Eagles News: Philadelphia’s X factors for the 2026 season
· Yahoo Sports
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It’s easier to buy a bounce back season from Cam Jurgens (although back injuries are never comforting) than it is from Landon Dickerson. Jurgens looks healthy and sounds excited for the new season. Dickerson reportedly gave consideration to retirement after 2025 (although he denied as much) and he looked physically diminished at times during camp.
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That being said, we did see positive signs from the running game in training camp. We’ll see if it carries over to game action.
Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles news and links …
2026 NFL season X factors: Key players for all 32 teams – ESPN
LG Landon Dickerson and C Cam Jurgens. There are many directions to go with the Eagles. Dontayvion Wicks is the clear WR2 after never really cracking WR4 with the Packers. Can he be a consistent veteran presence in A.J. Brown’s absence? Edge Jonathan Greenard is stepping in for Jaelan Phillips, who was a huge force multiplier for the defense last season. A pec injury forced Greenard to sit out all of training camp, which begs the question: Is he ready to go in the new system? But I’m circling the duo of Dickerson and Jurgens here. The Eagles’ left guard and center — both in the top five highest-paid players at their respective positions — were shells of themselves last season because of lingering injuries. Jurgens had back issues so intense that he had to go to Colombia for stem-cell treatment. Dickerson had a right meniscus tear, a back injury and multiple ankle injuries. He, too, joined Jurgens in Colombia for stem-cell therapy. The Eagles’ running game suffered dramatically as Philadelphia’s two core interior players labored with nagging injuries. On running back carries (i.e., not tush pushes and other QB runs), the Eagles averaged only 1.2 yards before contact per carry after producing 2.0 the season previous — almost half as good of a run-blocking unit as it had been. No matter the new schemes and clever tricks of offensive coordinator Sean Mannion, the Eagles’ offense was Super Bowl-caliber only when the running game was shredding behind an elite offensive line. Dickerson and Jurgens must truly be healthy if we’re to see that version of the Eagles again, and that makes them Philly’s biggest X factor of all.
The Eagles’ trendsetting roster – BGN
There are over 500 players on practice squads and over 600 players who were in a camp that are currently free agents (or on LSU’s roster). If you need another backup running back, slot receiver, slot corner, off ball LB, there’s plenty lying around. The Eagles problem isn’t that they have 4 QBs. Their problem is that one who is second on the depth chart is a washed up Andy Dalton.
Roob’s Observations: How good can Saquon be at an age when most RBs are fading? – NBCSP
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM SAQUON: Saquon Barkley had a terrific training camp and it sure looks like he’s primed for a big bounce-back year in Sean Mannion’s offense after an up-and-down 2025 in a miserable offense behind a banged-up offensive line. But he’s also 29, and that’s an age where running backs historically are going downhill. In the last 20 years, only four running backs have rushed for 1,300 yards after turning 29 – Thomas Jones twice with the Jets, Michael Turner with the Falcons, Adrian Peterson once and Derrick Henry twice. Now, Barkley takes such good care of himself and looked so locked in during camp and seems like such a natural fit in this scheme, I don’t see any reason he can’t rush for 1,500 yards if he plays all 17 games. Only nine backs have ever rushed for 1,500 yards after turning 29, only Henry in the last 20 years. But I don’t care what the history is or what the numbers say. I’ll be surprised if Saquon isn’t in that ballpark by the time we get to January. He’s still that good.
Eagles mailbag: What backup could end up starting by season’s end? – PhillyVoice
I think that there’s an argument that Trotter is a better player, right now, because he has had more time in the scheme, he understands where he needs to be, he can anticipate where the ball is going, and he has Vic Fangio’s trust. However, if he is better, it’s marginal at best. Jihaad Campbell is a far more gifted player in terms of size and athleticism and the only way he is going to get better is if he plays. Their respective ceilings aren’t close. Campbell has All-Pro potential. Trotter does not. So Campbell (rightfully) is going to play. If Campbell is just bad for some reason and he is making losing plays, could they make a switch? Sure, but I think they’ll be patient there, and in my opinion Campbell played well enough as a rookie that there’s little reason to anticipate that he’ll falter. The spot that I would look at is LG. If Landon Dickerson gets banged up again like he did in 2025 and his body simply won’t cooperate, I do think it’s possible that a fresh Drew Kendall could fill in and be a better player. But also, if any of the three starting interior linemen go down, Kendall will be the first guy off the bench. He’s easily the top backup candidate to start games this season.
