Eagles 2025-2026 Season

[VoteForKalas]

Sure seems like they are continuing to prepare for life after AJ Brown. I'd rather we kept him, but they seem dead set on moving on. Hope we get a 1st rd pick + for him.

[zambonir]

Just don't believe anything you read about the Patriots

[dicemen99]

I feel like people are way off with the Eagles needs. You draft for the future and according to position premium, not what we need in 2026. For the Eagles moving ahead:
Edges - we probably need to add two to the room, one larger, one rush oriented.
CB - we need to add a corner to start opposite Mitchell. The safety position is less valuable and will not be addressed with a premium pick.
IOL - far more critical of a need than OT right now because we have Mailata and a couple of developmental prospects they like at OT. We have two guys who have been chronically injured and another on an expiring contract playing the 3 inside spots.
WR - less of a need with the Wicks acquisition, but this draft is talented here and adding a player on Day 2 makes a lot of sense.

Faulk would really work for them in Rd 1, but beyond that it may make more sense to trade back into the top half of the second and maneuver your way to four picks in the top 85 or so. Then add another tackle early day 3 - it seems like their visits are lining up with that in terms of OT.

S and TE are not worth premium picks. Add high risk, high potential fliers for those positions later after you’ve addressed other needs unless someone falls into your lap - like Sadiq or Thieneman being available after a trade back.

Names I really like that fit this strategy:

Edge - Faulk (1), M. Lawrence (2), Barsham/Height (3)
CB - McCoy (1), Johnson (1/2), Scott/Stukes (3) - Scott & Stukes both fit nickel/safety like Cooper, so Cooper could move outside
IOL - Pregnon (if he slips to 2), Rutledge (2), Tiernan (2/3 - could bump inside), I could put Proctor and Fano here as well for a potential 1st round pick, but they will be gone in the top half of Rd 1. I could see Fano falling though, for most teams he is not a OT.
WR - Tyson (1), Boston (1/2), C. Bell/Bernard (2), Hurst (3), Lane/Lance/Stribling (4)
OT - Bell/Bowry/Crownover/World (4) - some of these guys will go in Rd 3.

[phillychuck]

The Eagles’ wide receiver room right now is:

AJ Brown (might be gone)
DaVonta Smith
Dontavion Wicks
Hollywood Brown
Elijah Moore
Danny Gray (mainly ST)
Darius Cooper
Johnny Wilson
Quez Watkins
Britain Covey (mainly returner)

Cooper is going to have to fight for reps, and he’s someone a lot of people in the building though would be #3 this year and be great at it.

[dicemen99]

Cooper is an UDFA and not going to be a #2 no matter how much the fans want to will this feel good story.

You can cut anyone on that list below Brown. The very definition of fungible. And of the top 4, two have no shot of being here in 2027. The WR need is real.

[allentown]

No! You cannot cut DeVonta Smith. It is highly detrimental to cut Wicks or Brown. I'd hate to see them cut Cooper. Cooper doesn't need to be a #2. It depends who is left on the board at #23 (or if we trade up), but for first 4 picks i think our top needs are OT, edge, safety, and TE. An OT pick can play G this season.

[zambonir]

That is a not-unrealistic prediction that Smith could be cut or traded before the last year of his deal though. Of course he could also get an extension.

AJ Brown is clearly gone, IMO. It's hard to have a real read on who wants it to be the case more, the team or the player. You'd like to think the new OC might change things but the media consensus seems to still be that they are just bidding their time until June 1.

[allentown]

That is a not-unrealistic prediction that Smith could be cut or traded before the last year of his deal though

Now you've said two very different things. Yes, it's possible he could be traded. No, it isn't possible he could be cut. Neither is going to happen this season, especially if Brown is dealt. I think it unwise to deal Brown this year. Draft picks in 2027 are well and good -- for 2027 and beyond-- but basically write off this season.

[dicemen99]

Hollywood Brown is the Brown I referred to. Sorry, but I thought that would be pretty clear. Brown, Smith, Wicks, Brown - you are not cutting any of them. Anyone else on the list is at risk - they are fungible guys easily replaced pretty much anytime. Two of the four “non-cuttables” will not be here in 2027. One may not even be here in 2026.

I don’t think Howie wants to go into 2027 with Smith and Wicks plus a cast of fungible guys - including Cooper. And they are not going to be in a position to spend big money on a free agent next year at that position ($20M+ will be the minimum for a top 35 guy) with the extensions on the defense coming up.

Bottom line is they need to add a low cost productive WR and soon. That means via draft.

[zambonir]

I knew you meant Hollywood as the bottom guy ahead of the cuttables. But I misunderstood you including AJ Brown as two of the guys with no shot of being here in 2027, since I just assume he'll already be gone in 2026. So I thought you were predicting Howie would trade Smith a year early. I shoudln't have included cutting, as far as he's concerned. So you figure neither Brown is here in 2027 simply from contract being up, but Wicks and Smith are?

