Inquirer.com – Zurich DR

Author: Olivia Reiner

  • Eagles newcomers ‘26: Will Andy Dalton emerge as QB2 behind Jalen Hurts?

    Eagles newcomers ‘26: Will Andy Dalton emerge as QB2 behind Jalen Hurts?

    With Eagles training camp drawing nearer on the horizon, The Inquirer is taking a closer look at the more than three-dozen new faces who are expected to report along with the rest of the team on July 28. Whether a 2026 draft choice, a veteran addition or a rookie free-agent hopeful, we’re telling you more about each player’s potential role this season. We’re rolling out two players per day in a mostly unscientific order that balances offense and defense, bigger names with mysteries, and locks with longer shots to be chosen for the 53-man roster.

    Player: Andy Dalton

    Position: Quarterback

    Age: 38

    Previous experience: Dalton has the most NFL experience on the 2026 Eagles — unless Brandon Graham returns. The veteran quarterback is going into his 16th NFL season. Dalton began his career with the Cincinnati Bengals, the team that drafted him in the second round, 35th overall in the 2011 draft out of TCU.

    He started 133 games over nine seasons with the Bengals and reached the playoffs in five straight years (2011-15). Although Dalton was successful during the regular season, the three-time Pro Bowler has not won a postseason game in his career.

    Andy Dalton’s best NFL years came in a Bengals uniform. Frank Victores

    The Bengals eventually moved on from Dalton in favor of 2020 first-overall pick Joe Burrow, marking the beginning of the veteran’s journeyman career. Dalton has spent time primarily as a backup with the Dallas Cowboys (2020), the Chicago Bears (2021), the New Orleans Saints (2022), and the Carolina Panthers (2023-25).

    He has started 36 games since 2020 (14 wins, 22 losses), completing 65.1% of his passing attempts while throwing 50 touchdowns and 33 interceptions. In his seven starts over the last three seasons with the Panthers (one win, six losses), Dalton completed 64.7% of his passes, throwing 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

    Path to a roster spot: Seeing as the Eagles tend to carry three quarterbacks on the active roster, Dalton is essentially a lock to make the team out of training camp. But in the aftermath of the offseason program, bigger questions linger about his role on the team.

    Dalton and Tanner McKee split reps with the second-team offense behind Jalen Hurts, while Nick Sirianni did not commit to McKee as the backup for the upcoming season. Could Dalton have a chance to usurp the incumbent McKee for the QB2 role in training camp? And does Dalton’s contention for the job indicate that McKee could be a candidate for a trade ahead of the start of the regular season?

    Alternatively, if teams aren’t willing to take a chance on the inexperienced McKee (who has started just two games over the last two seasons), could Dalton eventually be on the move before the November trade deadline? The Eagles seem to have options with their depth quarterbacks depending on their preseason performances and the team’s start to the season.

    Fun fact: In addition to having zero career playoff wins, Dalton has thrown just one touchdown pass in the postseason. His lone passing touchdown — a 4-yard completion to tight end Jermaine Gresham — came in the Bengals’ 27-10 wild-card loss to the San Diego Chargers during the 2013 season.

    Since 1970, 83 quarterbacks have played at least 10 NFL seasons and started at least four playoff games, according to Stathead. Dalton has the fewest passing touchdowns in the postseason among them.

    Quotable: “Any time you’ve got a guy that’s got experience, different types of experiences, you lean on that. Having a relationship with him, I was with him in Carolina, so being with him prior, [I] knew that he had that wealth of knowledge, that he’s open to helping other guys as well … he’s a great resource for all of us to be able to lean on, just a guy that’s played a lot in the NFL successfully.” — Eagles quarterbacks coach Parks Frazier on Dalton

    Kapena Gushiken (4), then at Washington State, attempts to defend a potential touchdown against San Jose State in 2024. Young Kwak

    Player: Kapena Gushiken

    Position: Defensive back

    Age: 23

    Previous experience: As an undersized defensive back at 5-foot-8, 160 pounds, Gushiken wasn’t highly recruited coming out of high school in Maui, Hawaii, according to The Seattle Times. But his coach at Kamehameha High School knew the coach at Saddleback College, a community college located in Mission Viejo, Calif, a connection that would lead to the first stop in his college football career.

    He spent two years at Saddleback and became a starter in his second season. As a sophomore, Gushiken posted 22 tackles (one for a loss), six pass breakups, one interception, and one forced fumble in nine games. His strong JUCO performance earned him opportunities at the Division I level, first at Washington State (2023-24) and then at Ole Miss (2025).

