s blocking principles?Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
4. The work of Saquon Barkley and the running game in Year 1 A.S. (after Stoutland).
The Eagles have a new offensive line coach, Chris Kuper, for the first time in 16 years. Jeff Stoutland’s departure, along with the hiring of a new offensive coordinator in Mannion, is going to have massive ripple effects across the organization — especially in the run game. Barkley, who took a step back last season after a historic 2024, is at the center of these changes.
Mannion’s new playbook implements a wide zone scheme with concepts that look similar to the schemes of Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan. Wide zone blocking concepts will stretch opposing defenses horizontally. On paper, Barkley should thrive in a system like this. The onus is on the offensive line to stay healthy and execute the new blocking style properly. If Kuper lives up to the hype — and the early reviews have been positive — the latter point shouldn’t be a concern at all. — Novozinsky
DeVonta Smith stands to receive more scrutiny from defenses that no longer have to account for A.J. Brown. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
3. The post-A.J. Brown pass-catching situation.
Roseman spent the offseason bolstering the Eagles’ receiving corps ahead of Brown’s trade to the New England Patriots in June. He drafted Makai Lemon in the first round out of USC, acquired and extended Dontayvion Wicks, and added Hollywood Brown in free agency.
No single player will replace Brown’s precise role and responsibilities on the team, which will feature a revamped offensive scheme under first-time play-caller Mannion. DeVonta Smith is poised to become WR1, but he and Brown possess different body types, skill sets, and strengths. Compensating for the loss of Brown will ultimately be a group effort.
But how will the targets break down among Eagles receivers during the season? Training camp will offer a peek into the pecking order among Smith, Lemon, Wicks, Brown, and some of the bubble receivers including Elijah Moore, Johnny Wilson, and Darius Cooper. Tight ends Dallas Goedert and second-rounder Eli Stowers and running back Saquon Barkley will factor into the passing game, too. The next couple of months will also offer more insight into how each of those players will be utilized within the scheme. — Reiner
Fans have high hopes for new coordinator Sean Mannion, despite his relative inexperience. Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
2. The Sean Mannion offense.
The Eagles should be the most prepared team in the league when it comes to transitioning to a new offense. That’s because the Birds have had six offensive coordinators in the past seven seasons.
But the addition of Mannion feels different — and for good reason. The Eagles brought him in to overhaul an offense that often failed to ignite under Kevin Patullo. Mannion, a disciple of the McVay/Matt LaFleur coaching tree, is hoping to modernize their play-calling with the implementation of outside zone and far more motion.
How is the install going so far? According to tackle Jordan Mailata, it’s “very easy to follow along, but hard to remember, just because there’s so much to setting up the plays.” There are going to be growing pains — especially during training camp — but if Mannion’s offense works the way it should, the Eagles’ 2026 ceiling becomes limitless. — Novozinsky
With a new scheme to run and an altered supporting cast around him, Jalen Hurts enters 2026 under more pressure than ever. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
1. Jalen Hurts.
Was there an NFL player under a bigger microscope than Hurts this offseason? Between the ESPN report that detailed friction concerning Hurts, the A.J. Brown saga, the constant debates over his standing among NFL quarterbacks, Hurts dominated headlines all offseason.
So can he block out that noise and silence his doubters with a strong camp? It’d be easy to say “yes” and just move on, but the reality is that Hurts is at a crossroads. He’s learning another new offense and it’s drastically different from the last one he ran. His new OC gushed about him in his first news conference, but can that honeymoon phase survive a weak training camp/slow start to the season? That’s not to mention the fact that Hurts has a handful of unproven new weapons trying to replace a No. 1 wide receiver in Brown.
How Hurts deals with these hurdles is easily the most intriguing camp storyline. His future in Philadelphia will be in question all season. He can quell some of that noise with a decent July and August. — Novozinsky
It’s officially the first week of school at the Jefferson Health Training Complex as the Eagles begin training camp ahead of the 2026 NFL season.
The team reports Tuesday and has its first on-field workout Wednesday, which means now might be a good time to get caught up on what was a significant offseason for the Eagles.
Heck, even the first sentence up there contains a change from 2025. It’ll take this writer some time to get out of the habit of referring to the team’s training facility as NovaCare, which it had been known as since it opened in 2001.
That’s what training camp is for, right?
Anyway, let’s recap all that’s happened since the Eagles lost their wild-card round playoff game to the San Francisco 49ers in January.
Coaching changes
Offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo’s firing started the offseason. The Eagles took a big step back offensively last season and the first-year coordinator essentially fell on the sword. There were issues beyond scheme and play-calling. The offensive line wasn’t as healthy, Jalen Hurts was inconsistent at times, and Saquon Barkley wasn’t as effective behind a banged up line.
But Patullo’s replacement, 34-year-old Sean Mannion, is slated to bring changes to the offense, especially when it comes to run-blocking schemes and Hurts taking snaps from under center and utilizing play-action passes.
