The Eagles are not being viewed as the NFC’s preseason favorite, and that part is easy enough to understand. A rough ‘25 season and a major offensive reset are enough to cool expectations around a team that won the Super Bowl two years ago.
What’s tougher to explain is where USA Today placed them in its latest preseason rankings: No. 19.
That put Philadelphia behind a long list of NFC teams, including the Vikings at No. 17, the Commanders at No. 18, and the Rams, Seahawks, Bears, 49ers, Cowboys, Lions, and Packers all above them. In other words, the ranking has the Eagles as the 10th-best team in the 15-team NFC.
USA Today’s brief explanation leaned heavily on the offense, noting: “The offense is going to appear virtually unrecognizable − probably necessary after last year’s showing. But can’t wait to see it, especially rookie WR Makai Lemon.”
There are real questions here. Sean Mannion’s new offense is a mystery.
A.J. Brown is gone, and the Eagles will have to prove they can survive without him, even if the “elite” version of Brown was last seen in Super Bowl 59.
The wide receiver room is thin, and the health of the offensive line is fair game for debate.
Still, No. 19 feels extreme.
Vic Fangio’s defense alone gives Philadelphia a strong path to the postseason in 2026. The front is loaded, the linebackers are described as ridiculously talented, and the secondary should be capable of making life miserable for top passing attacks. The piece also points to the possibility of as many as 6-7 Pro Bowlers and 4-5 potential 1st or 2nd-team All Pros on that side of the ball.
That’s why the ranking stands out so much. The Eagles have made the postseason five straight seasons and have reached two Super Bowls, so it’s hard to square that track record with a spot this low.
Maybe the ranking will look smart in December. Maybe it won’t.
For now, though, it reads like a preseason number that doesn’t pass the eye test.
In Other News...
Quinyon Mitchell Injury Suddenly Puts Eagles Cornerback Depth In Focus
A midweek practice scare briefly shifted attention to one of the Eagles most important young defenders, as Quinyon Mitchell left drills and did not return. The injury did not appear serious, but it was enough to interrupt the look Philadelphia got on the field and put the secondarys depth under the microscope for the rest of the session.
Mac McWilliams stepped in with the first-team defense in Mitchells place, a reminder that the Eagles are leaning on a cornerback group that is still sorting itself out. Behind Mitchell, the options include Jakorian Bennett, Jonathan Jones, Kelee Ringo and Tariq Castro-Fields, a mix that gives Philadelphia bodies but not a lot of certainty if the team has to stretch that depth further. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Camp Is Creating A Real WR3 Debate Behind The Stars
Training camp has a way of turning a depth-chart afterthought into a real talking point, and thats where the Eagles find themselves with their receiver group. With DeVonta Smith and Makai Lemon slowed by injuries, Darius Cooper has had more chances to work and has made the most of them, stacking up catches and looking noticeably sharper than he did a year ago. In a room built around stars, those extra reps matter, especially when the staff is trying to sort out who can reliably handle a larger role.
Marquise Brown was brought in to be part of the answer, but the early camp work has made this more interesting than a simple veteran-vs.-young-player competition. Cooper has shown encouraging timing with Jalen Hurts, and the more he keeps doing it in camp, the harder it is to ignore him in the conversation for the Eagles next receiver behind the top options. The question now is whether Brown can close that gap before the preseason picture starts to settle. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Already Face One Big Concern With Their New Pass Rusher
Jonathan Greenards first summer with Philadelphia has already taken an uneasy turn. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said the new pass rusher is expected to miss all of training camp because of a lingering pectoral injury, and Greenard has been on the Physically Unable to Perform list while staying involved in meetings and other off-field work.
The concern now is not just the injury itself, but the time Greenard is losing at a point when newcomers usually need every rep they can get. Fangio made clear the missed camp work matters for readiness, and the Eagles will have to wait and see how quickly Greenard can get back into physical drills once he is cleared. [Read more 🡒]