    Through 40 games (28 starts) over his final three seasons, Gushiken racked up 143 tackles (5½ for a loss), 20 pass breakups, four interceptions (including one returned for a touchdown), two fumble recoveries, and a sack. Gushiken has played every spot in the secondary, from outside cornerback at Saddleback to nickel cornerback at Washington State to safety at Ole Miss.

    Gushiken, now listed at 5-9, 189 pounds, signed with the Eagles as an undrafted free agent this offseason.

    A way-too-early Eagles 53-man roster prediction: How might the personnel picture change before training camp begins?

    Path to a roster spot: Special teams and safety depth. Gushiken is a long shot to make the initial 53-man roster, but he has a chance to carve out a role on the team, especially on the practice squad. Still, in May, Vic Fangio called the starting safety spot vacated by Reed Blankenship “open,” acknowledging that Marcus Epps, Michael Carter, Andrè Sam, J.T. Gray, and “Gush” will each get a look in the competition when the Eagles are in nickel. Cooper DeJean will start at safety alongside Drew Mukuba in base.

    Special teams will be Gushiken’s most likely path to a role on the Eagles in 2026. His overall athleticism, as evidenced by his 4.35 40-yard dash at his pro day, makes him a strong candidate for the unit.

    Fun fact: In high school, Gushiken lettered in football, track, volleyball, and basketball. As a junior in 2019, he ran a personal best of 11.17 seconds in the 100-meter dash at the Hawaii High School Athletic Association Track and Field Championship.

    Quotable: “He’s really versatile. He can play a bunch of spots, a really savvy player. Hoping he can be [former Ole Miss safety] Trey Washington-ish for us. He’s really smart. So it’s really good to have him.” — former Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin on Gushiken, via 24/7 Sports.

  • Eagles add A.J. Epenesa to their edge rusher corps

    Eagles add A.J. Epenesa to their edge rusher corps

    The Eagles are bolstering their edge rusher corps by signing six-year veteran A.J. Epenesa on Wednesday.

    Epenesa, 27, had spent his entire NFL career with the Buffalo Bills, the team that drafted him in the second round, No. 54 overall in the 2020 draft out of Iowa. He became an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

    According to ESPN, the 6-foot-6, 260-pound Epenesa was set to sign a one-year contract with the Cleveland Browns in March. However, that deal reportedly fell through following his physical.

    After myriad injuries, Eagles center Cam Jurgens is ready to implement a new offense

    Epenesa was mostly a rotational player throughout his career in Buffalo, making 19 starts (91 games total). He posted 24 sacks in that span, including back-to-back seasons of 6½ sacks each in 2022 and 2023. Last year, Epenesa played 47.1% of the defensive snaps through 16 games (two starts), notching 2½ sacks, two interceptions, four pass breakups, and two tackles for a loss.

    Come training camp, Epenesa is set to have an opportunity to compete for a role in the edge rusher rotation behind Jonathan Greenard, Nolan Smith, and Jalyx Hunt.

    A.J. Epenesa (right) had 24 sacks across six seasons with the Buffalo Bills.Adrian Kraus

    The Eagles also signed 28-year-old guard Michael Jordan and released linebackers Isiah King and Chandler Martin. According to the transaction wire, the Eagles waived Martin with a failed physical designation.

    Additionally, the Eagles released Za’Darius Smith from the reserve/retired list. Smith, 33, abruptly retired from the NFL in mid-October last year, roughly one month after he signed in Philadelphia. Smith’s release from the list indicates he could be seeking a return to the league.

  • Jalen Hurts pushes back on ESPN report suggesting his resistance to change: ‘I’m always open to growth’

    Jalen Hurts pushes back on ESPN report suggesting his resistance to change: ‘I’m always open to growth’

    Speaking at mandatory minicamp on Wednesday, Jalen Hurts addressed an April report from ESPN that detailed internal frustration surrounding the Eagles quarterback.

    The question was presented as an opportunity for Hurts to respond to the various claims within the report, which included the notion that he had recommended the failed “four verticals” final play that sealed the Eagles’ wild-card playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers. But Hurts said he hasn’t looked for a chance to set the record straight.

    “I’ve never really asked for an opportunity to respond to anything,” Hurts said. “So just let it live and go do my job.”

    Eagles practice observations: Offense has growing pains; Jalyx Hunt shines; Lane Johnson and Jalen Carter return

    When asked directly if he asked for that play, Hurts responded, “Nah. No.”

    Hurts also was asked about another detail within the report that claimed he had been resistant to change within the offensive scheme in the past and that his preferences limited the offense’s ability to expand. The 27-year-old quarterback also pushed back on those assertions while keeping his focus on the future.

    “I’m always open to growth,” Hurts said. “I’m always open to improving. Think a lot of it is, what do we put our time on task? What are we exhausting? What are we repping? And so I’m looking forward to seeing how training camp goes, so we can just continue to build on the foundation that we began to lay now.”

