Brandon Graham’s second public goodbye to football came on a stage at a Jefferson Health “Breakfast with the Birds” event Tuesday morning.
“I’m officially done,” Graham, 38, told the crowd. “Y’all are hearing it from me first. But let me tell you this, they are in great hands. Jordan Davis, I’m telling you, he is a guy that’s going to get the defense going. On offense, I can’t wait for Jalen [Hurts] to prove them haters wrong as always and get us back to the promised land.”
Graham’s first retirement from the game came in March of 2025. After coming back from injury early to play in the Eagles’ Super Bowl victory, the franchise leader in games played decided to end his playing career after 15 seasons with the team that drafted him in the first round out of Michigan in 2010.
But Graham’s initial retirement lasted just seven months. The Eagles, needing defensive depth, signed Graham for the rest of the 2025 season after Week 7. He played a limited role on the defensive front, but made important contributions after changing positions and taking on a role as an interior lineman while the Eagles dealt with the absence of Jalen Carter.
Graham, who stripped Tom Brady late in the team’s first-ever Super Bowl victory, registered two sacks in a shutout victory over Las Vegas in Week 15. He finished his final regular season with three sacks and eight total tackles in nine games.
He remained open to the possibility of coming back for a 17th season, but said at a recent PHLY Sports event that his return needed to be before the season, not joining a season in progress like in 2025.
Brandon Graham’s strip-sack of Tom Brady during Super Bowl LII lifted the Eagles to their first title. David Maialetti
The Eagles retooled their edge rushing corps in the offseason, most notably by trading for Jonathan Greenard and signing him to an extension worth nearly $100 million. They have an ascending young player in Jalyx Hunt and another, Nolan Smith Jr., who is entering his fourth NFL season. Howie Roseman also added some veteran depth in Arnold Ebiketie and A.J. Epenesa.
“Communication between BG, the Eagles, and me has always been consistent,” Roseman said in July. “BG was the first draft pick I ever made as GM. Those conversations, obviously between us and every player, we’re going to keep between us and the player. I want to be consistent with whoever that is that we do that. But obviously you’re talking about one of the greatest Eagles players and an unbelievable person. Last year, his ability to come back in and help us was huge for our football team. But again, those conversations we’ll keep private.”
Graham ends his NFL career as the franchise’s all-time leader in games played with 215. He played in another 13 postseason games. His 5½ playoff sacks add to a career regular season total of 79½.
“I’m going to still be around,” Graham said at the event Tuesday. “I’m still around. I’m still giving wisdom, helping the guys.
“It’s an adjustment for me, but it’s a great adjustment because it’s all about my kids and my family, trying to make sure I’m there for that. Just spreading the love everywhere.”
Chris Kuper inherited a group with a lengthy resumé. Among the five Eagles starting offensive linemen, three have been selected to the Pro Bowl, two have been named to an All-Pro team, and together they’ve combined for nearly 400 NFL starts.
Lane Johnson, who said he plans to retire at the end of the season, may be one of the best right tackles in league history. Jordan Mailata is one of the league’s best success stories. Landon Dickerson has played through more pain than most and has made three Pro Bowls. Cam Jurgens entered the NFL as a center, started for a year at guard while waiting his turn, and then replaced a Hall of Fame center by posting two consecutive Pro Bowl seasons. Tyler Steen, meanwhile, has found his confidence and will this year aim to build off his first year as a starting NFL guard.
The Eagles are undergoing a major overhaul on offense under new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion. Up front, the revamp means a different run blocking scheme and a new approach at the line of scrimmage. And it comes with a new voice; Kuper replaced longtime offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland.
But Kuper, 43, an eight-year NFL guard who most recently coached the offensive line for three seasons in Minnesota, sees his responsibility as “meeting them where they’re at” when it comes to his new pupils. Sure, there’s a lot of change happening, but there’s an element of if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it happening, too.
“I learn as much from these guys as I hope that they learn from me,” Kuper said Thursday. “I’m just giving them little tools. There’s a lot of stuff that Lane does that I’ve never seen anyone else do that. Sometimes you just leave that stuff alone.”
Eagles offensive line coach Chris Kuper says he has been learning from his players even as he helps teach a new scheme. David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
To be sure, there is a lot going on in the offensive line’s meeting room. Wide and outside zone run blocking is a new beast compared to the inside zone and vertical blocking schemes Stoutland was coaching in the past. The players have been amenable to the changes. Johnson said the new offense is friendlier to the offensive line and has raved about not being on an island so often in pass blocking, too.
“We’ve come a long way,” Kuper said of the progress that’s been made. “Still not there yet with what we’re going to be at the end of the season. … They’re very much into their job and to mastering their craft, which is kind of what we harp on in the room every day.”
How Jalen Hurts adapts to the new offense and how the Eagles move on without A.J. Brown will be major factors in 2026, but the offensive line’s health and performance will be pivotal. The unit may be experienced, but it’s also been battered by injuries. Dickerson and Jurgens both went to Colombia for stem cell therapy treatment to manage their pain. Johnson missed the second half of the 2025 season with a foot injury and, while he feels and looks healthy, has decided this will probably be his last ride.
Kuper said he’s enjoyed learning from his new players. The way they see the game helps him coach them in a specific way to “get them to where they need to be.”
“He can relate to a lot of us,” Dickerson said earlier in training camp.
Landon Dickerson knows Chris Kuper has faced some of the same trials as a player that his group must endure. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
One of the biggest changes to the offense has Dickerson excited. The Eagles of 2025 led the league in last-second plays. They often got to the line of scrimmage late, and the previous offense was more about problem-solving at the line, Dickerson said.
