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One of the best and most comprehensive features we offer every year is our Footballguys Preseason Updates. Every week this month, Dave Kluge, Clayton Gray, and their team of Footballguys Staffers cover every player that matters from every NFL team. It's 32-plus pages of some of the most comprehensive coverage you'll find. It's probably worth the Footballguys Premium Subscription by itself.
Updates from Week 4
Preseason Updates: Quarterbacks
Jalen Hurts was understandably scrutinized this summer in a way he hadn't been in years, as the Eagles' offense regressed massively in 2025 and new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion is bringing wholesale changes to every facet of the system. Mannion is asking Hurts to operate under center with far greater frequency, utilize pre-snap motion and play-action, and attack intermediate windows across the middle of the field. Zach Berman and Brooks Kubena of The Athletic both graded Hurts' training camp as a B/B-minus in a piece examining burning questions heading into the season, noting that while the good outweighed the bad, his practices featured an uncharacteristic uptick in interceptions and turnover-worthy plays. Neither he nor the coaches seem bothered by the interceptions because he's using camp to take chances and figure out what does and doesn't work in the new scheme, not to mention that he didn't have DeVonta Smith in the lineup for nearly a month. But until there is evidence that it won't continue into the regular season, it's something worth flagging.
On a positive note, the team clearly intends to use Hurts as a runner more often this year, not just at the goal line for the Brotherly Shove. The questions don't end with Hurts, as neither Andy Dalton nor Tanner McKee had great camps. The backup battle produced no clear victor. McKee struggled severely in the preseason finale against Cincinnati, completing 12 of 22 passes for 55 yards, throwing an interception, taking two sacks, and overthrowing Britain Covey on a deep scoring opportunity. Dalton, entering his age-39 season, stabilized the offense with a touchdown drive against third-stringers, but questions linger regarding his physical ceiling. Inexplicably, the Eagles kept all four quarterbacks on the initial 53-man roster, retaining McKee, Dalton, and rookie Cole Payton behind Hurts. Expect Howie Roseman to slim down the depth chart in the coming days via trade or release.
Preseason Updates: Running Backs
Saquon Barkley looks to have adjusted to Mannion's outside-zone and under-center system more quickly than some of his teammates, and as long as the offensive line stays healthy, it's beginning to look like Barkley will be more like his 2024 All-Pro self than last year's inconsistent performance. This entire position group was without much drama, as the projected 1-2-3 of Barkley, Tank Bigsby, and Will Shipley all held serve and gave no other backs a real shot at displacing them.
