The NFL Scouting Combine has concluded. The start of the new league year kicks off, and NFL free agency officially opens on March 11 at 4:00 p.m.

At the combine, both Eagles Executive V.P. and general manager Howie Roseman and head coach Nick Sirianni spoke with the media.

Their comments, while marginal in nature, establish a roadmap for what the offseason could look like. With that in mind, I’ve built out a potential model of the 2026 Eagles offseason.

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To begin—I am not a capologist. There are so many different rules and tricks that anyone outside of NFL organizations does not have access to. With that, I will be using StickToTheModel’s ‘Be A GM’ platform for this exercise.

Eagles Internal Free Agents, Extensions, & Releases

• Eagles release CB Michael Carter with post June-1 designation

• EDGE Jaelan Phillips: 3 years – $72 million ($50 million guaranteed)

• EDGE Brandon Graham: 1 year – $1.8 million (Fully guaranteed)

• (Extension) Jordan Davis: 3 years – $51 million ($30 million guaranteed)

• (Extension) Jalen Carter: 4 years – $138 million ($90 million guaranteed)

Listening to Howie Roseman speak at the combine, it sounds indicative of an offseason less likely to result in free agent spending and more in line with the focus of extending homegrown talent.

“I think from a big picture perspective, we want to build a team that every year has a chance to compete for championships, that drafts really well and signs their own players and just sporadically goes into free agency,” Roseman said. “That’s what we’re trying to do. 

“And sometimes as much as you want to add from outside and you want to change it up, you got to make a decision to keep the players you know have played well and are part of your culture. Can we keep all our guys, considering we have, for example, a lot of key defensive starters coming off rookie deals in next few years? No, we are going to have to make choices.”

To begin, the release of Carter with a post-June 1 designation creates $10.3 million in cap relief.

The move to re-sign Phillips hinges on a few things. Phillips is 26-years-old. He’ll be 27 when the 2026 NFL season starts. He’s a hand-in-glove fit for Vic Fangio’s defense. Phillips also plays a position that Howie Roseman places a premium on. For all intents and purposes, he’s a high-character guy who has integrated into the locker room. After the Eagles acquired Phillips, he transitioned flawlessly into the defense, logging two sacks and 28 total tackles in eight games. Phillips also finished third on the team in pressures. Simply put, Phillips is a high-impact player, and the Eagles have shown a propensity to be willing to spend on high-impact players.

A three-year, $72 million deal is market value for Phillips. It allows Phillips to be paid as an elite edge rusher in the NFL, and it gives Philadelphia some flexibility, given Phillips’ injury history. I can see them potentially structuring it with incentives or performance escalators (like sacks or playing time) that push the total value to $75 million. This deal would make Phillips the ninth-highest-paid EDGE rusher in the league.

On the other hand, the Eagles’ ability to re-sign Phillips ultimately comes down to Phillips’ market. If a team is willing to offer upwards of $26-$30 million, I think Philadelphia walks away.

Elsewhere, bringing Brandon Graham back is a no-brainer if Graham wants to play another NFL season. Retaining Carter and Davis on above-market (Davis) and market-setting (Carter) deals helps to create about $8-$9 million in cap space, and lock in two foundational pieces of the defense. Carter becomes the highest-paid defensive tackle in NFL history at $34.5 million per season.

Free Agency

• Eagles sign CB Eric Stokes to a 1-year deal worth $6.5 million ($4 million fully guaranteed)

• (Post Draft Signing) Eagles sign EDGE David Ojabo to a 1-year deal worth $3 million

I don’t think it’s a stretch to say the Eagles won’t be that active in free agency. They’ll make additions, but no splash signing per se.

The signing of Eric Stokes mirrors that of the signing of Adoree Jackson last offseason. Stokes would provide stability and competency to the Eagles secondary opposite Quinyon Mitchell on the outside. Add in extra points for the fact that Stokes (like Jackson) is a former first-round pick. Stokes is also a former Georgia Bulldog, who played with current Eagles Jordan Davis, Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith, and Kelee Ringo—another feather in the cohabitation matrix basket.

2025 was a bit of a resurgence year for Stokes, who stayed healthy for the first time in his five-year career, starting 16 games for the Las Vegas Raiders last season. Per PFF, Stokes graded out as the 18th-best cornerback among 114 eligible cornerbacks last season.

The addition of Ojabo comes after the draft and is a signing that doesn’t affect the Eagles’ compensatory pick formula. It aligns with the signing of Azeez Ojulari last offseason as a former 2nd-round pick who hasn’t necessarily lived up to his draft position due to injuries, inconsistency, or other factors. A new home offers Ojabo the chance to re-establish himself as a player.

I can also see a depth free agent addition after the draft along the offensive line or at wide receiver potentially.

Mock Draft (1.0)

Round 1 – Pick 23: Max Iheanachor (OT) – Arizona State

The selection of Iheanachor gives the Eagles the predecessor to Lane Johnson. Iheanachor possesses one of the highest ceilings of any player in the draft, but on the other hand, he’s raw.

Iheanachor didn’t start playing football until junior college, but the traits are extremely enticing. Iheanachor stands 6-foot-6, weighing 321 pounds. He possesses an 83-inch wingspan along with 33 7/8 inch arms.

His blend of size and athletic ability is Iheanachor’s best trait. He’s light on his feet, and his play strength pops off the screen.

Round 2 – Pick 54: Max Klare (TE) – Ohio State

Two players named Max in a row! With the 54th pick, the Eagles select Ohio State tight end Max Klare.

