Eagles’ defensive youth movement sustains champion core to win now & last later

The Philadelphia Eagles enter the 2025–2026 postseason from a familiar position of strength.

Reigning Super Bowl champions, structurally sound, and built to contend immediately, it's not a roster searching for relevance. It is a roster managing timelines.

The Eagles are no longer a team defined by youth on offense or projection at the premium positions. Instead, their long-term sustainability hinges on a defense that has quietly infused itself with young, ascending talent while the offensive core remains firmly in its prime.

A full look at Eagles' roster going into playoffs

On the offensive side of the ball, the foundation is established, proven, and expensive. Jalen Hurts is not young in the developmental sense anymore, but he remains squarely in his quarterback prime. The Eagles know who they are with him under center, and more importantly, they know they can win ballgames with him when games tighten, despite him not often being discussed as one of football's elite.

Saquon Barkley, DeVonta Smith, and A.J. Brown fall into the same category as they aren't future projections. They are known commodities, core pieces, but they are not part of a youth movement. They are part of a championship window that remains open.

That distinction matters when evaluating the rest of the offensive depth chart.

Jahan Dotson, once a first-round pick in Washington, has settled into a rotational role. He contributes, but nothing about his usage or trajectory suggests he is a long-term fixture in Philadelphia’s plans.

At tight end, the uncertainty is even clearer. Dallas Goedert’s impending free agency leaves a vacuum, and the options behind him don't project as long-term answers. Grant Calcaterra will be entering year five in 2026, and Kylen Granson, along with Cameron Latu, profiles as replaceable depth. More pop is needed at the position if Goedert tests the waters in free agency.

At running back, Barkley remains the headliner, but the Eagles are clearly thinking beyond the immediate. Will Shipley, a fourth-round pick in 2024 out of Clemson, is quietly one of the more interesting long-term pieces on offense. By 2026, he will be entering year three, and his skill set fits modern offensive demands. Tank Bigsby also remains in the mix as a physical option, and he can produce when given the opportunity. Just check out his tape against Washington in Week 18.

Whether one or both become part of the next three-to-five-year plan remains to be seen, but those are the only backs on the roster that realistically project beyond Barkley’s prime years.

Where the Eagles truly separate themselves from most contenders is on defense, where the youth movement is not theoretical; it's already arrived in waves.

Up front, Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis anchor the interior and are as foundational as any defensive pairing in football. Carter’s explosiveness and Davis’ mass give Philadelphia schematic flexibility and dominance against both the run and pass.

Alongside them, one of the league’s most compelling development stories has emerged in Moro Ojomo. A seventh-round pick out of Texas in 2023, Ojomo leads the Eagles in pressures from the interior, and his growth from depth piece to legitimate disruptor speaks volumes about Philadelphia’s developmental infrastructure.

Ty Robinson, a day three pick out of Nebraska in 2025, adds another body type to the rotation, a gap-eater who does the dirty work and keeps others clean. He's expected to take a jump next fall.

On the edge, the Eagles continue to build with intention. Nolan Smith has steadily progressed into one of the better run-defending edge players in the league, and his pass-rush repertoire has expanded each season. Jalyx Hunt has been a heck of a story, another example of Philadelphia finding value in unconventional places. A former safety at Cornell who transitioned to edge defender at Houston Christian, Hunt has carved out a key rotational role through production and alignment versatility.

Then there's the addition of Jaelan Phillips, whose presence adds another layer of intrigue. While not technically a young player, Phillips could become a long-term piece if the Eagles decide to extend him, giving them a veteran presence without sacrificing future upside.

At linebacker, the picture is also clear. Zack Baun is a steady veteran and has improved rapidly since his days in New Orleans, and Jihaad Campbell, a first-round pick out of Alabama in 2025, absolutely fits into the long-term plan. Now, Nakobe Dean remains a wild card. He's still young (25), still talented, but not firmly entrenched as a future cornerstone. Jeremiah Trotter Jr. and Smael Mondon fall into a similar bucket: developmental depth players who may not survive future roster cycles.

The secondary is where Philadelphia’s defensive future truly crystallizes.

Quinyon Mitchell has already established himself as one of the premier young corners in football. Heading into year three in 2026, Mitchell looks every bit like a foundational piece who can lock down his side of the field. Cooper DeJean thrives in the nickel role, playing downhill and tackling with authority, but the Eagles must continue to protect him from being miscast on the outside.

And that need highlights one of the few remaining roster holes: finding a long-term corner opposite Mitchell.

Jakorian Bennett remains a reclamation project, and Mac McWilliams, a fifth-round pick out of UCF, is a name to watch as he enters year two. His versatility and competitiveness could earn him a larger role in 2026.

In totality, the Eagles are a team built on two timelines. The offense is designed to win now, with established stars in their prime. The defense, however, is built to last.

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With young, ascending talent at nearly every level, Philadelphia has positioned itself not just to defend a title, but to remain relevant well beyond this current window.