The 2016 season was the Philadelphia Eagles' 84th in the National Football League (NFL) and their first under head coach Doug Pederson. The Eagles named 2nd overall pick Carson Wentz the starting quarterback for Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns. The Eagles started 3–0 including a 34–3 win over their intrastate rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers. Following their Week 4 bye, the Eagles went 4–9, including a 2–4 record against their divisional rivals. Following a 27–26 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 15, the Eagles were eliminated from playoff contention for the third consecutive season and the fourth time in five seasons and suffered back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since 1998 and 1999. This was the last season the Eagles missed the playoffs until 2020.
Roster changes
Free agents Position Player 2016 Team Notes WR Seyi Ajirotutu UFA CB E.J. Biggers UFA New England Patriots Signed 1-year deal QB Sam Bradford UFA Philadelphia Eagles Signed 2-year deal/$36 million deal CB Nolan Carroll UFA Philadelphia Eagles Signed 1-year deal DE Vinny Curry UFA Philadelphia Eagles Signed 5-year deal/$47.25 million deal ILB Najee Goode UFA Philadelphia Eagles Signed 1-year deal QB Thad Lewis UFA San Francisco 49ers Signed 1-year deal C David Molk RFA None Player Retired DE Cedric Thornton UFA Dallas Cowboys Signed 4-year/$18 million deal S Walter Thurmond UFA None Player Retired OT Matt Tobin RFA Philadelphia Eagles Signed 1-year /$1.6 million deal Player re-signed by the Eagles
Free agent signings Position Player 2015 Team Date signed Notes RB Ross Scheuerman UFA Free Agent January 21 Signed WR Xavier Rush UFA None February 18 CB Aaron Grymes UFA Edmonton Eskimos February 18 QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson UFA San Francisco 49ers February 18 Signed CB Leodis McKelvin UFA Buffalo Bills March 8 Signed 2 year/$6 million deal S Rodney McLeod UFA St. Louis Rams March 9 Signed 5 year/$37 million deal QB Chase Daniel UFA Kansas City Chiefs March 9 Signed 3 year/$21 million deal OG Brandon Brooks UFA Houston Texans March 9 Signed 5 year/$40 million deal LB Nigel Bradham UFA Buffalo Bills March 9 Signed 2-year deal CB Ron Brooks UFA Buffalo Bills March 9 Signed 3-year deal WR Chris Givens UFA Baltimore Ravens March 16 Signed 1-year deal WR Rueben Randle UFA New York Giants March 23 Signed 1-year deal C Stefen Wisniewski UFA Jacksonville Jaguars April 4 Signed 1-year deal P Ryan Quigley UFA New York Jets April 18 Signed 1-year deal WR T. J. Graham UFA New Orleans Saints April 22 Signed 1-year deal
Trades On March 9, the Eagles traded cornerback Byron Maxwell, linebacker Kiko Alonso, and the 13th overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft to the Miami Dolphins for the 8th overall draft pick. On March 9, the Eagles traded running back DeMarco Murray and their 4th round draft pick to the Tennessee Titans for their 4th round draft pick. On March 11, the Eagles traded quarterback Mark Sanchez to the Denver Broncos for a conditional 7th-round pick in 2017 NFL draft— predicated upon Sanchez making the Broncos' Week 1 roster. On April 20, the Eagles traded their 2016 1st, 3rd, and 4th-round picks, along with their 2017 1st-round pick and their 2018 2nd-round pick to the Cleveland Browns for the 2nd overall pick the 2016 NFL Draft. On August 16, the Eagles traded offensive tackle Dennis Kelly to the Tennessee Titans for wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham. On September 4, The Eagles traded Sam Bradford to the Minnesota Vikings for their 2017 1st-round pick and their 2018 conditional 4th-round pick. On September 7, The Eagles traded Eric Rowe to the New England Patriots for their 2018 conditional 4th-round pick.
Roster changes The Eagles cut wide receiver Riley Cooper on February 8, 2016. They later cut veteran linebacker DeMeco Ryans on February 24, 2016.
