For the second consecutive offseason, the Philadelphia Eagles suffered significant losses in free agency, and they have a big trade on the horizon. And so, as usual, they will be counting on a handful of players to take on bigger roles in 2026. Here are six players who should have elevated importance this season.

WR DeVonta Smith

Smith has been a starter from Day 1 in Philly, but over the last four years A.J. Brown has gotten 71 more targets:

With Brown soon to be traded away — and the absence of a player as established as Smith ready to step into Smith's soon to be former WR2 role — Smith will become the focal point of the Eagles' passing game and should dominate targets.

This won't be the first time that Smith will go from "one of the guys" to "the guy." In college at Alabama, he produced his first three seasons while playing among future first round NFL receivers in Calvin Ridley, Jerry Jeudy, Jaylen Waddle, and Henry Ruggs. But in his senior season, with Ridley, Jeudy, and Ruggs off to the NFL — and Waddle suffering a season-ending injury — Smith had an all-time great season as the unquestioned focal point of the passing attack. He won a Heisman Trophy and led Bama to a National Championship.

As we noted previously, one Eagles personnel guy pointed to the season that Jaxon Smith-Njigba had with Seattle in 2025 after the Seahawks traded away DK Metcalf, and hypothesized Smith could also have a big jump in production. Another endorsed that comparison when presented with it. The general belief within the organization is that Smith is ready to be the alpha receiver on the team and also one of the best in the NFL. He is wired for that challenge and will embrace the opportunity.

LB Jihaad Campbell

The selection of Campbell at pick 31 of the 2025 draft was largely hailed as a steal, as he was projected to be selected much earlier. So why did he fall? Well, he was injured. More specifically, he had surgery on a torn labrum following the 2024 season. That did not dissuade the Eagles from grading him very highly, even though he was not expected to begin practicing in training camp until August.

However, on the first day of camp (July 23rd), Campbell was pretty much a full participant, significantly beating his recovery timeline. Campbell looked the part immediately, with his impressive size and athleticism, and throughout camp it became clear that he was going to start Week 1.

In the Eagles' first seven games, Campbell had 43 tackles, an INT, a forced fumble, and a couple of pass breakups. But when Nakobe Dean returned to the field from his patellar tendon tear, Campbell was demoted to make room for him. 

Campbell did get to play on the edge a bit as well, but was mostly ineffective there. He has a ways to go as a pass rusher, if the Eagles intend on using him in some sort of edge/LB hybrid role going forward.

If he had started the whole season, Campbell likely would have accumulated stats that would have competed with some of the other rookie finalists for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. But beyond his play on the field, I was impressed by his maturity after he lost his starting job. He didn't complain, and he was prepared to play again when Dean got hurt later in the season.

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There's a lot to like about Campbell's skill set, and he only turned 22 in February. 

It's worth noting that Campbell will miss "most of the offseason" while he recovers from another shoulder surgery, as Vic Fangio revealed in March (h/t Anthony DiBona for pulling the clip):

For now, it's unclear what exactly what will keep Campbell out for "most of the offseason," as Fangio put it, or even how Fangio defines "most of the offseason." Does that mean OTAs and summer minicamps? Or does that also include training camp?

Obviously, Campbell has heightened importance to the Eagles' defense in 2026 with Dean signing in free agency with the Raiders.

RB Tank Bigsby

The Eagles traded fifth-and sixth-round picks for Bigsby in between Weeks 1 and 2 of the 2025 regular season.

One of the many issues the Eagles' offensive staff had in 2025 was a misuse of their player personnel, and Bigsby was a prime example.

The initial plan for Bigsby was to be a kick returner, something he hadn't done much of throughout his career, and that did not go well. Bigsby struggled fielding kicks, and he quickly lost that job. He also did not get a single carry in his first five games with the team, prompting many to wonder, uh, why did they trade two draft picks for this guy?

However, during a four-game stretch from Weeks 7 to 11, Bigsby proved to be an effective runner in the offense, carrying 17 times for 156 yards in those games, for an average of 9.2 yards per carry.

Thereafter, the Eagles just... didn't use him in meaningful games. He got 17 carries in garbage time in a blowout of the Raiders, and 16 carries in the Week 18 "resting starters" game against the Commanders. But in the five other games from Week 12 on, Bigsby only got 8 (!) carries, or 1.6 carries per game.

On the season, Bigsby carried 58 times for 344 yards and 2 TDs. His 5.9 yards per carry average was almost two yards per carry better than Saquon Barkley's 4.1 yards per carry. Had the Eagles used Bigsby more, they probably would have gotten some positive runs out of him, while also keeping Barkley's usage down a bit. Everyone likely would have benefited, but, again, for no good reason they just didn't use him. 🤷‍♂️

Nothing has really changed at running back for the Eagles this offseason, but we'll include Bigsby on this list of players, because, I dunno, maybe Sean Mannion will actually use him in 2026?

iOL Drew Kendall

Kendall was a 2025 fifth-round pick who was able to stick on the 53-man roster for the entire season, though he was a healthy scratch for 10 games. He appeared in blowouts against the Giants, Raiders, and Commanders, and started at center in the Week 18 "resting starters" game. In the next week or two, we'll take a closer look at his game against the Commanders.

During locker room cleanout day, Kendall said that he cross-trained at guard throughout the season, in addition to his primary position at center. Kendall will have a chance to be the first guy off the bench at center and maybe guard this season. The Eagles otherwise lack proven depth on the interior of their offensive line.

The first guy off the bench a year ago was Brett Toth, who was a key backup:

• He started four games.
• He played at least 30 snaps in six games.
• He played at least 10 snaps in 10 games. 

In total, Toth played 199 snaps at LG, and 164 snaps at C.

With Landon Dickerson and Cam Jurgens fighting through injury-plagued seasons in 2025, Kendall might become an under-the radar player of importance in 2026.

LB Jeremiah Trotter

When training camp began in 2025, Nakobe Dean was on the PUP list and, as noted above, it wasn't expected that first-round rookie Jihaad Campbell would be ready to participate until August. As such, Trotter was in line to get all the first-team reps, at least initially in camp. But, with Campbell unexpectedly ready on Day 1 of camp, Trotter had to wait his turn some more.

In his two training camps with the Eagles, Trotter has looked like a tough, smart, instinctive linebacker, even if he is lacking in size and ideal athleticism. He began the regular season as the first off-ball linebacker off the bench, but was never needed. And then after Dean was ready to return from his injury, Trotter was buried on the depth chart behind Zack Baun, Dean, and Campbell.

Still, Trotter has quietly done his job as a core special teamer, and in 2025 he led the team in special teams tackles. With Dean signing in free agency with the Raiders, Trotter will be the first linebacker off the bench should Baun or Campbell go down.

iDL Ty Robinson

Robinson was selected by the Eagles early in the fourth round of the 2025 draft, and although interior defensive linemen typically take some time to get their NFL sea legs, I thought Robinson had a chance to contribute early in his career because he was an older prospect. (He turned 25 last week, and is actually a few months older than Moro Ojomo.)

However, that didn't happen. Robinson only played 104 snaps on the season, 51 of which came in the "resting starters" game Week 18 against the Commanders. He had five tackles, a batted pass, and a QB hit. Ojomo only played 68 snaps his rookie season, and he eventually developed into a starter.

The Eagles' backup defensive linemen include Robinson, Byron Young, Gabe Hall, and Uar Bernard. It would have to be viewed as a disappointment if Robinson can't beat those guys out in his second season. I imagine the defensive staff will give him every opportunity to at least become a rotational guy in 2026.