Iggles Blitz

by Tommy Lawlor

The Spread Offense

Posted May 13th, 2026 | No Comments »

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? That’s a classic question with no perfect answer. I bring this up in reference to the new offense that Jalen Hurts will be running in 2026. Sean Mannion’s system calls for the ball to be spread around, something Hurts has failed to do in the NFL.

But why?

Howie Roseman gave him stars. You feed the ball to stars. Why throw to Darius Cooper or Parris Campbell or Zach Pascal when you have AJ and DeVonta? That wouldn’t make a ton of sense. Howie referenced that the Eagles have mostly been lucky in terms of injuries in regard to the receiver position. Had AJ or DeVonta been seriously hurt, the offense would have been a real issue.

The Eagles have made a concerted effort to truly build a WR corps this season. DeVonta will be the focus and man one of the outside spots. Dontayvion Wicks will be the other outside receiver. First round pick Makai Lemon will man the slot. That’s a talented trio. Hollywood Brown can play outside or in the slot and should be number four. Competition will determine the roster spots after that.

Elijah Moore
Johnny Wilson
Darius Cooper
Quez Watkins
Britain Covey

I don’t think the Eagles have had WR depth like this in my lifetime. That isn’t to say everyone will play great and things will be flawless. But part of the point is for there to be enough legitimately talented bodies so that you aren’t settling for guys with upside. The Eagles need five or six receivers who can all play and contribute if called upon.

Wilson missed last year, but showed promise as a rookie. He was a valuable blocker in the run game. They still think Cooper can develop into a good player. Moore is a former second round pick with more than 200 career catches. He can play. Watkins has big time speed. Covey is a terrific PR and is good after the catch. These aren’t just bodies. Danny Gray is the one guy I’d probably put in that category and even he was a third round pick.

Hurts will finally have a true WR corps. Now it is up to him to spread the ball around. Last year the Eagles attempted 497 passes. Four players had 30 or more catches. Only five had 10 or more. Compare that to Green Bay. They threw 489 passes. They had five players with 30 or more (and one with 29). They had 12 players with 10 or more catches. That’s a substantial difference in spreading the ball around.

The default target for Hurts has always been AJ. With him removed from the equation in a few weeks, things will have to change. It will be a real adjustment for Hurts to deal with progressions and look for the open guy instead of getting the ball to the superstar. But that will help him grow as a passer. The best QBs get the ball to the right guy on a given play, not just feed the star.

I’m glad the Eagles brought in this new offense and then built the roster accordingly. Feeding the ball to a couple of stars can work (see Dallas 1992-1995), but far more teams have had success with a key receiver and a strong supporting cast. That gets more people involved and makes the offense less predictable. You put more pressure on the defense.

Mannion can sell Hurts on this concept and help him understand why you want to do it. Then it will be up to Hurts to make it happen.

*****

When we talk about the best TEs in team history, Young doesn’t get enough attention. He was a truly great player. Watch that clip and you’ll see a TE reverse in the 1970’s. Who knew?

He was eventually traded for some dude named Ron Jaworski. That worked out well for the Eagles and the Rams. Bill Walsh traded for him later and Young helped establish the Niners dynasty. He was a great player and team leader.

*****

The Eagles were the best screen team in the league under Andy Reid. The screen game has been a mess in recent years and it drives me crazy. The screen pass is a great play when well executed.

I’m curious to see if Mannion can get the Eagles back on track with screens. Saquon Barkley can be deadly when you give him a bit of space.

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