The DiCecco Daily: Detailing Eagles Seven Captains For 2026 Season

0:00Hey, what's going on everyone? Welcome into another episode of DeChico Daily. It's Andrew DeChico, Eagle with Beat reporter, FransideTheBirds.com. The Eagles named their captains for the 2026 season. Those players are running back, say, Juan Barclay, who is in his second season as a team captain here in Philadelphia. Linebacker Zach Vaughn, he's a captain for the second consecutive season defensive tackle Jordan Davis. This is his first season as a captain and it's well-deserved. We'll break all this down. Quarterback J1 Hertz, his sixth season, offensive tackle Lane Johnson, his fifth offensive tackle Jordan Milada, his third and wide receiver Devante Smith. This will be his second time as a team captain here with the Eagles. St. Juan Barclay, I've talked a lot about him at different points this off season and really

1:02over his Eagles tenure. This is a consummate professional. Everything he does is, he makes it look seamless, but he conducts himself in such a professional manner. He's always looking for ways to improve. He's watching film of other running backs and always striving to improve his game in some form or fashion. He talked about looking into Todd Gurley's film because Todd Gurley's running back years ago had a lot of success in this wide zone scheme. But also it extends beyond that. It's the work ethic. It's the relationships that he builds throughout the entire locker room. He's someone who was always accountable. You go to him after a game. He's going to tell you exactly what happened. He's one of the spokesperson's, uh, spokesperson's people. I guess you could say for the, for the offense and he never makes any excuses. So I really am impressed with, with, with St. Juan because sometimes when you get players that are of a star caliber such as St. Juan,

2:07they've sort of been there. They've done that. That's not the case here in Philadelphia, at least in my experience because all these players have built into the culture that Nick Serriani has established and they're four one another. They're, some, they're all accountable. They sort of it all embody the, the core values that Nick Serriani puts forth and really harps on. And with St. Juan Barclay, when I think of him, aside from being a dynamic talent and one of the best running backs in football, I think leadership. So well deserved there. Limebacker Zach Bonn. Now I actually asked Eagles Limebacker's coach Bobby King about this and he mentioned that he is taking on more of a leadership role in the absence of Nicobie Dean and being more vocal in meetings. And that's what you really want to hear. But for Zach Bonn, I know that he doesn't get talked about a lot because he's such a steady and consistent player. But man, that he have a really good

3:10summer in terms of just being able to play the run and the pass. I go back to the wheel route that he defended in New England where they tried to get a shot on him. He had the running back. I think it might have been Trayvian Henderson had a step on Bonn, but Bonn was able to close the gap. Had a really good feel for where the ball was, read it perfectly. He is so quick at reading and diagnosing plays, but he's more of a quiet type of leader. He leads by example. But he always struck me as someone that had the leadership potential, whether he needs to continually, by example, or be a little bit more vocal because different players respond to different forms of leadership. And I think that Zach Bonn is equipped to do all the above. And he's going to have to take on a much larger role in that capacity beyond just the Limebacker room. Nicobie Dean was someone that I viewed as the spokesperson for the defense. He's no longer here. So now you're looking at other players like Jordan Davis, like Zach Bonn, Nolan Smith. I think Cuperdigine and Quenna Mitchell also check

4:13off those boxes. They lead in a different way and they're young players, but they are, though, they are players that teammates look up to. I think Marcus Epps has leadership ability just because he's been around for a while. He knows the system. He is a good communicator and another player that seems like he's very much respected based off of his body of work and what he's expected to do for the Eagles in 2026. So they're not glaring. They're not absent of leaders on that side of the ball, just because the Coby Dean's not here. And I think Zach Bonn being someone who is wearing the green dot, being someone who has been an all pro, a two time pro bowler here in Philadelphia, a centerpiece on the defense. That's someone that you want as a team captain. You want them leading the way among the players that I just named leading the way because he, we talk about Zach Bonn Barkley. He's sort of embodies what it means to be a Philadelphia Eagle under the Nick