“This offense is really just about being quick, getting to the ball, and running our plays,” he said last month.
“This just lets us get up there and play ball fast.”
The college basketball season is officially over, which means it’s time for the transactional period to begin. Welcome to the 2026 transfer portal.
More than 1,500 men’s basketball players were in the portal in the first 24 hours after it officially opened on April 7. The portal is open for two weeks, but players do not need to make their commitment to a new school during that window. The next few weeks will be filled with salary negotiations during the yearly NCAA free agency process.
We’ll be tracking it all here, from players moving in and out of — or around — the Big 5 to keeping tabs on Philly-area players at other schools. We’ll also take a look at where some of the top local high school recruits from the Class of 2026 will be playing in the fall.
Big 5 portal entries
Here are the players who were at Big 5 schools during the 2025-26 season but have entered the transfer portal.
Villanova
Acaden Lewis (point guard) started for the Wildcats during his freshman year and averaged 12.2 points, 5.3 assists, and 3 rebounds. (Transferring to Miami.)
Bryce Lindsay (guard) was a redshirt sophomore and Villanova’s best scorer during its nonconference schedule. (Transferring to Indiana.)
Malachi Palmer (forward) was a solid contributor off the bench who started down the stretch after Matt Hodge went down. But Villanova recruited multiple forwards out of the portal. (Transferring to Minnesota.)
Chris Jeffrey (guard), a freshman backup point guard who missed time after knee surgery but had promising moments.
Braden Pierce (center), a redshirt freshman reserve who followed coach Kevin Willard from Maryland, played 6.5 minutes per game and averaged 1.2 points. (Transferring to College of Charleston.)
Zion Stanford (forward/West Catholic graduate) transferred to Villanova from Temple, left the team in March after playing in 10 games. (Transferring to Towson.)
Tafara Gapare (forward), a senior, left the program at midseason after playing in just nine games.
Aiden Tobiason (guard) averaged 15.3 points, second on the team, and led the Owls with 39 steals. He’ll have two years of eligibility left. (Transferring to Syracuse.)
Babatunde Durodola (forward), a sophomore, started as a freshman and was a key rotational player this season. (Transferring to Ball State.)
Jamai Felt (forward) started in 23 games and averaged 4.1 rebounds. (Transferring to Arkansas-Little Rock.)
AJ Smith (guard) averaged 7.8 points in eight games and had his season cut short by a shoulder injury.
Spencer Mahoney (forward) made 13 appearances as a redshirt sophomore. (Transferring to Denver.)
Ayuba Bryant Jr. (forward) appeared in 27 games, averaging 8.1 minutes.
Connor Gal (guard/Great Valley High graduate) played 12 minutes across five games and will have one year of eligibility left.
Dasear Haskins was a key starter for the Hawks this season.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
St. Joseph’s
Deuce Jones (guard/La Salle), who led the Hawks in scoring during the first two months of the season, was dismissed from the team in December. (Transferring to Alabama-Birmingham.)
Dasear Haskins (guard/Camden High graduate) averaged 11.1 points and started for the Hawks as a redshirt sophomore. (Transferring to Ole Miss.)
Anthony Finkley (forward/Roman Catholic graduate), a junior, averaged 19 minutes in 35 games. (Transferring to La Salle.)
Kevin Kearney (forward) appeared in 14 games as a redshirt freshman. (Transferring to Manhattan.)
Jaden Smith (center) averaged 2.8 points and 1.8 rebounds in 9.1 minutes after transferring from Fordham. (Transferring to Ball State.)
Steven Solano (center), a redshirt freshman, played in eight games. (Transferring to Delaware.)
Al Amadou (center/Springside Chestnut Hill Academy graduate) transferred from Marquette and appeared in 11 games. (Transferring to Wisconsin-Milwaukee.)
Penn
Ethan Roberts (forward) has one year of eligibility remaining — the Ivy League prohibits graduate students from playing intercollegiate athletics — and was the Quakers’ leading scorer (16.9 points per game). (Transferring to Notre Dame.)
Cam Thrower (guard), a senior who spent four years at Penn, averaged 17 minutes in 27 games. (Transferring to Elon.)
Dylan Williams (guard) played in seven of Penn’s first 10 games before the senior missed the rest of the season with an injury. (Transferring to Northwestern)
Michelangelo Oberti (center) appeared in 12 games. (Transferring to Boston University)
Alex Massung (guard), who averaged 5.6 minutes in 10 games played. (Transferring to Saint Anselm.)
Bradyn Foster (forward) saw action in Penn’s season opener.
Drexel
Shane Blakeney (guard) was Drexel’s leading scorer, averaging 14.2 points in 33 games as a junior. (Transferring to South Carolina.)
Kevon Vanderhorst (guard) averaged 9.3 points and 2.9 assists while starting all 33 games for the Dragons. (Transferring to Iona.)
Villiam Garcia Adsten (guard), a junior, averaged 17.5 minutes in 32 games. (Transferring to Maine.)
Horace Simmons Jr. (forward/La Salle College High School graduate) appeared in 13 games.
La Salle
Ashton Walker (guard) started 21 games and averaged 8.2 points as a freshman. (Transferring to Monmouth.)
Eric Acker (guard), a junior, appeared in 26 games, starting 10, and averaged 18.9 minutes. (Transferring to Northern Kentucky.)
Nas Hart (forward) played in 20 games as a freshman. (Transferring to Quinnipiac.)
