2025 was certainly a miserable season for the Philadelphia Eagles, as even though they still made the playoffs, they just couldn't play well enough to repeat as Super Bowl champions.
There have been a lot of changes this offseason, from an overhaul of the offensive coaching staff to A.J. Brown's trade. After OTAs, Sports Illustrated NFL writer Matt Verderame shared why Eagles fans should have hope and mope about the team.
"Hope: Coach Nick Sirianni has one of the best winning percentages in NFL history for a coach with at least five seasons under his belt, sitting at .694 with two Super Bowl appearances and a ring. While the talent level might not be what it was a few years ago, the Eagles still have stars across the roster, including newly acquired edge rusher Jonathan Greenard, who had 12 sacks in 2024."
"Mope: Losing A.J. Brown could prove a blow too severe to overcome. The Eagles are relying heavily on first-round receiver Makai Lemon to fill those shoes opposite DeVonta Smith. Philadelphia is also banking on running back Saquon Barkley to be more of his 2024 version (2,005 yards, 13 touchdowns) than last year’s edition (1,140 yards, seven touchdowns). Not an easy jump to make."
Should Eagles fans be optimistic about the upcoming season after OTAs?
The Eagles' roster did get better in the offseason, as Greenard is a cheaper option than Jaelan Phillips while being an upgrade. Philly got the wide receiver room in a good place with Brown gone after bringing in Makai Lemon, Marquise "Hollywood" Brown, Dontayvion Wicks, and Elijah Moore.
Sure, losing A.J. Brown is a big loss to the offense, and there might be concerns at safety with Reed Blankenship gone, but this team still has plenty of weapons to work with. Most of the main stars are back, with some starting to get long-term contracts like Jordan Davis.
Even with some concerns about new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion, there is optimism to see that the young coach can bring a fresh perspective to the scheme. It'll help the team and the offense play at a different level as well as move them away from the poor play of 2025.
Read more: Eagles seem poised to make roughly $35 million per year decision on Jalen Carter
There is plenty of reason to be optimistic despite some believing the Eagles are missing their window to make another Super Bowl. Expect this team to be in a much better spot than last year.
Add us as a preferred source on Google