Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is heading into 2026 with a strange kind of pressure. He’s won 69% of his starts, made three Pro Bowls and owns a Super Bowl MVP, but none of that has quieted the noise around him this offseason.
So what would a good season actually look like? The answer starts with the numbers.
Hurts needs to push his completion percentage back up to at least 67%. Last season, he sat around 64%, even while keeping his interceptions down to just six. That mark has been higher before, and the expectation is that he can get back there in 2026.
The bigger jump has to come through the air. Hurts has never reached 4,000 passing yards in his career, and that may never be his style, but the Eagles need more than just a little over 3,000 yards from their franchise quarterback now. A new career high at 3,800 yards or more would give this offense the kind of production it needs.
The rushing side of his game is not really in question. Hurts is expected to pile up at least eight rushing touchdowns, with more coming through the Tush Push. What Eagles fans want to see more of is him scrambling and using RPOs, especially with new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion likely putting the ball in Hurts’ hands more often on designed runs.
There is also a different kind of tolerance when it comes to turnovers. The feeling around Hurts is that more interceptions might actually be acceptable if it means he is pushing the ball downfield more often, so long as the deep shots are connecting more than they’re missing. Even so, the Eagles need more touchdown passes from him in this offense, and a second straight career high in passing touchdowns would go a long way toward making 2026 look like a success.
In Other News...
Jayden Daniels Gives Eagles An Early Week 1 Problem
Week 1 already comes with the usual opening-day uncertainty, and for the Eagles, the first defensive question is how to handle a Commanders attack that looks much different than the one they prepared for a year ago. Jayden Daniels is back as Washingtons offensive leader, and he will have plenty of help around him with additions like Stefon Diggs and Chig Okonkwo joining a group that already includes Terry McLaurin. Even before the first snap, that gives Philadelphia a lot to sort through.
The supporting cast around Daniels adds another layer of concern, especially with players such as edge rusher Odafe Oweh and linebacker Sonny Styles part of the broader matchup picture. Washington has clearly tried to raise its ceiling on both sides of the ball, and the opener is now less about easing into the season than about seeing how quickly the Eagles can answer a more dangerous-looking division rival. For a Week 1 game, that is already a pretty serious test. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Have A Pass Catching Problem Beyond DeVonta Smith
DeVonta Smith gives the Eagles a dependable starting point in the passing game, but the bigger question is what comes after him. The rest of the wideout room is less settled, with Makai Lemon and Dontayvion Wicks carrying their own questions, and the tight end depth behind Dallas Goedert does not offer much comfort if the offense needs more reliable targets.
What makes the issue more pressing is the overall shape of the receiving group, which does not appear built to absorb much attrition. Injuries could quickly thin out a pass-catching unit that already has limited margin for error, leaving the Eagles leaning heavily on Smith and Goedert while waiting to see whether the other options can make themselves part of the answer. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles NFC East Hopes May Ride On A Few Risky Variables
As the Eagles turn their attention to Washington, the path to a third straight NFC East title looks less like a straight line and more like a series of delicate tests. The run game needs to find more rhythm with Saquon Barkley and the other backs, the offensive line has to hold up under new coaching, and the passing game is still working to get the right mix from a revamped receiver group around Jalen Hurts.
Philadelphia can live with a few rough edges in September if the bigger pieces keep trending up, but the margin shrinks quickly when turnovers start creeping in or depth gets exposed. The secondary is expected to keep playing at a high level, and the rookie class adds another layer of intrigue, with first-round pick Makai Lemon already drawing attention despite being slowed by an injury. For a team trying to stay atop the division, the biggest question is whether all those moving parts can settle in before the schedule starts asking harder questions. [Read more 🡒]