The Eagles’ preseason opener against the Ravens was rough enough to make everyone wince, but the film still turned up a handful of players who helped themselves. For bubble guys, that matters. For some, it may have been enough to tilt the roster conversation in their favor.
On defense, Robinson made one of the clearest statements. He logged three pressures and a sack across 23 pass-rushing snaps, good for a 13.0% pressure rate.
That sack mattered right away, helping force Tyler Loop’s missed 49-yard field goal two plays later. Robinson has been building momentum in recent training camp practices, and this outing only strengthened the idea that he’s moved from cut candidate to someone worth keeping as the No. 5 defensive tackle.
Weru also caught attention, and not just because it was his first football game at any level. He produced two pressures on his first series, including a quarterback hit, and finished with a 16.7% pressure rate for the Eagles.
He’s still nowhere near a finished product, but he’s clearly come a long way since camp opened. The Eagles may already feel comfortable at pass rusher, yet Weru is making a real push to be protected on the 53-man roster.
There was value on offense too, even if the unit as a whole struggled. Shipley’s stat line - 22 rushing yards and 3.1 yards per carry - doesn’t jump off the page, but it doesn’t tell the full story.
He ran hard, found the hole with purpose, and had a few good runs wiped out by penalties. With Dameon Pierce sidelined by a hamstring, Shipley was uncontested in the RB3 battle, and he was one of the few bright spots the Eagles had on that side of the ball.
Ojukwu helped his case as well after the Eagles lined him up with the second team at left guard in the final training camp practice before the game. He was steady at tackle, but this was a chance to show he could handle another spot, and he did.
Ojukwu didn’t allow a pressure in 13 pass-blocking snaps, looked comfortable at his new position, and made a smooth transition. The Eagles are looking for a fifth tackle who can cross-train at guard, and he gave them a reason to keep him around.
Lampkin, the camp darling outside of Darius Cooper this summer, also delivered a solid debut after not playing a game for the Eagles last year. He showed power in the run game and held his ground with good leverage despite his size.
In pass protection, he was just as clean, not allowing a pressure in 13 pass-blocking snaps. That kind of outing helps his bid to be one of the interior offensive linemen on the 53-man roster and gives the Eagles another developmental option.
Ringo had one of the most eventful nights. A bad pass interference penalty put the Ravens inside the 2-yard line, but he answered immediately with an interception on the very next play to keep Baltimore out of the end zone.
Outside of the penalty, he was solid in coverage and consistently around the football. Already an excellent gunner, he backed up the athletic traits that show up on tape and helped his roster case in the process.
Gray also made life complicated for the Eagles’ decision-makers. He’s a three-time All-Pro on special teams, and that alone gives him a strong argument to stay, even with Ringo in the mix.
Against Baltimore, he played well at safety, stayed in position to make plays, and was tough to beat in coverage. That could be enough to make him the No. 4 safety, a spot that still looks wide open.
Maximus Pulley also had a strong preseason opener, and Andre Sam remains in the hunt too.
Gray’s edge on special teams is still the big separator, and after this performance, he’s making it awfully hard to cut him.
In Other News...
Howie Roseman Just Sent A Clear Message About The Eagles Secondary
The Eagles made a quick roster tweak after their preseason opener, bringing in cornerback Isaiah Bolden while moving on from offensive lineman Hollin Pierce. Bolden, a 2024 seventh-round pick by the New England Patriots, arrives as a depth add on the back end, while Pierce, an undrafted free agent from last year, was cut after a quiet summer that never seemed to gain much traction.
It also reads like a small but telling nod to where Philadelphia thinks it needs help most. The secondary had its issues in the preseason loss to the Ravens, and with camp still offering limited time for evaluation, the Eagles are giving themselves another body to sort through in the defensive backfield as the roster picture keeps taking shape. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Face Tough Call On Two Rookie Defenders Fans Love
The Eagles rookie defender conversation has already become one of the more interesting camp subplots, with The Athletics Brooks Kubena and Zach Berman offering their latest 53-man roster projections on a pair of first-year players fans have been eager to track. Uar Bernard and Joshua Weru have both drawn attention during preseason, and the appeal is easy to see: Bernard has stood out for his athletic upside and what he has shown in games, while Weru has kept himself in the mix as the team sorts through the back end of the roster.
What makes this decision worth watching is how little separation there seems to be in the public view, even as the projections point in different directions. The Eagles still have to weigh upside against roster math, and that is where the tension lives for two rookies who have already given fans reason to pay attention. For now, the picture remains fluid, and the final call figures to say as much about the teams long-term planning as it does about either players immediate future. [Read more 🡒]