The Philadelphia Eagles‘ hiring of offensive coordinator Sean Mannion could mean a bigger year for quarterback Jalen Hurts.
But Mannion can only do so much for the Eagles offense if they go ahead with their widely reported potential trade of wide receiver A.J. Brown.
That led Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon to name “major changes at OC and WR” as Hurts’ biggest obstacle ahead of the important 2026 season.
Hurts is coming off the worst season since his rookie year (2021), since he threw for 3,224 yards, completed 64.8% of his passes and posted his lowest QBR rating (55.2) since 2021 (54.6).
He also rushed for a career-low 421 yards and eight touchdowns after leading the Eagles to the Super Bowl championship in 2024.
Jalen Hurts’ Biggest Obstacle is a new OC and Potential WR trade
The Brown trade to the New England Patriots is not yet finalized, though June 1 is Monday. But even if Brown isn’t dealt to New England, he still is likely to be traded, which could stands to leave Hurts without a true No. 1 wideout.
But combining that to Mannion’s first chance at running an offense — he is just two seasons removed from playing in the NFL — and Hurts may have a hard time in 2026.
“Sean Mannion, 34, takes over as Hurts’ fifth offensive coordinator in a five-year span, all while he’ll likely have to adjust to life without top receiver A.J. Brown,” Gagnon wrote. “It’s not ideal considering that the 27-year-old’s rate-based numbers already dropped off in 2025.”
2026 is Shaping up to be a Huge Year for Jalen Hurts
The Eagles still won the NFC East and weren’t especially challenged, since they won the division by 3.5 games. But now-former offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo was deemed the scapegoat and was let go after Philadelphia’s 23-19 wild-card loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
But this season is a big one for Hurts, who Eagles fans are on the verge of turning on. Same as Brown, the Eagles negotiated a slightly less-painful amount of dead money if they trade him after June 1, 2027, which means they could shop him throughout next offseason again if he doesn’t take to Mannion’s offense.
Two-time Super Bowl quarterbacks don’t exactly fall off trees, so there will be value for Hurts if the Eagles decide they want to trade him.
But the 2027 NFL Draft also looks loaded at quarterback. That means the Eagles could end up being stuck with Hurts or selling low on him if general manager Howie Roseman decides he needs to make a move.
Of course, Hurts could render this whole debate moot simply by finding his form under Mannion. The Eagles offense still has talent around him. Their offensive line is one of the best in the league.
Running back Saquon Barkley was the 2024 NFL Offensive Player of the Year. Plus, quarterbacks could do worse than a three-headed receiving corps of DeVonta Smith, Hollywood Brown and rookie Makai Lemon — even if the 6-0 Smith is the tallest of that bunch.
So it’s up to Hurts to overcome all these obstacles and find a way to get Philadelphia’s offense back on par with its star-studded defense.
Eagles Quarterback Jalen Hurts Facing This Obstacle in 2026