Iggles Blitz

by Tommy Lawlor

Up Front

Posted July 9th, 2026 | No Comments »

There is a lot of talk about Jalen Hurts and the new offensive scheme in regard to how the 2026 season will play out. Obviously Hurts and the offense will be key. I think the most important factor for Eagles success will be line play. It was an issue last year and that led to a lot of problems.

The good news is that the Eagles focus on the OL and DL and should be able to bounce back if the players stay healthy. So far everything we’ve seen and heard from Landon Dickerson and Cam Jurgens is encouraging. They participated in minicamp and looked good. The real test will be the grind of Training Camp, where there will be daily action and actual hitting. Lane Johnson is also looking good. I keep him separate because he’s coming off more of a standard injury than the other two and what they had to deal with.

Expectations are high for the Eagles OL.

That is three independent sources who have the Eagles rated as the #2 OL in the league heading into 2026. The Eagles have the best OT duo in the league. Tyler Steen is a player on the rise. Dickerson and Jurgens are Pro Bowlers when healthy. That’s a really talented group. And the depth is good, with Fred Johnson and rookie Markell Bell as the OTs. Interior depth is unproven, but Drew Kendall looked promising in limited action last year. Veteran Michael Jordan has more experience than talent and will have to earn a roster spot with a strong summer. Rookie Micah Morris has NFL size, athleticism and ability. He’s got to show he can put all of that together on a consistent basis. I’m also curious to see what Willie Lampkin and Myles Hinton do this summer.

If the line is healthy, the run game should work and the overall offense should be fine. The Packers were seventh in the league in rushing attempts last year so Sean Mannion comes from a team that wanted to run the ball and did just that. With this OL and Saquon Barkley, expect the Eagles to once again be a running team. That worked pretty well in 2024 so I certainly won’t object.

Jalen Carter missed six games last year (one was the season finale where most starters rested). The Eagles went 3-2 in the games that mattered. Carter had some struggles when he played due to his shoulders. According to Vic Fangio, Carter is healthy, which is bad news for opposing blockers.

Heck, you could see improvement last year. Carter missed three straight games and then returned to play against Buffalo. He had a sack and blocked extra point in the game and was disruptive. Having healthy shoulders is apparently a good thing for DTs.

ESPN put out their rankings for the top DTs in the league and the Eagles fared well. Carter was third, with Jordan Davis coming in 10th.

Jalen Carter, Philadelphia Eagles
Highest ranking: 2 | Lowest ranking: 9
Age: 25 | Last year’s ranking: 3

Carter is one of the toughest evaluations among the top 10. He is immensely talented and has made two Pro Bowls. All but one of his votes were in the top seven. But his pass-rush prowess is modest, with 13.5 sacks during his three-year career. Carter’s production dipped in 2025 — with three sacks and five tackles for loss — though he batted down six passes, which tied for the most among defensive tackles.

“He’s a problem,” a veteran NFL defensive coach said. “A game-wrecker. You feel his presence out there consistently.”

Several evaluators argued, however, that was not the case on every snap. A few voters said Carter is not the best defensive lineman on his own team, opting for Jordan Davis instead.

“He flashes 10 times a game but gets dragged far too often by average players,” an NFL coordinator said.

Carter’s 83 pass-rush wins as an interior lineman since 2023 are tied for the seventh most in the NFL.

And

Jordan Davis, Philadelphia Eagles
Highest ranking: 5 | Lowest ranking: Unranked
Age: 26 | Last year’s ranking: Unranked.

Davis emerged as a star in his fourth season. The 2022 first-round pick was a 336-pound problem for guards and centers. Multiple voters picked Davis ahead of Carter, his DT running mate in Philly.

“He’s just so f‐‐‐ing strong and consistent,” an NFL coordinator said. “And he’s gotten better as he’s gotten older and in better shape.”

Davis famously reached 18.6 mph on his return of a blocked field goal for a touchdown to seal the Eagles’ Week 3 win over the Rams, the fastest by a player weighing at least 330 pounds since NFL Next Gen Stats tracking began in 2017. His 72 tackles last season ranked third among interior linemen, and his 39 run stops versus double-teams ranked second.

“Carter is the better talent, but Davis had the better season,” a veteran NFL defensive coach said.

I knew Carter would be Top 10, but didn’t expect Davis that high. That’s a real compliment to the work he’s put in to get in better shape and to play at a high level. Former Eagle Milton Williams was ninth. Howie and the scouts have done a good job with DTs in recent years.

Better line play should make the Eagles a better team this season.

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This is ugly.

Mannion and the offensive staff can improve the offense by simply speeding things up. I’m sure this will be a focal point for the staff. The Packers were in the middle, which is fine. We don’t need to go back to the Chip Kelly days, but being dead last and by that much was bad.

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Interesting take on the new offense.

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Here is your random nugget for the day.

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