The Eagles may be 1-0, but Week 1 was a reminder that plenty of former Philly players made noise across the league too. Carson Wentz turned into the catalyst in Minnesota, D’Andre Swift cashed in with a new deal and a monster opener, and a handful of ex-Eagles defenders kept showing they can still fill up a stat sheet.
One of the earliest headlines from the week also turned into one of the biggest: A.J. Brown left the Patriots-Seahawks game early and ultimately landed on IR.
Wentz’s day started with him in the backup role behind Kyler Murray, but he was pushed into action almost immediately when Murray went down with a head injury in the first quarter. The start was rocky while he settled in, yet he finished 12-of-19 for 133 yards and three touchdowns, helping the Vikings rally past the Packers.
Swift’s week was even better. The Bears gave the former Eagles running back a 3-year, $33.75 million contract that included $27.5 million guaranteed, and he followed that up by pounding out 18 carries for 124 yards and three touchdowns in Week 1.
Josh Jobe also delivered a moment that swung a game, picking off the Patriots for the Seahawks to seal the win in the NFL season opener. He made the play by stepping in front of another former Eagle, Mack Hollins.
Nakobe Dean kept building his reputation with the Raiders, posting six total tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble in his first game of the season. Za’Darius Smith also looked like himself again in his return with the Falcons, continuing a comeback after a year filled with loss and personal grief.
There were more Philly alumni popping up all over the box scores. Kenny Gainwell finished the Bucs’ loss to the Bengals with five carries for 15 yards and one kick return for 22 yards.
Several former Eagles defenders topped seven tackles in Week 1, including C.J. Gardner-Johnson with eight for the Bills, Reed Blankenship with seven for the Texans, Avonte Maddox with seven for the Lions, and Sydney Brown with seven for the Falcons.
Tremon Smith kept working as a return man for the Texans, bringing back two kickoffs for 54 yards against the Bills. Ben VanSumeren was activated from the practice squad for the Chiefs’ Monday night game against the Broncos.
Atlanta leaned on former Eagles wideout Olamide Zaccheous so heavily that, because of injuries, he was listed as both the emergency QB and emergency RB against the Steelers. He didn’t need either role and finished with one catch for five yards. The Falcons also got one catch for 19 yards from Jahan Dotson and two tackles plus one sack from Kentavious Street.
Carolina hung around longer than expected against Chicago before the Bears pulled away, and Kenny Pickett even chipped in a couple of plays, including a 24-yard breakaway run. Former Eagles on the Panthers also included A.J. Dillon, who had five carries for 28 yards, and Jaelan Phillips, who finished with three total tackles and one sack.
In Other News...
Eagles Already Have An NFC East Threat Fans Didn't Expect
The Eagles opened the 2026 season in the familiar spot atop the NFC East, but the early picture around the division already looks a little different than expected. At 1-0, Philadelphia is off to a clean start, while the biggest surprise so far may be the New York Giants, who also won in Week 1 and are hanging around as an early threat behind quarterback Jaxson Dart.
Dallas and Washington, meanwhile, are already dealing with the kind of first-week problems that can make a division race feel lopsided fast. The Cowboys dropped to 0-1 with concerns lingering on defense, and the Commanders also fell to 0-1 while their offensive line drew scrutiny, leaving the Eagles looking like the team to beat even as the Giants quietly make things more interesting than many expected. [Read more 🡒]
Howie Roseman Looks Better After Ex Eagles Starter's Brutal Debut
Reed Blankenships first game after leaving Philadelphia did not go smoothly. After signing a three-year deal with the Texans, the former Eagles starter was thrown right into a tough opening test against Buffalo and spent much of the afternoon chasing the ball instead of making plays on it, giving up six catches on six targets in a rough coverage debut.
For Eagles fans, it is the kind of early result that makes Howie Roseman look a little better in hindsight, even if one game hardly settles anything. Houston lost the opener, Blankenship drew a low Pro Football Focus grade, and now he is headed into another difficult matchup with Cincinnati, which will give him a quick chance to steady things before the questions around his fit really start to grow. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Bring Back A Familiar Specialist As Offensive Line Concern Grows
The Eagles added a familiar face back to the 53-man roster by elevating Britain Covey from the practice squad after he spent the first week of the 2026 season there. Covey has been in Philadelphia for five years and has carved out his role mostly as a punt returner, giving the team a steady, known option in the kicking game.
The roster move comes as the Eagles also signed tight end Josiah Deguara to the practice squad and placed left guard Landon Dickerson on injured reserve. Dickersons status puts a spotlight on the interior of the offensive line, forcing Philadelphia to keep adjusting around a spot that had already become a concern early in the season. [Read more 🡒]