Should the Eagles really be riding with Jake Elliott again in 2026?
Elliott has been a below average NFL kicker over the past two seasons, so why is he staying?
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 11: Jake Elliott #4 of the Philadelphia Eagles stands for the national anthem prior to the NFC Wild Card playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lincoln Financial Field on January 11, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/Getty Images) | Getty Images When you tally up the list of question marks regarding the 2026 Philadelphia Eagles, kicker is not one that leaps to mind. Apparently for Howie Roseman and the front office, they don’t perceive it to be much of a problem, either.
The NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported on Thursday that the Eagles have restructured Elliott’s contract for 2026 , bringing down his base salary from $6 million to $5 million guaranteed, saving them about $240,000 in cap space this season. While it’s true every little bit of cap space helps in the here and now, the consequence of this restructuring is that it all but guarantees Elliott will return as the team’s kicker for his 10th season in Philly. Elliott is the greatest kicker in franchise history.
He’s won two Super Bowls and nailed clutch kicks in the postseason along the way and he will be a surefire Eagle Hall of Famer one day. But as a cadre of younger kickers have entered the league hitting the ball father and more accurately than ever before, Elliott’s limitations and performance over the last two seasons makes him more of a liability than an asset. Elliott simply doesn’t have the range to be a net-advantage for Nick Sirianni anymore.
Last year, NFL kickers made a record 12 field goals of 60+ yards, going 54. 5% from that distance. Jacksonville kicker Cam Little had kicks of 68 and 67 yards, while Dallas’ Brandon Aubrey nailed multiple attempts from over 60.