The Eagles’ roster math got a little tighter after the preseason finale, and one final look at the loss to the Cincinnati Bengals was enough to change the board twice before settling on a 53-man projection.
At quarterback, the call is Jalen Hurts, Andy Dalton and Cole Payton, with Tanner McKee sliding out after being in the mix earlier. Dalton’s inclusion edges out the idea of carrying only two passers and trying to stash Payton on the practice squad, which felt too risky.
The running back group stays compact with Saquon Barkley, Tank Bigsby and Will Shipley. Carson Steele, by this accounting, is the odd man out even though he made a real case for himself.
At receiver, the five are DeVonta Smith, Dontayvion Wicks, Darius Cooper, Hollywood Brown and Makai Lemon. Elijah Moore had a solid summer, but the decision here is that six wideouts is too many, especially with limited special-teams value. Britain Covey also gets squeezed out, with the thought that Makai Lemon and/or Cooper DeJean can handle punt returns.
Tight end comes in at four: Dallas Goedert, Johnny Mundt, Eli Stowers and Cam Latu. There was some thought that Mundt could be cut and brought back on the practice squad, but his work in the run game keeps him on the active roster.
Up front, the projection carries 10 offensive linemen: Jordan Mailata, Lane Johnson, Tyler Steen, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, Drew Kendall, Willia Lampkin, Markel Bell, Fred Johnson and Micah Morris. Jake Majors made a strong push, but Morris appears to have gained ground late in camp.
The defensive tackle group is one of the bigger ones, with seven: Jordan Davis, Jalen Carter, Moro Ojomo, Byron Young, Ty Robinson, Uar Bernard and Zion Wilson. Yes, Uar Bernard makes it, and the reasoning here is that the Eagles gave Zion Wilson a lot of money to sign as an undrafted free agent and he had a strong summer.
On the edge, the five are Jalyx Hunt, Nolan Smith, AJ Epenesa, Arnold Ebiketie and Keyshawn James-Newby. James-Newby missed time with injury for much of the summer, but his flashes on the field and his production at New Mexico - 15 TFL, 9 sacks, 5 passes defended - keep him in. Jonathan Greenard likely starting on PUP opens the door for an extra spot, while Jose Ramirez ends up as a tough cut and a practice squad candidate.
Linebacker lands at five: Zack Baun, Jihaad Campbell, Jeremiah Trotter, Smael Mondon and Chance Campbell. Josh Weru misses out and gets the IPP exemption, while Chance Campbell gets the nod because Vic Fangio kept bringing him up whenever asked.
The cornerback group includes Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Riq Woolen, Kelee Ringo, Jonathan Jones and Mac McWilliams. Jones missed much of camp with injury, but his veteran status keeps him in the picture, and there’s also a chance he could wind up on IR after making the roster.
At safety, the three are Drew Mukuba, Marcus Epps and Michael Carter, II. Andre Sam was on the initial version of the 53, but a serious injury that required a cart off the field changed that. DeJean’s versatility also makes the group function like it has four.
Rocco Underwood looks like a practice squad or waiver claim possibility.
In Other News...
Eagles Rookies Are Suddenly Playing For More Than Preseason Reps
The preseason in Philadelphia has turned into more than a chance to get young players some live reps. As the Eagles get ready for their next game, several rookies are suddenly fighting for something bigger than snaps, with roster spots and depth-chart standing hanging in the balance. Makai Lemon, a 2026 first-round pick, could still see the field even after dealing with recent injuries, while rookie tight end Eli Stowers is expected to miss time because of a hamstring issue.
Elsewhere, the attention is shifting to the sort of players who can make a late impression in August and stick around once camp breaks. The Eagles are watching rookie safeties Kapena Gushiken and Maximus Pulley, along with defensive linemen Uar Bernard and Joshua Weru, who are playing their first football this summer. For a roster with competition everywhere, this week is about more than getting through a preseason game. It is about finding out which rookies are ready to push for a real role. [Read more 🡒]
Carson Steele Just Made Eagles Final Cuts Much More Interesting
Carson Steele gave the Eagles something to think about on a preseason night when fringe roster spots were already getting crowded. The hybrid fullback-running back, who arrived in Philadelphia after spending time with the Chiefs and later signing a futures contract, handled his chances well against New England, piling up work as both a runner and receiver and showing the kind of versatility that can stick in an NFL camp.
Steele finished with 12 carries for 33 yards and added six catches for 84 yards and a touchdown, the sort of all-purpose line that is hard to ignore this time of year. He is still a longshot on paper, but performances like that can complicate final roster decisions, and the Eagles now have one more player making a legitimate case for consideration as they sort out their 2026 plans. [Read more 🡒]
Andre Sams Eagles Roster Push Just Took A Brutal Turn
Andre Sam had been making the kind of preseason case that keeps a roster battle interesting well into August. The Eagles safety was active against the Bengals, piling up tackles, forcing turnovers, and staying around the football before everything changed in the third quarter when he had to be taken off on a medical cart.
For a player viewed as a dark horse to crack Philadelphias 53-man roster, the timing could hardly be worse. Sam had done enough in the game to put himself squarely in the conversation ahead of the cutdown deadline, but now the focus shifts from roster math to his health and how the Eagles sort through the impact of an injury on a player who had been helping his stock in real time. [Read more 🡒]