The Philadelphia Eagles are back on the practice field after the long Labor Day weekend, and the timing couldn’t be better with Week 1 against the Washington Commanders closing in.
There’s plenty still unresolved about what this team will look like once the games start counting. Nick Sirianni has kept the Eagles in the postseason every year since taking over in 2021, but that run hasn’t made this offseason any simpler. A lot changed, and training camp took the full stretch to start sorting through it.
What fans will be watching now is simple: does this team look ready?
One of the biggest signs would be a cleaner, sharper week from the offense. Sean Mannion’s unit started camp trending upward, with Jalen Hurts finding a rhythm with new targets Dontayvion Wicks and Elijah Moore.
The backs were involved in the passing game, too, and that’s the kind of steady progress the Eagles need to keep showing. If the offense can clearly outplay the defense in practice this week, it would go a long way toward easing nerves before the Commanders game.
There’s also the Jonathan Greenard situation. He made the 53-man roster and wasn’t placed on PUP or IR, which normally points toward a player being available to practice.
Still, Vic Fangio hasn’t sounded fully certain that his top edge rusher will even be ready to play. For Eagles fans, seeing the team’s $100 million investment on the field and moving toward game shape would be a welcome sight.
Riq Woolen is another name to track closely. Washington brings a dangerous receiver duo in Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs, and Quinyon Mitchell is expected to handle McLaurin.
That would leave Woolen with Diggs, a tough assignment and an early chance to show what he can do. After the struggles the Eagles had at CB2 with Adoree’ Jackson and Kelee Ringo last season, Woolen has a real opportunity to make a strong first impression.
And then there’s Hurts himself. Over the last month, too many practice reports have mentioned him throwing multiple interceptions in a single session.
That’s not a reason to hit the panic button, especially with him still getting comfortable in Mannion’s offense. But this week needs to look better.
Hurts has to be sharper with his throws, more decisive, and more in control of the scheme as the Eagles continue building toward Week 1.
In Other News...
Eagles Head Into Week 1 With Clear Offseason Winners And Losers
The Eagles head into Week 1 against Washington after an offseason that reshaped parts of the roster and the coaching staff, with the kind of changes that tend to leave a few clear beneficiaries. Sean Mannions promotion to offensive coordinator stands out as one of the more notable internal moves, while contract extensions for defensive tackles Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter gave the front of the defense a firmer long-term foundation. The 2025 draft class also appears to have moved the needle, adding another layer to a spring and summer that was anything but quiet in Philadelphia.
Not every part of the picture looks settled, though. Injuries have already complicated the outlook for players such as Jonathan Greenard and Makai Lemon, and the cornerback spot remains a concern as the team moves into the season opener. For a roster with playoff expectations, the offseason winners are easy enough to identify, but the unresolved questions are the ones that will matter once the Commanders arrive and the early September pressure starts to feel real. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Still Have One Unsettled Decision Behind Jalen Hurts
The Eagles have a small but notable question lingering behind Jalen Hurts as the 2026 regular season approaches: who is the No. 2 quarterback? On the unofficial depth chart, Andy Dalton and Tanner McKee are listed side by side, while rookie Cole Payton gives Philadelphia four passers on the 53-man roster and another layer of insurance if the room is ever tested.
Nick Sirianni has said the backup job is still a competition between Dalton and McKee, which keeps the situation very much alive even with the opener drawing closer. For a team built around Hurts, it is the kind of behind-the-scenes decision that can fade into the background until it suddenly matters, and Philadelphia still appears to be sorting out which veteran or developmental option it trusts most if the starter ever has to miss time. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Just Got A Brutal Warning About Paying Their Young Corners
Christian Gonzalezs new deal with New England has changed the top of the cornerback market in a way the Eagles cant ignore. The Patriots locked up their young star on a four-year, $135 million extension, and with that, the price of elite coverage talent just jumped again at exactly the kind of position Philadelphia has invested in heavily over the last two seasons.
For the Eagles, the timing matters almost as much as the dollar figure. Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean are both trending toward major contracts of their own in the not-too-distant future, and the front office now has a fresh reminder of how expensive it can be to keep young corners together once they start stacking strong seasons. Managing those decisions while keeping the rest of the roster intact is going to be one of the tougher cap balancing acts ahead. [Read more 🡒]