If the Eagles are going to swing big again, Sam LaPorta is the name that jumps out.
Philadelphia’s path at the 2026 trade deadline should probably lean toward selling, not buying. But there’s one type of move that could still make sense: a deal for a young, high-end player who can help now and keep paying off later. LaPorta fits that mold better than almost anyone.
That kind of move would be a departure from the usual deadline logic. Roseman has never shied away from trying to patch a roster hole with a veteran rental, and he’s made those kinds of trades before for players like Golden Tate, Jay Ajayi, Jaelan Phillips, and Kevin Byard.
Still, with Jalen Hurts out for the rest of the season and a playoff berth looking unlikely, spending future capital on a short-term fix doesn’t really make sense. The more interesting question is whether Roseman would break from a sell-first mindset for a player who is only 25 and could anchor the offense for years.
That’s where LaPorta comes in.
The Eagles have spent decades building around the run and around elite tight end play. The names have changed - LJ Smith, Brent Celek, Zach Ertz, Dallas Goedert - but the idea has stayed the same.
Philadelphia even tried to keep that pipeline going in 2026, when Roseman used the 54th overall pick on Eli Stowers out of Vanderbilt. The early returns have not been promising.
Jeff McLane called the rookie “unplayable” during camp back, and Stowers has yet to get on the field after landing on IR before Week 1.
So while Stowers could still develop into something more, the Eagles can’t bank on him being the next in that long line of tight end success stories. LaPorta, by contrast, already looks the part.
He’s a top-5 tight end with a real chance to settle into the top-3 tier in a strong offense. He isn’t Trey McBride, who is the best tight end in the NFL right now, and he isn’t Brock Bowers, who is chasing that title, but LaPorta has been productive in a major way.
He’s averaging 63.2 yards per game, good for third in the league, and he’s less than a yard behind Isaiah Likely for second.
The athletic profile is just as appealing. According to MockDraftable, LaPorta’s 3-cone drill, broad jump, and 40-yard dash all sit within the 89th percentile for tight ends. He’s also grown into a better blocker since entering the league, to the point that Dan Campbell called him “more valuable than ever” for the Lions last season.
That’s the sort of player who could matter immediately for the Eagles, whether it’s with McKee under center while Hurts is out or later when Hurts returns in 2027.
Of course, bringing LaPorta to Philadelphia would not be cheap. Giving up a Day 2 pick - even one as valuable as the second-rounder the Eagles got back from the Ravens for Jurgens - would be a heavy price for a team in a losing season.
But the alternative is losing the chance altogether. LaPorta is unlikely to hit free agency, and the Lions could franchise-tag him if they can’t reach a long-term deal.
That’s why this idea has more staying power than a typical deadline splash. The Eagles have several useful players on expiring deals, including Goedert, Woolen, and Ojomo, and Roseman could use that flexibility to reshape the roster. If he can pair a win-now piece with a pick and land a long-term building block, LaPorta would make plenty of sense.
Even if Stowers eventually turns into something useful, LaPorta would give Philadelphia another weapon to work with. And if Stowers doesn’t pan out, Hurts could still walk back into a more complete offense and find a favorite target waiting for him for years.
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Skip Bayless was among those expressing surprise, pointing to the way the Eagles have handled business at home with their rushing attack and defense. Even with Jalen Hurts a looming question, the sense around this matchup is that Philadelphia has enough in place to make life difficult for a Cowboys team that has not earned much trust so far. For a division game with so much baggage already attached to it, the opening number only adds another layer of intrigue. [Read more 🡒]
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Lemons expanded role comes at an awkward time for an offense trying to adjust around Tanner McKee, who is set to start with Jalen Hurts dealing with health issues. Still, the rookie has sounded confident about where he is in his development, even as the challenge gets tougher in a divisional game that could ask a lot more of him than the Eagles originally planned. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Still Have One Big Jalyx Hunt Question Before Dallas
Jalyx Hunts return remains one of the more important Eagles health questions heading into the Cowboys game, especially after the scare at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium left him with a knee and ankle injury. He missed the Panthers game, then got back to practice the following week, which at least gave Philadelphia some hope that the issue is trending in the right direction.
Even so, Hunt is still not sure whether he will suit up against Dallas, and his own standard for coming back is clear enough. He has stressed that he wants to be medically ready before returning to the field, which leaves the Eagles waiting a little longer to see whether one of their young defenders can make it back in time for a rivalry game that could use as much depth as possible. [Read more 🡒]