The Eagles are through their joint work with the Patriots, and for a handful of roster-bubble players, that week in Foxborough may have changed everything.
With two preseason games left before the 53-man roster is set on August 30, there are still no guarantees. But several players did enough in the joint practices to give themselves a real shot heading into cutdown day.
A few of them stood out in very different ways.
Brown was one of the more productive names across the two days. He caught a touchdown in the second joint practice and kept finding space throughout the session.
Getting first-team offensive reps has clearly helped, and after a slow start to camp, he put together his best week yet. He likely won’t see much action in Saturday’s preseason game, though he should get a few snaps.
The extra work with Jalen Hurts after practice seems to be paying off.
Moore also made the most of his chances. He opened Day 1 by hauling in a deep ball from Hurts early in the practice, and with DeVonta Smith and Makai Lemon working their way back, Moore has gotten more first-team opportunities.
He took that opening and made noise with it, giving himself a legitimate path onto the roster. If Brown misses, Moore could be the reason.
Then again, both could still end up on the 53 based on how they’ve looked this week.
At quarterback, Dalton continued to edge ahead of McKee in the QB2 battle. The preseason opener didn’t produce a clear winner, but Dalton handled the majority of the backup reps and looked sharp getting the ball out.
When the Eagles scrimmaged the Patriots, Dalton was the quarterback working with Hurts, which is about as clear a sign as you can get that the job is his to lose. He widened that slight lead this week.
Ringo also helped himself after riding the momentum of his preseason interception. In Foxborough, he delivered a pass breakup in the end zone on Thursday and kept making plays even when he got beaten in coverage.
Vic Fangio pushed him over the last two days, and Ringo responded. Fangio didn’t hide his view of the situation either, saying Wednesday before practice, "I think Kelee is-- he's been everybody's piñata doll for a while," Fangio said Wednesday prior to practice.
"I kind of sense he could be coming. We'll see...
I think these two days for him are big." After this week, Ringo may have played his way onto the roster.
Campbell was another linebacker who caught attention. Fangio had already raised the issue of roster spots for him last week, and Campbell backed that up with a strong showing in the joint practices.
He showed off his athleticism and consistently found the football, part of a solid week for the Eagles’ second-team linebackers. Fangio’s confidence in that group was clear when he said, "Our ILB position is probably our deepest position on defense," Fangio said.
"We've got (Jeremiah) Trotter and Smael (Mondon), that are two good quality players. Campbell, been hurt for a while, and Deontae (Lawson).
So, I feel good about those guys."
On the defensive side, Sam also put himself into the conversation as the possible fourth safety. He’s been around the Eagles’ practice squad for a few years, and his physical style showed up both in the preseason opener and during the joint practices.
If the team decides to carry four safeties, Sam looks like a strong candidate because he knows the system and has been steadily coming into his own. At the same time, that same roster math could work against him if the Eagles feel comfortable trying to pass him through waivers.
Up front, Lampkin strengthened his case by showing real pop in 1-on-1 work. He was physical in the joint practices and, along with Drew Kendall, helped make the interior offensive line look less shaky than it did before camp.
Lampkin has been the camp darling, and he’s now in position to make the 53. Players like that don’t always stick, but it would be a surprise if he doesn’t.
The next two preseason games will still matter, but this was the kind of week that can shift a roster conversation. For these seven players, the door is open a little wider than it was before the Patriots showed up.
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 🡒]