Eagles Face Sky-High Expectations Again In 2026 — Talent Says Yes, Reality Might Say Otherwise

A recent lofty projection by ESPN feels heavily influenced by reputational bias, at least on the offensive side of the ball, rather than last season’s demonstrated performance.

Nick Sirianni speaks with reports at 2026 minicamp. | John McMullen/Eagles On SI

PHILADELPHIA — Anyone expecting the Eagles’ massive expectations to cool off after a one-and-done playoff exit, the trade of disgruntled star receiver A.J. Brown, and growing uncertainty around a once-explosive but descending offense is in for a surprise.

ESPN’s Aaron Schatz, Mike Clay, and Seth Walder project the Eagles to enter the 2026 season with the second-best starting lineup in the NFL — trailing only the the powerful Los Angeles Rams, who are riding the wave of their Myles Garrett acquisition.

For context, the rest of their top-five rankings include the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, the Buffalo Bills (who continue to benefit from the Josh Allen bump despite moving on from Sean McDermott), and the Baltimore Ravens, another perennial favorite now under new head coach Jesse Minter after parting ways with John Harbaugh.

In theory, though, this latest offseason list has nothing to do with the coaches themselves — except that it immediately saddles them with enormous pressure.

The Eagles so still project as a clear top-five roster, with their greatest strength on defense. 

That unit looks even more talented after adding edge rusher Jonathan Greenard, cornerback Riq Woolen, and promoting gifted linebacker Jihaad Campbell to a full-time starting role. Add in the core group now entering Year 3 under Vic Fangio and the ceiling does seem awfully high.

The offense, however, must reverse its recent decline. It’s another year older and is undergoing a scheme change under first-time play-caller Sean Mannion.

The system shift itself with more under center work and traditional play-action for quarterback Jalen Hurts would seem to trend negatively when discussing getting the plus-one impact in the running back into the mix for the QB1. Meanwhile, there is no guarantee that Saquon Barkley returns to historic vs. the ordinary season he has in 2025 while health remains a major concern on the offensive line, as is the spth behind the stars.

The ESPN lofty projection feels heavily influenced by reputational bias, at least on the offensive side of the ball, rather than last season’s demonstrated performance. 

Excuse Making?

Eagles OC Kevin Patullo speaks with reporters prior to practice on July 26, 2025. | John McMullen/Eagles On SI

It also hands an oversized amount of credit for the perceived underachievement to deposed offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, who was largely scapegoated for the team’s shortcomings.

That mindset — prioritizing scheme and coaching pedigrees over raw talent — appears more common than ever among league analysts. 

Still, I’ll take the talent first. If the Eagles are truly this close to the top of the NFL, things should break in their favor… unless attrition strikes hard or Mannion gets in the way.