He will have another wall to break through this season, starting with the Week 1 home opener against the Washington Commanders on Sunday. Nick Sirianni revealed Wednesday that first-time offensive coordinator Sean Mannion will “probably” call plays from the booth, with a glass window and several stories separating him from the sixth-year starting quarterback.
Hurts said he hasn’t had a play caller in the booth since he was in college. Still, he said he will be supportive of Mannion’s decision, regardless of how it impacts their line of communication, particularly between drives.
“If he feels that’s what gives us the best chance to win, the best chance for him to see the game and find his flow and what he’s doing, that’s the direction we need to go in,” Hurts said Wednesday. “And so I’m going to support whatever makes him feel comfortable in that degree.
“And for me, I come into the year thinking about breaking down walls of communication and talking and communicating the things that I’m seeing and and whatnot. And there is a wall, being in the box, but still, having open dialog, using the red phone, calling if I see something, hearing him out, and I think in all, it’s a part of the process.”
Jalen Hurts (right) talked about the importance of communication with Sean Mannion (left) and the new offensive coaching staff. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Building chemistry with Mannion has been one of the focuses of training camp for Hurts. He reiterated on Wednesday his goal of getting “hip-to-hip” with his new offensive coordinator as a means of building chemistry, a task that continues into the regular season.
Hurts wants to know what Mannion is thinking in any given situation, an environment the team has tried to replicate during the call-it periods of training camp. It all becomes real in Week 1. Hurts will soon have an opportunity to build in-game chemistry with Mannion, even if he isn’t on the sideline.
“The in-game experiences we have coming soon will be very valuable for us in what we ultimately want to accomplish,” Hurts said.
With Week 1 preparations underway, the 28-year-old Hurts is still getting used to all of the new. It isn’t just the big aspects, such as the new offensive coordinator, the new offensive scheme, and the horde of new receivers headlined by Dontayvion Wicks, Makai Lemon, and Hollywood Brown.
It’s the smaller things, too, within Hurts’ weekly preparation. He said he realized on Tuesday that in years past, he would typically meet with Jeff Stoutland on that day to discuss that week’s game plan. Stoutland, who served concurrently as the Eagles offensive line coach for 13 seasons and the run game coordinator for eight, announced his departure from the team in February.
The process may change with new coaches, but the goal remains the same.
“A lot of it is new, and there’s a transition,” Hurts said. “It’s a bit of an evolution, but we’ve got great guys here that I can lean on that can that can fill those voids, so we can do what we’re trying to do moving forward.”
Jalen Hurts has worked hard to learn the nuances of the Sean Mannion offense since the coordinator’s hiring. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Moving forward this week, the Eagles will try to win their first game of the season against an NFC East foe. Hurts and Sirianni have gone 5-0 in Week 1 since the Eagles head coach arrived in Philadelphia and the quarterback stepped into the full-time role as the starter.
Hurts shared his theory for their Week 1 success — “keeping the main thing the main thing.” Their early results are a reflection of their preparation and their confidence in it.
A win would start the Eagles off on the right foot, Hurts said. The real challenge is maintaining that “clarity” regarding their intentions as an offense as the season progresses.
Hurts acknowledged that he doesn’t know exactly what the offense will look like in Week 1, let alone Week 18. It’s Mannion’s job to whittle down the broader offense that he installed in training camp to a more limited menu for game day based on the opponent.
But Hurts said he is excited to have a “north star,” or a clear vision from his offensive coordinator about what his intentions are in designing the offense and how he wants his players to attack it. Whether that vision includes designed runs for the quarterback, an aspect of the offense that was seldom highlighted last year, remains to be seen.
Hurts acknowledged it could be a “unique opportunity” to incorporate his rushing ability into the offense, even though mobile quarterbacks haven’t typically been featured in the West Coast offense.
Ultimately, it’s up to Mannion to make that call. It’s on both Hurts and Mannion to get a sense of which plays the other likes, too, regardless of where the play-caller is located.
“We’ve got to build that chemistry,” Hurts said. “I’m always willing and open to doing anything and everything to win. And it’s not like you say I’m going to drop back and run it on this play. You’ve got to play the game. So we’ll find that feel and see where it goes.”
He chose the latter, a decision he initially regretted before leaning on the media savviness he picked up during his16-year career with the Birds.
“I actually wanted to wait, but man, I was so tired of that question being asked all the time, so that just got me,” Graham said. But he landed on the announcement helping him, because it got fans interested to “tune in” and hear him explain why.
So begins Graham’s transition from Eagles legend and two-time Super Bowl champ to a budding media career talking about football.
After being injured during the 2024 season, Graham, 38, still felt like he had a little gas in the tank. So when the Eagles called him up last season, he was ready to unretire and get back on the field to “finish the season clean.”
Graham went into this offseason hopeful he might jump back into football. He stayed in contact with Eagles general manager Howie Roseman and was even prepared to participate in training camp to be properly prepared if the Birds needed him. But the stars didn’t align.
“It didn’t work out like that because [Roseman] got the team he needed,” Graham said. “So in my mind, I was like, ‘Yeah, I think I’m going to be done.’”
In hindsight, it’s been something of a relief. Now Graham can focus his efforts on a budding media career that will start off with the second season of his Unblocked podcast and joining PHLY for postgame coverage of Eagles games.
“Last year, I was one foot in, one foot out, because I thought there was an opportunity for me to go back and play,” Graham said. “This year I didn’t want that feeling so I can work in the media space how I worked in football. Otherwise I’m doing myself a disservice.”
Learning on WIP and late-night 6abc hits
Brandon Graham hosted a weekly show on 94.1 WIP for nine seasons alongside former host Howard Eskin. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Graham’s interest in the media began during his playing days, where he’d listen back and critique interviews he gave with reporters. It didn’t take long for his engaging personality to win over the press, who began offering him more opportunities to jump on the air.
An early break was with 94.1 WIP, a gig that transformed from him calling in on Tuesdays to hosting his own weekly show during the season at Chickie’s & Pete’s alongside former host Howard Eskin.
Learning on the job also meant sometimes wading in controversy. He was forced to walk back comments he made about then-teammates Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown in 2024. Graham was injured at the time and based his remarks on a video of Brown speaking, something he’s since learned to approach with caution.
“It was an emotional time and I should have been patient,” Graham said. “But I felt like it helped us a little bit, too, because we ended up winning the Super Bowl that year.”
Graham also got some early reps on 6abc during the 2015 season. After Sunday Eagles games, Graham would drive to the station’s studios on City Avenue to join the 11 p.m. edition of Action News and talk Birds with Ducis Rodgers.
“Boy, that was a grind,” Graham said.
In 2024, Graham participated in the NFL’s broadcast boot camp, which allows players to experience what it’s like working on a studio show or calling games. Graham said the experience was enlightening, and helped him land appearances on ESPN and the NFL Network.
“At ESPN, I went through what they call the car wash, when you appear on all the different shows,” Graham said. “They ended up liking me, and I got put on Good Morning Football before I went back to play … I expect I’ll do more of that.”
Joining PHLY and learning to criticize his former teammates
Brandon Graham is entering his second season hosting the “Unblocked” podcast for PHLY.PHLY
Graham is entering his second NFL season with PHLY, the digital start up that began in Denver in 2015 and expanded to Philly in 2023 as part of the ALLCITY Network.
The network took notice of Graham’s abilities during a July 2025 interview on the Exciting Mics podcast, hosted by Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean and former Birds safety Reed Blankenship (who signed with the Houston Texans in March). Graham said parent companyALLCITY made him a strong proposal, and within a few weeks he launched his Unblocked podcast, co-hosted by Bo Wulf.
“BG brings an incredible depth of knowledge and an understanding of the game, but what truly sets him apart is his authenticity and infectious energy,” said Todd Berman, PHLY’s general manager.
This year Graham is expanding his duties beyond Unblocked to include co-hosting PHLY’s crowded postgame coverage alongside Wulf, Fran Duffy, Brandon Lee Gowton, and former Inquirer reporter EJ Smith.
Graham won’t appear after every Eagles game — he’ll rotate with former Eagles defender and Super Bowl champ Vinny Curry. But his appearances will place Graham in the potentially awkward position of having to criticize his former teammates.
ButGraham isn’t too concerned. As a player, he understood the media had their own job to do, even during his first few seasons with the Eagles when “Philly people were really bashing me.”
“Everybody’s takes are different. Some people do it for clickbait just to get people to click on your show,” Graham said. “I’m going to be honest and tell viewers the truth … It will be challenging, because sometimes there’s certain stuff you can’t just beat around.”
While he’s entering the season hopeful about a future in the sports media machine, he’s open to different paths, including public speaking. For now, Graham’s happy to have a manageable schedule where he works a few days a week, spends time with his family, and has the freedom to explore different interests.
“Who knows what the media stuff will do,” Graham said, “But I’m trying to get this golf game right, too.”
Diving deep into the data to look at three trends that will help determine the Eagles’ fate in 2026 (with an assist from pro-football-reference.com and nflfastR).
23rd
That’s the average ranking from last season of the 14 pass defenses the Eagles will face in 2026. It is the softest schedule in the league by a wide, wide margin. The Eagles couldn’t have handpicked a better setup for Jalen Hurts and first-year offensive coordinator Sean Mannion. Right out of the gate, they’ll face a Commanders defense that finished tied for 30th in yards per pass attempt allowed, then a Titans defense that finished dead last. In fact, nine of their 14 opponents finished lower than 20th in yards per attempt.
A big factor in the Eagles’ good fortune is a division that includes two of the three worst pass defenses from a year ago in Dallas and Washington, plus a Giants team that finished in the bottom half of the league. The Cowboys also finished in the bottom 10 in sack rate while ranking 27th in their rate of passing plays of 20 or more yards, two categories in which the Eagles schedule also ranks among the most favorable.
The nondivision slate will likely play a little tougher than it looks on paper. The Rams (tied for 11th in YPA) rebuilt their secondary while adding Myles Garrett and Aaron Donald to the pass rush. The Colts could be better in their first full season of cornerbacks Charvarius Ward and midseason trade acquisition Sauce Gardner. That said, no team in the NFL has a more favorable schedule top to bottom. The Eagles’ opponents had an average rank of 22.9 in passing yards per game and 20.2 in yards per attempt allowed last season. Both are the highest in the NFL.
The sequencing is as beneficial as the actual opponents. The two toughest defenses on their schedule don’t come until Weeks 15 and 16, with just five days separating the Seahawks on Dec. 19 and the Texans on Christmas Eve. Both games are at home.
The early-season schedule is soft enough to counteract whatever learning curve that will exist for Hurts and the rest of the offense in Mannion’s scheme. The expectations should be high.
3.98
That was the average yards per carry of Eagles running backs when they had multiple tight ends on the field last season in neutral game script situations. That ranked in the bottom half of the league and well behind the teams that made it to their conference championships.
