The Eagles brought in three free agents for visits at the Jefferson Health Training Complex earlier today, according to the NFL’s official personnel notice, and the group gives a pretty clear picture of what they may be looking for before their first preseason game on August 15.
One of the names is David Blay, a 23-year-old defensive tackle with local roots. He went to Harry S Truman High School in Levittown, Pennsylvania, spent 2021-2022 at West Chester, transferred to Louisiana for 2023-2024, and then moved again to The U in 2025.
Blay went undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft before signing with the New England Patriots as an undrafted rookie free agent, though New England waived him on August 7. At 6-foot-2 and 292 pounds, he was described in a pre-draft scouting report as “a slightly undersized nose tackle who climbed from Division II to Conference USA and finally to Miami, where he played for a national title.”
The same report said he can handle single blocks with “adequate power,” but can get washed out by double-teams or angle pressure, and that his path to a roster “might come as an undrafted free agent.” Pats Pulpit also recently noted that “[…] given that he did not make any noticeable contributions in training camp so far, the writing very much remained on the wall.”
Philadelphia could be viewing him as another option for defensive tackle depth.
The Eagles also worked out Ja’Quinden Jackson, a running back who turns 25 next month. Jackson finished his college career at Arkansas and then signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2025.
Jacksonville kept him on its practice squad last season before waiving him back in May. Philadelphia may be considering him because Dameon Pierce and Elijah Mitchell left practice early on Saturday, and the team could use another body for both practice and preseason work.
In a pre-draft scouting report, Jackson was labeled “a big back with an imposing frame,” but also “a one-speed runner lacking burst and juice in the open field.” The report added that he can add yards after contact, though his size and strength are the biggest draws while his lack of functional speed and third-down value cap his ceiling.
The third player on the visit list was Tarron Jackson, a familiar face. The Eagles took him in the sixth round with the No. 191 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and he played in 22 games for Philadelphia from 2021-2023 before the team cut him in August 2024.
Jackson had a short stint with the Carolina Panthers, then returned to the Eagles in November, only to be released again a month later, meaning he was not with the team when it won Super Bowl LIX. He signed with the San Francisco 49ers in 2025, but a neck injury ended his season in late July.
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