The Eagles’ rookie class has not exactly lit up training camp, and that puts a few draft picks squarely in the danger zone as roster cuts approach this weekend.
That’s a big change for a team that has gotten used to instant payoff from its early selections. DeVonta Smith came in and produced right away.
So did Jalen Carter, Quinyon Mitchell, and Cooper DeJean. Even Jordan Davis, who needed time to fully develop, flashed early.
This group hasn’t offered that same kind of summer momentum.
Makai Lemon is already penciled in as a starter, and Markell Bell has been treated as the right tackle of the future. Eli Stowers, meanwhile, is still a year away from being a year away when it comes to helping this team. Beyond those three, there are a handful of rookies whose roster status is far less secure.
At the top of the cut-watch list is James-Newby. He was always a long shot because of the edge-rusher numbers around him when he arrived.
Even with Jonathan Greenard on PUP, the Eagles already had Nolan Smith, Jalyx Hunt, Arnold Ebiketie, and A.J. Epenesa in place, and all four are making the team.
Joshua Weru has also forced his way into the conversation, creating the possibility of the Eagles carrying a fifth or sixth pass rusher. If James-Newby clears waivers, the practice squad looks like the likeliest landing spot.
Wisniewski had a real chance to stick as the No. 4 safety, especially after he returned from a hamstring injury last week and got work at the position. But now he’s dealing with a concussion and is unlikely to play in the preseason finale.
That makes the practice squad a realistic path, and the Eagles could also use a phantom injured reserve stint to keep him away from waivers. There’s talent here, but he hasn’t had the chance to show it this summer.
Morris is also in a tight spot. He remains one of the 22 players on the roster bubble, and there’s still a route for him to make it as the final offensive lineman.
A strong preseason finale would help, especially after he was passed by Drew Kendall and Willie Lampkin on the depth chart. If the Eagles do move on, the practice squad should still be an option.
Payton is another name to watch, though the logic here is different. The Eagles haven’t seen enough to keep him over Tanner McKee or Andy Dalton based on performance alone, but they do want to keep developing him.
If he makes the roster, he’d likely spend most of the season as the inactive QB3. He should also get plenty of snaps in the preseason finale, which should make for a busy night.
Bernard appears to be in a better position. The Eagles are expected to protect him on the 53-man roster, even with Weru making things interesting.
Weru has been so strong this preseason that he could be claimed if waived, which is why Bernard’s spot has come up at all. The Eagles could choose to protect two IPP players, but Bernard has been part of the long-term plan from the start, and that plan still seems intact.
The first three draft picks are in a different category altogether. Lemon is expected to play in the preseason finale but will be on the field in Week 1.
Stowers has struggled and is dealing with a hamstring injury, yet he should still make the team. Bell has been the best camp performer among the rookies and is firmly viewed as the right tackle of the future.
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 🡒]