Over the next few weeks leading up to training camp, we’ll be counting down the top 25 most important Eagles for the 2026 season.

25. Eli Stowers
24. Marcus Epps
23. Dontayvion Wicks
22. Tyler Steen
21. Moro Ojomo
20. Drew Mukuba
19. Jihaad Campbell
18. Nolan Smith
17. Jalyx Hunt
16. Dallas Goedert
15. Makai Lemon
14. Riq Woolen
13. Cam Jurgens
12. Landon Dickerson
11. Jordan Davis
10. Jonathan Greenard
9. Zack Baun
8. Cooper DeJean
7. Jordan Mailata
6. Saquon Barkley
5. Quinyon Mitchell
4. DeVonta Smith
3. Lane Johnson
2. Jalen Carter
1. Jalen Hurts

The quarterback is always going to be first on this list. But this year it was an absolute no-brainer.

It’s a big year for Jalen Hurts and the Eagles’ offense. That doesn’t mean it’s a make-or-break season. It doesn’t mean the Eagles are going to be ready to move on if things don’t go well. But there are a lot of changes coming under new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion are there are legitimate questions about how all this is going to work.

Hurts is entering Year 7 in the NFL and Year 6 as the Eagles’ full-time starting quarterback. As much as Hurts has yearned for consistency in an offensive coordinator and play caller, he’ll have another new one in Mannion this season. And the offense is expected to look a lot different.

Perhaps the most encouraging thing from the spring, though, were the early indications that the bond between Mannion and Hurts is strong. They seem to enjoy working with one another.

Hurts’ comments about Mannion were notable:

• “Yeah, it’s been a really good process so far. He’s come in, and he’s very clear, giving good direction. You can definitely see the vision. Been able to answer all of my questions, very instructive, very helpful. So it’s been a very enjoyable journey so far.

• “I’m always trying to get hip-to-hip with the play caller, get as much direction as I can so I can go out there and execute the offense as he sees it. And over time you grow as a quarterback where you feel like you can make it your own. And so I just want to ingrain myself into what we’re doing and go out there and improve every day. These are pivotal reps, very important reps right now that we get. And so I think they’ll be good for us. 

• “I think right now. it’s more so laying down the foundation for what we’re doing. That’s what OTAs is for. Laying down the foundation for what we’re doing and then over time you get to kind of mention things and you go at his pace. I’m going at his pace. 

• “He’s been very instructive and he’s been very intentional about what he’s doing, why he’s doing it, marrying things and kind of getting that shared belief for us all. So I think that’s been good for us as a team, as an offense. And there are components of what we’ve done in the past that I know he loves. And he says, ‘Hey, man, we’ve done this really well. This unit has done this really well. We’ll see where that fits in.’

The relationship between Hurts and Mannion is so important because Mannion is implementing a Shanahan-style offense that will be very different in 2026. Think more under-center, play action and motions. In order for that to work, the Eagles are going to need complete buy-in from their starting quarterback. It seems like they have it so far.

As much as Hurts has been impressed by Mannion, the new OC has really enjoyed working with Hurts too.

“I think it starts really just connecting with him on a personal level, get to know him, get to know what his interests are, what makes him tick,” Mannion said this spring. “Then once you start to get to know a guy on a personal level, I think the football connection becomes pretty easy.

“It’s been a great process with Jalen. He’s been a pleasure to work with and really since I got the job, being able to connect with him on a personal level and then on football has been great.”

It’s worth noting that Hurts did not get a new contract extension this offseason but he does have $51 million guaranteed this season. Next year, he has just $22 million guaranteed so if Hurts plays at a high level in 2026, he’ll cash in next offseason.

During the offseason, we always see all those rankings lists of quarterbacks and then in Philly we rush to see where Hurts lands. All that isn’t important. Hurts is a good quarterback who has proven that he can win a Super Bowl. If the Eagles are going to have a chance to get back to that peak this season, he’s obviously going to be a major reason why.