The youth movement has been strong over the last six years with the Philadelphia Eagles, as there is a ton of talent that will set the foundation for this franchise for a long time.
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman has used the draft to mostly build the defense out with great young talent, but the 2026 NFL Draft was the first time where it was used for offense. Many great players have already been selected by the Eagles and more will come in the future.
There are five players on the current roster that have to be apart of the future of the franchise for at least the next five years. Here's a look at the most important pieces.
5 players Eagles need to have apart of their future plans beyond 2026
Quinyon Mitchell, CB
There may not be a more complete corner in the NFL than Mitchell, as he is the definition of being a shutdown cornerback. 17 pass deflections and a 44.3% completion percentage allowed last season show why he was a Pro Bowl and All-Pro selection in just his second year in the NFL. He will eventually reset the market at cornerback and play in the midnight green uniforms for hopefully his whole professional career.
Cooper DeJean, CB/S
Another cornerback the Eagles cannot afford to ever lose. DeJean also found himself as a Pro Bowler and first-team All-Pro selection in his second NFL season, but his skill set is different from Mitchell's, as he's one of the top-tackling defensive backs in the league. The Eagles will also most likely have to reset the market with DeJean regarding his next contract in some capacity.
Jordan Mailata, LT
Mailata has been one of the biggest surprises in franchise history in terms of how important he is to the franchise. Despite not having a Pro Bowl selection yet in his career, he went from being an unknown seventh-round who played rugby before football to being one of the sport's best left tackles in the last five years. This offensive line could be going through a bit of transition soon, but Mailata must stick around as long as possible in Philly.
DeVonta Smith, WR
A.J. Brown is gone, which leaves Smith as one of the most important players of the future for the Eagles. He has already shown that he can be a WR1 with three 1,000-yard seasons in five years. Brown can no longer overshadow the talented receiver, and Smith can finally shine bright the way Eagles fans expected him to after being their first-round pick in 2021, and he will do it for a long time.
Read more: There's an easy choice for who was Eagles' best player to wear 0
Jalen Carter, DT
Despite all the trade rumors around Carter, there's no way the Eagles can survive without him as a key piece of the defensive line. He has made two Pro Bowls in the last three years, which is a rare thing to see in a defensive tackle. Eventually, the Eagles will give him a massive contract extension and will continue to dominate at the position for a long time.
Add us as a preferred source on Google