The Sean Mannion era is underway in Philadelphia . Nick Sirianni is the head coach, but the Eagles ' future fortunes will rest on the creativity of a former NFL quarterback and a fast-rising coach. A former NFL quarterback and 2015 third-round pick, Mannion, 33, played four seasons with the Rams , three seasons with the Vikings , and one season in Seattle with the Seahawks as a backup quarterback.
Mannion was hired to Matt LaFleur's coaching staff as an offensive assistant working with quarterbacks under Tom Clements. LaFleur promoted Mannion to quarterbacks coach in 2025.
Mannion is widely credited with playing an instrumental role in Malik Willis 's development, who went from a bust in Tennessee to the most valued free-agent quarterback available. During his NFL combine media session, GM Howie Roseman spoke on Mannion's arrival and what it could mean for Jalen Hurts .
As the new league year approaches, we are examining the five offensive players most vital to Mannion's success in his first year.
Johnson, 35, is a future Hall of Famer with a resume that includes six Pro Bowls, two first-team All-Pro nods, and a pair of Super Bowl wins. Johnson's value is clear: the Eagles were 8-2 with him in the lineup this season, versus 3-4 without him . During his tenure in Philadelphia, the team's record is 94-41-1 when he plays and 15-27 when he doesn't.
Hurts threw for 3,224 yards, 25 touchdowns, six interceptions, with 421 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns in 16 regular-season games. Mannion will coordinate and build the Eagles' new offense and should thrive, having been a career backup quarterback who'll fully understand what Jalen Hurts is experiencing under center. Mannion has seen everything in the NFL, every system, every offense, and every defense that works to counter explosive offensive units. The 33-year-old was a 2015 third-round pick by the Rams and played quarterback under several of today's top coaches during his journeyman career, including Sean McVay, Kevin Stefanski, Kevin O'Connell, and Klint Kubiak.
Despite Kevin Patullo, DeVonta Smith (1,008) and A.J. Brown (1,003) are the only Eagles WR duo to produce 1,000+ receiving yards each in the same season. Only five Eagles have three 1,000+ yard receiving seasons – Brown (four), Smith, Harold Carmichael, DeSean Jackson, and Mike Quick. Smith caught eight of 11 targets for 70 yards in the 23-19 wild-card game loss to the 49ers. The 2025 season was Smith's third 1,000-yard regular season in five NFL campaigns, as he caught 77 of 113 targets for 1,008 yards and a career-low four touchdowns while dressing for all 17 regular-season games.
Brown could depart, and even if he's not traded, Smith, who is tied to the Eagles through the 2028 season, needs to ascend to the No. 1 wide receiver spot.
Dickerson has established himself as one of the top left guards in the NFL since joining the Eagles. Dickerson made three consecutive Pro Bowls from 2022 to 2024 and signed a four-year contract extension worth $84 million in 2024, which included $50 million guaranteed. Still, Dickerson, 27, played through multiple injuries in his first five NFL seasons, and labored in 2025 after suffering knee and back injuries this past season. The former Florida State and Alabama fell to the second round of the 2021 NFL draft after suffering two torn ACLs and multiple significant ankle injuries in college.
Even in a down season, Barkley made history. Barkley played in 16 games (16 starts), running for 1,140 yards on 280 carries (4.1 avg.) with 7 TDs, adding 273 receiving yards on 37 catches (7.4 avg.) With two touchdowns. Barkley became the first Eagle since LeSean McCoy in 2013-14 to post back-to-back 1,000+ yard rushing seasons. Still, after the dismal offensive finish, Philadelphia will likely need to pass efficiently to create those clear rushing lanes.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Eagles' OC Sean Mannion: 5 players key to his offensive success