All eyes will be on new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion in training camp. Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Mannion, who was Green Bay’s quarterbacks coach last season, isn’t the only notable new face on offense. Longtime offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland is no longer with the team, and new position coach Chris Kuper is in charge of teaching and deploying those new blocking strategies.
Other new coaches on offense include Josh Grizzard (pass game coordinator), Ryan Mahaffey (run game coordinator/tight ends), Jerrod Johnson (senior offensive assistant). Parks Frazier, last season’s pass game coordinator, is now the quarterbacks coach.
On defense, Vic Fangio lost defensive backs coach Christian Parker, who is the new coordinator in Dallas. The Eagles promoted Joe Kasper to take over Parker’s defensive pass game coordinator duties and hired Roy Anderson (cornerbacks) and Mike Pellegrino (secondary).
A.J. Brown and other notable departures
A.J. Brown’s frustrations in Philly were well documented over the last few seasons. The saga finally came to a climax on June 1, though the writing was on the wall long before then. Brown was traded to New England for draft capital.
DeVonta Smith is now the receiver at the top of the depth chart.
A.J. Brown is gone, but how soon will he be forgotten?Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Also gone from the receiving corps is Jahan Dotson, whose contract with the team expired. Other departures from offense include AJ Dillon and Kylen Granson, but the Eagles are returning most of their key offensive players, including their entire starting offensive line.
Defensively, the Eagles said goodbye to three starters in free agency in Jaelan Phillips, Nakobe Dean (Raiders), and Reed Blankenship (Texans). They have an obvious replacement for Dean in second-year linebacker Jihaad Campbell and Phillips was replaced by Jonathan Greenard (more on that soon), but the safety position is an interesting one entering camp.
Fangio revealed in the spring that Cooper DeJean, an All-Pro nickel, will play safety next to Drew Mukuba when the Eagles are in base. The current favorite for the job when the Eagles are in their nickel and dime packages is Marcus Epps.
Adoree’ Jackson, who played 63% of the defensive snaps last season, is no longer with the team after his contract expired. The same can be said for Brandon Graham, who came out of retirement to rejoin the team in October.
Additions, non-draft edition
The Eagles’ biggest splash of the offseason came during a draft weekend trade for Greenard. The Eagles acquired the 29-year-old edge rusher and a seventh-round pick in exchange for two third-round picks. Greenard was limited by injury and had three sacks in 12 games last season, but had 12 sacks in each of the previous two seasons.
Greenard subsequently signed a four-year, $98 million deal with the Eagles. Another addition to that position is Arnold Ebiketie, who signed a one-year deal.
Jonathan Greenard is expected to bolster the pass rush. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
It was a relatively quiet free agency period for the Eagles, but they did land former Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen on a one-year deal worth at least $12 million. Woolen, 27, thrived in man coverage last season, and the Eagles plan to have him on the field at all times, hence DeJean playing safety in the base defense. They also signed veteran corner Jonathan Jones.
Replacing Brown won’t be easy, but the Eagles gave themselves some options before they reached draft weekend in Hollywood Brown (free agency) and Dontavion Wicks (trade).
Other newcomers on offense include blocking tight end Johnny Mundt and backup quarterback Andy Dalton.
Draft picks
The Eagles spent the past few seasons focusing on defensive players in the draft. That changed this year. Their young and inexpensive defense will soon be much more costly, and it was time to start refilling the cupboard on offense with younger players.
Wide receiver Makai Lemon (9) was brought in as a key new weapon on offense. Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
Here’s a list of the team’s draft picks:
Round 1: Makai Lemon, WR, USC
Round 2: Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt
Round 3: Markel Bell, T, Miami
Round 5: Cole Payton, QB, North Dakota State
Round 6: Micah Morris, G, Georgia
Round 7: Cole Wisniewski, S, Texas Tech
Round 7: Uar Bernard, DT, International Pathway Program
Round 7: Keyshawn James-Newby, EDGE, New Mexico
New deals
Jordan Davis’ breakout 2025 season was rewarded with a three-year, $78 million contract extension.
Is Jalen Carter next? That will be a topic to track as camp gets underway.
Jordan Davis (right) is congratulated by teammate Jalen Carter after a press conference about Davis’ new $81 million contract in March. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Carter is entering his fourth season, and while he was hampered by shoulder injuries last season, he has been one of the better interior linemen in the NFL over the last two seasons. The Eagles have picked up his fifth-year option. Will they do more before the season starts?
The Eagles also gave new deals to a few of their own free agents, re-signing Dallas Goedert, Grant Calcaterra, Fred Johnson, Epps, and punter Braden Mann.
The lease at Lincoln Financial Field expires in 2032. Lurie said that the team is going through “exploratory research” on the idea of building a new stadium or renovating their current home.
“We’re so focused on fan amenities,” Lurie said. “To me, that’s the No. 1 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.”