[LegoDoom]

I don't want Smith gone at all, but I don't even think he can be moved until 2028.

[dicemen99]

Yes, I think Wicks will be here in 2027. I think his deal is more like a 2 year $15M deal, just the cap hit will be more in 2027 than 2026. I’ve yet to see what the details are of the contract. Maybe next year they add some more years to reduce the cap hit, as long as he continues to produce like a high end 3, which is what they expect. Upgrade to Dotson.

I don’t expect AJ to be here in 2027, but not sold that 2026 he will be gone. Probably, but the dead money is an issue. I think that’s the most likely scenario, but I would think Howie likes to keep options open and not box himself into a corner.

[zambonir]

Certainly they will keep him if the offer is unacceptably low, even with the post-June 1 reduced cap ramifications. But what they are willing to accept probably still won't be popular.

[dicemen99]

Certainly they will keep him if the offer is unacceptably low, even with the post-June 1 reduced cap ramifications. But what they are willing to accept probably still won't be popular.

If they can get a 2nd round pick for him, I’d think it would be a steal and a half for Howie. I’d settle for a high 3rd. I think that is what is likely given the current posturing. Of course, some fans will not see it for what it is and will expect a first plus.

[VoteForKalas]

Disagree, if they trade Brown for a 2nd or 3rd rd pick, that would be a bad deal for the Eagles. He is an elite WR. We should keep him unless we get at least a 1st rd pick.

[allentown]

No. A high third in next year's draft is a puny return. It also is the kiss of death for this season. They need Brown to have a plus passing offense and they need a plus passing offense to make the run offense work. They need a lot fewer 3-and-outs to make the defense work. With a big yardage/TD year from Brown coupled with quiet on the media front, Brown is in a position to negotiate more $ from his new team. He's not in that position today. He's somewhat damaged goods. I don't see a receiver available at 1-23 or a slot we can reasonably trade up for who can come close to replacing Brown, especially as a rookie. This may be the last season for Lane Johnson, Goedert, possibly even Mailata and Dickerson. I can't see the team throwing away this coming season. It is in everyone's best interest for AJ to place nice this season and for the coaches and Hurts to give him every chance to shine in the offense. It will be up to Sirianni to keep everyone happy. That's his job nowadays.

[zambonir]

There is an argument he's not as elite as he used to be. But also, if he's not happy (or the team isn't happy with him) it's immaterial.

[allentown]

He is elite. So is Smith. They got over 1000 yards in a very conservative, very predictable 2025 Eagles Offense, playing with a severely banged-up offensive line and a running game which wasn't much of a threat. There is evidence, in the many offensive coaching changes, that the Eagles realize that their 2025 offensive strategy was a poor one. There will be change. That change will favor the passing game and allow Smith and Brown to gain the same or greater yards without getting banged up as much as they did in 2025. Brown wasn't the only guy who was upset with the offensive scheme and play calling. The problems were acutely obvious in the playoff loss. Sirianni got the zero-turnover game he used as the primary measure of Hurts' success. The defense produced the necessary turnovers, but we lost. Why? The very conservative, avoid-turnovers-at-all-cost, O strategy which resulted in way too many 3-and-outs and an attempt to have the D run out the clock with a small lead and no help from the O. AJ hated Hurts' increased timidity and the increased reliance upon a run game which wasn't working. I think Hurts and offensive coordinator played as Sirianni wanted them to. I also think that all know that this must change. Above all, Lurie and Roseman will insist that this change. The Eagles have achieved an awful lot under Sirianni, but I think he is on thinning ice and needs a successful, more wide-open offense this season.

[dicemen99]

There is an argument he's not as elite as he used to be. But also, if he's not happy (or the team isn't happy with him) it's immaterial.

This. The cracks have already started to show and the cliff is in sight, at least for how the Eagles use him. He’s not an elite route runner and he’s on the downside of his physical skills, which is what makes him elite. In 2 years he will still be productive, but we’re paying him like he’s elite and that train is leaving the station.

Other teams see this as well and the market for guys on his career arc is not what people think.

[dicemen99]

Disagree, if they trade Brown for a 2nd or 3rd rd pick, that would be a bad deal for the Eagles. He is an elite WR. We should keep him unless we get at least a 1st rd pick.

They are going to try, but I’m not seeing it. The Eagles paid a first for the prime of his career. Is another team going to pay a first for the downside of it? It’s not like they are going to get a salary discount for it.

Howie will have performed another miracle to get a first round pick for him. I wouldn’t put it past him, there are desperate and foolish teams in the league. But I’m not counting on it.