A sampling …
Running-back yards per carry in multi-tight-end sets (first and second down outside the 10-yard line)
Bills: 5.25 (4th in NFL)
Rams: 5.23 (5th)
Seahawks: 4.56 (9th)
Bears: 4.52 (10th)
Broncos: 4.44 (11th)
Patriots: 4.30 (17th)
Eagles: 3.98 (20th)
Johnny Mundt (center) was brought in to help the Eagles’ blocking in multiple tight end sets.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
Johnny Mundt didn’t get a ton of coverage in training camp. Blocking tight ends rarely do. But the Eagles signed the 31-year-old veteran for a reason. With Cameron Latu lost to waivers and Grant Calcaterra on injured reserve, the Eagles will enter the season without two of their top three tight ends from last year. Add to that the steep learning curve awaiting rookie second-round draft pick Eli Stowers and tight end is one of the bigger question marks on this 2026 roster.
The question is especially relevant given the leaguewide paradigm shift. Teams like the Rams and Seahawks have spent considerable resources accumulating talent at the tight end position in recent seasons. Seattle drafted AJ Barner and Elijah Arroyo in the fourth and second rounds in back-to-back seasons, while the Rams just added second-round pick Max Klare to a stable of tight ends that already included 2025 second-rounder Terrance Ferguson, high-priced free agent Colby Parkinson, 2023 fifth-rounder Davis Allen and veteran Tyler Higbee.
It remains to be seen how central a role multi-tight-end sets will have in Mannion’s offense. Last year, his Packers team finished in the top half of the league in both RB yards per carry and pass yards per attempt.
That’s how many quarterbacks rushed for 600-plus yards last season. The last time the NFL had a regular season where no quarterbacks reached 600 yards was 2017. At least two had done it in each of the previous five seasons.
Hurts’ rushing production has garnered plenty of attention, and deservedly so. The Eagles were a dramatically different offense in 2022 when he averaged 50.7 rushing yards per game compared to the one they’ve been over the last three seasons, when Hurts has averaged just 34.5 yards. It’s certainly reasonable to think that he can and should be well north of the 26.5 yards he averaged last season. But it isn’t all on him.
The natural trajectory of a dual-threat quarterback is to see a year-to-year decline in rushing production. It has happened to virtually every quarterback who has done the things Hurts did early in his career. The league adjusts quickly. It’s no coincidence that virtually every scrambling quarterback saw a significant decline in his rushing production last season.
New Eagles OC Sean Mannion could utilize Jalen Hurts’ running ability more in 2026.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Jayden Daniels missed 10 games, but in the seven games he played, he averaged just 39.7 yards, down from 52.4 the year before. Lamar Jackson’s 26.8 yards per game was barely half of the 52.6 he averaged over the two years prior. Bo Nix’s per-game rushing yardage fell by more than 20% (25.3 yards to 20.9). Drake Maye’s was down 18.5%. Josh Allen has averaged 32 yards per game over the last three seasons after averaging 46.2 yards per game in 2021 and 2022.
“I think [Hurts has] really operated through all facets of the offense comfortably,” Mannion said earlier this summer. “But the piece of him as an athlete in the running game is something unique. Those are elements we can lean into a little bit as well.”
Mannion should be thinking that way. But quarterbacks who have running ability will almost always see that running ability limited by defensive coordinators’ awareness of said running ability. The league has seen enough of it in recent years that it is getting better at stopping it.
The two-time defending NFC East champion Eagles begin their season Sunday, with the Washington Commanders coming to town for the Week 1 opener at the Linc (4:25 p.m. Fox). With that in mind, let’s meet every member of the 53-man squad. Players are listed by expected order on the Eagles’ depth chart.
Quarterbacks (4)
Jalen Hurts
College: Oklahoma | Years pro: 6 | 6-1, 223
Another year, another new offensive coordinator and play caller for Hurts, who has dealt with constant change since he was in college. All eyes are on the quarterback as the Eagles enter 2026 with a revamped offense under new coordinator Sean Mannion. How will Hurts take to running an offense that has him taking more snaps from under center, utilizing more play action, and one that may even ask him to run a little more often? How will he deal with a wide receiving corps that doesn’t have A.J. Brown anymore? There are a lot of question marks hanging over the offense, and Hurts is under the spotlight. — Neiburg
Andy Dalton struggled in the preseason. Could he still be a trade target?Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Andy Dalton
College: TCU | Years pro: 15 | 6-2, 220
The Eagles traded a seventh-round pick for Dalton in hopes that the 38-year-old could compete for the No. 2 job behind Hurts or, if Tanner McKee outperformed him in camp, could be used as trade bait to a quarterback-needy team. Neither happened, and so Dalton enters the 2026 season either second or third on the depth chart. Dalton has played a lot of football, but he’s four years removed from being a starter. — Neiburg
Tanner McKee
College: Stanford | Years pro: 2 | 6-6, 231
Coach Nick Sirianni and GM Howie Roseman are hesitant to name a backup quarterback, so McKee will either be the No. 2 or No. 3 guy behind Hurts on the depth chart. It’s a clear battle between him and Dalton, who might have the edge due to his experience. McKee has shown flashes over the years — tossing 269 yards and two touchdowns in a meaningless game against the Giants in 2024 — but he hasn’t quite jelled with Mannion’s offense. — Novozinsky
Cole Payton
College: North Dakota State | Years pro: 1st | 6-3, 232
Payton, a rookie fifth-round pick from North Dakota State, fell victim to the QB battle in front of him this summer. He saw some garbage-time action in the preseason, but it wasn’t nearly enough to showcase his dual-threat potential. Roseman and Sirianni (rightly) gave his reps to Dalton and McKee, who are still battling for the QB2 job. — Novozinsky
Saquon Barkley’s effectiveness in Sean Mannion’s offensive scheme will be a major storyline. Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Running Backs (3)
Saquon Barkley
College: Penn State | Years pro: 8 | 6-0, 233
The offense took a step back last year in part because Barkley could not come close to replicating his 2024 season, when he became the ninth player in NFL history to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season. Doing it again would have been a big ask, but Barkley’s ability to pile up yards was hampered by an offensive line that was injured and an offensive scheme that couldn’t find ways to get him the ball in space. This year, the Eagles are implementing a wide zone running scheme that should favor Barkley and a running game that will be pivotal to the team’s success. — Neiburg
Tank Bigsby
College: Auburn | Years pro: 3 | 5-11, 215
The Eagles acquired Bigsby a few weeks into the 2025 season and the backup running back was one of the few bright spots on offense. He rushed 58 times for 344 yards (5.9 per carry) but had more than four carries in only three games. A new-look rushing attack could ask for Bigsby to spell Barkley more often this year. — Neiburg
Will Shipley
College: Clemson | Years pro: 2 | 5-11, 209
Shipley enters his third season with the team as the third-string running back behind Barkley and Bigsby and as a key special teams contributor, particularly at kick returner. He won’t likely have ample touches on offense, but he acquitted himself nicely in the preseason, both as a runner and as a receiver. Mannion could find a role for him in the offense in certain situations. — Reiner
is DeVonta Smith ready to embrace WR1 status?David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Wide receivers (6)
DeVonta Smith
College: Alabama | Years pro: 5 | 6-0, 170
With A.J. Brown shipped off to the Patriots, all eyes are on Smith as the Eagles’ WR1. Prominent members of the organization, including Sirianni and Roseman, have stated they believe Smith is ready to take on a bigger role in the offense. Smith, who turns 28 in November, could be the team’s leading receiver for the first time since 2021. He missed most of training camp with a hamstring injury, but he is expected to be available for Week 1. — Reiner
Dontayvion Wicks
College: Virginia | Years pro: 3 | 6-1, 206
The Eagles acquired the 25-year-old Wicks from the Green Bay Packers this offseason. He made the most of his opportunities throughout camp, and with Makai Lemon sidelined for a significant portion of the offseason with a hamstring injury, Wicks made his case for the WR2 job. Wicks’ best season came in his rookie year in 2023, when he racked up 581 yards and four touchdowns on 39 receptions. The two seasons that followed paled in comparison. Wicks will look to prove he’s capable of taking on a greater workload in the Eagles offense. — Reiner
Can Makai Lemon recover from a low-impact preseason and training camp?Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Makai Lemon
College: USC | Years pro: 1st | 5-11, 192
Fans and pundits will be looking at Lemon under a microscope this season — and for good reason. The 22-year-old rookie was drafted in hopes that he could help replicate Brown’s production in the aggregate, alongside the Eagles’ other weapons. Lemon isn’t off to the best start, missing the majority of training camp then struggling in his lone preseason appearance (3 yards on three catches and a drop that led to an interception). — Novozinsky
Darius Cooper
College: Tarleton State | Years pro: 1 | 5-11, 210
Last year’s training camp darling earned a roster spot by doing a lot of what Sirianni called the “dirty work.” The Eagles asked Cooper mostly to be a blocker and play special teams. He was targeted just 11 times on 212 offensive snaps. Cooper had a good start to training camp but seemed to fade a little down the stretch. That being said, there’s an opportunity for Cooper to have a bigger role in the offense this year. — Neiburg
Hollywood Brown is a former 1,000-yard receiver who is looking to revive his career in Philly. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Hollywood Brown
College: Oklahoma | Years pro: 7 | 5-9, 170
Roseman signed Brown to a one-year deal in free agency worth $5 million guaranteed after Brown followed up an injury-shortened 2024 campaign by catching 49 passes for 587 yards and five touchdowns last year with Kansas City. He’s not the same receiver he was when he broke into the league as a 2019 first-round pick with Baltimore, but Brown could be a reliable third or fourth option despite being invisible at times during his first training camp in Philly. — Neiburg
Elijah Moore
College: Ole Miss | Years pro: 5 | 5-10, 178
Out is A.J. Brown, in is his college friend and teammate. The Eagles signed Moore to a one-year deal to add some depth to the position group. The 2021 second-round pick then went out and earned his spot with a strong training camp. Moore’s 2025 season with the Bills and Broncos was rocky, and he came to the Eagles facing a career crossroads. He could have a revival, especially if Lemon struggles early and the Eagles ask Moore to be their slot receiver. — Neiburg
Video: unCovering the Birds: Is tight end the biggest area of concern?
