Philadelphia Eagles

Projected Cap Space: $15.4 million

Draft Picks: 8

• 1st (No. 23)
• 2nd (No. 54)
• 3rd (No. 68, NYJ)
• 3rd (No. 98, comp)
• 4th (No. 122)
• 4th (No. 137, comp)
• 5th (No. 151, ATL)
• 5th (No. 179, comp)

Notable Free Agents: 

• OLB Jaelan Phillips
• LB Nakobe Dean
• TE Dallas Goedert
• S Reed Blankenship
• OL Fred Johnson
• CB Adoree’ Jackson
• P Braden Mann
• S Marcus Epps
• WR Jahan Dotson
• DE Brandon Graham
• OLB Joshua Uche
• OLB Azeez Ojulari
• OLB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo
• OL Matt Pryor
• OT Brett Toth
• TE Grant Calcaterra
• TE Kylen Granson
• RB AJ Dillon
• QB Sam Howell

Top Three Needs

1 – Offensive Line

The offensive line has been one of the crucial engines powering the Eagles’ success over the last decade. In that time, the Eagles have been to the Super Bowl three times, winning the first two Lombardi’s in franchise history, and have missed the playoffs just twice. They’ve cracked 2,000 yards rushing as a team six times in that span, plus one year over 3,000. 

But the wear and tear is really starting to catch up with this group. This past year, future Hall of Fame RT Lane Johnson missed the final eight games of the season, including the playoff loss, with a Lisfranc injury. Meanwhile, G Landon Dickerson played 15 games, but he was battling various injuries the entire year and the impact on his performance was clear. The 35-year-old Johnson is rumored to be considering retirement, which isn’t unexpected given this isn’t his first bout with injuries. Surprisingly, though, Dickerson is also rumored to be considering walking away due to the physical toll, despite being just 27. Losing either or both would be a massive loss for the Eagles. 

The other massive loss to note here is OL coach Jeff Stoutland, who had a reputation as the best at his position in football. It’s not a coincidence that the Eagles’ stretch of dominance up front has come under Stoutland’s tutelage. Coaching can’t cover up for a lack of talent, but some coaches are better than others at maximizing whatever talent a player has. Stoutland’s in that category and has helped a long list of players reach new heights. His crowing achievement might be Eagles LT Jordan Mailata, who was a seventh-round former rugby player who’d never played tackle in his life. Now he’s an All-Pro talent.

2 – Wide Receiver

Even if the Eagles don’t trade WR A.J. Brown, this would be a need for Philadelphia. Brown turns 29 in June and won’t play forever (let alone the question of whether he’s with the Eagles next year or the year after). The team took a shot on a trade for Dotson, a former first-rounder, but he’s on an expiring deal and probably headed elsewhere. Most strong passing games have three pass catchers who are threats for defenses. The Eagles still have WR DeVonta Smith, but Goedert is also on an expiring deal and might not be back. 

Ideally the Eagles would be able to take advantage of a deep draft class this year to get someone in the pipeline behind Smith and Brown. The possibility remains, however, that if Brown is dealt, the Eagles will be looking to make a more aggressive move to replace him. 

3 – Edge Rusher

Eagles GM Howie Roseman can be reliably counted on to keep investing in the trenches, and he has some work to do at edge rusher this offseason. Five from the current roster are on expiring deals. One or two might be back, with Phillips topping the list if the Eagles aren’t priced out by what should be a very lively free agent market, but more help is needed. 

Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt remain under contract and both are still ascending players, though the Eagles will have a decision to make with Smith’s fifth-year option this May. Hunt’s bigger but both trend more toward the speed rusher archetype, so it would make sense if the Eagles wanted to bring in a bigger body who resembled Phillips or Graham more to diversify the edge rushing room. 

The flashes with both Smith and Hunt are strong, but the duo combined for 9.5 sacks last year. More production is needed for the Eagles to reach their goals of another deep playoff run. 

One Big Question

Can the Eagles rebound? 

For most other teams, an 11-6 season and a playoff berth would be cause for celebration rather than the impetus for the question written just now. Philadelphia is built differently as a sports town, though. Since arriving in town in 2021, Eagles HC Nick Sirianni has either been on the hot seat or in the Super Bowl — no in between. 

There’s no getting around how bad the vibes feel around this team, though. Many of the team’s victories this past season were muted by concerns about the overall ineffectiveness of the offense from the players, including but not only limited to Brown even though the receiver was the one who got the most headlines. The lack of a strong and consistent identity on offense did eventually prove to be the Eagles’ undoing in a wildcard home upset to the 49ers. 

In response, Sirianni demoted OC Kevin Patullo, who had worked his way up on staff toward the role for years, and replaced him with 33-year-old Sean Mannion who was still playing as recently as 2023. Not only will Mannion have to prove his inexperience won’t be too limiting, he’ll also be helping the Eagles install a dramatically different system than what they’ve leaned on since the turn of the century. That played a role in Stoutland’s exit, too. 

How Mannion meshes with a talented but often high-maintenance cast of characters on offense might be the story of the Eagles’ 2026 season. It’s not just Brown; there have been some signs that the Eagles are not 1,000 percent pleased with what they’re getting from QB Jalen Hurts, a player with strengths good enough to win a ring but some clear weaknesses as well. 

Add to all of this some roster attrition at key spots that Roseman will have to sort through, plus an improving NFC East, and the Eagles are going to be under as much pressure as any team going into next season.