Ben McWilliams: Eagles over Bills. Joe Brady helps Josh Allen get over the hump, but the Bills fall short in the Super Bowl to an Eagles team led by an elite defense.
Once a wish kid herself, this Eagles Cheerleader now makes wishes come true – PhiladelphiaEagles.com
The Eagles and Make-A-Wish thought they were hosting five wish kids to play mini-golf with Jalen Hurts last week. As it turns out, there were actually six wish kids at the event. Three Eagles Cheerleaders went to spend time with the wish kids and their families. Among them was Jordyn, a rookie cheerleader who had just made her debut to fans at Public Practice. Once a wish kid herself, Jordyn found herself on the other side of the Make-A-Wish experience, making sure the kids’ and families’ day was special. “It was honestly a really surreal experience,” Jordyn said. “I really felt like I was living two lives in that moment. It was truly an honor to be there with those kids and be there for them that day.” “It really was one of the best days of my life.” A native of Richboro, Pennsylvania, Jordyn was diagnosed with kidney cancer at only 3 years old. When she became part of the Make-A-Wish family, the cheerleader-to-be asked to go to Disney World.
Raiders’ Patrick Johnson a feel-good story, but veteran earned his spot – Silver And Black Pride
Johnson, who entered the league and spent the majority of is NFL career with the Philadelphia Eagles as a seventh-round pick (234th overall) in the 2021 NFL Draft, tops Slone in experience and and gameday production this preseason. And has the mentality required for NFL longshots as he was a July 27 signing by the Raiders — Slone in comparison was inked as an UDFA back on April 30.
Rams Cut DB Zech McPhearson From Injured Reserve – NFL Trade Rumors
The Los Angeles Rams officially released DB Zech McPhearson from injured reserve with an injury settlement on Saturday. McPhearson, 28, is a former fourth-round pick of the Eagles back in 2021. He signed a four-year rookie contract with Philadelphia following the draft.
How the Cowboys season could go wrong – Blogging The Boys
The unsettling Prescott pattern. If the Cowboys lose their franchise quarterback for an extended amount of time, that’s bad news, and we’re all well aware of that. That means every year we hold our breath that Dak Prescott doesn’t get hurt. At 33 years old, he’s no longer a spring chicken, meaning his body doesn’t respond the same way, and certain ailments can linger. Over the last seven seasons, his availability has alternated between a healthy season and missing at least five games, including being lost twice with season-ending injuries. Should this pattern continue, it doesn’t bode well for the upcoming season, as he was fully healthy last season. No Dak in Dallas is the easiest way to take the air out of the season.
Commanders fan anxiety spikes over O-Line skill & depth – survey results – Hogs Haven
The results were overwhelmingly focused on one area: 65% of respondents stated that offensive line skill and depth is the biggest worry, while 11% identified the job done by general manager Adam Peters as their chief concern. By contrast, 9% of the fan base reported pure excitement for the new season, unburdened by dread of roster or other shortcomings.
NY Giants aim for good start after John Harbaugh’s rigorous summer – Big Blue View
The New York Giants’ season-opening game against the Dallas Cowboys next Sunday night might not be a “must-win” game for the Giants. It sure would, though, be a significant one. The Giants have begun seasons 0-2 or worse in 10 of the last 13 years. It seems appropriate that the Giants will begin the John Harbaugh era in a nationally-televised game against the Cowboys. The Giants and Cowboys have played seven times in season-opening games since 2012. The Giants are 1-6 in those games, with their only victory coming in 2016. The memory of the 40-0 whitewashing by Dallas in 2023, the last time the teams met in a season-opener, is still fresh for Giants fans.
Michigan stuns Western Michigan on controversial Hail Mary – SB Nation
Michigan is undefeated in the Kyle Whittingham era, thanks to a 13-12 win over Western Michigan at the Big House on Saturday night, converting a Hail Mary for a touchdown on the game’s final play. But the Wolverines needed one second put back on the clock for that final play to happen, and it set the stage for an ending that will be talked about for weeks.
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