Tight ends (4)
Dallas Goedert
College: South Dakota State | Years pro: 8 | 6-5, 256
Goedert is back with the Eagles for a ninth season after the team signed the 31-year-old to a one-year deal. Goedert is coming off a productive 2025 season where he had more touchdowns (11) than he did in the previous three seasons combined. Goedert will again be relied on in the passing game, but the Eagles will need him to give a little more as a blocker in a run scheme that asks more of the tight ends than the previous one did. — Neiburg
Johnny Mundt
College: Oregon | Years pro: 8 | 6-4, 245
Blocking from the tight end spot was a struggle at times for the Eagles in 2025, so they tried to rectify that by signing Mundt, who has become one of the better blocking tight ends in the NFL over the last few seasons. What’s more, he’s also experienced in the Eagles’ new style of offense, having played on multiple teams that deploy some version of the Kyle Shanahan-Sean McVay offense. — Neiburg
Eli Stowers’ ability to make a Year 1 impact is in question. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Eli Stowers
College: Vanderbilt | Years pro: 1st | 6-3, 239
The Eagles selected Stowers with their second-round pick in part because it’s past time they started planning for the future at the position. Stowers is a former quarterback who transitioned to tight end in college after a shoulder injury. The Eagles loved his athleticism and think they’ll eventually be able to take advantage of some mismatches when he’s running routes, but it’s unclear how involved the rookie will be in the offense early in the season. — Neiburg
EJ Jenkins
College: Georgia Tech | Years pro: 1 | 6-6, 245
Jenkins was one of the bubble offensive skill players who made the initial 53-man roster. He has been with the Eagles for most of the last three years, primarily on the practice squad, and he has appeared in 14 games between the regular season and the postseason. Jenkins checks the box as another “Y” tight end responsible for lining up inline and blocking, a coveted role in the Shanahan/McVay offense. — Reiner
Jordan Mailata returns as one of the Eagles’ most reliable players. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Offensive linemen (9)
Jordan Mailata
College: N/A | Years pro: 8 | 6-8, 365
While most of the offensive line was hampered by injury last season, Mailata was one of the unit’s healthiest members, starting in all 16 games that the starters played (not including Week 18). He has seemingly improved with age — according to Pro Football Focus, Mailata conceded two sacks in 2025, the second-lowest total of his career (he gave up one sack in 2024). Two years ago, he earned second-team All-Pro honors. Can he earn leaguewide acclaim in 2026? — Reiner
Landon Dickerson
College: Alabama | Years pro: 5 | 6-6, 332
Dickerson admitted that last season, he returned to action too quickly after undergoing meniscus surgery. He had a full offseason to recover from his various injuries, which included traveling to Colombia to receive stem cell therapy to manage his pain. Now, Dickerson says he’s healthy as he aims to bounce back in his sixth season as the starting left guard. Can he get back to the standard he established from 2022-24 when he was an original-selection Pro Bowler for three straight years? — Reiner
A healthy Cam Jurgens would be a mark in the Eagles’ favor in 2026. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Cam Jurgens
College: Nebraska | Years pro: 4 | 6-3, 303
Chronic back pain slowed Jurgens at times in 2025, though he still was named to the Pro Bowl for the second consecutive season. Like Dickerson, Jurgens sought to rid himself of that pain by flying to Colombia for stem cell therapy treatment during the offseason. Jurgens says he’s feeling a lot better, and he appears to be moving around a lot better, too. The new running attack should fit his athletic profile. — Neiburg
Tyler Steen
College: Alabama | Years pro: 3 | 6-6, 321
Steen is heading into his second season as the starting right guard. He was solid in his first season, conceding just two sacks, according to PFF. His teammates have lauded his improvement throughout training camp as he heads into a contract year. Steen will have an opportunity to play his way into a pay raise, either in Philadelphia or elsewhere. — Reiner
Lane Johnson said 2026 will probably be his last go-round. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Lane Johnson
College: Oklahoma | Years pro: 13 | 6-6, 325
Johnson’s reign at right tackle is nearing its end. During training camp, Hurts’ 36-year-old protector said that 2026 will “probably” be his final season. Johnson played just 10 games last season, as he was sidelined with a Lisfranc foot injury. The six-time Pro Bowl, two-time All-Pro right tackle will have an opportunity to end his career on a high note in a new offense featuring a different blocking scheme in the run game, so long as he can stay healthy. — Reiner
Fred Johnson
College: Florida | Years pro: 7 | 6-7, 326
Johnson has been a quiet mainstay in his previous three seasons with the Eagles, appearing in all 57 of the team’s games from 2023-25 (51 regular season, 6 playoffs). He’s mainly played on special teams units but has also earned 14 starts as the swing tackle during his time in Philly, including eight last year. Whether he serves as the primary tackle backup this season remains an open question — the team is high on rookie Markel Bell — but Johnson will provide veteran depth no matter his place on the depth chart. — Novozinsky
Markel Bell could be the Eagles’ starting tackle of the future. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Markel Bell
College: Miami (FL) | Years pro: 1st | 6-9, 346
The Eagles identified Lane Johnson’s heir apparent when they selected Bell in the third round of the draft. Throughout camp, he made the transition to right tackle, as he had primarily played at left tackle in college. Bell will have the opportunity to develop this season behind Johnson. If the 14-year veteran gets hurt, the Eagles don’t necessarily have to turn to Bell right away, as they also have Fred Johnson in a reserve role. — Reiner
Drew Kendall
College: Boston College | Years pro: 1 | 6-4, 308
The Eagles drafted Kendall, a college center, in the fifth round last year and then started cross-training him at guard. A year working behind some veteran offensive linemen and getting in an NFL training facility has done wonders. Kendall is bigger, stronger, and looks ready to step in if called upon to play any of the three interior offensive line positions. — Neiburg
Willie Lampkin was one of the stories of training camp for the Eagles. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Willie Lampkin
College: North Carolina | Years pro: 1 | 5-11, 290
The Eagles claimed Lampkin at the end of camp last season after the Los Angeles Rams waived him with an injury designation. He spent the entire season on injured reserve. Finally healthy, Lampkin impressed throughout the preseason despite his undersized stature and earned himself a spot as a depth interior lineman on the initial 53. Can the Eagles find a way to get him on the field in specialized personnel packages this season? — Reiner
Micah Morris
College: Georgia | Years pro: 1st | 6-5, 334
It’s easy to see why the Eagles, in search of offensive line depth, used a sixth-round pick on Morris this year. He has the body type and athleticism to play guard in the NFL. Morris showed some flashes during training camp and in preseason contests. He’s likely the last guy on the depth chart and won’t be called upon to play much, but the 23-year-old could be an intriguing prospect for the future. — Neiburg
Jalen Carter (left) and Jordan Davis are both looking to deliver in 2026 after earning huge offseason contract extensions. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Interior defensive line (5)
Jalen Carter
College: Georgia | Years pro: 3 | 6-3, 314
He got paid. Now can he bounce back? Last season, Carter 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. This came after his wildly successful 2024 season, during which he helped propel the Birds to a Super Bowl win. Now recovered from injury and 10 pounds lighter, Carter should be one of the top defensive tackles in the league this season. — Novozinsky
Jordan Davis
College: Georgia | Years pro: 4 | 6-6, 336
It’s clear that Davis has a different mindset entering this season. Look no further than the fact that the Eagles named the 26-year-old a first-time captain on Friday. Davis, who inked a three-year, $78 million extension in March, is going to be a force in Vic Fangio’s defense once again this year. He’s coming off a career-best 72-tackle and 4.5-sack season and should replicate that this season. — Novozinsky
Moro Ojomo had a strong training camp for the Eagles. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Moro Ojomo
College: Texas | Years pro: 3 | 6-3, 292
Ojomo watched Carter and Davis — who sit ahead of him on the depth chart — become two of the highest-paid defensive tackles in the league this offseason. The 2023 seventh-round pick is using that as motivation. The trio of Carter, Davis and an extra-motivated Ojomo have a chance to form the best DT trio in the NFL this season. — Novozinsky
Byron Young
College: Alabama | Years pro: 3 | 6-3, 292
Young is sort of the otherguy along a defensive interior front that could be among the best in the NFL with Carter, Davis and Ojomo. But Young has more than held his own when the Eagles have called his number. He played in all 17 games last season and tallied 37 tackles. He had three tackles for loss and four quarterback hits while playing 30% of the defensive snaps. With a healthier Carter, Young could see fewer snaps, but the Eagles certainly like what they have with their No. 4 defensive tackle. — Neiburg
Ty Robinson was a preseason standout. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Ty Robinson
College: Nebraska | Years pro: 1 | 6-5, 288
Robinson has been on “life support” for the past year, according to Fangio, as he struggled to get on the field in his rookie season. His defensive coordinator said he “came to life” as training camp progressed. Robinson led the Eagles with three sacks in the preseason. He will have the opportunity to make an impact in a depth role behind the top trio of Carter, Davis, and Ojomo. — Reiner
Edge rushers/outside linebackers (5)
Jonathan Greenard
College: Florida | Years pro: 6 | 6-3, 263
Greenard was the biggest acquisition of the offseason. The Eagles during draft weekend sent two third-round picks to Minnesota to acquire Greenard and a seventh-round pick, and then quickly signed the 29-year-old to a four-year deal worth nearly $100 million. But Greenard missed all of training camp after suffering a pectoral injury late in the offseason and his availability for Week 1 is uncertain. When he’s healthy, the Eagles will need Greenard to consistently get after the quarterback. He had at least 12 sacks in 2023 and 2024 before his injury-shortened 2025 season. — Neiburg
Video: unCovering the Birds mailbag: Analyzing Jalyx Hunt’s productive training camp
Jalyx Hunt
College: Houston Christian | Years pro: 2 | 6-3, 252
Hunt arguably had the best training camp of any Eagles player this summer. The 25-year-old edge rusher lived in the backfield during training camp, sweeping past the Eagles’ best offensive tackles with ease. With Greenard potentially injured to start the season, look for Hunt to take his reps and thrive. He had a 6.5-sack season last year. It’s not a stretch to say he might double that this year. — Novozinsky
Nolan Smith Jr.
College: Georgia | Years pro: 3 | 6-2, 238
Smith re-injured his triceps last season, forcing him to miss over a month of game action. His production declined, going from 6.5 sacks in 2024 to three in 2025. Now healthy, Smith had a strong performance in training camp opposite Hunt while Greenard was sidelined. He’ll look to take his game to the next level with the opportunity for a contract extension looming. — Reiner
Former Penn State and Temple star Arnold Ebiketie (17) is looking to make his name as an Eagle. Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
Arnold Ebiketie
College: Penn State | Years pro: 4 | 6-3, 256
After four years with Atlanta, Ebiketie hit free agency and found a team in the Eagles who needed to fill out the depth chart on the edge. His playing time dropped off a bit in 2025. He was on the field for 35% of the defensive snaps after playing 49% a year earlier. The Eagles have some workhorses at the top of the depth chart in Greenard, Hunt and Smith, but Ebiketie may need to play a little more if Greenard isn’t ready for Week 1. — Neiburg
A.J. Epenesa
College: Iowa | Years pro: 6 | 6-6, 260
It was a weird offseason for Epenesa. The Browns signed him to a one-year deal worth up to $5 million before balking at the deal weeks later, reportedly due to a failed physical. Now, he finds himself on a loaded Eagles defensive front — and he couldn’t be happier. The 27-year-old looked sharp in camp too, recording a handful of sacks and nabbing an interception on Day 2. — Novozinsky
Zack Baun is a linchpin of the Eagles defense. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Inside linebackers (4)
Zack Baun
College: Wisconsin | Years pro: 6 | 6-3, 225
Three years ago, Baun arrived in Philadelphia as an expected special teams ace and a prospective edge rusher. Since then, he’s become an All-Pro, two-time Pro Bowl, Super Bowl champion inside linebacker and one of the most important players in Fangio’s defense. After Nakobe Dean signed with the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency, Baun is set to take on green dot responsibilities as the on-field defensive play caller this season. — Reiner
Jihaad Campbell
College: Alabama | Years pro: 1 | 6-3, 235
Campbell made an immediate impact in his rookie season, playing in all 17 games and recording a decent stat line of 80 tackles, one interception and three pass deflections. Can he have an even stronger sophomore year? He’ll have help in the room — Campbell, Zack Baun and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. form one of the deepest linebacker corps in the league. — Novozinsky
Is this the year Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (54) breaks through on defense? Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Jeremiah Trotter Jr.
