Brandon Graham isn’t buying the idea that the 2026 Eagles are some mystery team waiting to be figured out. From his seat, the defense already has the look of a unit built to carry its weight while the offense sorts through its issues.
Graham, now a free agent, went on NFL Network’s "Good Morning Football" and made it clear he trusts what Philadelphia has on that side of the ball. He pointed to the stability around Jalen Hurts and the way the defense can keep stacking work from one offseason to the next.
"Jalen Hurts, man, he don't get enough credit for that. Because for us on defense, we have the same coordinator, and that helps going into the offseason.
All he had to do is tweak certain things that he's seen from the film, and then we just continuously keep building, keep stacking. I know that they gonna have an even better year this year because, of course, we got the same players, majority of the same players.
You got Zack Baun in the middle. We lost Nakobe, who was a great leader on defense.
But I know a lot of guys like Jihaad is going to step up because he had a good season last year, good rookie season. Cooper is a baller, man.
I mean, he's athletic, a guy that can adjust. He's a ball player.
So I'm not worried about him. You get Jalen Carter in there.
I'm excited for the defense because I think that's our strong point until the offense figures out, figures everything out, and figure out their identity. But I know that they will know their identity this year because I think Mannion is already stepping in a great position.
He's already in a great position because of the players he has on his team. They hungry, seem like them guys are loving each other even more and trying to build this thing."
That confidence makes sense when you look at the defensive side of the roster. Philadelphia brings back a front anchored by Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis, with Zack Baun still giving them one of the league’s better linebackers. In the secondary, Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean are already playing at an All-Pro level, and the two of them combined are not even allowing a 50% completion percentage when targeted.
There are still a few spots that need sorting out. The biggest defensive question is who fills the role left by Reed Blankenship, and how that group settles in. Marcus Epps looks positioned to start next to Andrew Mukuba, though Mukuba is also coming off a fractured ankle injury from last year.
The offense is where the uncertainty really piles up. The line is banged up, the wide receiver room is missing A.J. Brown, and Saquon Barkley had a down year, which has some people wondering whether he’s beginning to regress.
Hurts sits at the center of all of it. He may be the most steady player on the roster, but he also carries the biggest question mark. With Sean Mannion taking over as offensive coordinator, Hurts needs a strong season to show he’s still the long-term answer under center.
Even with those concerns, Graham’s view is hard to ignore. The talent is obvious, and if the offense finds its rhythm in 2026, the Eagles could become a problem fast.
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