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The Philadelphia Eagles did not enter the offseason looking to rebuild. Championship-caliber teams rarely do. But after replacing the offensive coordinator and trading A.J. Brown, they adjusted, recalibrated, and searched for ways to make a talented roster more flexible without abandoning the foundation that made it successful in the first place.
That is what makes Philadelphia’s 2026 roster so interesting. The Eagles still have stars, proven veterans, and one of the NFL’s deepest depth charts, but several changes could directly benefit players who were already in the building or arriving with something to prove. A reshaped wide receiver room could help DeVonta Smith. A new offensive structure could give Dallas Goedert cleaner opportunities. A deeper pass-rush rotation could make life easier for Nolan Smith. A refreshed secondary could create the perfect environment for Riq Woolen to rebound.
The Eagles’ biggest offseason changes were not just about replacing departed players. They were about creating better fits around the players expected to drive another championship push.
DeVonta Smith may be the biggest beneficiary of Philadelphia’s offensive reset because the Eagles no longer have to pretend his role is secondary to anyone else in the wide receiver room. Smith has already proven he can be a true No. 1 option, and the roster changes around him should give the offense a clearer structure entering training camp.
Hollywood Brown, Dontayvion Wicks, Elijah Moore, and rookie Makai Lemon give the Eagles different complementary skill sets rather than one player asked to duplicate A.J. Brown’s production. That matters for Smith because defenses will still have to respect speed, size, and underneath separation elsewhere in the formation. If Sean Mannion’s offense creates more movement, cleaner spacing, and easier answers for Jalen Hurts, Smith could find himself in a position for one of the most productive seasons of his career.
Dallas Goedert has been one of Philadelphia’s most reliable offensive players for years, but the latest roster reset could make him even more valuable. With the receiver room changing around Smith and the Eagles adding more speed and versatility outside, Goedert should continue operating as one of Hurts’ most trusted middle-of-the-field targets.
The coaching changes could also help. If Philadelphia emphasizes better spacing, more rhythm throws, and greater unpredictability, Goedert can become a stabilizing piece in critical situations. He does not need to be the offense’s top target every week to matter. He needs to punish defenses that focus too heavily on Smith, Saquon Barkley, or the outside receivers. In a more balanced passing game, Goedert’s ability to win against linebackers and safeties could become even more valuable.
Nolan Smith enters 2026 with a chance to benefit from both better health and a stronger defensive environment around him. Philadelphia exercised its fifth-year option, signaling continued belief in his long-term upside, but the Eagles also built a pass-rush rotation that should prevent him from having to carry too much responsibility by himself.
Jonathan Greenard’s arrival gives Vic Fangio a proven edge presence, while Jalyx Hunt, Arnold Ebiketie, A.J. Epenesa, and Keyshawn James-Newby add more bodies to the rotation. That depth should help Smith attack in more favorable situations if he stays healthy. He has already flashed the burst, motor, and bend that made him a first-round pick. The roster reset gives him something equally important: the chance to be part of a wave instead of being asked to become the entire pass rush.
Steen could benefit from the Eagles’ roster reset and coaching changes because he already established himself as a quality starter in 2025. He played 1,008 offensive snaps, earned a 71.6 overall PFF grade that ranked 17th among 81 qualified guards, and was especially strong in pass protection with a 74.0 grade that ranked 11th. His 71.8 run-blocking grade also ranked 17th, showing he was not just surviving in the lineup. He was a legitimate starting-caliber guard.
The area for growth is refinement, not job security. Steen allowed 36 total pressures, including two sacks and one quarterback hit, and was flagged nine times. A more stable offensive structure, clearer run-game identity, and another year of experience could help him clean up those details while continuing to develop into one of the more reliable interior linemen on the roster.
Zack Baun has already turned himself into one of Philadelphia’s and the NFL's biggest success stories, and the roster around him could help keep that momentum alive. The Eagles have changed how they value linebackers, and Baun’s emergence under Fangio helped validate that shift.
The benefit for Baun is that he no longer has to be viewed as a surprise. He can be viewed as a foundation piece in a defense that has more talent around him at every level. A strong defensive front can keep him cleaner. A deeper secondary can allow Fangio to be more flexible with coverage and pressure looks. If the Eagles continue building around intelligent, versatile linebackers, Baun should remain central to how the defense communicates, adjusts, and attacks.
Riq Woolen may have as much to gain as anyone on the roster. A change of scenery can be powerful, especially for a cornerback with rare length, speed, and ball skills. Philadelphia does not need Woolen to save the secondary by himself. It needs him to rediscover the consistency that once made him one of the NFL’s most exciting young defensive backs.
That is where the roster reset helps. Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean give the Eagles two young stars in the secondary, while Fangio’s structure should allow Woolen to play within a more disciplined system. The pass rush should also help. Corners look better when quarterbacks are forced to throw early, and Philadelphia’s front has enough talent to create that type of pressure. If Woolen settles in, the Eagles could have one of the league’s most complete cornerback groups.
The Eagles’ offseason changes were not just about new names. They were about fit, balance, and creating better conditions for important players to thrive.
Smith could benefit from becoming the clear centerpiece of the passing game. Goedert could see cleaner opportunities in a more varied offense. Nolan Smith could take another step in a deeper pass-rush rotation. Steen could strengthen his value in an offensive line room that always rewards readiness. Baun could continue leading a linebacker group the Eagles now clearly value. Woolen could rediscover his best football inside a talented secondary.
That is what good teams try to accomplish during an offseason. They do not simply add talent. They make the talent already on the roster more dangerous.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Eagles veterans who could benefit most from roster reset
Continue reading...