College: Clemson | Years pro: 2 | 6-0, 225
Trotter heads into his third season with the Eagles as the next man up behind Baun and Campbell. But the 2024 fifth-round pick has demonstrated in the preseason that he could start in any other defense. He finished behind Robinson with two sacks in the preseason, plus one tackle for a loss. Should either Baun or Campbell go down this year, the Eagles ought to feel comfortable with Trotter taking their place. — Reiner
Smael Mondon Jr.
College: Georgia | Years pro: 1 | 6-2, 224
The 2025 fifth-round pick played just 14 defensive snaps last season but was a core special teamer. That shouldn’t change much in 2025 unless the Eagles suffer a few injuries. Linebacker is arguably their deepest position. Mondon seems to be developing nicely and held off a few challengers for a roster spot. — Neiburg
Quinyon Mitchell (27) and Cooper DeJean are seeking to build on All-Pro seasons. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Cornerbacks (6)
Quinyon Mitchell
College: Toledo | Years pro: 2 | 6-0, 193
In his rookie season, Mitchell proved he was a stud in the making, being named to the All-Rookie team and finishing second in Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. He took it another step last year when he was named an All-Pro and a Pro Bowler. Can Mitchell keep leveling up in Year 3? Can he prove that he’s the best cornerback in the NFL (and deserves to get paid like it)? — Novozinsky
Cooper DeJean
College: Iowa | Years pro: 2 | 6-0, 198
DeJean followed up an impressive rookie season by being selected as a first-team All-Pro and being named to the Pro Bowl. DeJean is arguably the best nickel corner in the NFL, but he’s taking on a new job for 2026: safety. DeJean will play on the back line when the Eagles are in their base defense and return to the slot in nickel and dime packages. — Neiburg
Video: Riq Woolen amazed after meeting ‘swole’ Eagles legend Brian Dawkins
Riq Woolen
College: UTSA | Years pro: 4 | 6-4, 210
Woolen’s career with the Seahawks got off to a hot start. He was a Pro Bowler and All-Pro in his rookie season in 2022 and was a key member of their Super Bowl team last season. So, how did the Eagles manage to sign him to a one-year deal in free agency? Well, his inconsistency made him an occasional liability for Mike Macdonald in Seattle. Let’s see if the 6-foot-4 corner can find stability in Fangio’s defense. — Novozinsky
Jonathan Jones
College: Auburn | Years pro: 10 | 5-9, 190
Jones is expected to be the Eagles’ top backup cornerback. He spent last season with the Commanders — Philly’s Week 1 opponent — and signed a one-year deal, $2-million contract with the Eagles in March. He had 78 starts in his first 10 seasons, so he brings a wealth of experience if an Eagles corner goes down this season. — Novozinsky
Kelee Ringo remins a valuable secondary backup and special-teamer. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Kelee Ringo
College: Georgia | Years pro: 3 | 6-2, 207
Last training camp, Ringo was in competition with Adoree’ Jackson for the starting outside cornerback job opposite Mitchell. This year, Ringo wasn’t in the picture, with Woolen signing a prove-it deal in the offseason to command that post. Ringo isn’t even the first outside cornerback off the bench — that’s Jones’ job. But the 24-year-old cornerback is a valued special teamer, hence his roster spot. — Reiner
Mac McWilliams
College: UCF | Years pro: 1 | 5-10, 191
McWilliams looks like a more well-rounded version of his rookie self. He earned occasional reps with the first-team defense throughout training camp and made some plays when doing so. He won’t start if the cornerback room stays healthy, but don’t be surprised if he climbs up the depth chart and earns snaps. — Novozinsky
Can Andrew Mukuba (24) bounce back from the injury that prematurely ended his 2025?Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Safeties (3)
Andrew Mukuba
College: Texas | Years pro: 1 | 5-11, 186
Mukuba saw his rookie season cut short in late November when he fractured his fibula. Now healthy, he will look to stay on the field in his role as one of two starting safeties in his sophomore season. Despite missing the last two months of the 2025 season, Mukuba did not see any preseason action, reinforcing the confidence that the Eagles have in him to do his job come Week 1. Fangio lauded Mukuba’s improved “knowledge and knowhow of the defense” in training camp. — Reiner
Marcus Epps
College: Wyoming | Years pro: 7 | 6-0, 198
Epps is expected to serve as the starting safety alongside Mukuba in Week 1. It was a tough battle between him and Michael Carter II this summer, but Epps experience and institutional knowledge — he was a key starter on the Eagles’ 2022 Super Bowl team — won him the job. Now comes the hard part for Epps: Can he keep the job all season? Carter will be gunning for it every week. — Novozinsky
Michael Carter II will have a key role after a productive training camp and preseason. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Michael Carter II
College: Duke | Years pro: 5 | 5-10, 184
With Mukuba and Epps the likely Week 1 starters at safety, Carter figures to serve as the next safety off the bench. He is the expected backup to DeJean at nickel cornerback, too. Fangio also revealed that Carter will be the sixth defensive back on the field in the dime package. Even though it always seemed like Epps was the frontrunner for the starting safety vacancy this offseason, Fangio said Carter did “nothing but [help] himself” with his performance in camp. — Reiner
Specialists (3)
Jake Elliott
College: Memphis | Years pro: 9 | 5-9, 167
Elliott is coming off of another shaky season in which he went 20-for-27 on his field goal attempts (74.1% conversion rate; his second-lowest rate of the regular season). He is 48-for-63 over the last two regular seasons (76.2%). Still, the Eagles displayed their confidence in the 31-year-old kicker this offseason by restructuring his contract in 2026, agreeing on a $1 million pay cut but guaranteeing $5 million. He did not have any competitors in camp, further reinforcing that the job is his to keep so long as he can establish consistency. — Reiner
Braden Mann (10) and Jake Elliott (right) are back, but will have a new teammate doing the snapping on kicks. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Braden Mann
College: Texas A&M | Years pro: 6 | 5-11, 198
Mann had a good offseason. The 28-year-old punter got paid in March, signing a four-year, $14 million contract extension, and he looked rock solid in training camp. He’s a practice squad success story, with the Eagles initially picking him up from the Steelers in 2023. — Novozinsky
Rocco Underwood
College: Florida | Years pro: 1st | 6-3, 240
The Eagles had stability at long snapper from 2000-2024, with Mike Bartrum, Jon Dorenbos and Rick Lovato all being good enough to earn multiple contracts. They’re hoping Underwood can be that next guy — though things aren’t off to the best start. Underwood, who has shown potential in the past, winning the 2024 Patrick Mannelly Award for the nation’s best long snapper, had a rough start to training camp due to a few bad snaps. He’s since turned it around, but it’s hard to forget those early mistakes. For now, they’ll have to deal with his possible inconsistency and bank on his potential. — Novozinsky
Jalen Hurts wanted more context. He wanted to know why a certain question was asked, or more pointedly, the narrative of the story that was clearly behind the asking.
Hurts, on rare occasions, will pull a reporter aside post-news conference and ask for clarification and even offer more information. This was partially that. But he also seemed to genuinely entertain the premise, and in doing so, slightly lifted his carefully maintained veil.
The Eagles quarterback tried earlier to answer the big-picture question about the concept of pressure and his excellence when the stakes were highest following an August practice during a dog day of training camp.
“It’s hard to think about any other thing than just improving every day,” Hurts said last month. “That pressure that you’re talking about, those opportunities that I relish in, they start now in these moments.”
The timing and the setting didn’t allow for depth, especially from someone who prefers to shun introspection. But Hurts must have sensed there was more to the premise. And he was correct. It wasn’t just in big games that he thrived. He’s had his best seasons when facing external doubts about his future.
Hurts nodded. He understood the construct. He may claim that he doesn’t read or listen to outside opinion, but he did cop to being aware of current storylines about him. It’s part of the job. And he’s heard this one before.
“No narratives are new,” Hurts said, “just recycled.”
In 2024, the Eagles were coming off a season with offensive regression that led to an early playoff exit and the coordinator getting fired. Hurts and Co. responded, of course, by winning a Super Bowl.
Jalen Hurts, having won the Super Bowl MVP award in the Eagles’ victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, holds up the Lombardi Trophy on the stage at the Art Museum during the team’s victory parade.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
The circumstances are similar two Septembers later. Hurts will have another new play caller in Sean Mannion as coach Nick Sirianni searches for a constant that prevents the fluctuation that has led to annual turnover at the position.
But for the first time in the Sirianni-Hurts tenure, the scheme will be dramatically different. At least that’s the plan. And the quarterback won’t have A.J. Brown, his former No. 1 wide receiver and close friend, to throw to for the first time in five seasons.
The notion that Hurts is on the hot seat, though, comes more from various reports that his uncompromising ways and resistance to change has contributed to the team’s overall struggles, and that an unresolved contract situation doesn’t guarantee his return in 2027.
General manager Howie Roseman has decried the reports and denied the suggestion that the Eagles have put the 28-year-old on the clock by not restructuring his deal.
Hurts addressed the characterizations and the uncertainty over his future in June. But given all the variables and what they could amount to, he didn’t discredit the perception. He just said it wasn’t his reality.
“Pressure is an illusion,” Hurts said to The Inquirer. “Fear is an illusion.”
More was said, but he preferred his cryptic response to stand alone. The conversation lasted less than 10 minutes. Its depiction here isn’t meant to suggest exclusivity or great insight into Hurts. But one-on-one opportunities have been fleeting over his six-plus years in Philadelphia.
In this case, it was as much the answers he gave as it was the questions he asked. Hurts is making an effort. He’s trying to let his guard down. It’s been evident in his pressers this summer, in the recent profile he did with GQ, and most importantly, inside the Jefferson Health Training Complex.
The Eagles seemingly never have to worry about Hurts’ work ethic or his behavior off the field. But as the franchise quarterback, there are interpersonal parts of the job that are almost requirements. Hurts isn’t naturally outgoing.
“Overall, he’s been better,” a team source said, “when it comes to communication and being around.”