Klare is a vertical threat who looks and moves more like a wide receiver at times than a tight end. With the ball in his hands, Klare reaches a second gear that is uncommon for most tight ends at his size. At 6-foot-4, 246 pounds, Klare offers Eagles offensive coordinator Sean Mannion a shot in the arm as he implements a new offensive scheme. After losing Dallas Goedert, the addition of Klare gives Philadelphia a young, explosive, and athletic tight end that the passing offense desperately needs.

Round 3 – Pick 68: Dani Dennis Sutton (EDGE) – Penn State

You can never have too many pass rushers. That statement rings true for the Eagles, who invest more in the trenches than almost every team in the NFL. With Nolan Smith due for a contract and Brandon Graham (in all likelihood) wrapping up his NFL career after next season, the Eagles need to add to the EDGE room, even after resigning Jaelan Phillips.

Dani Dennis Sutton is a very solid football player. He isn’t going to wow you with his pass rush prowess, but he’s effective. Sutton finished his collegiate career with 23.5 sacks in 54 career games. His run defense is his best and most consistent trait. He’s heavy-handed and disciplined.

Sutton possess great size for the position at 6-foot-6, 242 pounds, but he does play tall at times, which results in inconsistent pad level at times.

Sutton is one of the more high-floor players in this draft.

TRADE: Eagles send projected comp pick 98 to the Colts for pick 113 and pick 154

Round 4 – Pick 113: Bryce Lance (WR) – North Dakota State

Bryce Lance adds an element to the Eagles offense that they’ve missed for quite some time. Lance is a deep threat in every sense of the word.

He’s big, he’s fast, and he’s explosive. Lance mirrors former Packers receiver Christian Watson in his skill set as someone who can be used as a big play threat down the field or create with the ball in his hands. Sean Mannion has experience around this archetype of receiver, and has seen first-hand with the Packers, how to make it work within an NFL offense.

Lance is also the brother of Los Angeles Chargers QB Trey Lance.

Round 4 – Pick 122: TJ Hall (CB) – Iowa

TJ Hall can be described in one word: competitor. He plays with aggression, toughness, and physicality. He didn’t miss a single tackle in 2025. He’s more than comfortable sticking his nose into the mud and getting dirty. In coverage, Hall is feisty. The ball production isn’t there and he has some technical issues to clean up, but he does a relatively decent job in man and zone.

For the Eagles, after signing Eric Stokes to a one year deal, Hall provides some depth to the room, and could challenge Stokes for the number two corner role.

Round 4 – Pick 137: Skyler Gill-Howard (DT) – Texas Tech

The Eagles continue the trend of selecting day two/three undersized athletic defensive tackles. Milton Williams, Moro Ojomo, Ty Robinson, and now Skyler Gill-Howard.

At 6-foot-1, 280 pounds, Gill-Howard’s motor and athleticism are probably his best traits. Due to his lack of length and size, he wins more with technical and finesse than power. Gill-Howard can also kick out to defensive end and rush the passer from different alignments.

Gill-Howard adds depth and versatility to the Eagles defensive line room. He’ll compete with Byron Young and Ty Robinson.

Round 5 – Pick 150: Micahel Taaffe (S) – Texas

The thinking here is quite simple. The Eagles were unable to re-sign Reed Blankenship. With the selection of Taaffe, Philadelphia gets an experienced high-IQ safety on the back end of the defense.

Taaffe is a strong communicator on the back end who plays technically savvy football. He was also responsible for getting the back end of the defense lined up correctly. After losing Reed Blankenship, Taaffe seems like an adequate replacement.

Score one for the Exciting Mic’s.

Round 5 – Pick 152: Nicholas Singeton (RB) – Penn State

Nicholas Singleton has had a rough few months. During the 2025 college football season, he didn’t cement himself as one of the premier running backs in college football behind someone like Jeremiyah Love. It just never materialized for Singleton as he hit career lows in both yards and carries in 2025. To cap it all off, he suffered a broken foot at the Senior Bowl in one on one drills.

However, Singleton (when healthy) is an explosive runner. Like a lot of Penn State running backs before him (two of the more recent ones who have played or currently play for the Eagles), Singleton possesses a good combination of size and speed and can get to a second gear quickly.

This is the kind of day three pick that Howie Roseman loves to make. It’s a player from their backyard in Pennsylvania. Singleton also adds special teams ability which will allow him to compete with Will Shipley for the third running back spot behind Saquon Barkley and Tank Bisby.

Round 5 – Pick 178: Joe Fagnano (QB) – UConn

The Eagles spend a day three pick on an experienced quarterback in Fagnano.

Fagnano has started 44 career games and has a 48:6 TD-to-INT ratio in three seasons at UConn. He’s a decisive thrower who can competently execute an offense. A timing-based thrower, Fagnano fits the mold of QBs that have had success in the Shanahan/McVay offense.

He gives the Eagles a quarterback who they can develop and eventually entrust with the backup quarterback role if/when they move on from Tanner McKee.

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Deep breath…This has been a fun exercise.

This is an approach to the offseason that I think is on par with expectations set by Howie Roseman at the NFL Scouting Combine. The Eagles retain core players, worked the margins and added depth in a few areas, and drafted players who can contribute in the now and in the future.

While it isn’t an exact 1:1 perspective or a declaration of what they should do, I think the approach is reflective of the type of offseason we could be looking at in Philadelphia.

Cover Image Credit: The Philly Blitz