Though NFL free agency doesn’t technically start until Wednesday at 4 PM Eastern, that hasn’t stopped teams from taking full advantage of the league’s legal tampering window, dozens of players having agreed to new deals, including a few now-former Philadelphia Eagles.
Nakobe Dean? Gone, signed to the Las Vegas Raiders on a three-year, $36 million contract. Jaelan Phillips? He signed elsewhere, too, agreeing to a massive four-year, $120 million contract the Eagles simply couldn’t afford to match after giving Jordan Davis a three-year, $78 million extension earlier in the month. Even Reed Blankenship has found a new home in the AFC South, joining the Houston Texans on a three-year, $24.75 million contract in a move that ends the “Exciting Whites” for the time being.
Are the Eagles going to completely sit out free agency? So far, they have made one deal, agreeing to a renegotiated contract with Michael Carter II to stick around after being acquired just before the trade deadline last season from the New York Jets, but otherwise, it’s been more about saying goodbye than hello, with players like Dallas Goedert, Josh Uche, Sam Howell, and Adoree’ Jackson potentially set to draw interest on the open market over the next week or so.
Fortunately, while the Eagles are unlikely to spend big over the next few weeks, that doesn’t mean they won’t spend at all before the end of free agency, with the potential to upgrade some positions of need to avoid having to reach in the 2026 NFL Draft at one position or another. Even with cost in mind, the Eagles could still walk away with a few quality additions in early free agency.
Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
Elgton Jenkins, IOL, Green Bay Packers
So, after landing four compensatory pick in the 2025 NFL Draft for last year’s free agency exits, if the Eagles do sign a player over the next few weeks, they will likely prioritize players who were released by their former teams, as they could be signed by a new squad without losing the additional assets Howie Roseman would accumulate for letting Phillips, Dean, and Reed walk in free agency.
Fortunately, there’s a versatile interior lineman who fits that bill to a T and even has experience playing for new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion during their shared time together in Green Bay: Elgton Jenkins.
A former second-round pick out of Mississippi State, Jenkins played all seven of his NFL seasons up to this point in Wisconsin, starting 94 of the 96 games he appeared in, splitting time between guard, tackle, and even a little center in 2025 after the team signed left guard Aaron Banks to a four-year contract.
On paper, if Jenkins has a chance to sign somewhere and immediately start, the Eagles might not be his preferred destination, as they are bringing back all five of their starters from 2025 in 2026 under new offensive line coach Chris Kuper. But considering Landon Dickerson nearly retired at the end of the 2025 season, Cam Jurgens had to get all sorts of treatment in the hopes of getting back on track for 2026, and Tyler Steen is heading into a contract year, adding a 30-year-old veteran to the roster could be very useful.
After suffering ligament damage in his leg against the Eagles last season in Week 10, the Packers released Jenkins before making a move to extend Sean Rhyan on a three-year, $33 million deal, allowing him to sign elsewhere without impacting the compensatory format. Considering his experience with Mannion, his own injury recovery, and the Eagles’ uncertainty across the line, the Packers’ financial hit could serve as a major win for Philadelphia without having to pay too much money to get a deal done.
Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Mekhi Becton, OL, Chargers
Like Jenkins, Eagles Super Bowl Champion Mekhi Becton was also released from the contract he signed last season, allowing him to sign with another team without affecting the comp formula.
Now, for fans in Philadelphia, there’s little need to break down what kind of player Becton can be, as he went from a later-offseason depth signing to the Eagles’ starting right guard for their 2024 Super Bowl run, starting all 19 games he appeared in, including the playoffs. Becton seamlessly transitioned from a below-average starting tackle to a very effective guard and was rewarded for his developmental efforts with a two-year, $20 million contract with the Los Angeles Chargers in free agency last spring.
Released from the Chargers earlier in the month to save $9.7 million, Becton is free to sign wherever he’d like for the 2026 season, and could opt to return to Philadelphia, where he had arguably his best professional season last year.
After showing that his massive 6-foot-7, 363 pound frame isn’t built for every system around the NFL, it’s safe to assume that Becton’s next deal will be worth less than his $10 million AAV from Los Angeles, but would Becton be willing to take his talents back to Philadelphia after the team moved on from Jeff Stoutland, the man he once credited for unlocking the NFL game for him before the 2024 NFL season? If Becton’s connections with Lane Johnson, Jordan Mailata, and company are strong enough, then stranger things have certainly happened.
Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Jonnu Smith, TE, Steelers
While eight tight ends and counting are already off the board in free agency, there are still a number of quality options who could serve as a stopgap at the position heading into the draft, allowing Roseman to let the board come to him, instead of having to surrender additional assets to trade up for Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq.
Enter Jonnu Smith, the former Arthur Smith staple who was just released from the Pittsburgh Steelers to save $7 million against the cap.
Now, as with, well, every other player profiled, because Smith was released from his contract instead of allowed to hit the open market, the 30-year-old Philadelphia native will not cost anything against the compensatory formula ahead of his 10th NFL season. While Smith had a down season by his own standards in Pittsburgh, catching just 38 balls on 54 targets for 222 yards and two touchdowns, he is just one season removed from an 88 catch season with the Miami Dolphins, where he recorded 884 yards and eight touchdowns on the way to his first-ever career Pro Bowl.
Granted, could the Eagles just re-sign Goedert if his market proves light, giving him a single-year contract to kick the can down the road one year? Sure, while Goedert also had a down year in 2025, especially as a blocker, he does know the Eagles’ offense and is a staple of the Nick Sirianni era. Still, if Goedert signs elsewhere, Smith is a quality receiving option who can make plays for the Eagles in 2026 if need be, and likely won’t cost too much to acquire either.
The post 3 best players Eagles must target during 2026 NFL free agency appeared first on ClutchPoints.