Jalen Hurts signs a jersey for an Eagles fan as he comes out of the tunnel ahead of a preseason game against the Ravens in August.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
It may be just a simple hello in the hallway, or hanging in the locker room longer, or talking about himself more openly. Hurts has organized summer workouts with skill position players before, but he had almost full attendance in the session he ran in Orlando this July.
No one desires for him to be inauthentically extroverted. Like his goatee that was shaved into a mustache for most of this offseason, Hurts has made outward tweaks. But he remains a figure mostly shrouded in mystery, and seems to relish it.
Asked to reveal more about a recent anecdote he’d relayed about his wife, Hurts said, “Maybe … if you’re nice to me.”
Adjustments and growth
The personality stuff is secondary to performance. Hurts, like many on offense, didn’t play up to expectations in 2025. He finished with his lowest expected points added per dropback since he became the full-time starter in 2021, and ranked a career-worst 18th in EPA among qualified quarterbacks.
The Eagles haven’t had a pass-heavy offense when at their best, though. And the inability to run with running back Saquon Barkley after a historic 2024 compounded the struggles through the air. But what confounded the most, perhaps, was Hurts being less of a factor on the ground.
Another year, another new offensive coordinator for Jalen Hurts: This year it’s Sean Mannion (left).Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Numbers hardly tell the full story. The offense was predictable, conservative, and failed to evolve and incorporate modern trends like having more motion. The end result: Kevin Patullo was fired after one season as offensive coordinator, Brown wanted out, and Sirianni hired a first-time play-caller in Mannion, who brings with him the trendy Kyle Shanahan-Sean McVay system.
Mannion is just the latest in a long line of coordinator changes Hurts has had to endure stretching back to college at Alabama and Oklahoma.
“I think you can appreciate the 11 different coordinators I’ve had,” he said last month in explaining the ups and downs of his career.
But as receiver DeVonta Smith said after the playoff loss to the 49ers in January, and as Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio noted last month, the offense hadn’t changed all that much since Sirianni became coach and Hurts his quarterback.
“A lot’s been made about him, all these coordinators he’s been with, but it’s basically been the same offense every year,” Fangio said. “This is different.”
Hurts has previously worked from under center. He’s thrown down the middle of the field. He’s had pure progression reads. But he’ll have to do those things at a much higher rate if marrying the run with the pass off play-action is the central principle of the new offense.
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It may seem counterproductive to ask him to major in something he’s only minored in before. But Hurts has shown that he can execute all of the above. The question is how far is he willing to go, or for that matter, how far is the turnover-adverse Sirianni willing to let him go?
Hurts, by all accounts, has embraced the changes.
“He’s all-in on this system,” Eagles tackle Jordan Mailata said in July at the start of camp. “The way he’s commanding the huddle. The way he’s getting that ball out. The way he’s throwing it. … He’s all-in. It’s refreshing to see.”
The scheme could unlock a new version of Hurts as a passer. And having an offense where running is the focal point while not being as dependent on his involvement could limit the hits as he enters the next stage of his career.
But what happens if there are the expected speed bumps? Or even worse, potholes?
Hurts has previously resisted new elements, as he did early in former offensive coordinator Kellen Moore’s tenure two years ago. Moore had wanted to include more motion in his scheme, but the Eagles were still near bottom in the league in motion usage through the first four games of the 2024 season.
A 2-2 start that year in which Hurts turned the ball over seven times prompted offensive changes, the most significant of which was leaning into Barkley and the run game. But motion utilization — pre-snap and at the snap — increased as the season progressed. In April, ESPN published a story that detailed Hurts’ “strong preferences” — a reluctance to motion being one — that sources said had stunted the offense in 2025.
“I’m always open to growth. I’m always open to improving,” Hurts said when he was finally asked in June about the assertions. “I think a lot of it is, what do we put our time on task? What are we exhausting? What are we repping?”
While he ultimately didn’t refute the report — “Just let it live,” Hurts said — he did say he wasn’t responsible for the fateful “four verticals” call that ended the season against the 49ers, and a play that in its story ESPN implied Hurts directed.
Last season ended for the Eagles and Jalen Hurts with a home loss to the 49ers. Here, Niners linebacker Fred Warner (right) and linebacker Oren Burks converge to tackle Hurts.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
While a source close to the situation confirmed that it was Hurts who suggested the play, two sources familiar with the events said it was only because Patullo had “froze” when going over the play sheet. Ultimately, Sirianni had final say.
If the outcome was successful, a statue would not have been erected like with the “Philly Special.” But there wouldn’t have been as much consternation about who was responsible: the player who came up with the idea, or the coach who decided it made sense.
Either way, the play-calling process had become more cumbersome under Patullo than it was under Moore. Some team sources have described Moore as a savant, capable of getting a call in early enough to give Hurts additional information until the cutoff time.
But Patullo was a first-time play caller, and thus a by-committee approach was used with Sirianni’s supervision. Mannion, also a first-timer, is expected to adopt a similar system with pass game coordinator Josh Grizzard, who has play-calling experience, and others feeding him necessary data.
Every NFL offensive coordinator has play-calling help. But the Eagles were 1.3 seconds slower out of the huddle last season and had the most snaps in the league (150) with one second or less left on the clock.
There weren’t any noticeable game management issues in the preseason, but Hurts has yet to play a game with Mannion at the controls. Mannion’s gameday whereabouts — he practiced calling plays from the field and in the booth in the preseason — have yet to be decided.
“I think the operation’s been good regardless of where he’s been,” Sirianni said.
Jalen Hurts did not play during the Eagles’ three preseason games.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Handling pressure on and off the field
While the getting-out-of-the-huddle issue can be mostly attributed to the play-calling process, the late snaps are probably more of a quarterback problem. Mannion has added more plays in which the offense breaks the huddle and hurries to the line for a quick snap.
But that tactic can be deployed only so often. Hurts still has to make checks at the line and change protection calls based upon his pre-snap reads of a defense. In terms of setting the protections, particularly vs. pressure looks, former Eagles center Jason Kelce took charge until he retired in 2023.
Hurts has made strides against the blitz over the past two seasons, in particular in finding his hot reads. But he struggled more last season with simulated pressures — in which defenses feign sending extra rushers — with the Eagles often errant in their protection assignments.
Mannion said the pre-snap calls will be made by either Hurts or the offensive line “dependent on the protection scheme,” Eagles center Cam Jurgens said. “It’s similar, but not the same,” in terms of how responsibilities are doled out.
Hurts faced a lot of unblocked pass rushers in two joint practices with the Patriots last month. It was a good test for Mannion’s unit because New England loves to disguise its looks and send simulated pressure at quarterbacks.
The Eagles offense was effective on the ground in the early portion of Day 1. But Hurts was hurried or sacked on multiple drops in the latter team drills. And on Day 2, he threw multiple interceptions, although there were positive moments through the air as well.
As important as the scrimmages were for the teams, Brown’s performance against his former team garnered as much attention. “He was the best player on both offenses,” an Eagles source said of the new Patriots receiver.
Brown said after the first workout on Aug. 19 that he hadn’t spoken to Hurts since he was traded on June 1. Both players were guests at Eagles receiver DeVonta Smith’s wedding just 12 days later.
Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown exchanged greetings after the Eagles and Patriots had a joint practice in August.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
But on his way to the locker room after the second practice, Brown jogged down to Hurts as he was throwing passes, and the two embraced. They asked about each other’s families, wished the other good luck in the coming season, and exchanged a few jokes, according to a source briefed on the interaction.
Both teams had wanted a made-for-the-cameras reconciliation and Brown, who had told NBC Sports at the time of the trade that he was no longer close to Hurts, agreed when an intermediary intervened.
In June, Hurts gave an ambiguous answer about being “focused on the collective” when asked about Brown’s description of their relationship. But when GQ pressed him on the subject of whether they were no longer as tight, Hurts said, “Clearly.”
Brown declined to address why he wanted to be traded. Several Eagles sources opined that there wasn’t more behind his exit than what was on the surface: He wanted to further cement his legacy as a Hall of Fame-caliber receiver and didn’t believe that was possible in Philly.
And while that implied that Hurts was at the core of his leaving, there were off-field reasons for why they drifted apart. Brown, for instance, had organized team bonding trips to an escape room and Top Golf, or get-togethers at the movies or his house. Hurts was among those who didn’t always attend such excursions.
Hurts, as quarterback, had other responsibilities. But there was a general feeling from some team leaders that he needed to be more engaged.
In July, Hurts hosted many Eagles skill position players in Orlando for workouts at Central Florida’s Bounce House. But the players also golfed, had dinners, and socialized. When asked about the excursion at the start of camp, Hurts talked about “unity” and protecting the “intimacy of this team.”
Brown, who was often outwardly emotional, had expressed public frustrations via social media, something he later said he regretted.
The sphinxlike Hurts has preferred to let his actions on the field do most of the talking. And his accomplishments in just five seasons as the starter speak for themselves: 56 victories and a 71.8 winning percentage, five playoff appearances, two Super Bowl trips, and an MVP performance in beating the Chiefs in the title game just two seasons ago.
Hurts’ resumé should make it almost inconceivable that the Eagles would contemplate — no matter how this season unfolds — parting with him next offseason. And yet, his contract doesn’t make it a foregone conclusion.
Forecasting the future
Hurts is guaranteed $51.5 million for 2026, but less than half of his $51 million average annual salary ($22 million) is guaranteed in 2027. He has no guarantee in 2028, the final year of the five-year, $255 million extension he signed in April 2023.
Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie, when asked about the deal in April at the league meetings, said Hurts was in the “middle of the new contract now.” But teams have given extensions to franchise quarterbacks with similarly structured contracts to create salary cap space.
Jalen Hurts and Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie have enjoyed the ultimate success together. David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Lurie was otherwise effusive praising Hurts. The owner pushed for Roseman to select the Oklahoma product in the second round of the 2020 draft. Hurts may not have a bigger fan in the building, and that’s notable when looking at his future.
The Eagles front office views his deal as winding down and expects optimum production — like any player under similar circumstances — but it’s hard to predict anything with the next offseason eons away in NFL terms.
“For me, I’m truly focused on being the best I can be right now,” Hurts said when asked about his contract in June. “That’s where my energy is.”
When camp opened a month later, Hurts appeared trimmer than previous years. Fangio and a few defensive players said he looked faster. Hurts said he felt the same and hadn’t altered his training regimen.
Last season, he finished with his lowest number of rushing attempts (105) and rushing yards (421) since becoming the starter in 2021. The Eagles wanted to curtail Hurts’ exposure to harm early on, but despite Patullo’s pledge that more carries were coming, Hurts was rarely a plus-one factor down the stretch. Hurts insisted that he was willing to run as much as he had previously, and has said as much about this season. But there will likely be fewer opportunities for designed runs with more plays starting from under center.
