Chris Franklin's Eagles Offseason Blueprint: OT at 21, Let Phillips Walk, and Pray for Patience

When NJ.com beat reporter Chris Franklin joined Birds 365 on Monday, he brought clarity to an offseason full of noise. His message was straightforward: the Eagles need to be smart, not sentimental.

The Jaelan Phillips Reality Check

Franklin's assessment of the edge rusher market is sobering. With 20-plus teams legitimately needing a top-tier edge rusher, the bidding war for Jaelan Phillips is going to be ugly — for the Eagles.

"I think we're talking about, wow, this is a need area right now," Franklin said on the show. He pointed to the Titans and Commanders as teams flush with cap space and desperate for pass rush help. Both could throw numbers at Phillips that Philadelphia simply can't match.

The Milton Williams precedent looms large. Last year, the Eagles expected Williams to land around $20 million annually. He got $26 million. Phillips has more upside, more name recognition, and a thinner market behind him. If he hits $30 million? The Eagles walk.

First Round: Offensive Tackle or Regret It

Franklin was unequivocal about pick 21: offensive tackle. His guy is Max Claren from Arizona State — a right tackle with the versatility to play the left side, nasty in pass protection, and raw enough to benefit from a year behind Lane Johnson.

"If lane decides after this year, hey, I'm done, you can just plug him in," Franklin explained. The succession plan writes itself: draft Claren, let him learn from one of the best to ever do it, and transition smoothly when Johnson hangs it up.

Blake Miller from Clemson is the backup option. Franklin likes Miller's pass blocking but has questions about his run blocking in space — something that matters more in a zone scheme.

The Tight End Plan

With Dallas Goedert likely pricing himself out and the current roster featuring three tight ends with a combined three career catches, Franklin's approach is practical: sign a blocking tight end like Green Bay's John Fitzpatrick and draft a receiving tight end on day 2.

The Shanahan-style offense demands competent tight end play, especially in outside zone concepts. You need someone who can seal the edge. That's not a first-round investment — it's a smart free agency signing paired with developmental draft capital.

AJ Brown: 75-80% He Stays

In the most bullish take of the interview, Franklin put AJ Brown at 75-80 percent to remain an Eagle. His reasoning? Brown's frustrations were about scheme, not about Philadelphia. With Mannion bringing a new system, Brown might give it one more shot.

"I think when we look up at that opening game, we'll see him lined up on week one," Franklin said. He compared the situation to Allen Iverson's near-trade to the Pistons before the 2001 run — all that noise, and then they went to the Finals.

The Mannion Question

Franklin's most pointed observation was about Sean Mannion's margin for error. A 33-year-old with one year of position coaching experience calling plays for a win-now roster? If the offense stalls by week eight, "all options are on the table."

But Franklin also noted something interesting: Saquon Barkley calling the offense "very creative" before they've even installed it suggests Mannion made a strong first impression. Whether that translates to Sundays is the biggest question of the Eagles' 2026 season.

The Combine starts this week. The answers start forming now.

[Watch the full Chris Franklin interview on Birds 365 →](https://youtu.be/ngUrYqezysk)