Your Philadelphia Eagles are not the preseason favorites to represent the NFC in Super Bowl 61.
That’s OK and totally understandable. Despite winning the Super Bowl two years ago, the ‘25 Birds confoundingly disappointing season as well as the seemingly complete overhaul of the offense may understandably affect how many will view this team’s chances.
The consensus preseason power rankings by national media generally seem to have the Eagles on the fringe of the top-10.
- The Ringer: No. 6
- Fox Sports: No. 7
- The Athletic: No. 9
- Yahoo!: No. 9
- ESPN’s NFL Power Index: No. 10
Now, I’ve always been a big supporter
of independent thought and the avoidance of group think. But I think the good folks at USA Today may have veered off course just a wee bit with their outrageously negative preseason ranking of the 2026 Birds.
In their latest rankings, they have the Birds at No. 19. Here is their detailed roundup.
19. Philadelphia Eagles (12): The offense is going to appear virtually unrecognizable − probably necessary after last year’s showing. But can’t wait to see it, especially rookie WR Makai Lemon.
If you’re going to put the Eagles at No. 19, don’t you at least have to give a good reason for such a head-scratching decision?
The Vikings, led by Kyler Murray, are No. 17.
The Commanders, still with virtually no offensive talent around Jayden Daniels, are No. 18. The Rams, Seahawks, Bears, 49ers, Cowboys, Lions, and Packers are all ahead of them.
In short, this ranking postulates the Eagles are the 10th-best team in the 15-team NFC.
There are undoubtedly many questions surrounding how the Eagles will do under Sean Mannion’s new offense. We all have them. They will miss not having elite A.J. Brown on the field anymore, although even if Brown was still an Eagle, the “elite” version of him last played in Super Bowl 59. It’s not a strong group of wide receivers, and it’s fair to question the health of the offensive line.
But even if Jalen Hurts and Co. have some ups and downs, is there any world in which the Eagles are the 19th best team in the NFL?
Vic Fangio’s defense along almost guarantees the Eagles will be a playoff team in 2026. They boast one of the deepest and most talented defensive lines in the NFL, a ridiculously talented linebacking corps, and a secondary that will frustrate the very best passing offenses in the NFL.
There could be as many as 6-7 Pro Bowlers and 4-5 potential 1st or 2nd-team All Pros on that side of the football.
Preseason rankings are supposed to be an objective look at the rosters of teams as teams enter training camp. Sure, one can project a disastrous season if every worst-case scenario happens, but how can an objective observer look at the roster of the Eagles, a team that has made the postseason five straight seasons with two Super Bowl appearances, and say the Vikings or Commanders are better right now?
Maybe, by the time December rolls around, this ranking will be prescient. But there’s really no justifiable reason why the Eagles would rank this low, which is probably why the author did not present a justifiable reasons.
At the end of the day, it’s just sports and it really doesn’t matter. What happens on the field will determine where the Eagles actually finish up.
But in early August, this ranking just doesn’t make any logical sense.