    Hurts and his teammates finished setting the foundation of the new-look offense under Sean Mannion on Wednesday, the last day of mandatory minicamp and of Phase 3 of the offseason program.

    Jalen Hurts said that “I’m always open to improving,” in response to an ESPN report that suggested his resistance to change.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

    But the scheme — and the personal evolution that it requires — isn’t the only change Hurts is tasked with embracing. The Eagles also traded A.J. Brown, Hurts’ top receiver for the last four seasons, to the New England Patriots on June 1.

    Hurts spoke about his history with Brown during organized team activities two weeks ago with the trade looming and acknowledged that “nothing can replace all the greatness that we achieved together.” With the trade official, Hurts echoed his past comments when asked if he was disappointed in how Brown’s tenure in Philadelphia ended.

    “You come into it and you have a sense of pride in how it began and definitely … what we were able to accomplish,” Hurts said. “And the same thing that I said last time, nothing can take that away. So, for the great things that we did, now it’s time to focus on achieving great things with this new iteration of the team.”

    Traded wideout A.J. Brown had ‘a lot of good years here,’ says Eagles coach Nick Sirianni

    Following his trade to New England, Brown spoke with NBC’s Maria Taylor about a litany of topics, including his relationship with Hurts. The 28-year-old receiver claimed that he and Hurts are no longer as close as they were in the past, but “there’s no bad blood” and he loves “him to death.”

    Hurts did not share his view of their relationship and instead chose to validate Brown’s.

    “I’m not in a place to challenge anyone’s perspective on anything,” Hurts said. “Seemingly so it was. That’s who I am. I’ve always been focused on the collective. I’ve always put my energy toward that, and as a leader, I’ve always put an onus on giving maximum effort to achieve the shared mission we have in the team.”

    Hurts also was asked about his current contract situation — while he is under contract through 2028, the 2026 season is the last year that is fully guaranteed.

    Jalen Hurts (right) greets wide receiver Elijah Moore, who was signed this offseason by the Eagles, during minicamp on Wednesday.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

    The Inquirer reported in April that the Eagles have no plans to extend Hurts’ contract this offseason, suggesting that he could be at an inflection point in his Eagles career. Franchise quarterbacks often are asked to restructure their contracts to create salary cap space in exchange for more guaranteed years. The latest example is Patrick Mahomes, who added two years onto his contract on Wednesday to keep him under contract through 2033, according to ESPN. The first four years of Mahomes’ contract are guaranteed at signing.

    Still, Hurts said he isn’t focused on his contract.

    “For me, I’m truly focused on being the best that I can be right now,” Hurts said. “That’s where my energy is. There’s a lot of change as is. I’m focused on this offense, I’m focused on building with Sean and being at my best.”

    Lane Johnson’s season-ending injury motivated him to return. The veteran tackle is eager for a less ‘stagnant’ offense.

    In Mannion, Hurts has yet another offensive play-caller entering his sixth season as the Eagles’ starting quarterback. Given the change to the offense yet again, Hurts emphasized the importance of “fluency” within the scheme, which comes with time and repetition.

    The figurative repetition counter reset to zero this offseason with the introduction of the new scheme. Hurts said there will be “a lot of opportunity” to grow his game, but he also acknowledged the challenges that come with the changes he confronts on a near-annual basis.

    “When you are such a focused individual and you have to focus on all the different things that are changing, that’s something that you have to manage,” Hurts said. “And so I’ve really just done that and accepted the pieces and the situations that have come, because it has truly been about winning, and everybody is dealt their own set of cards.

    “Mine’s just been dealing with change, and I’ve made the most of that.”

  • Lane Johnson’s season-ending injury motivated him to return. The veteran tackle is eager for a less ‘stagnant’ offense.

    Lane Johnson’s season-ending injury motivated him to return. The veteran tackle is eager for a less ‘stagnant’ offense.

    Lane Johnson said he knew something was wrong with his right foot on the first play against the Detroit Lions in Week 11 last season.

    At the snap, Johnson took a power step and attempted to anchor down against the opposing defender. Then he said he felt a pop in his foot.

    He kept playing. But on the next series, Johnson took a bull rush from Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson and couldn’t anchor. The six-time Pro Bowl right tackle had played through several ailments throughout his 13-year Eagles career to that point, but he struggled to overcome this one.

    Over halfway through the first quarter, Johnson exited the game with what was later diagnosed as a Lisfranc sprain that ended his 2025 season. Still, Johnson was determined to ensure that it wouldn’t be the last moment of his career on the field.

    New Eagles offensive line coach Chris Kuper isn’t trying to replace Jeff Stoutland. He’d rather ‘be myself.’