Where it ends up? As in leaving South Philly?
“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.”
The governor had a response to that a few weeks later.
“We’re not going to lose the Birds. They’re going to stay in Philly, and we’re going to make sure of that,” Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said on the unCovering the Birds podcast.
Purchase the front page reprint of The Philadelphia Inquirer from Saturday, July 25, 2026, featuring LeBron James following the news that he was joining the 76ers.
The Eagles are being awarded a $4 million grant from the state of Pennsylvania to help fund renovations to their training facility, the Jefferson Health Training Complex, according to documents published by the Office of the Budget.
The Philadelphia Business Journal was first to report on the grant award.
The Eagles had submitted an application for the grant through the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, which supports regional economic, recreational, cultural, civic, and historical improvement projects, during the 2025 funding round.
The team had applied for a $7.725 million RACP grant. The program requires at least 50% of the total project costs to be paid by at least one non-state funding source. The Eagles listed their total private match at roughly $7.753 million, bringing their budget total for the project to approximately $15.478 million.
The Eagles declined to comment on the awarding of the grant.
The Eagles listed their planned renovations in the application, which included the expansion of the locker room and the training room, the construction of a cafeteria addition to include a rooftop area, the expansion and renovation of the seating area in the existing cafeteria, the renovation of the kitchen, the expansion and renovation of the staff locker rooms and coaches locker rooms, and the expansion and development of the main lobby and coaches’ entrance.
The grant, the Eagles wrote, would be used to “offset hard construction costs associated with the renovations to the amenities” they listed in the application, resulting in a “more efficient workplace and training facility.”
The Eagles also were required to explain how the project to upgrade the Jefferson Health Training Complex, which was called the NovaCare Complex until mid-February when the team announced new sponsorship agreements, will provide a benefit or improvement to the community in the application.
“NovaCare has served as the Eagles’ training facility and corporate headquarters since 2001,” the team wrote. “The Eagles have made 3 Super Bowl appearances and earned 2 Super Bowl victories in the past 8 years. This would not be possible without its commitment to investing in its facilities to attract top talent. This success has fueled civic pride and provided increased visibility to the city. As the nature of professional sports has changed, so have teams’ needs relating to physical space.
“When NovaCare opened, we had 138 full-time employees. Today we have 276. In 2017, the Eagles Autism Foundation was created, and has grown from a staff of 1 to 10 and raised $40MM+. From 2003-12, total PA State Income Tax withheld was $29.5MM (average of $2.9MM/year). From 2013-22, total withheld was $61.7MM (average of $6.17MM/year). We project that for 2023-32, total withheld would be $113.9MM (average $11.39MM/year). This project will ensure the facility can meet the needs of our team as it continues to grow.”
Saquon Barkley greets fans at what then was known as the NovaCare Complex last season.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
The Eagles also explained the factors that they relied on to arrive at their requested grant amount.
“The construction of the NovaCare Complex included public financing, and the Complex sits on public land,” the Eagles wrote. “It is an excellent example of a successful public/private partnership that has generated an economic return for the Commonwealth and the City. Financial assistance from the Commonwealth will enable the Eagles to maximize the scope of the project, minimize the construction timeline, and increase the prospect of maintaining the practice facility at the site.”
As The Inquirer reported in February, the team has been upgrading its practice facility after acquiring the former Rothman Orthopaedics space. The team had a meeting last offseason with their player leadership council to address the topics raised in the 2025 NFLPA survey, which rated the locker room a D+, as a means of identifying prospective improvements.
This year, according to an ESPN report, the Eagles locker room was rated a D. Still, the team received an A- for their weight room and a B- for their training room.
The Jefferson Health Training Complex may not be the only Eagles facility subject to upgrades — or, potentially, more significant changes. At the league meeting in March, Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said the team is conducting “exploratory research” on the prospect of a new or renovated stadium ahead of the expiration of Lincoln Financial Field’s lease in 2032.
One of the variables that the Eagles must consider is the location of a potential new stadium, either in the South Philadelphia sports complex or beyond. Lurie wouldn’t rule out any potential location if the stadium was built anew, noting that he would do “whatever’s best for the fans.”
A week later, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said on The Inquirer’s unCovering the Birds podcast, “We’re not going to lose the Birds. They’re going to stay in Philly, and we’re going to make sure of that.”
It’s fitting to see Sam Mills’ face on the cover of a book, seeing as he was the personification of the saying “don’t judge a book by its cover.”
Mills, the Pro Football Hall of Fame member and Long Branch, N.J., native who began his pro career with the USFL Philadelphia Stars, is the subject of a new biography written by former Inquirer and Daily News columnist Paul Domowitch. Just Give Me a Chance To Fail: The Life of NFL Linebacker Sam Mills chronicles the late linebacker’s improbable rise from Long Branch High School and Montclair State to the New Orleans Saints’ “Dome Patrol” defense and the expansion Carolina Panthers, despite being undersized at 5-foot-9.
