The Philadelphia Eagles are looking to get more out of their offense with new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion in 2026, and that has several players skating on thin ice with free agency less than a month away.
While there are obvious answers, including A.J. Brown and the power-based offensive line that will have to transition to a zone-scheme with Mannion’s arrival, they aren’t the only players sweating it out. Some of the reserves on the back end of the roster will also be waiting on how free agency plays out to see if they will have a job next year, including running back Will Shipley.
A fourth-round pick in the 2024 draft, Shipley hasn’t done much to secure a roster spot in his first two years in the NFL, and Mannion’s arrival could be the final straw that sends him packing.
Will Shipley Could Be Sweating Out Eagles Free-Agent Plans
The Eagles’ running back room is in an interesting spot heading into next season. While Saquon Barkley had 64.3 percent of his rushes come on zone-blocking runs, the rest of the roster had a 49.4 percent zone rate on their attempts last season, according to Pro Football Focus. This is also interesting considering that Josh Jacobs had a 57.0 percent zone rate as the lead back for the Packers’ offense, and Green Bay’s backfield had a 58.6 percent zone rate overall.
Mannion didn’t run the offense with the Packers as head coach Matt LaFleur called the plays. But it’s a sample of the concept he’ll be bringing to Philadelphia. While it’s not an immediate indictment on any of the Eagles’ current running backs, Shipley could be the one who's closest to the chopping block.
The Clemson product hasn’t produced when given the opportunity, totaling 131 scoreless yards on 44 carries over his first two seasons. Shipley also hasn’t been able to keep Philadelphia’s offense on schedule, logging a 27.3 percent success rate, measured by Pro Football Reference as the frequency a back gains 40 percent of yards needed on first down, 60 percent of yards on second down, and 100 percent of yards needed on third or fourth down.
While the concept is flawed – a goal-line back could have a high success rate with a bunch of one-yard touchdowns – it’s more of an issue with Shipley. That issue grows when you look at the rest of the backfield and realize that Shipley could be the odd man out.
Barkley will return in the lead role, hoping to find more space than he found under previous offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo. Tank Bigsby was also solid after a midseason trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars, running for 344 yards and two touchdowns on 58 carries.
That leaves the final roster spot between Shipley and AJ Dillon. While Dillon is a pending free agent with only 12 carries for 60 rushing yards last season, his previous experience in the Packers’ scheme could give him a leg up on Shipley. Even if Dillon isn’t retained, the Eagles could use a mid-to-late-round selection in April to re-establish depth at the position.
This is all bad news for Shipley, who needs a massive offseason and training camp to even stay on the roster. With Mannion bringing a new scheme to town, Shipley may not be able to do enough to save his job and could be skating on thin ice as he enters his third season.