The Philadelphia Eagles’ rookie class is packed with names worth tracking once training camp gets rolling, and not just the obvious ones. The top picks will draw the loudest attention, sure, but this group has plenty of players who could shape the roster in quieter, more practical ways over the next five weeks.
That starts with Lemon, the first-round pick who is expected to matter right away in this new-look offense. He’s in the mix with Dontayvion Wicks and Hollywood Brown for the WR2 job, and he enters camp fully healthy.
How the Eagles deploy him early will say a lot about where he stands and how quickly he can grow into a bigger role. The team is counting on him to be an impact player this season, and if he can seize that WR2 spot, that would be a strong sign for his development.
Stowers is another name to watch, even after a rough spring. He’s viewed as the TE1 of the future, but there’s still work to do before that vision becomes reality.
Camp gives him a chance to earn targets and show what he can do as a pass catcher, especially once the pads come on and the middle of the field opens up a bit more. For Stowers, the theme is simple: growth and development.
Bell turned heads during minicamp when he got first-team reps at right tackle over Fred Johnson while Lane Johnson was away from voluntary sessions. That was a meaningful sign that Bell may be ahead of schedule, and it opened the door to the idea that he could be the swing tackle this year. He’s still learning the position and has admitted the challenge of playing right tackle, but if he has a strong camp, he should help this offensive line in 2024.
Morris is in line for a real shot at the No. 3 guard job by Week 1. The competition around him has some obvious issues, which leaves the spot there for the taking.
His size stands out, and the Eagles have used him at both guard spots, mostly on the right side this spring. As a Day 3 pick, he’ll get plenty of second-team work and preseason snaps, and the fact that the Eagles didn’t add veteran guard help beyond Michael Jordan gives him a legitimate opening.
Wisniewski is harder to evaluate right now because he missed the team session during mandatory minicamp with an undisclosed injury. Even so, he remains relevant because the safety room is unsettled.
There are starting jobs available and several roster spots up for grabs, which gives the seventh-round pick a real chance to stick. He could even start.
Bernard is in a different kind of spot. This season is about learning, not production or playing time.
He’s going to have his struggles in camp, and that doesn’t mean he can’t play in the NFL. He’ll be facing offensive linemen with years of experience, and the Eagles will need patience with him.
The question is how much patience they can afford.
Pulley is another safety who enters the picture because that position is wide open. The undrafted free agent from Wofford was a playmaker at the FCS level, and the Eagles are giving him a legitimate look.
Maybe he turns into the next Reed Blankenship. Maybe he’s just a camp body.
Either way, he has a chance.
Gushiken is one of the undrafted players the Eagles invested heavily in this offseason, and his value is pretty clear. He can play slot and safety, and he brings special teams usefulness too.
If he has a strong summer, there’s room for him on the roster, even if it comes at the expense of a J.T. Gray, Jakorian Bennett, or maybe even a Kelee Ringo.
Underwood already looks like a roster lock simply because he’s the only long snapper on the team. The Eagles didn’t bring in a veteran to challenge him, which tells you they trust what he brings from college. If he helps get Jake Elliott fixed, that’s a major win.
Wilson arrived late as a UDFA after the NCAA denied his sixth year of eligibility, and he gives the Eagles another interesting body at defensive tackle. The room is crowded, but there still appears to be a path for him, even if that path leads to the practice squad. If he can outplay Ty Robinson or Gabe Hall, he could make this a tougher decision than expected.
Weru is the other international addition from this spring, and like Wilson, he’s in development mode. He’ll be learning on the fly at pass rusher, and the Eagles can afford to be patient because of the depth they already have there. He’s not a realistic 53-man candidate, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he mostly goes unnoticed this summer.
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Still, the concern is hard to dismiss when a reliable leg starts looking ordinary on the kinds of kicks that swing games in January. Elliotts recent dip has left the Eagles with a question they have not had to answer yet, but one that could get more uncomfortable if the long-range problems linger and the team decides it needs a real look at other options. [Read more 🡒]
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Sirianni seems well aware of that dynamic, and he has leaned into the idea that the only thing worth his attention is the next week of preparation. Even with his own rsum growing and Hurts continuing to stack victories, the national conversation still finds ways to frame the Eagles as a team under suspicion rather than one that has earned its place near the top. [Read more 🡒]