NFC East 2026 Season Overview – Philadelphia Eagles
August 26, 2026
By Noonefromtampa
The Eagles enter 2026 as a contender with significant turnover on both the roster and coaching staff. Philadelphia has added speed at receiver, depth on defense, and a promising rookie class, but it also lost several important contributors in free agency and made notable changes on the offensive staff. The biggest question is whether the new offensive structure and roster retooling can keep the team near the top of the NFC East.
Players Lost in Free Agency
Reed Blankenship, S – Signed with Houston, creating a major opening at safety.
Nakobe Dean, LB – Signed with Las Vegas, taking away a starting-level linebacker and run defender.
Jahan Dotson, WR – Signed with Atlanta, removing a depth receiver who had handled vertical/stretch duties.
A.J. Dillon, RB – Signed with Carolina, thinning the power-back depth.
Kylen Granson, TE – Signed with Tennessee, reducing tight end depth.
Sam Howell, QB – Signed with Dallas, changing the backup quarterback room.
Azeez Ojulari, EDGE – Signed with Atlanta, taking away edge-rush depth.
Jaelan Phillips, EDGE – Signed with Carolina, another loss in the pass-rush rotation.
Matt Pryor, OL and Brett Toth, OL – Departures that affect veteran line depth.
Joshua Uche, EDGE – Signed with Miami, further impacting rotational pressure off the edge.
Sydney Brown, S – Traded to Atlanta rather than lost in free agency, but still part of the secondary turnover.
Players Signed or Re-Signed
Riq Woolen, CB – High-upside outside corner who could immediately fill a starting role.
Hollywood Brown, WR and Elijah Moore, WR – Speed additions intended to boost explosiveness and reinforce the receiver room.
Johnny Mundt, TE and Stone Smartt, TE – Added tight end depth with different skill sets, including blocking help.
Arnold Ebiketie, EDGE and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, EDGE – Edge additions meant to offset departures and maintain pass-rush rotation.
Jonathan Jones, CB – Veteran secondary depth with inside-outside versatility.
J.T. Gray, S – Special teams value and secondary depth.
Dameon Pierce, RB – A reclamation-type back who adds competition behind the starter.
Andy Dalton, QB – Veteran backup option for stability behind Jalen Hurts.
Dontayvion Wicks, WR – Acquired via trade to deepen the receiving corps.
Jonathan Greenard, OLB – Acquired via trade, giving the defense a proven edge presence.
Dallas Goedert, TE, Grant Calcaterra, TE, Marcus Epps, S, Fred Johnson, OL, and Braden Mann, P all returned, helping maintain continuity in several spots.
Jordan Davis, DT signed an extension, a major long-term commitment in the middle of the defense.
Players Drafted
A potential replacement for A.J. Brown, Makai Lemon, is a dynamic receiver expected to contribute early and possibly start right away. Eli Stowers is an athletic tight end viewed as a potential long-term answer at the position eventually replacing Dallas Goedert.
Markel Bell is a developmental offensive tackle with intriguing size and upside. Cole Payton, a quarterback with developmental potential, who could be used with gadget flexibility.
In the later rounds Micah Morris, Cole Wisniewski, Uar Bernard, an International Player Pathway Program and Keyshawn James-Newby.
The class suggests a clear plan: prepare for possible offensive skill-position turnover, add future offensive line help, and continue feeding the defense with developmental talent.
| Round | Player | Pick | Pos | College/Univ |
| 1 | Makai Lemon | 20 | WR | USC |
| 2 | Eli Stowers | 54 | TE | Vanderbilt |
| 3 | Markel Bell | 68 | OT | Miami (FL) |
| 5 | Cole Payton | 178 | QB | North Dakota St. |
| 6 | Micah Morris | 207 | G | Georgia |
| 7 | Cole Wisniewski | 244 | S | Texas Tech |
| 7 | Uar Bernard | 251 | DT | |
| 7 | Keyshawn James-Newby | 252 | DE | New Mexico |
Coaching Changes
The Eagles made major offensive staff changes. Kevin Patullo departed as offensive coordinator, and Sean Mannion was hired to replace him. The team also moved on from longtime offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland, a significant change given his long influence on the Eagles’ identity in the trenches. Chris Kuper stepped in as offensive line coach, while Ryan Mahaffey took on run-game coordinator duties and Josh Grizzard became passing game coordinator. Additional defensive staff adjustments added more turnover to the overall coaching picture.
These changes matter because Philadelphia’s success has long been tied to offensive line play, the run game, and efficient quarterback development. A new offensive coordinator and new line coach create both opportunity and risk.
Expected 2026 Record
Projected record: 10–7.
Philadelphia still has enough top-end talent to remain in the playoff mix, especially if the defense stays disruptive and the new receivers integrate quickly. However, the losses at safety and linebacker, the coaching turnover on offense, and the uncertainty around how quickly the rookie class will contribute could produce some inconsistency. A 10–7 finish feels like a realistic middle ground: good enough to contend for a wild-card spot and possibly the division, but with more volatility than in some recent seasons.
Predicted Finish in NFC East: First place