Edwin Daniel (forward) played 31 games (14.5 minutes) and averaged nearly four points and 3.5 rebounds. (Transferring to Stephen F. Austin.)
Villanova coach Kevin Willard directs his team against Butler on Feb. 25. Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Big 5 portal additions
These are the players who are transferring to Big 5 schools.
The Eagles filled out their initial 17-player practice squad Tuesday, officially signing four more players to add to the 13 they signed on Monday.
The additions to the unit are: wide receiver Danny Gray, offensive lineman Kiran Amegadjie, cornerback Robert Longerbeam, and running back Jaydon Blue. Among the four, only Gray — who had stints on the practice squad in 2024 and 2025 — spent training camp with the Eagles.
The other three are all recent draft picks who were cut by their former teams. Amegadjie (6-foot-5, 326 pounds) was a 2024 third-round Chicago Bears pick. Longerbeam (5-11, 174) and Blue (5-9, 198) were 2025 draft picks, Longerbeam in the sixth round by the Baltimore Ravens and Blue in the fifth by the Dallas Cowboys.
Blue had a limited role as a rookie in Dallas, carrying 38 times for 129 yards and one touchdown. The former Texas running back was waived when the Cowboys cut their roster to 53. Longerbeam, meanwhile, suffered a season-ending knee injury in August last year.
The Eagles are allowed 17 players since Uar Bernard, their seventh-round pick, is a designated International Player Pathway program player, a slot that enables the team to keep one extra player on the practice squad.
Who will back up Jalen Hurts when the Eagles host the Washington Commanders on Sunday, Sept. 13, to kick off their 2026 season?
The Eagles delayed publicly revealing their decision when they opted to keep all four of their quarterbacks — Hurts, Andy Dalton, Tanner McKee, and rookie Cole Payton — on the initial 53-man roster Sunday night, and Howie Roseman’s day-after press conference did little to clear up the pecking order behind the starter.
“Anything that goes into preparations for Washington, we’re going to keep close to the vest,” Roseman said when asked if the team had named a No. 2 quarterback.
Why did the Eagles go the unconventional route of keeping all four? The man who coined the term “Quarterback Factory” called it “the most important position in sports” on Monday.
“I feel like all those guys have value for our team,” Roseman said. “Obviously some is short-term value, some is long-term value when you think about Cole. And so as we went through the process here, just thought it was the right thing to do for our football team.”
It’s possible, perhaps even likely, that Roseman shopped Dalton and McKee around over the weekend. There were teams with holes in their depth chart at the position, and while some of them have been filled, a few remain. But considering neither quarterback separated themselves during training camp as the clear No. 2, it’s fair to wonder what kind of value either has on the trade market. Dalton, whom the Eagles acquired for a seventh-round pick in March, is almost 39 and four years removed from being a starter. McKee, 26, has shown flashes but did not have a strong camp and has one year remaining on his rookie contract.
It’s fair to wonder, too, if the Eagles would be comfortable with Payton as the No. 3 right now, which, when combined with the value of their own backups, makes it all the more likely they still have four quarterbacks on the roster by next weekend.
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman (left) and head coach Nick Sirianni have a surplus of QBs on the roster. Monica Herndon / Staff Photo
It’s unorthodox, but the Eagles aren’t the only team with four quarterbacks on their active roster right now. The Atlanta Falcons, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Minnesota Vikings all kept four quarterbacks on Sunday, though Minnesota released one on Monday.
The Steelers’ situation is most aligned with what the Eagles have. There’s an obvious starter (Aaron Rodgers), and then a bit of uncertainty behind him. Mason Rudolph figures to be the No. 2, but Pittsburgh has drafted a quarterback in each of the last two seasons and seems to want to continue to develop both players. They drafted Will Howard in the sixth round last year and Penn State’s Drew Allar in the third this year.
Roseman alluded to his own team’s sixth-round pick from last season, Kyle McCord, when talking about the quarterback situation on Monday. McCord struggled in camp last year and the Eagles made a move to acquire Sam Howell as the No. 3. McCord was waived after camp and spent the year on the Eagles’ practice squad. He then left the organization and joined the Green Bay Packers in free agency. But after a solid camp this summer, the Packers flipped him to Miami on Sunday for a 2028 sixth-round pick.
That surely factored into Roseman’s decision-making when it came to Payton, the team’s fifth-round pick, whose athleticism and upside the Eagles covet but who still needs a lot of time to develop after only throwing 282 passes at the collegiate level. Payton had limited reps during training camp and in preseason contests, but the Eagles didn’t want to risk losing him to waivers.
Andy Dalton (left), Cole Payton (center) and Tanner McKee are the backups to Jalen Hurts, though their order on the depth chart is in question. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
McKee would have had to clear waivers, too, and while Dalton is a vested veteran who isn’t subject to the waiver wire, he would have been free to sign with any team and there’s no guarantee he would have accepted a role on the practice squad.
“These guys are valuable,” Roseman said. “They take time to develop. At the same time, that position is so valuable to this organization over a long period of time. [We] want to be strong there and think both those guys behind Jalen have value, have shown that over the course of their careers, and we kind of take all the information at our disposal to make these decisions.”
Quiet August
For the first time since 2020, an August has come and gone — at least at the time of this writing — without Roseman making a trade. He did try, he said, but couldn’t find a partner.
“With the way that practices went and the games went, there wasn’t an opportunity to do some of the player-for-player trades we like, to get kind of looks at guys just because of where our numbers were,” Roseman said.