Domowitch details the impact that Mills made — on and off the field — on the people around him until his death from cancer in 2005. Ahead of the book’s on-sale date on July 28, Domowitch spoke to The Inquirer for a Q&A about Mills’ legacy and the writing process.
The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Paul Domowitch’s book about Sam Mills is available July 28.provided by Ames Sports Literary
When did you decide that you wanted to write a book about Mills?
When I still worked at The Inquirer, I kind of figured I wanted to write books after I, quote, “retired.” I was going to work till 70 initially. Ended up taking the buyout at 67 and shortly after that, I knew Sam was what I wanted to write about. I had known him since 1983 and his life was just so fascinating. Everybody roots for the underdog, and Sam’s the ultimate underdog. So he was the guy I wanted to write about first. I took the buyout October of 2021. Started on the book, and then ended up doing some freelance for The 33rd Team that took up a lot of my time. So it kind of slowed down the progress on the book. But I kind of started it in earnest again a couple of years ago, and finally finished it.
How important were those years with the Stars in setting up the rest of his pro career?
Without the Stars, I’m not sure he would have had a career because he’d been cut by the Browns. He’d been cut by the [CFL’s Toronto] Argonauts at that point. He was pretty much accepting the fact that he was going to go back to teach and coach some high school football. And … he had to kind of be talked into even going for the tryout with the Stars and then signing a contract with them, so I don’t know that he would have ever gotten another chance without the USFL. He signed with them and was probably, with the possible exception of Reggie White, the best defensive player in that league in the three years he played there. So that probably would have been the end of his career without the USFL. So it was very important to him.
Sam Mills (51) played for Jim Mora both as a member of the USFL Philadelphia Stars and the NFL New Orleans Saints. ELLIS LUCIA / AP
The irony there, which I point out in the book, is Jim Mora, his coach with the Stars and later with the Saints, wanted to cut him the first time he saw him at training camp in Philly because he, like everybody else, refused to believe his eyes that somebody that could be 5-9 could play linebacker in professional football. He finally became convinced, and even then, when he goes to New Orleans and takes the head coaching job there and signs Sam, he’s still not sure he’s going to have an impact in the NFL like he did in the USFL. It wasn’t until he got there in that first practice in a 9-on-7 drill when he just dominated and stoned running backs and got off blocks against guys that were 60, 70 pounds bigger than him that Jim was convinced that he’d survive in the NFL. So without the USFL, I don’t think the guy ever plays pro football.
You got to see him up close in those early days. Did you ever think that he would be able to overcome his height, first at the USFL level, and then ultimately in the NFL, where he built a Hall of Fame career?
It was pretty clear early on in training camp that he was probably the best defensive player they had. The USFL that first year, it was basically a lot of rejects, guys who were on their second and third and fourth chances that had been cut by at least one or two NFL teams. So there were a lot of guys like him. You didn’t pay a whole lot of attention to his size at that point, because I didn’t even know that first year early on what the caliber of the league was going to be. And then as the season went on, you saw both that this was a pretty good league, and that he was a pretty good player. Now, to transfer that and wonder whether he could do that in the NFL, I never doubted he could, because I watched him for two years before that last year when [the Stars] played in [Maryland], and I wasn’t covering them. Size never seemed to be a problem for him. He was able to get under people’s pads. He was the best tackler I’ve ever seen. He was the smartest defensive player I’ve ever covered because he learned early on how to watch film and just knew the game so well that he anticipated what was going to happen and that gave him an advantage that maybe his height might have shortchanged him. So did I think he was going to be a Hall of Famer? I mean, no. Who knows when a guy goes to the NFL, regardless of whether he’s a first-round pick or an undrafted guy like Sam from another league?
Sam Mills (front) played his final three NFL seasons as a member of the Carolina Panthers (1995-97), leading the team to its first-ever playoff berth in 1996. CHUCK BURTON / AP
But it was pretty quick. After he got to New Orleans, you knew he was going to be a great player in that league. He just took off. [Vic] Fangio was his position coach, and he was surrounded by some pretty good players on that defense in New Orleans the first couple years. But he became their leader, and you just watch them. The one shame there is that they weren’t better offensively in New Orleans. It’s what kind of held that team back the entire time Sam was there. You look at his numbers and the defense’s numbers in the years he played there, and they were a phenomenal defense, but they didn’t have a particularly good quarterback. They had a guy [Bobby Hebert] that was OK, but not good enough to get them over the top. Jim Mora was a very conservative coach. He felt that if you had a good defense and a good running game, that’s all you needed back then. And he found out that wasn’t quite enough and ended up losing all four times they were in the playoffs and in the wild-card round.
Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio built his reputation during the era when Sam Mills played for him in Philadelphia and New Orleans. Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
You mentioned Fangio, and his career very much mirrored Mills’ career early on. How impactful was Mills on Fangio, and not only his philosophy on linebacker play and what makes a good linebacker, but also as a person, too?
