With the Eagles down to their final week of training camp, the roster picture is coming into focus fast - and the hardest decisions are no longer about talent alone. By Sunday at 6 p.m., Philadelphia has to get from 90 players to 53, and a handful of spots still feel open enough to make this last preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals matter.
A few names that might have looked shaky a week ago are being projected to survive, including edge rusher Joshua Weru, cornerback Kelee Ringo and Nigerian rookie Uar Bernard, who remains a major developmental project but looks like a near-roster lock. That leaves a long list of players still sweating it out, with some cuts likely to sting more than others.
At the top of the list sits offensive tackle Fred Johnson, who has started 14 games for the Eagles over the last two seasons and built a reputation as an unsung hero in all kinds of matchups. None of that guarantees safety now.
Rookie Markel Bell is pushing hard for the swing tackle job, and the Eagles could even decide to keep Cameron Williams as the second backup tackle and 10th offensive lineman instead. Williams has had a rough second camp, so that path isn’t the favorite, but Johnson still could be squeezed out if Philadelphia wants to use the spot on a younger lineman or another position.
There’s also a chance the Eagles could try to get a late-round pick for him if any team is interested.
Linebacker Chance Campbell is another player with a real case. He’s been solid this preseason, and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio likes him, but that still may not be enough. Deontae Lawson and Smael Mondon Jr. are both younger and bring more athletic upside, which could give them the edge.
Tight end Cameron Latu is in a tricky spot too. If the Eagles aren’t planning to use a fullback often, he could be left off the roster.
New offensive coordinator Sean Mannion is coming from the Packers, and Green Bay didn’t use a fullback last season. The Eagles could keep Latu on the practice squad and bring him up on game days for special teams work and extra blocking.
Rookie guard Micah Morris has made a case for himself. The sixth-round pick moves extremely well for a 6-foot-5, 334-pound lineman, and that athletic ability gives him a strong shot at the 53. Still, he’s not a lock because the Eagles have real depth up front, and getting him through waivers would be difficult.
Cameron Williams, meanwhile, is one of the more interesting swing pieces on the line. At 6-foot-5 and 317 pounds, he has the tools, but consistency has been a problem. The Eagles could keep him over Johnson, though that remains far from the most likely outcome.
Deontae Lawson is another name to watch. He was a highly rated linebacker at Alabama, but he struggled in his final season and went undrafted in April.
Even so, the traits are obvious. He gets downhill quickly, has prototypical size at 6-3, 228 pounds, and showed straight-line burst while piling up 10 tackles in two preseason games.
Center/guard Jake Majors has the staff’s respect, but he’s not safe either. He’s steady at 6-foot-3 and 306 pounds, yet he doesn’t have a standout physical trait to separate himself.
At receiver, Darius Moore has had a good camp, but he hasn’t done enough as a punt returner, and that was his clearest path to the roster. Britian Covey, by contrast, can be brought back on the practice squad for a second straight year and elevated on game days to handle punt returns.
The safety group could get crowded in a hurry. Undrafted rookies Maximus Pulley and Kapena Gushiken have both had decent summers, but there’s a real chance neither makes the team. Seventh-round pick Cole Wisniewski is in even tougher shape after missing most of camp with a hamstring injury and now dealing with a concussion.
Offensive tackle Myles Hinton, a sixth-round pick, is also in danger after continuing to struggle in his second camp, especially in one-on-one work against the Patriots’ edge rushers last week. Rookie edge rusher Keyshawn James-Newby, a seventh-round pick, needed a big summer and instead spent most of training camp sidelined by an ankle injury.
Cornerback Jonathan Jones was brought in on a one-year, $2 million deal because the Eagles valued his 10 years of experience, but a shoulder injury has kept him out for weeks and knocked him out of lock status. He could still be back on the practice squad.
Tight end Grant Calcaterra has shown enough in spot starts to stay in the conversation, but he still hasn’t become a dependable contributor. Trade acquisition Jalen Bennett hasn’t solved that problem either, and his knee injury only makes things harder after he failed to deliver in limited snaps.
On the other side of the roster bubble, running back Elijah Steele made a loud case in Saturday’s preseason loss to the Patriots, finishing with 117 total yards and a touchdown. He hurdled multiple defenders, ran with patience and flashed as a receiver. Even with that performance, the Eagles probably won’t keep four running backs, which puts him on the outside looking in.
Defensive tackle Logan Wilson has also shown enough to intrigue. At 6-foot-3 and 316 pounds, he’s sturdy against the run and posted five tackles in two preseason games. His upside could be enough to land him on the practice squad.
And then there’s edge rusher Andre Ramirez. He’s been explosive off the edge and has flashed enough to turn heads, but the Eagles already have too many established pass rushers to make room for him.
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Eagles Suddenly Have A Real Roster Battle Fans Should Watch
Kapena Gushiken has done a lot to make himself part of the conversation this summer, and not just because he arrived as an undrafted rookie. Through training camp and the preseason, he has shown enough versatility to work at both safety and cornerback, a useful trait on a roster that always values defensive backs who can do a little bit of everything.
The timing has only helped his case. With J.T. Gray released and Tariq Casto-Fields dealing with an injury, the Eagles suddenly have a real opening in the secondary, and Gushiken is right in the middle of the backup safety competition behind the starters. For a player fighting to stick, this is exactly the kind of late-summer opportunity that can change a roster decision. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Suddenly Have A New RB Question After Frightening Injury
The Eagles had to move quickly at running back after JaQuinden Jackson suffered a serious injury in a game and was taken off the field by ambulance. Philadelphia waived Jackson with an injury designation, a step that points to a likely return to the injured reserve list, and filled the opening by bringing in Jordan Mims on a short-term deal.
Mims now joins the 90-man roster and enters a position battle that is about more than just one emergency signing. For a team always looking to sort out depth behind its top backs, the next few days will help determine whether he sticks around long enough to push for a practice squad spot. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles QB2 Battle Is Starting To Lean One Way
The Eagles search for a backup behind Jalen Hurts has started to take on a clearer shape in camp, with Tanner McKee and Andy Dalton both still in the mix. McKee has appeared to get more second-team work in practice lately, a sign that Philadelphia is continuing to test what it has in the younger passer as the regular season draws closer.
Dalton, of course, brings the kind of NFL experience that can matter in a hurry if the Eagles ever need a steady hand under center. But the team has not made a formal decision yet, and the competition is still alive as both quarterbacks keep working for the QB2 job. [Read more 🡒]