April 16, 2026
Kirby Lee/Imagn Images
The Eagles struck gold two years ago at cornerback, drafting Quinyon Mitchell and then Cooper DeJean. Could they do it again in 2026?
The NFL Draft is one week away. By now, almost every team has its board set. Team meetings will continue to take place and details that can help or hurt a prospect's ranking – such as character or medicals – can still cause some fluidity, but for the most part, teams have a good idea of where they're at with each prospect.
This is an important draft for the Eagles. They have eight overall picks, four in the top 100. This draft appears to be short on elite, superstar talent but long on high-upside prospects whose best football is two or three years away. The Eagles make it clear every year that they draft for the future, not immediate need.
On the flip side, the Eagles have more immediate needs than usual for this time of the year, including a starting edge rusher who can fill Jaelan Phillips' void, a starting safety to replace Reed Blankenship, a quality backup (or two) on the interior offensive line, and a tight end who can both catch and block (they have plenty who can do one or the other).
They're also ushering in a new offensive scheme that might require a few tweaks to their scouting approach, though not likely a radical change, and they're probably only getting one more year from Vic Fangio, so it would help to make sure Fangio's successor has some moldable talent to work with in 2027.
Some thoughts about the Eagles and their draft approach as the big event in Pittsburgh nears:
If free agent add Riq Woolen fulfills his potential under Fangio and has a great year, he'll turn that one-year "prove it" deal into an extension, right?
Wrong.
At this time next year, the Eagles will surely be looking to lock up Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean for the long term. Both will be costly, probably north of $30 million annually (thanks, Rams). Also by this time next year, the Eagles will either be looking to give – or have already given – lucrative extensions to Jalen Carter and Jalyx Hunt, and they just gave one to Jordan Davis.
You can't pay everyone. And the math behind positional resource allocation appears to make it nearly impossible to have three corners all making top-market money.
The Eagles will need cheap, but good labor at the outside cornerback spot opposite Mitchell unless they want to keep spinning this cycle of one-year veterans filling the hole, never really knowing what they're going to get.
Drafting a good corner early – it doesn't have to be first round – wouldn't be a surprise and would give the Eagles some comfort and price relief at that other outside corner spot for the next few years.
As for Woolen, the best thing he can do is have a great season and follow in the footsteps of Milton Williams and Jaelan Phillips. If the Eagles draft the right guy, they won't miss him – and they could collect a really good comp pick in return.
There's too much conversation about the Eagles using an early pick on a wideout to ensure against an inevitable A.J. Brown trade. The reality is, they need a good wideout, even if Brown isn't dealt.
Brown, DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks are the only proven Eagles wide receivers under contract beyond next season – and what are the odds Brown is an Eagle in 2027 even if he's on the team this year?
Marquise Brown and Elijah Moore are on one-year deals; Moore isn't even a lock to make the team, especially with no history of special teams. Johnny Wilson, Britain Covey, and Darius Cooper are all either Day 3 picks or undrafted prospects. They can't be counted on to be impact receivers going forward.
The only impact wideouts who will definitely be Eagles in 2027 are Smith and Wicks, and Wicks is really a No. 3 receiver. The Eagles need a playmaker to complement Smith for the future, regardless of A.J. Brown's fate.
Howie Roseman believes in building from the inside out and in positional value. The Eagles frequently draft linemen who they expect to become starters, even if there's not an immediate starting spot available – Cam Jurgens, Isaac Seumalo and Landon Dickerson are all examples.
But Roseman has also recently shown a willingness to use first-round picks on positions the Eagles don't typically prioritize. In 2022, he traded up for nose tackle Jordan Davis. Last year, he moved one spot up for Jihaad Campbell, breaking a decades-long streak of the Eagles not taking an off-ball linebacker in Round 1.
This year's draft has some elite talent at positions the Eagles – and other teams – don't typically value early in the draft. Any one of Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq, Toledo safety Emannuel McNeil-Warren or Oregon safety Dillon Thienemen could be available when the Eagles pick 23rd, or in the neighborhood if Roseman wanted to move up some.
The hunch here is that Roseman stays the course and goes with an offensive lineman, wide receiver, or edge rusher.
Caleb Downs, the top safety prospect from Ohio State, won't slip past the top 12. But if for some reason Downs tumbled into the low teens, it sure would be interesting to see if the Eagles got antsy.
Eight drafts have passed without the Eagles taking an offensive lineman in the first round, which is why there's so much buzz about them finding Lane Johnson's successor in this year's draft, which is long on high-upside tackles who could benefit from one year of seasoning.
But don't be surprised if the Eagles aren't done with just one offensive lineman, especially given the uncertainty about the long-term futures of left guard Landon Dickerson and center Cam Jurgens. Both went to Colombia this offseason for a medical reset involving stem cell therapy and other rehab.
The Eagles did well in 2016 when they drafted Isaac Seumalo in the third round and Halapoulivaati Vaitai in the fifth. Vaitai subbed in for an injured Jason Peters in 2017 and started 13 games at left tackle for the champs, including the entire postseason. Seumalo took some time but eventually developed into a high-level five-year starter who helped the Eagles get to a Super Bowl in 2022.
Another o-line double dip in this draft wouldn't be a bad idea, even if there isn't an immediate starting role to fill.
One of Roseman's more shrewd draft weekend trades was dealing for Lions running back De'Andre Swift in 2023, the day after the Lions had drafted Jahmyr Gibbs in the first round.
With immediate needs at edge and safety, Roseman could be similarly enticed to find a dance partner during next week's draft. If the Vikings draft an edge in the first round, they could be ready to finally deal Jonathan Greenard, who has been rumored to be trade bait since the NFL Combine.
Raiders edge Maxx Crosby, Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., Giants linemen Dexter Lawrence and Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Colts cornerback Kenny Moore II are all names to keep an eye on depending on what their respective teams do in the draft.
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