I think he was very impactful on Vic early on in New Orleans, because Vic, he was a year older than Sam. Sam was 27, I think, when he went to New Orleans. Vic’s 28. First time he’s coaching a position after two years as an entry-level coach with the Stars. Sam quickly became the leader of that defense, leader of those linebackers, and he basically let it be known that you need to trust this guy and believe in him. Not that Vic was struggling. Jim [Mora] believed in him, but even [former Saints general manager] Jim Finks had some reservations about whether Vic was ready for that job. Jim [Mora] said he is, and Vic never made him regret it. But Sam believing in Vic, I think, made it easier for [fellow linebackers] Rickey Jackson, Pat Swilling, Vaughan Johnson to also believe in him, and bring that whole unit together. I think after that, Vic’s knowledge of defense and linebackers and understanding of what Sam could do, and the intelligence he brought … I think there’s a quote in the book somewhere in his foreword where [Fangio] says [Mills] was the leader of that team on the field spiritually and schematically, I think is the way he put the quote. So when he understood what Sam meant to that defense, and especially when he got to Carolina, when he was teaching younger guys, Sam was so important to his career after that.
So they were really good for each other, and as you see in the book, he just loved the guy. He has a picture of Sam on his [office] wall ever since Sam died. I gave him a picture a few weeks ago. I dropped by the [Jefferson Health Training] Complex and gave him a picture of him and Sam standing on the sideline. He’s talking to Sam back when he was playing with the Panthers, and I could tell he was really touched to get it. The picture is in the book, but I gave it to him in a frame, and I think it really meant a lot to him, because that’s just how much he loved the guy. He was in Houston when Sam got cancer, and he went up to Carolina a couple times when he was getting chemo during the 20 months after he was diagnosed, and sat with him and spent time with him while he was getting his chemo and after that. He loved him.
Sam Mills served as an assistant coach with the Carolina Panthers before intestinal cancer took his life at age 45 in 2005. JOHN BYRUM/STAFF / AP
A lot of people loved Mills, and you spoke to so many people for the book. But why Fangio? Why did you want Fangio to write the foreword for the book?
For one, he had spent 15 years with the guy. And I knew how close they were. The story, I think it’s in his foreword, about when he was the head coach in Denver. They start out 0-4 that first year, and he puts together a video for the Saturday night meeting before their fifth game about Sam. Video of Sam playing, video of … ‘Keep Pounding’ speech, not the speech itself, but the impact he had, the statue, just all that inspirational stuff that he put together on a team that none of these guys ever played against Sam. It was in 2019. Sam died in 2005. But that’s how important Sam was to him that he even thought to do that.
So the only other guy I thought about for the foreword was Jim Mora, but Jim had presented Sam at the Hall of Fame when he was inducted. I just felt Vic was probably … aside from Jim, there was nobody else I even thought about. I mean, family, guys he played with. There were so many people that he was close to, but Vic just struck a chord, I guess maybe because he also happened to be coaching in Philly, and I knew him pretty well. All the pieces kind of fell together.
Sam Mills was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame posthumously in 2022. Nick Cammett / MCT
You mentioned the Pro Football Hall of Fame. You’re a voter and you were there for those meetings, notably the one in 2022 where he ultimately got voted in. What were those meetings like, and what really put him over the top at the buzzer?
It was his third year as a finalist. The previous two years, I think I put this in the book, he never even made the reduction vote from 15 to 10. He was eliminated quickly both times. And you get to that last year, I didn’t have a sense for what was going to happen. I couldn’t tell you I was optimistic because it didn’t seem like the rest of the people in the room were hearing what we were saying when we would talk about him. I think the fact that it was his last year was what ultimately rang a bell with people. They realized there was myself and [reporter] Jeff Duncan from New Orleans and Darin Gantt from the Panthers website who spoke up for him. Then some other people that followed after that. It just seemed like everybody realized this was his last chance, because if he became a senior candidate, you can wait forever and never get in. And so when he made it from 15 to 10, I just had a feeling, and then when he made it from 10 to five, and went in on the yes-no vote, it was just really gratifying because there aren’t too many guys that wait that long and get in.
What lessons do you hope people take away from reading about Mills?
As much as this book is about him as a football player, him as a person, I think I mentioned in the book, no one that I interviewed had a bad word to say about this guy. The way he lived his life, when you consider what he went through, there was a lot of reasons along the way for him to be bitter, starting with the fact that nobody believed he could play football, to the fact that he’s diagnosed with this incurable cancer at an age when he’s just starting his coaching career and probably would have been a head coach very quickly.
