As the Philadelphia Eagles make their push through the final seven games of the season, ESPN's NFL writers started compiling what each team needs to do during the offseason. ESPN also factored in Philadelphia's playoff probability (>99%) and its projected first-round draft pick (No. 32).
What Eagles offseason could look like in 2026
ESPN NFL analyst Aaron Schatz believes that tight end is the Eagles' most significant positional need going into the offseason. Several reports indicate Philadelphia is considering selecting Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq, who could become the next great Eagle tight end.
The Eagles have been leaning on Dallas Goedert, who has overperformed as a red-zone target for Jalen Hurts; however, he is in the final year of his contract. The Eagles also have Grant Calcaterra and Kylen Granson on the roster, both of whom are set to be free agents.
While tight end could be an area of concern, the Eagles also need to find stability across from Quinyon Mitchell at the No. 2 cornerback position. Mitchell will be going into his third year of his rookie contract, and the Eagles seem dead set on utilizing Cooper DeJean as their nickel back. So far, the combination of Kelee Ringo and Adoree' Jackson hasn't produced the optimal results, with only the injured Jakorian Bennett providing any hope in 2026.
The Eagles will also have to inquire about their view on the long-term plan for Jaelan Phillips. Phillips has delivered on the field with 13 pressures, 11 tackles, four quarterback hits, two tackles for loss, one sack, and a fumble recovery. ESPN Eagles reporter Tim McManus shared more on what his defensive coordinator, Vic Fangio, said about Phillips and how he fits into the future plan.
"'He plays hard, he's strong at the point, good pass rusher. When you shop at Nordstrom, you get good stuff,' defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said. There's an obvious cost associated with the effective 26-year-old. The Eagles have a number of players in line for big-time contracts, including DT Jalen Carter, but they've shown a willingness to spend to sign players at premium positions who are scheme and culture fits -- and Phillips definitely qualifies."
As for what the Eagles should do in the first round, ESPN's Matt Miller believes Philadelphia goes cornerback, specifically Avieon Terrell out of Clemson.
"He'd fill the need at that No. 2 cornerback spot. Terrell has slipped slightly from the top-15 grades he received in the preseason, but he has the traits of a first-rounder thanks to his confidence in coverage and length."
Read more:Quinyon Mitchell's quest for All-Pro bid looks stronger after stats vs. Lions
Regardless of who the Eagles draft, sign, or retain, Philadelphia will have about $9.7 million in cap space this offseason, per Spotrac. With such a talented team coming up on their second contracts, Howie Roseman has plenty of work to do to keep this championship core intact for the future of the franchise.