The Philadelphia Eagles are in the process of finalizing their coaching staff, but one of their new hires could show what the team does in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Sean Mannion joins the Eagles after spending the last two seasons as the Green Bay Packers quarterback coach. Now, he takes over in the toughest offensive coordinator job in the NFL as he is set to lead an offense that has Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Jordan Mailata, Lane Johnson, and more.
There are going to be some big decisions for the Eagles come draft time about what they need. While some might think it would be easy for Philly to go down the route of cornerback, tight end, or edge rusher, there is one position that makes the most sense.
Eagles should start the Sean Mannion era with a wide receiver at No. 23
The biggest reason for this is the uncertainty surrounding star wide receiver A.J. Brown. Philly's top receiver has made it clear how unhappy he is there, to the point that Brown asked to be traded multiple times last season, starting in Week 3 against the Los Angeles Rams.
Smith is still there and should be there for a while, so if the Eagles had to move on from Brown with a trade in the offseason, the confidence is still there that the 2025 leading receiver for the Eagles would still hold up as WR1. The question is who will be the WR2, and even if Brown stays, the WR3 slot is wide open.
Jahan Dotson is a free agent, and the likelihood of him coming back is pretty slim after two straight seasons of barely getting 200 yards receiving. Darius Cooper and Johnny Wilson could challenge for that WR3 role, but the Eagles most likely will use the draft to do that.
With the 23rd overall pick, it's really going to depend on who is available for the Eagles. Washington wide receiver Denzel Boston has been a popular choice to go to Philly if he doesn't get picked before then. Texas A&M wide receiver KC Concepcion could be another option for the Eagles in that spot.
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The Eagles would be smart to look at the wide receivers and find one that they can develop for the future, as Mannion will need all the help he can get in his first year as a play-caller.