And he was never bitter. He was just kind of like, “OK, this is just something else I have to deal with,” and he knew he wasn’t going to beat it, but he wasn’t going to surrender. He never took pity on himself the entire time, right up till the time he died. Even when it became clear to him that time was running out, he’s planning his funeral. He’s planning the menu for his funeral. He’s getting the speakers. He’s saying his goodbyes to longtime friends. That’s the kind of stuff that you just don’t see. People that read this book, I hope, look at it beyond football and see a guy that they should emulate as a person, as well as everything else that he overcame.
With Eagles training camp drawing closer, The Inquirer took a look at the more than three dozen new faces who are expected to report along with the rest of the team on July 28.
Player: Keyshawn James-Newby
Position: Edge rusher
Age: 24 (on Aug. 8)
Previous experience: James-Newby was in the high school class of 2020 and was able to stay in college last year thanks to both an NAIA eligibility waiver and the extra COVID-19 eligibility year provided to athletes. He took advantage of it, following coach Jason Eck from Idaho to New Mexico, where he led the Mountain West Conference in sacks (9) during his lone season of FBS football. Before New Mexico, James-Newby tallied 15½ sacks in two seasons at Idaho. He played his first two college seasons at Montana Tech.
The 2026 seventh-round pick is undersized for an edge rusher at 6-foot-1 and 240 pounds, but he makes up for it with speed and bend.
“Power and length get the best of him, but not as often as I expected,” NFL analyst Lance Zierlein wrote in his pre-draft evaluation of James-Newby. “He flashes good get-off, smart angles and efficient cornering that keeps him tight to the pocket as a rusher. James-Newby’s rush lacks diversity, but a dangerous stab move is waiting to be unlocked. His high motor and disruptive ability should make him a solid sub-package edge rusher.”
Path to a roster spot: Getting drafted won’t secure James-Newby a spot on the 53-man roster. The Eagles have cut a late-round pick in each of the last two seasons, and James-Newby’s path to making the roster is a difficult one considering the state of the depth chart ahead of him.
The Eagles have Jonathan Greenard, Jalyx Hunt, Nolan Smith, and probably Arnold Ebiketie marked as locks for the roster. James-Newby’s chances will depend on how he performs in camp and preseason games and whether the Eagles think they have room for five or six edge rushers. They kept five on the initial 53-man roster last year, but had six in each of the previous two seasons.
The signing of A.J. Epenesa at the end of the offseason program added to the competition at the bottom of the depth chart. Epenesa managed just 2½ sacks last season with the Bills but had six in each of the previous three seasons. The Eagles also have Jose Ramirez and Joshua Weru in camp.
Fun fact: The Eagles have drafted six players out of New Mexico in their history, but James-Newby is the first since quarterback Ben Monroe in 1967. Former Eagles receiver Hank Baskett went to New Mexico, but he was undrafted.
Quotable: What was life like growing up in Idaho and Montana?
“You know, you ride horses to school,” James-Newby quipped when asked during Eagles rookie camp in April. “I’m just kidding. … Same thing you do in a city, but just not as occupied. A little bit peaceful. You can go hike up a mountain whenever you want to. It was just nice.”
With Eagles training camp drawing nearer, 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.
Player: Dontayvion Wicks
Position: Wide receiver
Age: 25
Previous experience: The Eagles acquired Wicks this offseason from the Green Bay Packers, the team that drafted him in the fifth round in 2023 out of Virginia. Wicks also signed a one-year, $10.5 million extension, keeping him under contract through 2027.
He overlapped for two seasons in Green Bay with Sean Mannion, the new Eagles offensive coordinator who served as a Packers offensive assistant in 2024 and the quarterbacks coach in 2025. But Wicks’ best season was his rookie year in 2023, when he racked up a career-high 581 yards and four touchdowns on 39 receptions.
Every year since has paled in comparison. He finished with 415 yards and five touchdowns on 39 receptions in 2024, and 332 yards and two touchdowns on 30 receptions in 2025. Wicks was, in part, a victim of the Packers’ deep receiving corps, as he never played more than 54% of the offensive snaps in a single season.
Dontayvion Wicks (13) faced Quinyon Mitchell (27) and the Eagles last season. Matt Ludtke
He also struggled with drops in 2024, registering the third-highest drop rate at 11.8% among wide receivers with at least 70 regular-season targets, according to Stathead.
Still, the 6-foot-1, 206-pound Wicks has had his standout moments, including his two-touchdown performance in the Packers’ Thanksgiving victory over the Detroit Lions last season. His drop rate improved in 2025, too, finishing with a career-low 4.3%.
Path to a roster spot: Wicks currently projects (depending on whom you ask) as the third receiver behind DeVonta Smith and Makai Lemon, although Hollywood Brown could contend with him for more targets. Wicks will have an opportunity to show that he’s capable of taking on more responsibility in the offense, especially one that traded away its top playmaker in A.J. Brown this offseason.