That is what makes Philadelphia’s 2026 roster so interesting. The Eagles still have stars, proven veterans, and one of the NFL’s deepest depth charts, but several changes could directly benefit players who were already in the building or arriving with something to prove. A reshaped wide receiver room could help DeVonta Smith. A new offensive structure could give Dallas Goedert cleaner opportunities. A deeper pass-rush rotation could make life easier for Nolan Smith. A refreshed secondary could create the perfect environment for Riq Woolen to rebound.
The Eagles’ biggest offseason changes were not just about replacing departed players. They were about creating better fits around the players expected to drive another championship push.
DeVonta Smith
DeVonta Smith may be the biggest beneficiary of Philadelphia’s offensive reset because the Eagles no longer have to pretend his role is secondary to anyone else in the wide receiver room. Smith has already proven he can be a true No. 1 option, and the roster changes around him should give the offense a clearer structure entering training camp.
Hollywood Brown, Dontayvion Wicks, Elijah Moore, and rookie Makai Lemon give the Eagles different complementary skill sets rather than one player asked to duplicate A.J. Brown’s production. That matters for Smith because defenses will still have to respect speed, size, and underneath separation elsewhere in the formation. If Sean Mannion’s offense creates more movement, cleaner spacing, and easier answers for Jalen Hurts, Smith could find himself in a position for one of the most productive seasons of his career.
Dallas Goedert
Dallas Goedert has been one of Philadelphia’s most reliable offensive players for years, but the latest roster reset could make him even more valuable. With the receiver room changing around Smith and the Eagles adding more speed and versatility outside, Goedert should continue operating as one of Hurts’ most trusted middle-of-the-field targets.
The coaching changes could also help. If Philadelphia emphasizes better spacing, more rhythm throws, and greater unpredictability, Goedert can become a stabilizing piece in critical situations. He does not need to be the offense’s top target every week to matter. He needs to punish defenses that focus too heavily on Smith, Saquon Barkley, or the outside receivers. In a more balanced passing game, Goedert’s ability to win against linebackers and safeties could become even more valuable.
Nolan Smith
Nolan Smith enters 2026 with a chance to benefit from both better health and a stronger defensive environment around him. Philadelphia exercised its fifth-year option, signaling continued belief in his long-term upside, but the Eagles also built a pass-rush rotation that should prevent him from having to carry too much responsibility by himself.
Jonathan Greenard’s arrival gives Vic Fangio a proven edge presence, while Jalyx Hunt, Arnold Ebiketie, A.J. Epenesa, and Keyshawn James-Newby add more bodies to the rotation. That depth should help Smith attack in more favorable situations if he stays healthy. He has already flashed the burst, motor, and bend that made him a first-round pick. The roster reset gives him something equally important: the chance to be part of a wave instead of being asked to become the entire pass rush.
Tyler Steen
Steen could benefit from the Eagles’ roster reset and coaching changes because he already established himself as a quality starter in 2025. He played 1,008 offensive snaps, earned a 71.6 overall PFF grade that ranked 17th among 81 qualified guards, and was especially strong in pass protection with a 74.0 grade that ranked 11th. His 71.8 run-blocking grade also ranked 17th, showing he was not just surviving in the lineup. He was a legitimate starting-caliber guard.
The area for growth is refinement, not job security. Steen allowed 36 total pressures, including two sacks and one quarterback hit, and was flagged nine times. A more stable offensive structure, clearer run-game identity, and another year of experience could help him clean up those details while continuing to develop into one of the more reliable interior linemen on the roster.
Zack Baun
Zack Baun has already turned himself into one of Philadelphia’s and the NFL's biggest success stories, and the roster around him could help keep that momentum alive. The Eagles have changed how they value linebackers, and Baun’s emergence under Fangio helped validate that shift.
The benefit for Baun is that he no longer has to be viewed as a surprise. He can be viewed as a foundation piece in a defense that has more talent around him at every level. A strong defensive front can keep him cleaner. A deeper secondary can allow Fangio to be more flexible with coverage and pressure looks. If the Eagles continue building around intelligent, versatile linebackers, Baun should remain central to how the defense communicates, adjusts, and attacks.
Riq Woolen
Riq Woolen may have as much to gain as anyone on the roster. A change of scenery can be powerful, especially for a cornerback with rare length, speed, and ball skills. Philadelphia does not need Woolen to save the secondary by himself. It needs him to rediscover the consistency that once made him one of the NFL’s most exciting young defensive backs.
That is where the roster reset helps. Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean give the Eagles two young stars in the secondary, while Fangio’s structure should allow Woolen to play within a more disciplined system. The pass rush should also help. Corners look better when quarterbacks are forced to throw early, and Philadelphia’s front has enough talent to create that type of pressure. If Woolen settles in, the Eagles could have one of the league’s most complete cornerback groups.
The bottom line
The Eagles’ offseason changes were not just about new names. They were about fit, balance, and creating better conditions for important players to thrive.
Smith could benefit from becoming the clear centerpiece of the passing game. Goedert could see cleaner opportunities in a more varied offense. Nolan Smith could take another step in a deeper pass-rush rotation. Steen could strengthen his value in an offensive line room that always rewards readiness. Baun could continue leading a linebacker group the Eagles now clearly value. Woolen could rediscover his best football inside a talented secondary.
That is what good teams try to accomplish during an offseason. They do not simply add talent. They make the talent already on the roster more dangerous.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Eagles veterans who could benefit most from roster reset
Continue reading...