Draft
Notes The Eagles traded their second-round selection, along with a 2015 fourth-round selection and quarterback Nick Foles to the St. Louis Rams in exchange for the Rams' 2015 fifth-round selection and quarterback Sam Bradford. The Eagles acquired an additional third-round selection in a trade that sent their 2015 fourth-round selection to the Detroit Lions. The Eagles conditionally acquired an additional fifth-round selection in a trade that sent cornerback Brandon Boykin to the Pittsburgh Steelers; the condition could have upgraded to a fourth-rounder if Boykin played at least 60% of the snaps with the Steelers during the 2015 season, but he did not. The Eagles conditionally acquired an additional seventh-round selection in a trade that sent quarterback Matt Barkley to the Arizona Cardinals; the Eagles were to only receive this selection if Barkley was on the Cardinals' 2015 roster for at least six games, which was fulfilled on October 17, 2015.
Undrafted free agents Position Player College LB Quentin Gause Rutgers DT Connor Wujciak Boston College WR Hunter Sharp Utah State DE Aziz Shittu Stanford CB CJ Smith North Dakota State DT Destiny Vaeao Washington State RB Byron Marshall Oregon RB Cedric O'Neal Valdosta State LB Myke Tavarres Incarnate Word WR Cayleb Jones Arizona C Bruce Johnson Maine OG Darrell Greene San Diego State LS John DePalma West Virginia TE Dillon Gordon LSU WR Marcus Johnson Texas
Staff
Final roster
Schedule
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 17–9 1–0 Lincoln Financial Field Recap 2 at Pittsburgh Steelers W 17–0 2–0 Heinz Field Recap 3 at Indianapolis Colts W 33–23 3–0 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap 4 New York Jets W 14–6 4–0 Lincoln Financial Field Recap
Regular season Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 11 Cleveland Browns W 29–10 1–0 Lincoln Financial Field Recap 2 at Chicago Bears W 29–14 2–0 Soldier Field Recap 3 September 25 Pittsburgh Steelers W 34–3 3–0 Lincoln Financial Field Recap 4Bye 5 October 9 at Detroit Lions L 23–24 3–1 Ford Field Recap 6 October 16 at Washington Redskins L 20–27 3–2 FedExField Recap 7 October 23 Minnesota Vikings W 21–10 4–2 Lincoln Financial Field Recap 8 October 30 at Dallas Cowboys L 23–29 4–3 AT&T Stadium Recap 9 November 6 at New York Giants L 23–28 4–4 MetLife Stadium Recap 10 November 13 Atlanta Falcons W 24–15 5–4 Lincoln Financial Field Recap 11 November 20 at Seattle Seahawks L 15–26 5–5 CenturyLink Field Recap 12 Green Bay Packers L 13–27 5–6 Lincoln Financial Field Recap 13 December 4 at Cincinnati Bengals L 14–32 5–7 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 14 December 11 Washington Redskins L 22–27 5–8 Lincoln Financial Field Recap 15 December 18 at Baltimore Ravens L 26–27 5–9 M&T Bank Stadium Recap 16 New York Giants W 24–19 6–9 Lincoln Financial Field Recap 17 January 1 Dallas Cowboys W 27–13 7–9 Lincoln Financial Field Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: vs. Cleveland Browns The Eagles kicked off the 2016 season against the Cleveland Browns. 2nd Overall pick Carson Wentz made his debut. The Eagles started off well. Wentz threw his 1st career TD to Jordan Matthews. Caleb Sturgis missed a field goal in the 1st Quarter but did made one early in the 2nd Quarter to extend the lead to 10–0. The Browns would respond early in the 2nd quarter with an Isaiah Crowell 1-yard TD to cut the Eagles lead to 10–7. The Eagles only managed to kick another Sturgis field goal in the 2nd Quarter which resulted in a 13–7 lead at halftime. The Browns then kicked another field goal to change the score to 13–10. Midway through the 3rd Quarter, a bad snap by Browns center Cameron Erving went over the head of Quarterback Robert Griffin III and into the end zone for a safety and it extended the Eagles lead to 15–10. Following that drive, Wentz and the offense went back to work. Wentz threw his 2nd TD to Nelson Agholor to change the score to 22–10. The Eagles mainly burned out the clock in the 4th quarter to weaken the Browns hopes of a comeback. Ryan Mathews sealed the game with a 1-yard TD to make the final score 29–10.