The Eagles are high on Wicks. Nick Sirianni likened his skill set to that of Keenan Allen, especially in terms of their shared ability to get in and out of breaks and their efficiency at the line of scrimmage. Wicks also has the versatility to line up in the slot (39.3% of his career pass snaps, according to Pro Football Focus) and on the outside (58.9%).
Fun fact: Wicks was a quarterback at Plaquemine High School in Louisiana, and a left-handed one, too. His arm came in clutch during his rookie season when he completed a 14-yard pass to running back Aaron Jones on a trick play against the Denver Broncos.
Quotable: “He’s a unique player in terms of some of the things that he’s able to do from a route-running perspective. He’s headed into Year 4, you’ve seen the growth, and I think you’re excited, because you still see that there are parts of his game that he’s still refining, like every single player. I think he brings toughness. Obviously you can see from watching the tape, he’s a talented guy. One thing I think with Tay is his mindset, he thinks the game in the proper way.” — tight ends coach Ryan Mahaffey, the former Packers receivers coach, on Wicks in June
Player: Jose Ramirez
Position: Outside linebacker
Age: 27
Previous experience: Ramirez was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 2023 sixth-round pick out of Eastern Michigan. He didn’t make the initial 53-man roster out of training camp that summer and subsequently was signed to the Bucs’ practice squad.
In 2024, shortly after his three-sack performance in the second week of the preseason against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Ramirez made the active roster out of camp. He appeared in four games that season (30 defensive snaps, 40 special teams snaps). The 6-2, 252-pound outside linebacker was waived at the end of training camp in 2025.
Ramirez continued his pro career in the CFL with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats last season. In three games, he registered one sack and four tackles. Ramirez was released in the offseason to sign a reserve/future contract with the Eagles in January.
Path to a roster spot: Ramirez has a shot at the practice squad, but it’s a long one. He will have to compete against veteran A.J. Epenesa and sixth-rounder Keyshawn James-Newby for one of the last spots on the active roster behind Jonathan Greenard, Jalyx Hunt, Nolan Smith, and Arnold Ebiketie. If the 27-year-old Epenesa is the early favorite to make the initial 53, James-Newby and Joshua Weru (International Player Pathway program; would not count toward 16-man limit) are the top candidates for the practice squad.
Fun fact: In four years at Eastern Michigan, Ramirez notched 20½ sacks, the second-greatest career total in school history. He had 12 sacks in 2022, making him the fourth player at Eastern Michigan since 1998 to notch double-digit sacks in a single season. That season, he was named the Mid-American Conference’s defensive player of the year.
Quotable: “I feel like my best attributes are my stab and my speed, just using my get-off to scare the O-lineman. But I feel like there’s a lot of things I need to work on. Even the things I’m good at, I feel like [there’s] still room to get to perfection. I feel like you can practice over and over and over, and there’s no such thing as getting to the end of it. There’s always time to get better.” — Ramirez in 2023 after the draft, via the Buccaneers
With Eagles training camp drawing nearer, 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.
Player: Uar Bernard
Position: Defensive tackle
Age: 21
Previous experience: Bernard doesn’t have anyprevious experience in football. The Eagles picked him in the seventh round (No. 251 overall) in April’s draft. The native of Nigeria is a product of the NFL’s International Player Pathway program who impressed scouts with his superb athleticism and frame. The 6-foot-4 Bernard boasts just 6% body fat (despite being 306 pounds) and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.63 seconds.
Path to a roster spot: It’s difficult to predict Bernard’s chances of making the roster, since he’s such a raw prospect. The main factor is whether the Eagles want to risk putting him on the practice squad, which would expose him to being signed by other teams. He’ll need to make enough progress to show that he can occupy a roster spot, and the Eagles will need to come out of camp deep enough along the defensive line to allow it to happen.
Fun fact: Bernard’s original plan was to go into real estate. His football journey began when a coach noticed him while playing basketball in his village in Nigeria.
Quotable: “Before the IPP, I was introduced to football by [former NFL player] Osi Umenyiora,” Bernard said on draft night. “So I was back home watching drills about pass rush and walking into the trenches with my coaches back home, learning techniques. … But I can walk into the trenches.”
Carson Steele appeared in all 20 games with the Chiefs in 2024 (regular season and playoffs), including 11 special teams snaps against the Eagles in the Super Bowl. John Bazemore
Player: Carson Steele
Position: Fullback
Age: 23
Previous experience: Steele is entering his third NFL season. He was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2024 after stints at Ball State and UCLA. Steele was waived by the Chiefs last August and spent the season on the practice squad. The Eagles signed him to a reserve/future contract in January.
Path to a roster spot: It remains to be seen whether the Eagles will keep a fullback. Tight end Cameron Latu transitioned to fullback last season and was a decent blocker. Steele also has special teams value — his last meaningful snaps came there against the Eagles in Super Bowl LIX. Steele making the team over Latu rests on his training-camp output and versatility.
