The NFL trade deadline could do more than change the Eagles’ roster on the way out. It might also crack open the door for a few players who have been waiting for a bigger shot.
Philadelphia has dropped seven straight and sits last in the NFC East, so the expectation is that the team will be active as a seller before Tuesday’s deadline. That usually means familiar names leaving. It also usually means somebody lower on the depth chart gets a real chance to matter.
One obvious candidate is Eli Stowers. General manager Howie Roseman bucked the usual script when he took Stowers in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and the John Mackey Award winner was supposed to make an immediate impact on the offense. Injuries and Dallas Goedert have slowed that path, but Goedert’s age and expiring contract make him a possible trade chip.
If that happens, Stowers could suddenly be looking at a steady role in an offense that needs a jolt. It would also give Philadelphia a clean look at whether the rookie can handle starter-level responsibility.
He has already shown a little of what he can do, putting up 53 yards on three catches in Week 8 while playing 13 offensive snaps, then flashing as a blocker in Week 9 on seven snaps. The next step would be simple: more routes, more trust, more chances to help on the edge.
Stowers is healthy and ready to roll.
Ty Robinson is another name that could rise fast if the Eagles make a move. The defensive tackle has the size and burst to be disruptive, but he has spent most of his time as the fifth option in the rotation since being drafted in 2025. That could change if Philadelphia decides to move Moro Ojomo or Byron Young, both of whom are set to hit free agency next offseason.
Robinson’s college reputation followed him for a reason. He was called a “wrecking ball,” and his game matches the label: violent at the line, relentless through the whistle, and built to push back blockers with that 6-foot-5, 288-pound frame. The Eagles could use that kind of energy in a run defense that has struggled, with the team ranking 24th in rushing yards allowed per game at 126.1.
Then there’s Jalyx Hunt, who is already a dependable piece but has seen his role shrink lately behind Jonathan Greenard and Nolan Smith. Hunt has played fewer than 45% of the defensive snaps in each of his last four games, which makes his situation a little different from the other two.
Roseman could choose a bigger swing and trade Smith, who has five sacks in eight games and remains under contract in 2027. That kind of move would bring back draft capital and open the door for Hunt to step in as Greenard’s running mate.
Hunt has produced eight sacks, 12 tackles for a loss and 33 quarterback hits in 41 career games, and he has added six pass breakups and four forced fumbles to the mix. The final eight games of 2026 could matter a lot for his future, including whether he eventually earns an extension.
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