Carson Steele and Willie Lampkin have both done enough to put themselves in the conversation, but they’re not arriving at the same point in the Eagles’ roster race.
Steele is the more complicated case. If he makes the 53-man roster, Philadelphia would be carrying four running backs, something the team last did in 2023 when it kept D’Andre Swift, Kenny Gainwell, Boston Scott, and Rashaad Penny.
Penny, as the source material notes, was little more than a spare part that season, inactive for 11 games and active for two others without seeing the field, then finishing with 11 carries for 33 yards. His run ended there.
Steele is different. He’s only 23, and he brings a profile the Eagles can actually use if they decide to keep him around.
He’s listed as a fullback, but his value clearly stretches beyond that label. Sean Mannion has already said the fullback role would be handled on a week-to-week basis depending on the matchup, and Steele himself made it clear he’s ready to move wherever he’s needed.
“Usually here, they have the fullback stay in the running back room, but honestly wherever they need is where I’m gonna be,” said Steele on Aug. 13. “I always tell myself it’s kind of like being a Swiss army knife, just doing anything, special teams, fullback, running back, wherever they need me.”
He backed that up against the Patriots on Saturday night. Steele posted 117 total yards, with 84 of them coming through the air on six catches, including a leaping 20-yard catch-and-run touchdown in which he hurdled a defender inside the 5. He also added 33 rushing yards on 12 carries and flashed in pass protection, delivering a strong blitz pickup up the middle that ended with him on his back and the defender there too.
That wasn’t the first time Steele turned heads. He had already shown what he could do in Kansas City, including a 72-yard rushing performance on 17 carries in a win over the Atlanta Falcons early in the 2024 regular season.
Still, he got squeezed out by the numbers with the Chiefs and spent last year on the practice squad before the Eagles signed him to a futures deal on Jan. 13.
Lampkin’s path looks cleaner. The interior lineman has played like someone who belongs.
He’s been a force inside, and the sense around him is that he has a job won. His background already carried weight coming in: he was a college All-American at the University of North Carolina, and he also had a strong camp with the Rams last year after signing as an undrafted free agent.
An injury cut that stint short and led to his release.
Philadelphia then grabbed him and placed him on IR last season, which wiped out his entire year.
“Last season when I came in, I was injured, so that was a little tough for me, but now it feels like a new beginning and I'm having a great time learning the playbook, learning from Landon (Dickerson) Jordan (Mailata), Lane (Johnson), Coach Coop (Chris Kuper)," he said. "hey've been teaching me a lot and I'm just blessed.”
Lampkin said he’s also getting sharpened by the defensive tackles across from him.
“Those guys are the best in the league,” he said. “Like those guys, they are amazing. So, it's like going up against them is I feel like if I could go up against them and I can do okay, I feel like I'll be just fine.”
Both players bring real credentials. Steele has already shown he can produce when given touches, and Lampkin has the kind of interior power that stands out fast. The only question now is how the Eagles sort out the final numbers.
In Other News...
Scary Injury Briefly Stopped The Patriots Game And Drew An Update
The opening kickoff of the Eagles preseason game against the Patriots turned unnerving almost immediately when rookie running back JaQuinden Jackson went down after taking a knee to the head. The injury briefly stopped the game and led to Jackson being removed from the field by ambulance, turning an otherwise routine exhibition into a tense sideline scene before most fans had settled in.
Philadelphia later provided a reassuring initial update, saying Jackson had strength and movement in all extremities and was headed to a local hospital for further evaluation. For a team trying to sort out its backfield and get through August healthy, the focus quickly shifted from the snap of the game to Jacksons condition and what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Carson Steele Just Forced A Tough Eagles Backfield Decision
Carson Steele gave the Eagles something to think about in a preseason showing against the Patriots, flashing the kind of all-purpose skill set that can make a crowded backfield suddenly feel a little less settled. He found the end zone, moved the chains as both a runner and receiver, and showed enough versatility to stand out in a game where roster hopefuls are trying to make every touch count.
For a Philadelphia team that already has plenty of bodies competing for snaps in the backfield, Steeles value may be tied to more than just carries. His ability to contribute on offense and special teams gives him a real case to keep pressing for a spot, but with final decisions still ahead, his performance has at least made the conversation more interesting than it was before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Roster Debate Now Hinges On One More Veteran WR Move
With roster cuts and the opener approaching, the Eagles are still sorting through the kind of depth move that can shape the bottom of the depth chart and the back end of the passing game. A suggestion from Philly Voice has added another wrinkle, with the idea of sending backup quarterback Andy Dalton to the Patriots in exchange for wide receiver Mack Hollins, a familiar name for Philadelphia fans who remember his earlier stint with the team.
Hollins spent last season with New England and turned in a productive year there, which is part of why the idea has traction as Philadelphia weighs whether to add one more veteran receiver. For now, it remains only a proposal, and it is unclear whether the Eagles will actually pursue it before the season begins. [Read more 🡒]