“I don’t think that’s something I can manage,” Hurts said last month. “That’s ultimately up to what we’re doing as an offense and how we put everything together. When you look back about 2020 and 2021 and those times we were a heavy [shotgun] team, ran a lot of inside zone, run a lot of [run-pass option], got to the edge a good bit, and defense was different, too. And the game has changed.
“That doesn’t mean you remove those elements, but again the base of the offense was run inside zone and that’s not typical for this West Coast-type of style.”
Jalen Hurts’ effectiveness as a runner will be scrutinized within Sean Mannion’s scheme. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
The outside zone is the base run play of the Shanahan-McVay offense, and its effectiveness sets up throws off naked bootlegs that are designed in part to be layups for the passing game. There is a horizontal stretching of defenses, but the play-action is also designed to create space for receivers downfield.
Backup quarterbacks Andy Dalton and Tanner McKee were under center on 38% of the snaps they took in the preseason. But it was a small sample and neither player has Hurts’ mobility and athleticism.
“The piece of him as an athlete in the running game is something unique,” Mannion said. “Those are elements we can lean into a little bit, as well.”
But with so much of the scheme predicated on marrying the run with the pass and keeping defenses on their toes by not giving away plays based on formation and technique, it will be difficult to shift the play-calling.
Sirianni hired the 34-year-old Mannion for his acumen, but also for his knowledge of this scheme.
Overall, Hurts was accurate and efficient in camp. But he also had rough moments and tossed eight interceptions. That’s seven more than he threw last summer, so practice doesn’t always correlate to regular-season performance.
Jalen Hurts had an up-and-down camp as he learned the new offense. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
But with more full-field progression reads than the coverage reads that were a larger part of the previous system, timing with his receivers will be pivotal. Hurts may have less to do pre-snap, but with many new faces, there will likely be a learning curve.
Mannion didn’t gloss over the interceptions from the joint practices. He pointed them out and didn’t excuse them as experimental throws. But there is some question as to whether Hurts will overpower a young coordinator when expressing his preferences.
There is a balance to strike in doing what’s best for the quarterback and what’s best for the entire group. The same could be said about a possible blending of the old with the new. For all the hand wringing about the offense last year — that was also affected by O-line injuries — the scheme had produced remarkable highs in the past.
“I think that’s a great question,” Hurts said when asked about carryover. “And it’s something that you keep in mind when you’ve had so much success. How will it look? You don’t really know. Do you want to win? Absolutely.
“So we’ve got to figure out who we are as a team. Obviously, coaches come in with a great mindset, great philosophy and putting everything together. It brings us a bit more structure. In the end, it’s about what’s going to go out there and be the best for our team.
“I know Sean will come up with the answer over time.”
Jalen Hurts has seemed open to both schematic and personal changes that will help turn the page on a disappointing 2025. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
‘I am who I am’
Time will show if the relative openness Hurts has shown to others will extend to the offensive changes. But if stoicism or hardheadedness were his worst crimes, he wouldn’t be unlike many high achievers.
Four years ago, Hurts agreed to participate in what has remained his lone sit-down interview with The Inquirer. The topic of the Eagles’ legacy of Black quarterbacks was one that appealed to him because he admired his predecessors and knew the bleak history of how African American men were treated in relation to the position.
“I think there’s levels to that, and I’ll just leave it at that,” Hurts said when asked if he felt Black quarterbacks still faced additional scrutiny.
A follow-up posed the question of whether he didn’t show more of his personality because of the history.
“As I grow and mature, that will evolve,” Hurts said then. “But I am who I am in terms of my character, how I was raised and where it comes from. But like I said, there’s levels to everything.”
Hurts isn’t any less an enigma than he was then or ever. He’s seemingly let outsiders in just a little. But it’s also his coolness that defines him and helps him maintain a fierce number of loyalists.
When Hurts told the story at the start of camp of how he offered the recently extended Jalen Carter the $5 bill his wife, Bryonna, puts in his backpack — “A little inside joke between her and I,” he said — it was one of the rare times he ever spoke anecdotally.
It also gave a glimpse, perhaps, of his private life. The Inquirer later asked for more detail. Hurts repeated what he said several times before when the reporter asked for additional access: “Maybe … if you’re nice to me.”
When the question was posed again, following the brief post-news conference interaction a few weeks later, Hurts laughed, then walked away.
The Eagles have many reasons to believe they have one of the NFL’s most talented rosters, and ESPN offered another one Tuesday.
The Birds led the NFL with eight players on ESPN’s projected Top 100 players list for the 2026 season. This is the second consecutive year the Eagles have had more players on the list than any other team. The Lions and 49ers followed with six players each.
The ranking was decided by 12 ESPN NFL analysts and reporters who evaluated players based on their expected performance in the 2026 season, rather than past performance.
The Eagles’ eight selections are spread across offense and defense, from quarterback and running back to a receiver, two offensive tackles and three defensive players. Find out who made the list below.
Quinyon Mitchell will have the best 2026 season for an Eagle, per ESPN’s projections. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Quinyon Mitchell, No. 34
Mitchell was the Eagles’ highest-ranked player, moving up 47 spots from No. 81 last year.
The third-year cornerback led all NFL cornerbacks in opponent catch rate during the 2025 season at 42.4%. .
ESPN projects Mitchell to record 54 tackles, 19 passes and three interceptions in 2026.
Lane Johnson is a top-40 player in what will probably be his final year. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Lane Johnson, No. 40
The veteran right tackle dropped from No. 12 to No. 40 this year, but ESPN still views Johnson as one of the league’s best offensive linemen.
Johnson, 36, is entering what he has indicated will probably be his final NFL season. He is a five-time All-Pro and two-time Super Bowl champion with the Eagles. Johnson is returning from a Lisfranc injury that cost him the final eight games of last season, including the playoffs.
Jordan Mailata’s (left) production dipped in 2025 but he is still considered an elite lineman. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Jordan Mailata, No. 48
Mailata also fell from last year, when he was ranked No. 23.
Still, ESPN considers the Eagles left tackle one of the league’s premier offensive linemen, after being a seventh-round pick for the Eagles in the 2018 draft. Mailata has the third-highest Pro Football Focus grade among offensive tackles since 2022, behind the 49ers’ Trent Williams and Lions’ Penei Sewell.
Mailata still ranks fifth among offensive tackles in run block win rate of 83.3% since 2020, even though he had a career-low 72.4% rate in 2025.
Jalen Carter could move back up the Top 100 list with a healthier 2026. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Jalen Carter, No. 58
After a shoulder injury shortened Carter’s 2025 season, he dropped 40 spots from No. 18.
The Eagles defensive tackle played just 11 games last season but has the chance to be “one of the most disruptive linemen in the NFL,” according to ESPN. Even though he played in only 11 games, he had four pass rushes that led to forced interceptions.
He signed a four-year, $152 million extension this offseason and arrived at training camp 10 pounds lighter and healthy.
Saquon Barkley will look to recapture the magic of his 2024 season after having just 1,140 yards last year.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Saquon Barkley, No. 63
Barkley dropped significantly in the rankings, moving down 46 spots from No. 17 after his 2025 season did not match his historic first season with the Eagles. After rushing for 2,005 yards in 2024, Barkley finished with 1,140 yards last season. ESPN projects Barkley to rush for 1,285 yards and nine touchdowns on 300 carries in 2026.
An All-Pro performance in 2025 strengthened Cooper DeJean’s projection for 2026. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Cooper DeJean, No. 71
DeJean moved up 21 spots from No. 92 after being a 2025 first-team All-Pro. He is expected to have an even more versatile role this season, as the Eagles plan to have him play safety in base and slot in sub packages, keeping him on the field as much as possible.
ESPN projects he will have 82 tackles, 17 pass deflections, two interceptions and one forced fumble.
DeVonta Smith has a top-100 projection heading into his first year as a WR1. David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
DeVonta Smith, No. 93
Smith is the new Eagles face on ESPN’s list, making the Top 100 for the first time.
With A.J. Brown now in New England, Smith enters the season as the team’s clear No. 1 receiver. According to ESPN, a 100-catch season seems possible, as he came close in 2022 with 95 catches for nearly 1,200 yards.
Smith has won a Heisman Trophy, college football title, and Super Bowl, making him one of five players to accomplish that feat. The others are Tony Dorsett, Marcus Allen, Reggie Bush, and Charles Woodson.
Jalen Hurts fared better among his fellow players on NFL Network’s Top 100 list than he did on ESPN’s 2026 projections. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Jalen Hurts, No. 97
Hurts had the steepest drop of any Eagle after falling from No. 38 last year to No. 97 this year.
His ranking comes after an “up-and-down” 2025 season, according to ESPN. Hurts is preparing for his first year in a new offense under coordinator Sean Mannion, but ESPN notes Hurts has found ways to adapt from adversity in the past.
He is 57-25 as a starter and has 138 total touchdowns since 2022.
Hurts also recorded at least 30 combined passing and rushing touchdowns in four consecutive seasons, which is the fourth-longest active streak behind Josh Allen’s six.
ESPN projects him to throw for 3,779 yards with 24 touchdowns, 438 rushing yards, and nine rushing touchdowns.
According to NFL Network’s Top 100 list, voted on by the players themselves, Hurts is ranked No. 56, a stark difference from ESPN’s list. In the 2025 season, he threw a career-high 25 touchdowns and rushed for eight more.
The Eagles will carry four quarterbacks on the initial 53-man roster to start the season.
All three depth quarterbacks behind Jalen Hurts in training camp — Tanner McKee, Andy Dalton, and Cole Payton — made the cut when the Eagles announced the active roster out of camp at the 6 p.m. Sunday deadline.
McKee, the 2023 sixth-rounder out of Stanford, and Dalton, the 16-year veteran trade acquisition, competed in camp and the preseason for the top backup job behind Hurts. Neither quarterback separated himself significantly in the competition, and their inclusion on the initial 53 reinforces the lack of clarity regarding the victor.
“I feel good about both guys,” coach Nick Sirianni said after Friday night’s preseason finale against the Cincinnati Bengals. “I feel like it’s a good room and I feel good about Cole [Payton] and the things that he can do as well and be able to develop. I feel good. I view it as a good thing that I feel good about both those guys, and our staff feels good about both those guys.”
The initial 53 is initial for a reason — the Eagles will continue to rework the roster as Week 1 approaches on Sept. 13.
Meanwhile, Jonathan Greenard, the 29-year-old outside linebacker who has been sidelined throughout training camp with a strained pectoral muscle, made the initial 53-man roster. Had the Eagles placed him on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list with a designation to return, he would have had to miss at least the first four games of the season.
Neither Uar Bernard nor Joshua Weru, products of the International Player Pathway program, made the initial 53.
The Eagles cut three of their 2026 draft picks — Bernard; Cole Wisniewski, the seventh-round safety out of Texas Tech; and Keyshawn James-Newby, the seventh-round outside linebacker out of New Mexico. If the Eagles want to sign them to the practice squad, they must clear waivers first, as would Bernard and Weru.