    “I didn’t want to go out that way,” the 36-year-old Johnson said on Tuesday.

    He didn’t. The two-time All-Pro was back on the practice field for the first practice of mandatory minicamp on Tuesday. Johnson didn’t appear to miss a step, taking every repetition in both individual and team drills with the starting offense.

    At the end of the 2025 season, fellow tackle Jordan Mailata said he expected Johnson to return for a 14th season, but he added, “whatever happens, happens,” acknowledging the degree of uncertainty surrounding Johnson’s future. According to Johnson, though, he never doubted that he would return, staving off retirement for at least another year.

    “I wanted to play,” Johnson said. “Only thing that’s keeping me thinking about retiring, just family. Mom and dad getting older. You miss a lot of time. But other than that, man, I love this game so much. I love competing with all my teammates. I love becoming an older player. A lot of guys trend down in their 30s. I feel like my career has been the opposite, where my career started to blossom in my 30s.”

    Lane Johnson’s foot injury he suffered on Nov. 17 last season against Detroit kept him out of the Eagles’ final eight games of the year, including the playoffs.David Maialetti / Staff photographer

    That positive career trajectory, Johnson said, had continued in 2025 up until the foot injury. He said he thought he was having a “really good season” at the time, and the stats back up that assertion. Johnson did not concede a quarterback hit through 262 pass-blocking snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.

    Johnson said he also felt like the team was starting to “make a turn” for the best before his injury. The win over the Lions extended their winning streak to four games. The offense displayed flashes of dominance in the first two wins of that stretch against the Minnesota Vikings and the New York Giants.

    But the Eagles’ season began to falter instead, as they lost their next three games. Johnson, meanwhile, did not go on injured reserve, with the hope of returning for the playoffs. However, he didn’t recover in time to play in the wild-card playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

    Eagles practice observations: Offense has growing pains; Jalyx Hunt shines; Lane Johnson and Jalen Carter return

    “I was trying to come back,” Johnson said. “I was rehabbing, I was practicing, and so toward the playoff game, I went out there to practice, and after a couple series, my foot would just swell up, and then the mobility piece became to where it was just I couldn’t function.”

    Time was a luxury that Johnson didn’t have last season. He said he finally felt 100% healthy around February or March.

    “I feel good,” Johnson said of his current health. “But it took a long time to get here. I wish I could have done this at the end of last year.”

    Johnson is moving forward, and so is the rest of the offense. With Sean Mannion now at the helm, Johnson is acclimating to a plethora of changes, from the scheme to the man in charge of teaching its finer details to the offensive line.

    For the first time since his rookie season in 2013, Johnson has a new offensive line coach in Chris Kuper. Jeff Stoutland, the Eagles’ offensive line coach for 13 years, left the organization this offseason.

    Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson (left) was coached by Jeff Stoutland for his first 13 seasons in Philly. Now, Chris Kuper will lead the room.YONG KIM / Staff Photographer

    Johnson called Stoutland’s departure a “shocking ordeal.” But he said he has had time to process the change. Kuper, he said, has garnered the respect of the offensive line room through his playing and coaching experience.

    Throughout the offseason program, Johnson has mostly worked remotely, tuning into meetings via Zoom. Johnson has been encouraged by the new scheme, stating that he hopes that the offense “won’t be as stagnant as it was last year,” especially regarding the run game.

    “You have the ability to stretch it front side, but also the running back has the ability to read backside blocks more than maybe what we did in previous years,” Johnson said. “It really does a good job of allowing us to run. We have a lot of athletic guys up front, so being able to stretch the field, make the D-tackles run, make the linebackers run, cover all this ground.

    Traded wideout A.J. Brown had ‘a lot of good years here,’ says Eagles coach Nick Sirianni

    “And then I think setting up with the play action is just going to be a whole lot tougher to distinguish what we’re doing. Whole lot harder to catch on tells with stuff that we’re doing. So I think this stuff, we can disguise it more.

    “I’ve watched this system, [Klint] Kubiak, [Kyle] Shanahan style of offense from afar, and I’ve always envied wanting to be a part of it. So here I am, after all these years, getting a chance.”

    A chance to play in the Shanahan/Sean McVay style of offense will also give its tackles more help from guards in pass protection. Throughout most of Johnson’s career, he’s been left on an island to fend for himself.

    “If I get beat inside, having a guard come out and help me is a big deal for me,” Johnson said. “So, me likey.”

    Johnson likes the new blocking scheme, and his familiar opportunity to prove that he only gets better with age entering Year 14.

    “I’m hoping this will be a great year for us, a great year for me, and we can right a lot of the wrongs that we had last year,” he said.