5:14Sireani regime. And he's going to continue to get better. I think there's even another level that he can reach. And it's sort of as he's not the only player that that fits this criteria, but as Zach Bonn goes, the defense seems to go. As Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter go, the defense goes, Quenya Mitchell Cooper did the same thing. So well deserved there for Zach Bonn. As I've gotten older, I've really tried to concentrate on my physical health, my body, making sure I'm putting the right things in and the healthiest things in. I've always heard about creatine, but I wasn't really sure about using creatine supplements until I did the research to find out what it was really all about. That's when I found momentous, which created signature spec creatine. Their most advanced creatine ever setting a new standard for creatine quality. It's one of the only creatines to be manufactured in a pharmaceutical facility using reverse osmosis water purification and verified through an expanded six stage testing process with four independent

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9:28you have someone that isn't just saying all the right things, they're doing it, they're putting forth the effort, they're bringing everyone together, they're holding press conferences at their locker, scrums, I guess you could say, leading up to big moments. Everyone wants to hear from him. He is someone that sort of sets the tone, is the temperature setter, I would say, and he brings a lot of juice and energy to the locker room. I think he is a great story of development, someone that really worked hard to get to where he is right now. What you've seen is someone that is growing as a past rusher. He's an incredibly strong run defender and someone that isn't afraid to vocalize things when things aren't well, but also keep things together when it seems like maybe on the outside, there could be some splintering or friction or spawn by maybe a loss or two or the defense picking

10:28up the tab for the offense last season very often. Jordan Davis is someone that sort of brings a lot of unity and you need players like that. I look at what he's done, his body of work, he speaks for itself, he's going to take on a larger role again like he did last year, and I think he's sort of really scratching, even at 26 years old I think he's still scratching the circus because I think there's more that he can provide as a pocket collapse or getting after the quarterback. The athleticism has really flashed, you can see that he's leaner, he's moving better, but that's just the testament to the work that he's put in and when you have someone like that you want to recognize them properly and annoy them as one of your team captains because I think he embodies it. I mentioned last year that reblanca chip was someone that was deserving because of some of the things that I observed behind the scenes and how teammates would talk about him

11:29in such a positive light and Jordan Davis is much the same. So good to see him on this list, not surprised in the slightest. Jalen Hertz not a lot needs to be said here, the quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles, the most important position in sports. He is a temperature setter, someone that I think handles distractions really well, he's able to block out noise, focus solely on the task in hand. His messaging I think really resonates with the team, he's such a stoic presence that omits all the chaos and in Philadelphia there's just a lot. You're under the spotlight constantly, you're the top team in the city, every move that you make is going to be. Hey, Philly fans, game day is stressful enough, parking, traffic, long lines, we've all been there, but when it comes to your cannabis, Camden Apothecare, he makes it easy. This is the dispensary for sports fans, just minutes outside of Philly with plenty of free parking, you'll be in and out

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13:34in store. Lane Johnson, another one, not a lot needs to be said. One of the best players at his position, someone when he speaks, it's wise to listen, and he's going to be a future hallfamer. So those players are, needless to say, incredibly deserving of that honor to be a team captain, Jordan Milata, another one who he goes to once, twice a week, he's going to shoot you straight. He's going to give you the full synopsis, the full prognosis on the offense. He's going to look, he's going to give you an introspective look at himself. He's someone that is very critical of himself. What can he do better? He always starts with himself. He is one of the best stories in the NFL. He's put the work in much like Jordan Davis, much like all the other players that I talked about. Those players should be recognized. And so he is. The Vante Smith regains his cap and see

14:38here. AJ Brown was a captain last year. Devante Smith, a very quiet player. He has a certain demeanor about him though that is intense. It's all business. He is a fiery competitor. He shows up every day. He works. He's now taking on a larger role in terms of leadership in the wide receiver room. And when you don't have AJ Brown anymore in the pecking order or things like that, the Vante Smith is going to be the one that everyone is going to look to. He now sits at top of the dev chart. And when you have a player like that, you naturally are going to inherit a more of a leadership role. And I'm really looking forward to seeing what Devante can do this season, not just on the field, but really grow and bring some of these younger players along like a McCoy Lemon, like a Don Tebian wix. He's taking on the largest workload of his young career, not really young career right now, but of his career. And just set the example uplift guys. It's going to be

15:45there will be growing pains from a Kyle Lemon, but someone like Devante Smith is equipped to handle it. Keep him on the right track. Make sure his confidence is where it needs to be. And really just set the tone in terms of just the work ethic and discipline that he exhibits every single day. That's going to do it for this episode of the Czecho Daily. I'm Andrew DeCecho. I'll catch you all on the next one.