Fun fact: Steele had an impactful rookie season, was named an alternate for the Pro Bowl following the 2024 season, and finished second behind Baltimore’s Patrick Ricard for AFC fullbacks in the Pro Bowl voting.
Quotable: “My main goal was to try be like a Swiss Army knife, try to do it all,” Steele told Kansas City reporters in 2024, when describing his play style.
Now that Philadelphia has wrapped up one of its busiest summers in sports — the area hosted the PGA Championship, MLB All-Star festivities, and FIFA World Cup games — we can finally take a breath, Philadelphia Stadium can again be known as Lincoln Financial Field, and Philly sports fans can turn their full attention toward the Eagles.
And with training camp starting next week, there still are several concerns surrounding the Super Bowl LIX champions. Here’s everything the national media is saying about the Birds entering training camp:
Is Jalen Hurts a top-10 quarterback?
ESPN recently asked league executives, coaches, and scouts to rank NFL players by position. Eight Eagles made their respective top 10s: Saquon Barkley (running back), Quinyon Mitchell (cornerback), Cooper DeJean (cornerback), Jalen Carter (defensive tackle), Jordan Davis (defensive tackle), Jordan Mailata (offensive tackle), Lane Johnson (offensive tackle), and Zack Baun (off-ball linebacker).
But a major name didn’t make his list — Super Bowl LIX MVP Jalen Hurts. Hurts was beaten out by the likes of Dak Prescott, Drake Maye, Jared Goff, and Caleb Williams for a spot on the list.
Hurts was honorable mention along with Baker Mayfield, Trevor Lawrence, Brock Purdy, and Jayden Daniels. And this isn’t the first time he’s been snubbed in rankings — he was No. 9 in last year’s ESPN rankings and wasn’t even mentioned in SB Nation’s top 10 list.
Despite ESPN not naming Hurts a top 10 quarterback, former NFL linebacker Manti Te’o has faith that fans will see an even better player under center this season — especially under new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion.
“Jalen Hurts is at his best when Saquon, in 2024, was running crazy. When he was almost about to break Eric Dickerson’s record, when he was jumping over people backward,” said Te’o, who’s now a host on the NFL Network’s Good Morning Football. “That is when Jalen Hurts is at his best. Sean Mannion is going to go back to that. Sean Mannion’s going to put Jalen Hurts under center and he’s going to hand the ball off to Saquon Barkley. And guess what’s going to happen after that? He’s going to do what Jalen Hurts does best. And that’s get Jalen outside of the pocket and throw the ball deep down field.”
Leaning on running back Saquon Barkley will help improve Jalen Hurts’ game and the Eagles’ offense, overall, Manti Te’o argues.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
The Eagles offense finished 24th in total offense, averaging 311.2 yards per game. The team made a number of changes on that side of the ball entering this season, including hiring Mannion and trading away wide receiver A.J. Brown.
“I also think that having the departure of A.J. Brown could be a good thing for Jalen Hurts,” Te’o said. “Sometimes having a crutch in a wide receiver one limits a quarterback from being an actual quarterback.
“When you have schemes and plays that are designed specifically to have to go to somebody, it doesn’t give Jalen Hurts the opportunity to be like, ‘Man, let me look at what the defense is actually giving me.’ … I think that Jalen Hurts’ best football is ahead of him, and it could be ahead of him, and should be with someone like Sean Mannion at the helm.”
"I think that Jalen Hurts' best football is ahead of him"
According to ESPN analyst Mina Kimes, Lemon will be a perfect fit for an Eagles offense without Brown.
“I think DeVonta Smith takes more of the A.J. Brown usage, in terms of becoming more of a threat along the perimeter,” Kimes said. “But Makai Lemon is going to be really important because he fills a lot of the gaps that were pretty noticeable last year in the Eagles offense and have been for a while — specifically quick completions against zone coverage and yards after the catch.
“And I know that doesn’t sound super sexy to fantasy managers or people who think about A.J. Brown. But it is so important … to keeping that offense running on time and making it more efficient.”
"He fills a lot of the gaps that were pretty noticeable last year."
With all the questions surrounding the offense, former NFL defensive end Chris Canty believes the Eagles defense will be what leads them to another Super Bowl.
“The Eagles, when they go to Super Bowls, they have a top-two defense,” Canty said on ESPN’s First Take. “And if we’re going to establish the identity for this team, if we’re going to have a defining characteristic, I think the part that gets ignored is what that side of the ball does.
“If they want to continue to be a team that contends for titles, defense is going to have to be what wins the day.”
"The defining characteristic of this Eagles team, during this championship window, has been the defense."
Every year, players vote on the best 100 players in the league. The NFL has revealed Nos. 51-100. No Eagles players have been listed, but two former Eagles have made the cut: Brown and Josh Sweat.
Brown is No. 80, falling 51 spots from last year’s No. 29 ranking. Sweat is No. 78, improving from last year’s No. 95 ranking.
