Mann Up

The Philadelphia Eagles retained another one of their own Thursday afternoon, signing punter Braden Mann to a four-year, $14 million extension, $7 million of which is guaranteed, a league source confirmed following an initial ESPN report.

GETTY IMAGES: Eagles punter Braden Mann re-ups with the team on a four-year deal.

It’s a considerable commitment to Mann, 28, who last season set a franchise record in gross punting average (49.9) and has delivered consistency for the Eagles for three campaigns.

In 2025, Mann equaled a career best in punts inside the 20 (20). He also recorded a long of 70 yards, a feat he previously accomplished in 2024.

Mann was key when it came to field position last season, often flipping the field and putting the Eagles at an advantage. The Texas A&M product punted at a Pro Bowl level, and having a punter — and holder — who can adapt and thrive amid the fickle elements that accompany playing in the northeast, should be viewed as added value. His previous experience of handling inclement weather was essentially a prerequisite for playing in the AFC East, where Mann spent his first three seasons punting for the Jets.

To best encapsulate Mann’s impact in Philadelphia, think back to the Eagles’ late-season clash with the Buffalo Bills. The freezing rain was unrelenting, impeding efficiency for both offenses. Mann averaged 55.4 yards, booming a long of 65 yards. He punted seven times that afternoon, unfathomable in the modern era, dropping a pair inside the 20. He would have even had a hat-trick, had it not been for a coverage miscue. Mann also launched a 50-yarder from the back line of the end zone, creating breathing room for the defense.

“Braden has been punting great all year and he’s shown being in the northeast,” special teams coordinator Michael Clay said the following week. “When he started his career with the Jets, obviously he [had] to be able to go to Buffalo and [punt in] some bad scenarios. For him to go out there and punt like that is not really a shock because I see it every day, how hard he works, trying to perfect his craft throughout the entirety of it, whether it’s windy, whether it’s snowy, whether it’s rain, Braden’s out there and he just gives it his all.

“It’s really cool to see all of his work come to fruition in a big stage like that to help out the team with the flip of the field, that last punt, 55 yards at 5.0 really helped out [and] gave them a long feel for our defensive to defend.”

To put Mann’s new deal into context, the Tennessee Titans inked punter Tommy Townsend — a 2022 All-Pro and Pro Bowler — to a two-year deal reportedly worth up to $6 million. It was fair to wonder what the ramifications of that deal meant for Mann on the open market, but the Eagles made their valuation of Mann clear, committing long-term to their third phase weapon.

A sixth-round pick of the New York Jets in 2020, Mann spent three seasons punting in East Rutherford before being claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the spring of 2023. He signed to the Eagles’ practice squad that September, and joined the active roster shortly thereafter.

— Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com