After a rough preseason opener against the Baltimore Ravens, a 24-7 loss that left the Philadelphia Eagles looking flat, the second exhibition against the New England Patriots gives a different group of players a chance to make noise. The starters already helped reset the tone on the final day of joint practices, but the real roster drama sits with the backups who are trying to prove they belong in 2026.
There are five Eagles who could do real damage to their roster bubble with a strong showing against New England.
Elijah Moore is one of the clearest names to watch. The wide receiver has been developing a solid connection with Jalen Hurts and has stayed steady throughout training camp.
With DeVonta Smith and Makai Lemon dealing with injuries, Moore has had more chances to step into the spotlight. If the Eagles feature him more against the Patriots, he could strengthen his case as both a roster fit and a possible impact player in 2026.
Cole Wisniewski is another player with an opening. The safety just got back from injury this week, but he has already flashed with a sack and pass breakups.
If Philadelphia gives him meaningful snaps, he has a real chance to show he deserves a place on the team. He could even push his way into the safety competition with Michael Carter II and Marcus Epps.
At linebacker, Deontae Lawson made his first preseason outing count with five tackles in the loss to Baltimore. He has been working against Chance Campbell for a spot, and another strong night in Massachusetts would go a long way. For the undrafted rookie from Alabama, this is the kind of performance that could help him finish as the last linebacker on the roster.
Willie Lampkin turned heads against the Ravens, especially with the way he drove a lineman 12 yards downfield. The offensive lineman may be undersized, but he has not been giving up sacks and has held up well when called upon. If he brings that same energy again, he could make the 53-man roster look like a straightforward decision.
Drew Kendall is in the same fight on the offensive line, and he has already shown he can make an early preseason impression. He has been working at both center and guard while trying to hold off Jake Majors and Lampkin. The former Eagles draft pick still has a path to stick around, and another strong performance would keep that door open.
In Other News...
Cooper DeJean Practice Clip Has Eagles Fans Talking For The Wrong Reason
Joint practices usually provide the cleanest snapshot of where a roster stands before the games start counting, and one of the most watched matchups on the field Thursday in New England came with Cooper DeJean lined up across from DeMario Douglas. The Eagles defensive back entered the offseason with plenty of momentum after earning first-team All-Pro honors as a slot defender last season, so every rep against a quick, elusive receiver was going to draw attention from fans looking for clues about how Philadelphias secondary is coming together.
Douglas made the most of the spotlight, winning all three of their 1-on-1 reps by snapping off sharp cuts and exploding into separation, and the clip moved quickly through social media as Eagles followers reacted to what they saw. It is still only a practice setting, of course, but when a player with DeJeans reputation looks out of sync in a widely shared drill, it is the kind of thing that tends to linger until the pads come on and the matchup gets another chance to play out. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Bubble Players Suddenly Feel Like Real Trade Candidates
With roster cutdown day looming on Aug. 30, the Eagles are at the point in camp where the back end of the roster starts to matter as much as the headline names. The usual churn of preseason competition has turned into a real evaluation of who can help Philadelphia now, who has a future here, and who might bring back something useful if the front office decides to move a player instead of simply waive him.
That is why a few bubble cases suddenly carry more trade intrigue than they did a week ago. Andy Dalton, Smael Mondon Jr., Hollywood Brown, Jakorian Bennett and Fred Johnson all sit in different spots on the depth chart, but each comes with a mix of team need, contract situation and performance questions that could make them attractive to another club before the deadline. Nothing is settled yet, but this is the part of camp when a player can go from fighting for a roster spot to being discussed as a legitimate trade chip. [Read more 🡒]
Former Penn State Standout Sees Strong Eagles Camp Cut Short
Tariq Castro-Fields had been one of the more intriguing names in Eagles camp, trying to turn a strong summer into a legitimate push for a 53-man roster spot while working back from a heel injury. The former Penn State standout brought enough familiarity and upside to make him worth watching in a secondary that always seems to have room for another corner to force the issue.
Instead, Philadelphia moved Castro-Fields to injured reserve, which ends his training camp and likely his season before the real evaluation could even finish. The Eagles also waived/injured wide receiver Johnny Wilson while adding center Zeke Correll and wide receiver Brandon Hayes, a reminder of how quickly roster opportunities can shift at this stage of camp, especially for players trying to survive on the margins. [Read more 🡒]