“I think you guys know me well enough to know that I like the action and was trying, but it just didn’t make sense for us at the time, we would’ve just been doing it to make a move.”
The Eagles kept four tight ends on the initial roster. Dallas Goedert is at the top of the depth chart, and behind him is a group that includes Eli Stowers, Johnny Mundt, and EJ Jenkins. Mundt and Jenkins are blocking specialists while Stowers, this year’s second-round pick, projects as a weapon in the passing game.
But the rookie doesn’t appear to be ready to make an impact with the offense just yet, which could lead Roseman to make a move.
According to a report from PHLY, a reunion with Zach Ertz is “on the table.”
Zach Ertz could be in the market for a reunion with the Eagles. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Ertz, who turns 36 in November, is recovering from a season-ending right leg injury and is a free agent. He had rejuvenated his career with the Commanders before suffering the injury in December. Signing him after Week 1 probably would be more palatable given that his contract wouldn’t be guaranteed for the entire season.
Roseman, when asked about Ertz on Monday, didn’t reveal much.
“What an unbelievable player, what an unbelievable person, tremendous respect for him, and at the same time love what we have going in our tight end room, too,” Roseman said. “I would say I’ve talked to Zach over a period of time, obviously rehabbing his ACL, and the relationship [is] just like our former players who have been here.”
Both members of the Eagles from the International Player Pathway — Uar Bernard and Joshua Weru — cleared waivers on Monday and later signed with the Eagles’ practice squad.
Bernard and Weru occupy two spots on the 13-player practice squad the team announced Monday afternoon. The Eagles will be allowed to keep 17 players on the practice unit instead of the normal 16 since they’ll be able to designate one of them as an IPP player.
Bernard is the Eagles’ designated IPP player on the practice squad, according to an updated NFL transactions list, and will not count toward practice squad limits. Previously, teams were able to protect IPP players from being signed away by other teams, but the rules recently changed. IPP players are like any other practice squad player. They can be signed to another team’s active roster at any time.
Roseman stressed what Vic Fangio said earlier in training camp, that all of this is new to both players and they need more time to develop.
Uar Bernard was retained to the Eagles’ practice squad.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
“From our perspective, development is real,” Roseman said. “These guys have tremendous ability to be developed. They want to be developed. They have tools in their body. They have great character.”
There was a thought process involved in placing them on waivers, of course, one that included some necessary context.
“We put a lot of time and effort during this week,” Roseman said. “Not only looking into what’s going to be out there, but by taking snapshots of what other teams are seeing in our guys and saying, ‘They don’t have the practices, they don’t have the individual periods, they don’t have these guys in the meeting rooms.’
“Still very excited about them, really glad that they did get through, certainly wasn’t certain about that.”
The initial practice squad the Eagles announced:
DT Uar Bernard (IPP designation)
LB Chance Campbell
WR Britain Covey
DT Gabe Hall
OLB Keyshawn James-Newby
C/G Jake Majors
T John Ojukwu
RB Dameon Pierce
S Maximus Pulley
OLB Mason Reiger
RB Carson Steele
OLB Joshua Weru
S Cole Wisniewski
The Eagles are also reportedly adding tackle Kiran Amegadjie, according to ESPN. The Chicago Bears drafted Amegadjie in the third round in 2024. He has six games of experience under his belt. Amegadjie would be one of two players from outside the organization who are on the practice squad, joining Reiger, who signed with Miami as an undrafted free agent out of Wisconsin.
Amegadjie would make 14 players on the practice squad, leaving the Eagles with three openings.
The Eagles, who were not awarded any players on waivers Monday, lost four players to waiver claims, more than any other team. The following players were claimed:
Cameron Williams (Atlanta)
Myles Hinton (Cincinnati)
Kapena Gushiken (Indianapolis)
Cameron Latu (New England)
Additionally, safety Andre Sam, who suffered a left leg injury during the preseason finale Friday night, cleared waivers and reverted to injured reserve.
Less than 24 hours after the Eagles announced their 2026 roster, The Inquirer’s Jeff Neiburg conducted an AMA (ask me anything) session with Eagles Reddit users, discussing topics including the quarterback plan, the possibility of general manager Howie Roseman making a deal or two, and what’s going on at tight end (including the possible return of fan favorite Zach Ertz).
The following has been edited for length and clarity.
What do you think of the roster? Any mistakes? Many concerns? How much are we winning the Super Bowl by?
Neiburg: Well, I’m both surprised and not surprised. In my final 53-man roster prediction that I submitted Friday night when the game went final, I had the Eagles keeping four quarterbacks. Just didn’t see a trade materializing over the weekend.
Mistakes? Howie Roseman has won two Super Bowls and I’m, well, me. So I can’t say there are any mistakes.
That being said, I did find a few things surprising. I didn’t expect both IPP players to get waived. I had both on my final 53, and I thought Joshua Weru was basically a lock. I don’t expect either to be claimed when waivers process today (Monday), but I thought the Eagles would avoid the risk, especially with Weru. (Editor’s note: Neither player was claimed and have been listed on the practice squad.)
Joshua Weru (46) being exposed to waivers was a mild surprise. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
I know EJ Jenkins is a great blocker, and Eli Stowers is a bit behind, but I didn’t expect Jenkins to be on the roster.
