The Eagles’ first preseason loss didn’t change much in the big picture, but it did offer a useful look at where a handful of rookies stand after one game. Some flashed, some looked like first-timers, and a few gave the coaching staff reasons to keep watching closely over the next two preseason games.
The clearest early bright spot came from Markel Bell. Training camp buzz had already been positive, but Bell backed it up against Baltimore and then some.
The biggest question around him was how he’d handle NFL leverage with his height, and he answered that part well. He moved cleanly on the edge, held up against talented pass rushers, and looked strong coming downhill as a run blocker.
The Eagles can afford to be patient with him this season, but this was the kind of debut that should leave them encouraged.
Micah Morris also helped himself at guard. He looked steady in the run game and held up better in pass protection than expected.
For a team that could use dependable interior offensive line depth, that matters. Morris looked like someone who can step in if the Eagles need him.
Cole Payton may have made the loudest impression of the night among the rookies. After the backup quarterback play before him had been uninspiring, Payton brought energy and movement to the position.
His legs showed up right away, with scrambles and designed runs producing real gains, including a few plays where he fought through contact to squeeze out extra yards. His best moment came when he extended a play with his feet, kept his eyes downfield, and found a receiver in the back of the end zone for the Eagles’ only touchdown.
That quarterback room is worth watching this preseason. There are trade rumors swirling about Tanner McKee, even after a rough night against Baltimore, and Payton could keep getting extended looks if the Eagles want to see whether he can work his way into the QB3 job.
Elsewhere, Eli Stowers had a quiet first outing at tight end. He started and played a handful of snaps in the first quarter, lining up both inline and in the slot while catching three short passes.
It was a pretty plain game overall. He didn’t look especially dynamic as a receiver and was only fine as a blocker, which isn’t a major concern in his first live NFL action with a group that won’t be the starting cast in a few weeks.
The hope is that he keeps building from here.
Uar Bernard got his first live football snaps and the results were rough in the aggregate. He had mostly negative plays against the run, though there were two snaps - one against the run and one against the pass - where he held his ground and offered a glimpse of what the Eagles are hoping to develop. Given that this was his first taste of real action, the fact that he stayed upright and showed flashes at all is something the team can work with.
Makai Lemon did not play as he continues to deal with a hamstring injury. The Eagles could certainly use help in the wide receiver group, so getting him back soon would matter.
Among the rest of the rookies, Zion Wilson struggled and looked out of his depth in every phase. Kapena Gushiken, by contrast, was a pleasant surprise in his first NFL action.
The former Ole Miss defender handled both safety spots and the slot with ease and looked especially comfortable attacking the run. Maximus Pulley also stood out at safety, showing excellent play at both safety positions.
Joshua Weru, a former rugby player trying to earn a roster spot as an edge defender, has appealing size and athletic traits at 6’4”, 244 pounds. But Baltimore’s offensive linemen gave him a hard time. He was overwhelmed as both a run defender and pass rusher, so there’s clearly work to do.
In Other News...
Za'Darius Smith Just Reopened A Frustration Eagles Fans Know Well
ZaDarius Smith is back in the news, and for Eagles fans it brings a familiar mix of what-ifs and unfinished business. After spending last season in Philadelphia and appearing in five games before retiring, the veteran edge rusher had been tied to a potential return to Cleveland, where he previously worked with Kevin Stefanski, only for his next step to shift in a different direction after a workout.
Now the Falcons are the team making the move, a sign of how quickly the edge-rush market can change when injuries and suspensions start thinning a depth chart. For the Eagles, it is another reminder of how brief Smiths stint in Philly was and how often his career seems to send him back into the spotlight just when one landing spot looks settled. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Rookie Battle Is Suddenly Separating Roster Locks From Bubble Names
The Eagles rookie class has already started to sort itself into two clear groups as camp moves along, with the early draft picks looking far more secure than the rest of the first-year crowd. Philadelphia has spent the summer evaluating 15 rookies across different spots on the roster, and the picture is becoming clearer by the day as some players push toward opening-week roles while others are fighting just to stay in the conversation for the 53-man roster or practice squad.
Jalen Lemons path has been slowed by a hamstring injury that has kept him out since Aug. 4, though he is close to getting back on the field, while the tight end picture also carries some real intrigue with Stowers trending toward a healthy scratch as the TE3 for Week 1. Elsewhere, Bell, Payton, Morris, Wisniewski, Bernard and James-Newby are all being judged not just on talent, but on how quickly they can turn their development into something the Eagles can actually use once roster cuts arrive. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Camp Picture Is Getting Clearer At Wide Receiver
The Eagles twelfth training camp practice offered another look at a receiver room that is slowly starting to take shape, even as the injury report continues to do a lot of the heavy lifting. Makai Lemon, Tank Bigsby and Johnny Wilson were all sidelined, while DeVonta Smith and safety Cole Wisniewski were among the players working on a limited basis as Philadelphia keeps sorting through who can stack full practices ahead of the 2026 season.
Smith was back in a helmet and getting in some position work after the hamstring issue that had slowed him, a small but encouraging step for a passing game that still needs its top targets available and sharp. Lemon, meanwhile, stayed out of the full session but kept moving on the side field, running routes and going through the catch circuit as the Eagles continue to monitor a camp picture at wide receiver that is becoming clearer even if it is not settled yet. [Read more 🡒]