The 2026 season presents the Philadelphia Eagles with their latest opportunity to fix their offensive dysfunction.
Next up in line to give it a try: New offensive coordinator Sean Mannion, a former backup quarterback in the NFL who has climbed the coaching ranks to a prominent role with Philadelphia.
A few priorities existed atop Mannion's agenda upon arrival. First, he must find a way to help Saquon Barkley produce at a rate closer to his 2,000-yard 2024 showing than the inconsistent experience that was his 1,140-yard campaign in 2025. From there, Mannion's next objective -- get Jalen Hurts and the rest of the Eagles' passing game back on track -- might be easier to accomplish.
"Obviously there's things I believe in, and there's things that schematicaly I have a background in. But ultimately, it's going to be a blend," Mannion told reporters on Thursday when asked about his approach in his first season as Eagles OC. "It's constantly going to evolve and it's all with that exact goal in mind that you just said.
"It's about maximizing things for the players. How do we make the Eagles the best team we can be, and how to make the Eagles offense the best it can be, and how do we put all of our players in a position to really succeed and maximize their strengths."
Mannion has his work cut out for him. While the pieces are largely in place to produce a consistently successful offense, Philadelphia hasn't been able to live up to such expectations annually. In 2023, they collapsed in spectacular fashion, leading to the departure of former OC Brian Johnson. His successor, Kellen Moore, enjoyed a bounce-back season that was successful enough to earn him the top job in New Orleans. His replacement, Kevin Patullo, oversaw a return trip toward the bottom third of the NFL last year, walking a direct path toward termination at the end of a grueling 2025 season that also likely frayed the relationship with star receiver A.J. Brown beyond repair.
If the Eagles are truly an even year team, Mannion is in line for plenty of fun. But the playcaller knows it's not that easy, that it might not include Brown, and how much of their potential rests on the shoulders of Hurts.
"Jalen's been awesome," Mannion said during his first session with the Philly media since his hiring in January. "I really think he can do anything we ask of him. He's accurate. He's a great athlete. He really attacks the fundamentals. That's what's been really fun to watch these last two weeks of Phase 2. He's always coming wanting more things to work on, wanting more things regarding fundamentals, timing, understanding the scheme. He's hungry for more. Those are the guys that are always fun to work with.
"In terms of his skill set, though, he has great arm strength, he has great accuracy, obviously a tremendous athlete, and he really attacks the game. He has a great process in the meetings. He always asks really thought-provoking questions. He's detailed and attacks his fundamentals."
The Eagles have attacked their receiver situation from multiple angles, acquiring Dontayvion Wicks via trade with the Packers, signing Marquise Brown and trading up to draft USC receiver Makai Lemon in the first round of the 2026 draft. At minimum, they have options available for a life after Brown if they trade him in June as many expect.
Unsurprisingly, Mannion likes what he's seeing in May.
"It's a really exciting group. … It's really fun group," he said of the receivers. "I really look at all of these position groups, our offense isn't about any one piece. It's about how we all fit together. The wide receiver group specifically has been a lot of fun. I think we have a lot of guys with complementary skillsets."
Mannion's first foray into life as a playcaller will come with plenty of scrutiny in a city that doesn't take it easy on coaches. If he can guide the Eagles toward consistent success, he'll curry favor in the City of Brotherly Love.
It could make or break the Eagles' 2026 season. Mannion will have the next six weeks to prepare himself for the pressure cooker.