I will say I’m pleasantly surprised Elijah Moore made the team. I had them cutting him simply because he’s a vested veteran that wouldn’t have needed to clear waivers, and they could have brought him on the practice squad and promised him a gameday elevation. But Moore outperformed Hollywood Brown during camp and good camps deserve to be rewarded. Plus, he could’ve signed anywhere else if the Eagles released him, too, and given their question marks in a world without A.J. Brown, keeping six makes some sense.
Re: the last question … I wouldn’t be shocked if the Eagles won the Super Bowl. The defense is that good. But — spoiler alert — I’ll have them losing in the NFC title game to the Los Angeles Rams when our season preview comes out.
Which cut surprised you the most based on what you saw day to day throughout training camp?
Neiburg: I was a little bit surprised by the IPP guys just based on the risk and whatnot. But that’s not really the spirit of your question. Besides them, I’m not really sure. I did nail 50 of the 53 in my final projection. I guess I’ll say Cameron Latu being cut in favor of EJ Jenkins was a bit surprising, but Jenkins is a really good blocker.
Any positions you see the team adding someone at before opening day or do you think the roster is set?
Neiburg: I do not think the roster is set. And I wouldn’t be surprised if they brought in players at two or more positions between now and opening day.
Let’s list some spots.
Tight end: Eli Stowers doesn’t look ready to play NFL football right now. That’s not to say the pick is a bust. It’s way too early to say that, and anyone who believes he is a bust right now is being hyperbolic. But besides Dallas Goedert, there’s not another reliable weapon in the passing game in the room right now. Johnny Mundt and EJ Jenkins are block-first tight ends. Those are important in this new offense, but what good is 12 or 13 personnel if the defense knows one or two of the tight ends isn’t a real threat in the passing game?
Could Andy Dalton (14) still prove expendable?Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Quarterback: Is it possible the QB2 isn’t on the roster right now? I think so. Not saying it’s likely the Eagles trot out on opening day with a quarterback not named [Andy] Dalton or [Tanner] McKee backing up Hurts, but there’s definitely a chance. It’s easy to overreact to preseason games. But they are relatively meaningless and only one small part of the evaluation process. Fans don’t get to watch practice. I can tell you, though, that everything you’ve read about practice is true. Neither player was that good. If I’m the Eagles, I’m not sure I want to enter a season with Super Bowl aspirations and have either one of those dudes as my primary backup.
Safety: It’s still the thinnest position on the roster. They kept only three guys on the initial 53. But because Cooper DeJean will be on the field there at base, the need for multiple reserves isn’t really there. Still, besides 30-year-old Marcus Epps, there’s a dearth of experience at that spot. Drew Mukuba played 11 games last year as a rookie and is coming off a season-ending injury. Michael Carter II has primarily been a slot corner. DeJean might be an all-world defensive back, but he hasn’t really played safety at the NFL level.
Who was the ‘Camp MVP’ that stats or preseason games might not have fully captured, but who consistently stood out in practice drills and scrimmage situations?
Neiburg: Jalyx Hunt probably was the most consistent performer in camp (and you definitely didn’t see him play in a preseason game). Moro Ojomo was also a wrecker, and Jalen Carter, too. Based on what else was going on around him, Elijah Moore had a really good camp, too. Darius Cooper gets a lot of love, but Moore was super consistent throughout camp I thought, and he was deserving of a roster spot.
Is a Nick Sirianni and Zach Ertz reunion in the offing?David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Is there a world where Zach Ertz ends up on this roster, maybe after Week 1? What are the implications for the other tight ends if it happens?
Neiburg: There is definitely a world. My former Inquirer colleague EJ Smith, who now works at PHLY, reported that a return to the Eagles is possible.
If it happens, my guess is it happens after Week 1. Why? The Eagles wouldn’t need to guarantee his salary if he’s not on the roster for Week 1. If Ertz doesn’t work out, it’s not a waste of resources. Plus, this scenario allows them to play a game and see where they’re at, too.
I do think there’s a need for a second reliable pass catcher at the position given that Eli Stowers needs some more seasoning. The implications of signing Ertz or trading for a tight end for the others would be one of them gets cut (looking at you, EJ Jenkins).
Which wide receivers will be on the field most frequently for Jalen Hurts?Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
What is the expected WR depth chart? We know Devonta [Smith] is locked at WR1, [Dontayvion] Wicks seems to be 2. Has [Makai] Lemon done enough yet to get WR3?
Neiburg: Good question. I’m not sure there’s a firm answer yet, but I’d guess the depth chart looks like: Smith, Wicks, Lemon, Brown, Cooper, Moore. Not sure there’s a need to distinguish between WR2 and WR3 for Lemon, who will mostly line up in the slot. I don’t see him being on the field often in two-receiver sets.
Do you think Uar Bernard or Joshua Weru will provide any long term value to the team? What’s your record prediction? I say 12-5
Neiburg: The odds say no. But they both have athletic profiles worth trying to develop, and I think the Eagles would be thrilled if both cleared waivers and they had a chance to keep working with them. That’s the most likely outcome. It’s hard to imagine another team bringing either into their building on signing them to their 53, knowing they aren’t ready to play and won’t be for a while.
But the Eagles will only be able to designate one of them as their IPP player and theoretically will only be able to control one of them that way.
If I had to guess, I’d say Weru has the better chance at playing NFL snaps than Bernard.
I’m with you at 12-5, and I think the season ends in a conference title game loss to the Rams.
Will Jonathan Greenard be ready to make his Eagles debut in Week 1?David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Any concern at linebacker with the final number that made the roster?