Elijah Moore and E.J. Jenkins are among the depth skill players on offense who made the team. Moore, the 26-year-old receiver, joined the Eagles in free agency after spending the 2025 season with the Buffalo Bills and the Denver Broncos. Jenkins, the 27-year-old tight end, has spent about 2½ seasons with the Eagles (a portion of 2023, all of 2024-25), primarily on the practice squad.
Howie Roseman began trimming the roster on Saturday, the day after their final preseason game. Those cuts on offense included RB Carson Steele, WR Quez Watkins, WR Samori Toure, OL Michael Jordan, OL Myles Hinton, CB Shaun Wade, TE Stone Smartt, RB Dameon Pierce, WR Britain Covey, WR Danny Gray, C Zeke Correll, WR Erik Ezukanma, TE Cameron Latu, OL Jake Majors, RB Jordan Mims, OT John Ojukwu, WR Tahj Washington, and OT Cameron Williams.
On defense, the Eagles cut Bernard, Weru, Wisniewski, James-Newby, OLB Tarron Jackson, DB Maximus Pulley, DT Gabe Hall, CB Ambry Thomas, DT Zion Wilson, CB Shaun Wade, S Jaylen Mahoney, ILB Chance Campbell, DT David Blay, CB Isaiah Bolden, DB Kapena Gushiken, ILB Deontae Lawson, OLB Jose Ramirez, and S Andre Sam (injured).
The Eagles also placed cornerback Jakorian Bennett and tight end Grant Calcaterra on injured reserve (designated for return). They must miss at least the first four games of the season.
Here is the Eagles’ initial 53-man roster:
Quarterback (4)
Jalen Hurts, Cole Payton, Andy Dalton, Tanner McKee
Running back (3)
Saquon Barkley, Tank Bigsby, Will Shipley
Wide receiver (6)
DeVonta Smith, Makai Lemon, Dontayvion Wicks, Hollywood Brown, Elijah Moore, Darius Cooper
Tight end (4)
Dallas Goedert, Johnny Mundt, Eli Stowers, E.J. Jenkins
Offensive line (10)
Lane Johnson, Jordan Mailata, Cam Jurgens, Landon Dickerson, Tyler Steen, Willie Lampkin, Drew Kendall, Markel Bell, Fred Johnson, Micah Morris
Interior defensive line (5)
Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Moro Ojomo, Ty Robinson, Byron Young
Outside linebacker (5)
Nolan Smith, Jalyx Hunt, Jonathan Greenard, Arnold Ebiketie, A.J. Epenesa
Inside linebacker (4)
Zack Baun, Jihaad Campbell, Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Smael Mondon Jr.
Defensive back (9)
Quinyon Mitchell, Riq Woolen, Cooper DeJean, Andrew Mukuba, Marcus Epps, Michael Carter II, Kelee Ringo, Mac McWilliams, Jonathan Jones
Specialist (3)
Jake Elliott (kicker), Braden Mann (punter), Rocco Underwood (long snapper)
The Eagles used to value the backup quarterback position, perhaps more than any other team in the NFL. Looking at their rosters in 2025 and 2026, it’s hard to believe they still do.
This might not matter at all, except Eagles starter Jalen Hurts gets hurt a lot, and quarterbacks are the most important players in all of team sports.
Still, it seems like a lot of energy to spend on a guy who won’t play much. Backup quarterback angst: The sort of nattering matter that makes the NFL preseason interminable; the sort of infuriating football geek-talk that fantasy nerds Snapchat about.
You know. Guys like Lurie and Roseman.
In 2017, the Eagles committed $11 million to their backup quarterback spot. So important was the position to owner Jeffrey Lurie that he told GM Howie Roseman to sign Nick Foles, whom Andy Reid had just cut from the Chiefs. It meant eating $7 million of the contract of Chase Daniel, whom the Eagles promptly released.
Despite missing the playoffs in 2016 with rookie Carson Wentz at quarterback, Lurie saw 2017 as a real chance to win the franchise’s first Super Bowl, and he considered Foles, who’d had a strong run as an Eagle, to be a better option than Daniel, who’d never had a strong run anywhere.
The rest, as they say, is history: Wentz got injured, Foles replaced him, played well down the stretch, and won the MVP award inSuper Bowl LII where he outplayed Patriots legend Tom Brady and outfoxed coach Bill Belichick.
Nick Foles became an unassailable Eagles legend, but that doesn’t mean all backup quarterbacks are created equal. Michael Bryant / Staff Photographer
“Our priority, as you’ve seen, is to make sure we have the very best possible other starting quarterback,” Lurie said during Super Bowl week.
That’s generally been true, and it’s generally made sense for the Birds, since Lurie prefers mobile quarterbacks, who, of course, are more likely to get hurt.
Lurie signed Michael Vick out of prison in 2009, and Vick supplanted Donovan McNabb the next season and went to the Pro Bowl in his second of four years as an Eagle. Lurie drafted Hurts in the second round in 2020 with plans that Hurts would be the long-term backup to Wentz, but that’s before Ginger Jesus lost his job, and maybe his mind. Lurie sanctioned the recent, sensible acquisitions of Gardner Minshew, Marcus Mariota, and Kenny Pickett.
But in 2019, Lurie also approved the signing of Josh McCown, a 40-year-old with a 79.7 passer rating with eight other teams. McCown replaced Wentz early in the Eagles’ home wild-card playoff game, played atrociously (predictably), and cost the Birds their postseason.
Last season, Lurie allowed the Birds to enter the season with third-year sixth-round pick Tanner McKee as the backup of a team defending its second Super Bowl title. It didn’t matter, since Hurts stayed healthy. But McKee got to start game 17 against the Commanders, and he was poor: 21-for-40, 241 yards, one touchdown, one interception, with a forgettable fourth quarter that cost the Eagles their chance to win the game and capture a better seed. It looked OK in the moment, but upon further review, the Eagles (and I) decided that McKee is not the answer.
The Eagles (not I) determined that Andy Dalton is the answer.
They were wrong.
The Eagles’ bet on Andy Dalton does not appear to be going according to plan. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
The Birds in March traded a seventh-round pick to the Panthers for Dalton.
No player at Eagles preseason work or in training camp has been a bigger disappointment than Dalton.
That isn’t really fair. There should have been minimal expectations of Dalton.
He’ll be 39 in October. He’s 1-6 in his last seven starts over the past three years, during which time his passer rating is 84.5. Aberration? No. In the five seasons before that, his rating was 85.5 in 57 games. He’s been the backup in Carolina the past three seasons, essentially a big brother for Bryce Young, the underperforming No. 1 overall pick from 2023, and an assistant coach of sorts.
That’s the role he was expected to serve in Philadelphia, where new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion has installed a new scheme. Dalton can help with the adjustment for Hurts, and you’d think Dalton would have a significant advantage over McKee in executing the offense.
Tanner McKee again appears to be the best backup option for the Eagles. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
But no. Dalton has looked appreciably worse than McKee — so much worse that McKee’s unremarkable performance looks good by comparison.
Entering the third and final preseason game Friday, the competition, such as it is, for the backup job clearly tilts in McKee’s favor. Which delivers this uncomfortable truth:
The Eagles, who have made the playoffs five years in a row, don’t really have a viable backup quarterback. That’s the fault of the front office.
Roseman.
Lurie.
What should they have done?
Maybe they should have signed Mitch Trubisky, who got two years and $10.5 million to back up Cam Ward in Tennessee. Maybe another dance with Minshew, who got $8.25 million to back up Jacoby Brissett in Arizona. Both would have cost a lot more than Dalton’s $1.5 million, but that’s also just about what Tua Tagovailoa got from the Falcons to be the emergency plan if Michael Penix Jr. wasn’t back in time from his knee injury.
All three of those QBs are in spots where they will have a likelier chance to resurrect their careers. Maybe that’s why the Eagles weren’t able to land one of them, and why they had to trade a pick for Dalton.
To be fair to Roseman and Lurie, the Birds also drafted a quarterback in April: Cole Payton, in the fifth round, out of North Dakota State, who currently is not close to being an option.
To be fair to Payton, he might be as good an option as the other two.
Back in the early days of training camp, Jalen Hurts used the term “calibrating” to describe the state of the offense as it installed Sean Mannion’s new system.
Hurts and his teammates have spent the past month taking Mannion’s broad playbook and putting those designs to life on the practice field. Those experiences in practice — from the touchdowns to the interceptions — have helped inform Hurts on how to approach any given play.
The Eagles held their last practice of training camp on Wednesday and will play their final preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Friday, signaling the impending end of the “calibrating” phase.
Still, it’s not time to put a label on the Eagles’ offensive identity in 2026 just yet.
“We’re very widespread in what we’re doing right now, and I think that’s good,” Hurts said Wednesday. “So when we can hone it down and see who we are, establish what exactly the identity is for us, it’ll come together. So, still very early.”
Rarely has an Eagles offense looked the same in Week 1 and Week 18. It evolves over the course of the season, and from year-to-year. In 2024, it was rooted in the highly successful run game behind Saquon Barkley and a dominant offensive line. Last year, it was less clear-cut, and in turn, the offense wasn’t nearly as efficient as it was when it won the Super Bowl the season before.
At the very least, with the season opener against the Washington Commanders just 18 days away, the Eagles offense has a foundation. Setting that foundation has been Mannion’s responsibility this summer.
Eagles offensive coordinator Sean Mannion (left) has praised Jalen Hurts’ work in helping to evolve the team’s scheme.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Mannion has been clear with his “intent” for the offense, Hurts said. As the season gets underway, it will be on the new coordinator to shape the offensive identity for the Eagles based on the strengths of the personnel and the concepts they execute well.
“As you see who you have on your team and you begin to progress forward, you hone things down and you say, ‘This is who we are. This is how I want to lead it,’” Hurts said. “So I think that’s where Sean is. And a lot of that is, it’s up for him to mold and put together so in the end, we can go out there and be in the best position to win.”
Hurts called the offense “multifaceted” at this moment in time. Once the coaches begin game-planning for the regular season, the 28-year-old quarterback expects the breadth of the offense to narrow down to a specific direction depending on the opponent.
With all of the changes to the offense, will there be room for the Eagles to incorporate plays that have been successful in the past?
“I think that’s a great question,” Hurts said. “And it’s something that you keep in mind of when you’ve had so much success. How will it look? You don’t really know. Do you want to win? Absolutely.
“So we’ve got to figure out who we are as a team. Obviously, coaches come in with a great mindset, great philosophy and putting everything together. It brings us a bit more structure. In the end, it’s about what’s going to go out there and be the best for our team.”
The offense that Mannion is installing and some of its personnel are new to Hurts. The schematic shift isn’t a novel concept to him. Hurts has adapted to a new play-caller almost every season as a starter. This year, he has new receivers, too, in Dontayvion Wicks, Makai Lemon, and Hollywood Brown, who are expected to contribute alongside DeVonta Smith and tight end Dallas Goedert.
