Eagles training camp opens soon. Here’s what the national media thinks about the Birds and their chances this year.

Now that Philadelphia has wrapped up one of its busiest summers in sports — the area hosted the PGA Championship, MLB All-Star festivities, and FIFA World Cup games — we can finally take a breath, Philadelphia Stadium can again be known as Lincoln Financial Field, and Philly sports fans can turn their full attention toward the Eagles.

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And with training camp starting next week, there still are several concerns surrounding the Super Bowl LIX champions. Here’s everything the national media is saying about the Birds entering training camp:

ESPN recently asked league executives, coaches, and scouts to rank NFL players by position. Eight Eagles made their respective top 10s: Saquon Barkley (running back), Quinyon Mitchell (cornerback), Cooper DeJean (cornerback), Jalen Carter (defensive tackle), Jordan Davis (defensive tackle), Jordan Mailata (offensive tackle), Lane Johnson (offensive tackle), and Zack Baun (off-ball linebacker).

But a major name didn’t make his list — Super Bowl LIX MVP Jalen Hurts. Hurts was beaten out by the likes of Dak Prescott, Drake Maye, Jared Goff, and Caleb Williams for a spot on the list.

Hurts was honorable mention along with Baker Mayfield, Trevor Lawrence, Brock Purdy, and Jayden Daniels. And this isn’t the first time he’s been snubbed in rankings — he was No. 9 in last year’s ESPN rankings and wasn’t even mentioned in SB Nation’s top 10 list.

Despite ESPN not naming Hurts a top 10 quarterback, former NFL linebacker Manti Te’o has faith that fans will see an even better player under center this season — especially under new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion.

“Jalen Hurts is at his best when Saquon, in 2024, was running crazy. When he was almost about to break Eric Dickerson’s record, when he was jumping over people backward,” said Te’o, who’s now a host on the NFL Network’s Good Morning Football. “That is when Jalen Hurts is at his best. Sean Mannion is going to go back to that. Sean Mannion’s going to put Jalen Hurts under center and he’s going to hand the ball off to Saquon Barkley. And guess what’s going to happen after that? He’s going to do what Jalen Hurts does best. And that’s get Jalen outside of the pocket and throw the ball deep down field.”

The Eagles offense finished 24th in total offense, averaging 311.2 yards per game. The team made a number of changes on that side of the ball entering this season, including hiring Mannion and trading away wide receiver A.J. Brown.

“I also think that having the departure of A.J. Brown could be a good thing for Jalen Hurts,” Te’o said. “Sometimes having a crutch in a wide receiver one limits a quarterback from being an actual quarterback.

“When you have schemes and plays that are designed specifically to have to go to somebody, it doesn’t give Jalen Hurts the opportunity to be like, ‘Man, let me look at what the defense is actually giving me.’ … I think that Jalen Hurts’ best football is ahead of him, and it could be ahead of him, and should be with someone like Sean Mannion at the helm.”

On June 1, the Eagles traded Brown to the New England Patriots in June in exchange for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder. In April, they selected Southern Cal wide receiver Makai Lemon with the 20th pick in the draft.

According to ESPN analyst Mina Kimes, Lemon will be a perfect fit for an Eagles offense without Brown.

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“I think DeVonta Smith takes more of the A.J. Brown usage, in terms of becoming more of a threat along the perimeter,” Kimes said. “But Makai Lemon is going to be really important because he fills a lot of the gaps that were pretty noticeable last year in the Eagles offense and have been for a while — specifically quick completions against zone coverage and yards after the catch.

“And I know that doesn’t sound super sexy to fantasy managers or people who think about A.J. Brown. But it is so important … to keeping that offense running on time and making it more efficient.”

With all the questions surrounding the offense, former NFL defensive end Chris Canty believes the Eagles defense will be what leads them to another Super Bowl.

“The Eagles, when they go to Super Bowls, they have a top-two defense,” Canty said on ESPN’s First Take. “And if we’re going to establish the identity for this team, if we’re going to have a defining characteristic, I think the part that gets ignored is what that side of the ball does.

“If they want to continue to be a team that contends for titles, defense is going to have to be what wins the day.”

Every year, players vote on the best 100 players in the league. The NFL has revealed Nos. 51-100. No Eagles players have been listed, but two former Eagles have made the cut: Brown and Josh Sweat.

Brown is No. 80, falling 51 spots from last year’s No. 29 ranking. Sweat is No. 78, improving from last year’s No. 95 ranking.

In last year’s NFL Top 100, nine Eagles players were listed: Mailata (No. 69), DeJean (No. 60), Mitchell (No. 49), Carter (No. 43), Baun (No. 26), Johnson (No. 23), Hurts (No. 19), and Barkley (No. 1).

Eagles’ newcomers ’26

Whether a 2026 draft choice, a veteran addition, or a rookie free-agent hopeful, we’re telling you more about each player’s potential role this season. We’re rolling out two players per day in a mostly unscientific order that balances offense and defense, bigger names with mysteries, and locks with longer shots to be chosen for the 53-man roster.

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• QB Andy Dalton, DB Kapena Gushiken
• LB Arnold Ekibetie, OL Jaedan Roberts
• WR Elijah Moore, RB Dameon Pierce
• T Markel Bell, EDGE Joshua Weru
• G Michael Jordan, LS Rocco Underwood
• TE Eli Stowers, S Maximus Pulley
• LB Jonathan Greenard, T John Ojukwu
• TE Stone Smartt, LB Deontae Lawson
• TE Johnny Mundt, DE Ta’Quon Graham
• S Cole Wisniewski, RB Elijah Mitchell
• WR Makai Lemon, CB Shaun Wade
• CB Jonathan Jones, WR Samori Touré
• DE A.J. Epenesa, G Micah Morris
• QB Cole Payton, S Tucker Large
• S J.T. Gray, TE Dae’Quan Wright
• WR Hollywood Brown, DT Zion Wilson
• CB Riq Woolen, WR Erik Ezukanma