Neiburg: If we’re talking off-ball linebacker? Absolutely not. Arguably the best position group on the team. Jeremiah Trotter Jr. would start on some teams, and Smael Mondon is progressing nicely and is a reliable special teamer (like Trotter). I didn’t see a reason for the Eagles to keep five off-ball linebackers, no matter how much Vic Fangio professed his love of Chance Campbell. Plus, UDFA Deontae Lawson might’ve been the one pushing for that fifth spot anyway.
If we’re talking outside linebacker/edge rusher, I do think there’s some concern entering the season. Jonathan Greenard may not be ready for Week 1, but since the Eagles didn’t put him on PUP/IR, they do expect him back within the first four games. Good sign. And Jalyx Hunt had an excellent camp and may reach double-digit sacks this year.
But beyond the top two, I think there’s some question marks. Nolan Smith Jr. is coming off another injury and has been passed on the depth chart by Hunt. Arnold Ebiketie is on a sort of prove-it one-year deal. A.J. Epenesa was signed off the street in June after things didn’t work out when he tried to sign with Cleveland. There’s some upside overall in the room, but there’s a low floor, too.
Saquon Barkley’s evolution in the Sean Mannion offense is worth watching. Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Do you think the run game will improve this year? If so why?
Neiburg: Yes. If only because it can only go up?
Joking aside, the offensive line seems to be healthier right now. Cam Jurgens is moving around great and says he feels much better after getting his stem cell treatment in the offseason. Lane Johnson looks good, too. I still would be concerned about Landon Dickerson getting through the season if I were the Eagles, and they’re probably thrilled Drew Kendall is progressing well.
Besides the health of Saquon Barkley’s blockers, the wide zone blocking scheme should favor him and most of the linemen. The Eagles have an athletic bunch up front. They have some capable blockers at tight end in Johnny Mundt and EJ Jenkins and even Dallas Goedert.
It’s hard to imagine Barkley not having more holes to run through this year, and given the wider nature of some of these running plays, he should find himself in more advantageous situations with the ball in his hands.
Vic Fangio wasn’t wrong when he warned time after time that Uar Bernard and Joshua Weru — the two first-time football players who joined the Eagles this offseason — have “a long way to go” and are “light-years away.”
The Eagles used a seventh-round pick on Bernard, a defensive tackle from Nigeria with off-the-charts athleticism. They signed Weru, a Kenyan rugby convert, as an undrafted free agent. Neither had played a padded football game before the Eagles and Ravens met in the first preseason game earlier this month, and getting on the field in a real NFL contest is a whole different beast.
But the Eagles’ decision to waive both players ahead of the 6 p.m. roster deadline Sunday means another NFL team could decide to claim them off waivers and put them on their 53-man roster.
That result is unlikely. Again, as Fangio says, his “exchange students” are a long way away from being ready to play in NFL games, and a claiming team would be taking on a big project, and using a roster spot to do so.
But assuming both of them clear waivers and land on the team’s practice squad come Monday, the Eagles will be able to make only one of them the designated IPP player — the program allows teams to keep one extra player on the practice squad, 17 instead of 16 — and the other would be free to sign to another team’s active roster at any point during the season.
That’s obviously a risk Howie Roseman was willing to take.
While Bernard was the more talked-about prospect after the Eagles used a draft pick on him, it was Weru, an edge rusher, who flashed more during camp and in the preseason contests. If one of the two was going to get cut, Bernard seemed the more likely candidate given the possibility the Eagles could use Weru on special teams.
Eagles linebacker Joshua Weru goes after New England Patriots quarterback Behren Morton during a preseason game earlier this month. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Weru made a few impact plays during the preseason, including a sack in the New England game that had his teammates celebrating on the sideline. After the game Friday night vs. Cincinnati, Weru spoke proudly about the progress he had made since OTAs but said he didn’t have any expectations about what his roster fate would be throughout the process.
“I tried not to think too far ahead because I knew there were so many unpredictable things,” he said.
Making the team, he said, would “mean a lot.”
“I guess it would validate all of the work,” he said, “but I think just even being able to stay in this building and them showing how much they’re willing to invest in me already has shown the work that I’ve put in is actually paying off.”
Bernard, meanwhile, said his biggest change from the beginning of training camp to Friday night was his confidence. The Eagles had him break down the huddle before the game, too.
“Two, three months ago I was not this confident,” he said.
“It was amazing to learn the game and at the same time play.”
His next chance to play likely will be with the practice squad. Bernard and Weru, like the rest of the players waived Sunday, will first have to clear waivers.
The Eagles kept five edge rushers on the roster: Jonathan Greenard, Jalyx Hunt, Nolan Smith, Arnold Ebiketie, and A.J. Epenesa. In leaving Bernard off the roster, the Eagles also kept just five interior linemen: Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Moro Ojomo, Byron Young, and Ty Robinson.
On the first play from scrimmage Friday night, Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee faked a handoff and rolled right. His eyes found rookie first-round pick Makai Lemon in the flat, and McKee hit the wide receiver for a modest three-yard gain.
Lemon, who missed nearly three weeks with a hamstring injury and saw his first preseason action during the team’s 30-13 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, caught three passes Friday night for a grand total of three yards. He was targeted five times. On one of the misses, Bengals corner Tacario Davis provided tight coverage on a sideline route. On the other, McKee fired a short pass toward Lemon on a third-and-7 from the Bengals’ 27-yard line — a rare series Friday night where the Eagles could have scored a touchdown — only to have the ball hit his hands and deflect into the waiting hands of Davis.
McKee said he could have put that throw in a better spot, but Lemon took ownership of the turnover.