Lemon was sidelined for three weeks of camp with a hamstring injury. He returned to action in team drills on Monday as he eyes the opportunity to play in Friday’s final preseason game. Hurts said he was happy to have Lemon back on the field as the duo continues to build chemistry.
As Hurts gets acclimated to all of the newcomers, from his teammates to his offensive play-caller, he takes the same approach.
“I think any time you’re playing with a new unit, it’s just about being on the same page,” Hurts said. “That’s no different than coaching, too. When you’ve got [a] new play-caller, you’ve got [a] new voice, you’ve got new perspective. Everybody’s chasing the same thing. Everybody wants the same outcome. Everybody’s process looks a little different. So being able to navigate how does our process look? How does this look for this unit, this team?”
Hurts said he is in a “good spot” with his command of the offense heading into the start of the season. He said it was a “good camp” overall in which he has been in “sponge mode” while learning from Mannion and the rest of his coaches.
He said the team has built chemistry over the course of camp through their time spent together, both competing on the field and spending “fun moments” off it.
Hurts can’t yet answer the question of what this iteration of the Eagles offense will look like. But the past month has offered glimpses into what the group could become, he acknowledged.
“I think this camp has given us an opportunity to come closer to [an identity], and we’ve still got time before we tee it off and it’s live ball,” Hurts said. “We just want to continue to progress every day. Keep the communication open. Being on the same page, being aligned, and going out there and doing it together as a team.”
The Eagles held the 16th open practice of their 2026 training camp on Tuesday at Lincoln Financial Field. Here were my observations from Day 16 (and links to Days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15):
Stowers update
Eli Stowers missed a second straight practice with a hamstring injury that he suffered in the second preseason game against the New England Patriots. The rookie tight end is expected to be out for about two weeks, from what I understand. If he’s healthy by the Wednesday before Week 1 of the regular season, he could be available for the season opener.
The following Eagles were also held out because of injury: Tackle Markel Bell (thumb/leg), cornerback Jonathan Jones (shoulder), tight end Grant Calcaterra (back), cornerback Jakorian Bennett (knee) and safety Cole Wisniewski (concussion). Cornerback Mac McWilliams (shoulder) was limited.
The Eagles had a number of players make full returns from injury, including center/guard Willie Lampkin (stinger), defensive tackle Byron Young (shoulder), running back Dameon Pierce (hamstring), tackle John Ojukwu (pectoral), wide receiver Quez Watkins (foot), cornerback Ambry Thomas (groin), and receiver Danny Gray (groin).
Eagles fans were back at the Linc and witnessed a defense-dominated display. Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Oh, O-line
Guard Landon Dickerson was given a not-injury-related rest day. Whether it’s a coincidence or not, he tore the meniscus in his knee during last year’s open practice at the Linc. The Eagles may have sat him to stay away from potential bad juju. Dickerson rushed back from surgery in time for the opener a year ago, but recently said that he should have waited until he was fully recovered.
Drew Kendall took all the repetitions at left guard in Dickerson’s place. He had his ups and downs in a scrimmage that favored the Eagles defense, particularly the first unit. Kendall got toasted by defensive tackle Moro Ojomo on an inside rush that resulted in a sack at one point. Right tackle Lane Johnson left early not long after edge Nolan Smith Jr. beat him inside for a hurry. Fred Johnson took his spot with Bell out. Ojukwu got bumped up the depth chart and filled in the few times left tackle Jordan Mailata took a rest.
DeVonta Smith (right) was an offensive standout and gave Eagles fans something about which to cheer. Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
D-lightful
The makeshift O-line likely had something to do with the struggles of Jalen Hurts and Co. The quarterback was pressured a bunch. But Sean Mannion’s unit was often out of sync except for a couple successful red-zone plays and one good drive after being backed up. Hurts’ two interceptions to cornerback Riq Woolen will make headlines — as they should for both parties — but there were a lot of reasons why the first-unit offense looked sloppy.
Credit has to be given to Vic Fangio’s group. He’s had all of his starters for most of the summer and that same 11 was in the lineup again. Mannion’s installation has been completed for over a week, so there isn’t much new to throw at the defense. The group knows the plays, the snap count, and often what’s coming before it even happens.
On the first series, Hurts hit receiver Dontayvion Wicks for a short gain and Saquon Barkley had a solid run to the left, but it was mostly defensive dominance thereafter. Safety Marcus Epps snuffed out a Hurts draw play. Defensive tackle Jalen Carter met Barkley at the line of scrimmage for a stop. Hurts hooked up with receiver DeVonta Smith after getting forced to his right. But his pass to receiver Makai Lemon on an inside route was broken up by cornerback Quinyon Mitchell.
Jalen Hurts and the offense remains a work in progress. Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Hurts so much
The next set was less productive for the offense or more fruitful for the defense — take your pick. Hurts went to Lemon on a schemed-up pass off play-action, but cornerback Cooper DeJean was in the receiver’s pocket. Smith burned Mitchell on a deep post route, but Hurts’ pass was underthrown and Mitchell recovered to break up the pass. Smith is clearly head and shoulders above the rest of the Eagles’ receivers.
Jalyx Hunt made Fred Johnson look like a turnstile on the way to a would-be sack. Hurts continued the play and hit Wicks over the middle, but the play was given to the defense. Another short toss to Lemon netted few yards with cornerback Michael Carter II in tight coverage. Jalen Carter touched up Barkley for a stop. And when Hurts did well to roll away from an unblocked blitzer and found Smith as his outlet, the receiver dropped the ball. On the last play of the set, Hurts chucked the ball wide and out of bounds with a covered Smith.
Jalen Hurts missed some throws behind a patchwork line but was more effective in the red zone. Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Lemon aid
Lemon has been getting a tutorial from DeJean, one of the best slots in the NFL. Mannion called for another quick hitter to the receiver off a naked bootleg, but with Hunt in Hurts’ mug, DeJean was all over Lemon by the time the ball arrived. Jalen Carter gifted the offense five yards when he jumped offside, but a Barkley outside zone run on the next play was blown up in the backfield. Hurts likely needed to check out of that call with so many defenders in the box.
It just got worse. A Fangio blitz collapsed the pocket, but Hurts still threw to Lemon on a crossing route. It wasn’t the greatest route and Woolen snatched the ball for his first interception of the night. An offensive false start followed. Hurts did hook up with receiver Darius Cooper on a button hook. And running back Tank Bigsby had decent gains up the middle on the ground.
But Ojomo’s sack and another drop — this time from Cooper — ended the set.
Fans watched as the Eagles defense defeated the offense by a count of 58-36, based on practice scoring. Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Red zone district
The offense rebounded in the red zone. On the first play from the 20-yard line, Barkley ran a sort-of corner route and got behind linebacker Zack Baun. Hurts’ throw was perfect and the running back made the catch for a touchdown.
On the next red-zone possession, Barkley gobbled yards up the middle on first down. But on the next play, Hurts’ downfield throw to Lemon off play-action was broken up by Mitchell. The rookie receiver didn’t appear to get enough depth on his route. The ball went back to Lemon on his next pattern — when he motioned inside and ran a wheel route — and the defense didn’t account for him. He waltzed into the end zone untouched.
Hurts built off that modicum of success during the backup portion. A first-down run didn’t net many yards. In fact, it resulted in defensive tackle Jordan Davis hobbling off after he dinged his left arm. (He later returned, outfitted with a brace.) But Bigsby churned ahead on the ground on a couple carries. And Hurts again rolled away from the rush and found tight end Cam Latu for a first down.
We got a rare glimpse of tight end Johnny Mundt in the backfield. The Bigsby rush was thwarted, but not exclusively because of Mundt’s lead block. A screen pass to Smith on the ensuing play was blown up by DeJean. But Hurts wisely kept feeding his best receiver. He rifled a dart to Smith on a comebacker ahead of Mitchell. And two plays later, tossed a strike to No. 6 just out of Woolen’s reach and Smith jetted upfield for chunk yards.
A busted play that forced Hurts into a throwaway and DeJean snuffing out a Will Shipley draw forced another third down. But receiver Hollywood Brown got wide-open downfield and raced the last 10 yards untouched into the end zone.
Saquon Barkley had a frustrating night on the ground in the open practice. Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Two for two
The first two-minute drill was an odd one as the offense worked on getting the defense to jump offside. Barkley and tight end Dallas Goedert looked back at their coaches upset or confused or something else when a couple of the tailback’s rushes were curtailed. Center Cam Jurgens walked out of the huddle and was replaced by Jake Majors. Jurgens didn’t appear hurt. But Hurts’ hard count finally did get an impatient Ojomo to jump. It wasn’t exactly riveting stuff for the fans.
Nevertheless, the first units came out for one last hurry-up period. The offense got off to a solid start with a Barkley catch-and-run out of the backfield, a checkdown to Smith and a Hurts seed to Wicks over the middle. But when Hurts was pressured again by Hunt, he tried for Smith near the sideline. Woolen was in lockstep with the receiver, jumped the route and went the other way with the ball for a pick-six.
Nick Sirianni gave Andy Dalton the first crack at No. 2 reps on Tuesday night. Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Second best
This was a night almost exclusively for the starters with fans in the house, and the final preseason game reserved for guys fighting to make the roster or the practice squad. There were some periods for the second and third units. Andy Dalton got the nod at quarterback as he and Tanner McKee continued to split snaps in their battle for the No. 2 job.
Dalton overthrew Cooper on his first drop. But he got into a rhythm with receiver Elijah Moore and scored on their third connection when Moore found space on a crossing route and zigzagged into the end zone.
McKee had some good moments, too. He went to Brown for a couple quickies vs. zone coverage. He found Moore as his outlet vs. the blitz. And on fourth down, he hit tight end E.J. Jenkins on a short release. Shipley did the rest on the ground and scored when he ran off right tackle. McKee’s two-point conversion try in the back of the end zone went off Brown’s hands.
McKee shined in the two-minute period. He hooked up with Cooper on a deep crosser and hit Moore on a 15-yard out. His downfield pass to Cooper was on target, but the receiver eased up his route and the ball sailed by. Cooper reacted as if he knew he messed up.
Extra points
The final score was Defense 58, Offense 36. … Rookie quarterback Cole Payton got a few reps in the backup period. … Britain Covey was again the first up to field punts, but Lemon took turns as well. If the Eagles believe the rookie can handle punts, it could make Covey expendable on game days … Shipley and Bigsby were paired as the first two kick returners. … The Eagles announced attendance of more than 45,000. Pennsylvania governor and noted Eagles fan Josh Shapiro was among them. … The Eagles will return to the Jefferson Health Training Complex for practice on Wednesday afternoon. They will have a closed walkthrough on Thursday ahead of Friday’s preseason finale at the Linc vs. the Cincinnati Bengals.
