The Eagles made a fresh round of jersey-number changes after recent NFL roster cuts, and the biggest move on the board belongs to rookie quarterback Cole Payton.
Payton has gone from No. 10 to No. 18, a switch that clears the conflict with punter Braden Mann. Two players can share a number in the offseason when rosters are expanded, but that can’t carry into the regular season, so Payton was the one who had to move. He’s now the first Eagles quarterback to wear No. 18 since Josh McCown in 2019.
Jonathan Jones also made a familiar move, sliding from No. 32 back to No. 31, the number he has worn since entering the league in 2016. Long snapper Rocco Underwood changed from No. 37 to No. 41, while safety Andre’ Sam shifted from No. 31 to No. 32 on injured reserve.
The practice squad picked up several new numbers as well. Jaydon Blue will wear No.
30, Robert Longerbeam No. 38, Mason Reiger No. 43, and Kiran Amegadjie No.
- Britain Covey, meanwhile, moved from No. 18 to No.
For Payton, the number change stands out most because of what it means for the depth chart and the optics. He had been sharing No. 10 with Mann, but once the roster had to settle into regular-season form, the rookie quarterback was the obvious candidate to move. No. 18 also gives him a fresh start after wearing No. 10 earlier.
Jones’ switch back to No. 31 is the cleanest of the bunch. It’s the number he knows best, and there’s no drama attached to it.
Underwood’s move to No. 41 also makes sense in the long-snapper world, where aesthetics are rarely the point. He had been tied to No. 37 this offseason, along with Tucker Large, and now lands on a number that at least gets him one step closer to his college look at Florida, where he wore No. 42.
Sam’s change is the odd one. After suffering what looked like a season-ending injury in the Eagles’ final preseason game, he doesn’t even keep his number while on IR. He goes from No. 31 to No. 32, with Jones taking back 31.
Among the practice squad additions, Blue’s No. 30 is a quieter fit after he wore No. 34 in the preseason last year and No. 23 during the regular season as a rookie. Longerbeam gets No. 38 after wearing No. 37 with the Ravens and No. 7 at Rutgers. Reiger lands on No. 43, and Amegadjie moves into No. 73 after previously wearing No. 72 at Yale and with the Chicago Bears.
Covey’s shift is the most awkward of the group. He was forced off No. 18 by Payton’s change and settles for No. 85, which he had briefly after rejoining the team last year.
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Howie Roseman Just Sent A Message To The Eagles CB Room
The Eagles kept working the bottom of the roster this week, adding former Ravens cornerback Robert Longerbeam to the practice squad as another depth piece for a group that has been under a microscope. Longerbeam, a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, missed last season with a torn patellar tendon, but Philadelphia is giving itself another long look at a young defensive back with some draft pedigree.
Longerbeam was one of four practice-squad additions for the Eagles, alongside wide receiver Danny Gray, offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie and running back Jaydon Blue. Its the kind of move that says the front office is still hunting for developmental upside at several spots, while keeping the cornerback room stocked with more options as the season moves forward. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles May Have Quietly Solved A Roster Concern Behind The Starters
Howie Roseman went into the offseason with a familiar worry for a team built to protect the quarterback and control the line of scrimmage: the depth behind the Eagles starting interior offensive line. By the time Philadelphia set its initial 53-man roster, though, those concerns had eased. The starting five stayed intact, the team kept 10 offensive linemen, and the practice squad was stocked with even more insurance.
The shift came from the growth of a few young players, with Drew Kendall, Willie Lampkin and Micah Morris all showing enough progress to change the way the front office views the back end of the unit. Roseman also pointed to offensive line coach Chris Kuper for getting that group ready to step in if needed, which matters for a team that knows how quickly injury can turn line depth from a talking point into a necessity. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Just Took A Quiet Flier On Former Draft Picks
The Eagles finished filling out their 17-man practice squad by adding a small group that fits the kind of low-risk, high-upside churn teams lean on once the initial roster settles. Philadelphia brought in wide receiver Danny Gray, offensive lineman Kiran Amegadjie, cornerback Robert Longerbeam and running back Jaydon Blue, giving the staff a mix of developmental pieces and familiar faces to evaluate as the season gets underway.
Amegadjie and Blue both arrive with the cachet of being former draft picks elsewhere, while one of the four had already spent time around the Eagles during training camp. Philadelphia also has its international exemption spot occupied by defensive tackle Uar Bernard, so the practice squad is now in place as the team keeps building out the depth it may need later. [Read more 🡒]