“It’s a drop,” he said after the game. “It hit my hands. It went through my hands. I got to catch them.
“Dropping the ball like that — glad it happened in the preseason so come around September things like that won’t happen.”
Lemon’s NFL debut, while in a meaningless game, did not go as planned, and the 20th overall pick has not had an ideal summer in the lead-up to his first NFL season. He missed time during the offseason program with a hamstring injury on the same leg that sidelined him this month.
The Eagles have been installing a new offense under a first-year coordinator in Sean Mannion. They are moving on to life without A.J. Brown. But Lemon and DeVonta Smith missed significant time during training camp with hamstring injuries, and Lemon has had limited time to work extensively with Jalen Hurts.
While the Eagles rested the vast majority of their projected starters, Nick Sirianni said the team dressed and played Lemon because he hadn’t played in the preseason yet and, as a rookie, Sirianni felt like he needed reps during the exhibition schedule.
“Few opportunities, but we’ll look at it,” Sirianni said. “There’s gonna be ups and downs for every player. There’s gonna be good plays, bad plays. Obviously, he’s going to want that catch back on third down, to be able to hang onto that, not cause a turnover that basically led to points. We’ve seen some good things throughout his practices where we’re feeling good about his development. He’s got to continue to develop. Young player that we know we’re going to be able to count on this year.”
Lemon played the entire first half and did not take a snap on offense during the second half. He did, however, field a punt late in the third quarter. That, too, wasn’t perfect. Cincinnati’s punter, Ryan Rehkow, did not hit the ball well. It fluttered toward Lemon, who had to come forward before letting the ball bounce. The ball caromed awkwardly between Lemon’s legs. The receiver picked up the ball and quickly was tackled.
“Punts aren’t always going to be right to you,” Lemon said. “I just got to make sure I stay on my task, stay ready so when things like that happen in the game, when they do come about, I’m ready.”
It’s unclear if Lemon will be relied on to return punts during the regular season, though he said he would be willing if called upon. He returned just six total punts in college, all during the 2025 season.
How the Eagles use Lemon come Week 1 remains to be seen. The rookie used his time away from practice to focus on mental reps, but after sitting out the joint practices in New England, Friday offered his first chance at real reps against another opponent.
“I’m really hard on myself; I’m a perfectionist,” he said. “When things like that do come about I just got to forget about it and move on.”
Asked if he was prepared for Sept. 13, when the Eagles host Washington, Lemon said he feels ready, “but we still got some time,” he said.
Training camp is officially over, and Howie Roseman is on the clock.
The Eagles have to submit their initial 53-man roster by 6 p.m. Sunday, and there are key decisions to make at multiple positions, including the quarterback spot.
Projecting the 53-man roster has its twists and turns throughout a training camp. The Inquirer’s Jeff McLane revealed his one and only roster prediction earlier on Friday before the team’s 30-13 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in the final preseason game.
But Friday night’s defeat provided some more data when it comes to decision making, both for Roseman and in this roster view. So, let’s get to our final projection of the 2026 training camp:
Did Tanner McKee do enough to win the No. 2 quarterback job?Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Quarterbacks (4): Jalen Hurts, Andy Dalton, Tanner McKee, Cole Payton
Well, this is quite a departure from every projection from this training camp. But if you watched Friday night, and saw the other two games, can you really imagine another NFL general manager parting with draft capital to acquire one of Hurts’ backups?
Dalton probably has more trade value at this time of year given his body of work. But trading him means the Eagles would be committing to McKee as the primary backup, and while that was fine last year, backing up Hurts with McKee and Payton seems a bit risky for a team that fancies itself a Super Bowl contender.
McKee was dreadful Friday night, though the necessary caveats need to be applied: he was playing with backups, and the only first-teamer who joined him on the field, Makai Lemon, was playing NFL football for the first time. But he was playing against backups, too. He finished the game 12-for-22 for 55 yards and an interception (that hit Lemon in the hands). A year ago, McKee dominated the Bengals in the first preseason contest of the season and cemented himself as the bona fide backup.
Keeping four quarterbacks would be a bit unusual, but it also gives Roseman some time to figure out what to do next. The first game is still two weeks away, and a lot can change on his roster and the other 31 between now and then.
The easy answer might be to cut Payton. The fifth-round pick has been turnover-prone during camp, but the Eagles may not want to expose him to waivers and ensure they’re the team that gets to develop him.
All of this uncertainty begs the question: Is the Week 1 backup quarterback even on the team’s roster right now?
Saquon Barkley’s work in the Sean Mannion offense will bear watching once the regular season gets started. Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Running backs (3): Saquon Barkley, Tank Bigsby, Will Shipley
Cut: Dameon Pierce, Carson Steele, Jordan Mims
This projection has been steady all camp. Pierce ran well Friday night, and Steele has been a playmaker, but that’s why there’s a practice squad.
DeVonta Smith highlights a new-look Eagles receiving corps. Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Wide receivers (5): DeVonta Smith, Dontayvion Wicks, Makai Lemon, Darius Cooper, Hollywood Brown
Cut: Elijah Moore, Britain Covey, Quez Watkins, Danny Gray, Samori Toure, Erik Ezukanma, Tahj Washington
It’s fair to argue Moore had a better camp than Brown, but Brown signed a guaranteed $5 million deal, and Moore is a vested veteran that won’t have to go through waivers. Do the Eagles keep him around by promising him a game-day elevation to avoid him going elsewhere? Injuries plagued the top end of the receiving corps throughout camp, so the unit will enter the season without A.J. Brown and with some question marks hanging over it.
