Thursday, October 1, 2026
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The Philadelphia Eagles will be entering the 2026 season with a big chip on their shoulder. Not only did last season not go as planned, but they also underwent a major offensive overhaul this offseason. They hired a new offensive coordinator who came with a new offensive line coach, after spending so many years under Jeff Stoutland, and also a new QB coach.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg for them though.
Let’s take a look at the five storylines that you need to focus on during the 2026 season.
With all of the changes made to the offensive side of the ball, the Eagles need to be patient when it comes to seeing results. While the amount of time and practice reps committed to this new offensive scheme is a good thing, the fact of the matter is that the offense could face another slow start like in years past.
Nick Sirianni will have to wholly trust Sean Mannion until the results are in. He can’t take over after 5 weeks in hopes of righting the wrongs that could come. I strongly believe that this risky change for Sirianni and the Eagles is one that they needed to go through. I just hope that Mannion and Jalen Hurts are given the allotted time to see it through. It’s going to take time but I believe they could finish the season as a top-5 offense if everything goes according to plan.
There aren’t many quarterbacks in the NFL that go through the level of scrutiny that Hurts goes through. Despite him leading his team to the playoffs every season as a starter and having two Super Bowl appearances with one ending in a victory, Hurts is still treated as an eyesore. Maybe it’s because he’s a second-round pick who plays like a true first-round pick or maybe it’s because he doesn’t say much to the media.
There are various reasons as to why the national media appear to despise him, but if there’s one thing I’m sure of it's that the hate only Jalen Hurts. He thrives when he’s counted out and he shines when his back is against the wall. Now that AJ Brown is no longer with the Eagles, I do expect to see a much liberated version of Hurts. I think we’re going to see a QB that is not restrained by the demands of a single wide receiver. We’re also going to see a QB that’s not burdened by mediocre play-calling, which should excite Eagles fans.
With Jeff Stoutland out and Chris Kuper in, the Eagles’ offensive line will be given a fresh start for the first time in a little over a decade. Kuper will be tasked with fixing an offensive line that was riddled with injuries last season and played inconsistently throughout the 2025 season.
I personally believe this is the deepest offensive line group that the Eagles have ever had in terms of talent. Their backups are good enough to start for any team in the league, which means that if they have to deal with a major starter missing time, then the unit will just be fine. The youth movement has shown its face within the group and it should lead to an exciting transition within the next couple of years.
We know that the strength of the defensive line lies in the middle of the unit in Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, and Moro Ojomo. But what we don’t know is what to expect from the edge rushers. Jalyx Hunt looks like he is on the verge of a career year, while Nolan Smith is still burdened with question marks. The Eagles' prized acquisition of the offseason, Jonathan Greenard, will be out for the first quarter of the season, which means the Eagles will be deploying a weaker version of their pass rushers.
There are too many variables working against this unit, which could make it a great story when the season ends. If Hunt and Smith are able to have career years while following the impact of Greenard, we could be in for a big defensive surprise.
Despite the down year, the Eagles did what no other team in the NFC East had done in a very long time. Philadelphia was able to lock down the NFC East for two consecutive seasons. What was once a running joke became a statement by the Eagles, but can they do it again? No NFC East team has won the division for more than two years in a row since the Eagles did it from 2001-2004.
Winning the NFC East would be a huge accolade not only for the Eagles but for Hurts and Sirianni. Both have been counted out for so long and have been deemed replaceable by most people who cover the NFL. This would be a very brutal gut punch to the naysayers.