With the win, the Eagles opened the season 1–0.
Week 2: at Chicago Bears Following their big win at home, the Eagles trailed to Illinois to square off Jay Cutler and the Bears in Soldier Field. The Bears scored a touchdown early in the 2nd Quarter by Jeremy Langford. The Eagles only got away with 3 field goals throughout the first half, leading 9–7 at the half. However, things turned around in the 2nd half. Cutler fumbled early in the 3rd quarter, setting up a Ryan Mathews 3-yard touchdown to increase the Eagles lead to 16–7. On the Bears' next drive, Cutler threw an interception to Linebacker Nigel Bradham to set up a touchdown from Carson Wentz to tight end Trey Burton to increase their lead to 22–7. (Kicker Caleb Sturgis missed the extra point.) Cutler left the game with a thumb injury. Backup Brian Hoyer came to relieve him. Early in the 4th quarter, Jeremy Langford fumbled, giving the Eagles the ball at the Bears 47-yard line. The Eagles mainly burned out the clock throughout the 4th quarter. Mathews ran for another touchdown to extend their lead to 29–7. Eddie Royal returned a punt for a touchdown with 5 minutes to go in the 4th quarter. However, the Eagles pulled away the game to end their chances.
With the win, the Eagles moved to 2–0 and tied the New York Giants for first place in the NFC East.
Week 3: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers The Eagles returned home to face their long time state rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Eagles blocked a Chris Boswell field goal to deny 3 points. The Eagles drew first blood with a Caleb Strugis field goal to make the score 3–0. Early in the 2nd quarter, Rookie Quarterback Carson Wentz threw a 12-yard touchdown to Jordan Matthews to add to their lead. The Steelers finally got on board with a Chris Boswell field goal which turned out to be the only scoring play for the Steelers. Strugis notched another field goal to extend their lead to 13–3 at the half. Then, early in the 2nd Half, Wentz threw a 73-yard touchdown to running back Darren Sproles to extend their lead to 20–3. After a Steelers 3 and out, rookie running back Wendell Smallwood scored his first career rushing touchdown and it extend to Eagles lead to 27–3. On the Steelers next drive, veteran quarterback Ben Roethlisberger fumbled the football which the Eagles recovered. The Eagles would score a Kenjon Barner rushing touchdown to create a stunning 31 point lead. The Eagles defense shut down the Steelers offense. Roethlisberger threw an interception to Rodney McLeod late in the game as the Eagles pulled away a huge 34–3 win.
With their 9th win at home against Pittsburgh since 1965, The Eagles headed into their bye week with a commanding 3–0 record and 1st place in NFC East. (The Giants lost to the Redskins earlier in the day.)
Week 5: at Detroit Lions
Week 6: at Washington Redskins
Week 7: vs. Minnesota Vikings This was the Eagles first blackout game of the year.
Week 8: at Dallas Cowboys
Week 9: at New York Giants
After a heartbreaking overtime loss in Dallas, the Eagles traveled to MetLife Stadium to take on the Giants. The Eagles started off slow. Wentz threw 2 interceptions and the defense allowed 2 touchdowns by Eli Manning to Odell Beckham Jr and to Roger Lewis. The Eagles defense struggled all day especially Leodis McKelvin until the 4th quarter when the Eagles intercepted Manning twice. But, they weren't able to comeback as the Eagles failed to score a touchdown. The loss dropped the Eagles to 4–4 and 4th place in the NFC East. After this loss, the Eagles would not lose to New York again until Week 10 of 2020 (November 15, 2020), after 8 consecutive wins.
Week 10: vs. Atlanta Falcons
Week 11: at Seattle Seahawks
Week 12: vs. Green Bay Packers
Week 13: at Cincinnati Bengals With the loss, the Eagles fell to 5–7. They also fell to 0-4-1 all time in Cincinnati.
Week 14: vs. Washington Redskins
Week 15: at Baltimore Ravens