The Philadelphia Eagles look to 2026 to remind fans that they are the same team that has been a perennial Super Bowl contender over the last five years, following a disappointing campaign in 2025. Key changes in the offseason helped instill confidence in fans and media alike that the Eagles have a shot to return to the top of the NFL world.
The biggest change in the offseason was the timely departure of star wide receiver AJ Brown. After months of rumors and tons of media coverage, the split between the Eagles and Brown was inevitable. The Eagles got back a haul of draft picks for Brown and shed his large contract, giving general manager Howie Roseman financial flexibility to add pieces to the team to help round out the roster.
In doing so, Roseman made key signings to not only replace Brown, but also other key players that departed in free agency such as safety Reed Blankenship, linebacker Nakobe Dean and defensive end Jaelan Phillips. Philadelphia signed defensive back Tariq Woolen, who can play safety and cornerback, to a one-year, $15 million contract. They also added defensive end Arnold Ebikite, wide receiver Marquise Brown and cornerback Jonathan Jones, all to one-year deals.
The other big move the Eagles made was making a change at offensive coordinator, firing Kevin Patullo and bringing in ex-quarterback Sean Mannion to take over playcalling duties. Mannion served as the quarterbacks coach and offensive assistant for the Green Bay Packers prior to taking the Eagles’ offensive coordinator job, following his NFL career.
At the time of writing this, the Eagles sit at 2-2 and have sole possession of second in the NFC East division, one game behind the New York Giants. The Eagles have notched two uncomfortably close victories over divisional rival Washington Commanders and perennial number one pick contender Tennessee Titans.
They have dropped two contests: one close game to the Los Angeles Rams, a team many picked to win the Super Bowl at the start of the year and a decisive loss on national television to the Chicago Bears. The most notable part about the Eagles’ schedule is that it is unanimously described as a ‘gauntlet’; facing most top teams in the conference and even matchups with top teams from the other half of the league.
The Eagles face the Jaguars, Panthers, Cowboys twice, Giants twice, Seahawks, Texans and 49ers; all teams who have proven that they are playoff contenders, or on the fringe of becoming contenders this year, aside from already facing off with the Rams and Bears, who are both pleading the same case.
To tackle their tough schedule, the Eagles need to rely on key play from star quarterback Jalen Hurts, who has been a target of a lot of recent criticism due to a lack of success in the passing game. Star running back Saquon Barkley also recently suffered a hamstring injury, and the timetable for his return is unclear. After suddenly losing star offensive tackle Lane Johnson to a sudden retirement, and the trade of center/guard Cam Jurgens to the Baltimore Ravens, Hurts needs to, now more than ever, find a consistent level of play as the offense grows thin around him.
On the defensive side of the ball, things also look shaky. Through four games, the Eagles rank 21st in yards allowed per game, allowing an average of 344 yards per game to opposing offenses, as well as allowing an average of 23.3 points per game. The Eagles need their star defensive players to step up, such as linebacker Zack Baun, defensive back Cooper DeJean, and defensive lineman Jalen Carter, in order to keep opposing offenses quiet and give the offense enough support and time to be able to win games.
In general, the 2026 Eagles are the textbook definition of volatility. The ceiling remains incredibly high if both sides of the ball can find consistency and the high level of play that Eagles fans are used to.
However, the inverse is also true: a massive collapse could be in play if the shaky foundation of what is left of a heavily injured and inconsistent team does not find its footing against a schedule of NFL playoff contenders that they are slated to face. Only time will tell, and fans will have no choice but to tune in or attend the games week-by-week to continue to show their support, because absolutely anything can happen in the NFL.