Eli Stowers’ development would give the Eagles another weapon in the passing game, but he’s been slow to acclimate to the NFL. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Tight ends (4): Dallas Goedert, Johnny Mundt, Eli Stowers, Cameron Latu
Cut: Grant Calcaterra, E.J. Jenkins, Stone Smartt
Stowers, who is dealing with a hamstring injury, did not have an inspiring camp. He’s likely to be ready to go for the start of the season, but he may not be ready for a real role. Thus, the need for Latu, who could clear waivers if he’s cut but provides the Eagles with a valuable special-teamer who can block.
Tight end is a spot where Roseman could be looking to upgrade via trade between now and Week 1, too.
Lane Johnson and a talented O-line must adapt to a new wide zone blocking scheme. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Offensive line (10): Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, Tyler Steen, Lane Johnson, Markel Bell, Drew Kendall, Willie Lampkin, Micah Morris, Fred Johnson
Cut: John Ojukwu, Jake Majors, Michael Jordan, Cameron Williams, Myles Hinton, Zeke Correll
Bell seems to be the winner of the swing tackle competition between the third-round pick and Fred Johnson. It’s possible Johnson’s job is in danger. He had a rough camp and the new offense might not be a scheme fit for him, but the Eagles aren’t very deep at tackle, which could work in his favor.
Ojukwu could be a player the Eagles want to get on the practice squad, as a veteran who has positional versatility. Kendall and Lampkin both have positional versatility along the interior, as does Majors, who had a good camp and may end up making the team.
Jalen Carter (left) headlines one of the most talented defensive line groups in football. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Defensive tackles (6): Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Moro Ojomo, Byron Young, Ty Robinson, Uar Bernard
Cut: Gabe Hall, Zion Wilson, David Blay
Robinson came on a few weeks into camp and solidified his spot on the roster. The Eagles have one of the best interior trios in the NFL in Carter, Davis, and Ojomo, and a pretty solid No. 4 in Young. It’ll be hard for Robinson to carve out a large role, and he’ll need to show he can execute against first-team offensive linemen.
Bernard, meanwhile, is a long-term project the Eagles want to develop and probably won’t risk losing to a waiver wire claim.
Joshua Weru (46) and Chance Campbell (59) are two of the names bidding for roster spots in the front seven. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Edge rushers (6): Jonathan Greenard, Jalyx Hunt, Nolan Smith, Arnold Ebiketie, A.J. Epenesa, Joshua Weru
Cut: Tarron Jackson, Keyshawn James-Newby, Jose Ramirez
Greenard’s status for Week 1 might be in doubt, but it seems unlikely he starts the season on the PUP list, so the Eagles will need to roster him on the initial 53. Hunt has had arguably the best training camp of any Eagles player. It’s after Smith where the Eagles may have some depth concerns. Ebiketie hasn’t exactly looked like a world-beater in camp, but he’s signed to a relatively expensive deal (one year, $7.3 million, $4.3 million guaranteed).
The Eagles plucked Epenesa out of free agency in June, and while he’s firmly in the mix for a roster spot, the Eagles could cut him and bring him back on the practice squad with the aim to elevate him on game day. He will not need to go through waivers.
Weru is in the same category as Bernard.
Zack Baun leads the inside linebacker group. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Cut: Chance Campbell, Deontae Lawson, Brandon George
Vic Fangio likes Chance Campbell, but is he even the best deep reserve at his position? Lawson has as good an argument for a roster spot. The Eagles have an abundance of capable linebackers. Trotter probably could start on multiple teams. Mondon, a 2025 fifth-round pick, seems to be developing well.
Campbell and Lawson are deserving of spots. But that doesn’t mean the Eagles need to keep a fifth linebacker. The Eagles could roll the dice and cut both Campbell and Lawson and live with one of them being claimed and getting one of them on the practice squad while crossing their fingers it’s both of them.
Cornerbacks Cooper DeJean (left) and Quinyon Mitchell (center) are part of one of the team’s positional strengths. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Cornerbacks (6): Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Riq Woolen, Jonathan Jones, Kelee Ringo, Mac McWilliams
McWilliams struggled during the team’s preseason games, but the Eagles need all the depth they can get behind their top-line trio of Mitchell, Woolen, and DeJean (nickel). Jones battled a shoulder injury during camp, and while he may be the primary backup option on the outside, he’ll be 33 in a few weeks.
Ringo’s special teams talents help get him on the roster.
Marcus Epps seems to have won the starting job at safety but the Eagles could still seek to bolster the position. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Safeties (3): Andrew Mukuba, Marcus Epps, Michael Carter II
Cut: Cole Wisniewski, Maximus Pulley, Andre Sam, Kapena Gushiken, Jaylen Mahoney.
Maybe Wisniewski ends up on the roster if he didn’t suffer a concussion in the second preseason game. The seventh-round pick dealt with a hamstring injury for most of the first part of camp.
Safety is the thinnest position on the roster, and keeping just three is fitting. Roseman could be looking to acquire a safety to bulk up the position.
But keeping three is also reasonable because DeJean is going to eat up some snaps at safety when the Eagles are in base. Carter, meanwhile, could be on the field in dime packages and can provide some backup nickel snaps, too.
Jake Elliott (right, with punter Braden Mann) finished the preseason strong on Friday night. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Special teams (2): Jake Elliott (kicker), Braden Mann (punter)
Cut: Rocco Underwood (long snapper)
Cutting Underwood helps Roseman get other players on the roster and bides time.
