When the Eagles kick off their 2026 season Sunday against the Commanders, the spotlight will land where you’d expect: Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, DeVonta Smith and Sean Mannion in his first game as the play-caller. On defense, Jalen Carter, Zack Baun, Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean will draw plenty of attention too.
But Week 1 usually has room for a few quieter names to matter. And this Eagles roster has a handful of players who could end up making noise without entering the day with much fanfare.
One of the more interesting ones is TE Johnny Mundt. A lot of the discussion around the tight end room has centered on Eli Stowers and his lack of development, but Mundt is the one worth watching as TE2.
The Eagles brought him in mainly to block, and his receiving track record is modest - 74 catches, 658 yards in 112 games. Even so, he looks like an important piece of how this offense wants to function.
Hollywood Brown also fits the bill. With Smith and first-round rookie Makai Lemon sidelined for most of the summer because of hamstring injuries, Dontayvion Wicks got more chances to work.
Still, Brown is the veteran to keep an eye on. At 29, he brings the kind of downfield speed that can flip a drive in a hurry, even if he isn’t going to be a high-volume target.
The edge-rusher group has plenty of names, but Nolan Smith has been easy to overlook. Jonathan Greenard’s arrival and Jalyx Hunt’s strong summer pushed Smith a little further out of the conversation, and he also missed five games last season while recovering from an injury. Now healthy, he gets a Week 1 chance to show why he still belongs in the center of the discussion, especially with Greenard being eased back after missing all of camp.
Arnold Ebiketie could be part of that same storyline. His one-year, $7.3 million deal in March brought some attention to the edge room, but then the Eagles traded for Greenard and added A.J.
Epenesa. That doesn’t take Ebiketie out of the picture.
If Greenard’s status remains unclear, Week 1 could be a chance for Ebiketie to make an immediate impact.
Up front, Landon Dickerson may not fit the label of hidden gem in the usual sense, but offensive linemen rarely get the attention they deserve. Dickerson played through injury all last season, and it showed. After an offseason that included recovery and stem-cell treatment, the 27-year-old is another player whose early-season form will be worth tracking.
At safety, Marcus Epps quietly won the starting job next to Drew Mukuba after Vic Fangio called him “solid the whole way through.” He didn’t deliver the kind of camp moments that grab headlines, but he did enough to earn the role. Now the 30-year-old veteran gets his first real test.
Willie Lampkin was one of camp’s most popular names, and for good reason. The 5-foot-11 “beast” made the 53-man roster and gives the Eagles a versatile piece to think about. He’s not jumping Dickerson, Tyler Steen or Cam Jurgens on the depth chart, but he could show up in heavy sets or on special teams as a protector.
Ty Robinson is another name that took some time to come around. He struggled early in camp, and Fangio even said his career was “on life support.”
Robinson turned things around from there and got people’s attention. The question now is whether the 2025 fourth-rounder is the DT4 behind Carter, Jordan Davis and Moro Ojomo.
And then there’s Will Shipley, whose summer started slowly before he finished strong. He may have a shot at a role on offense as the third-down back, but even if that doesn’t materialize right away, the Eagles clearly trust him as a kick returner.
Those aren’t the names most people will be talking about when the game starts. But if Week 1 gets messy, or just interesting, a few of these overlooked Eagles could end up stealing a little of the show.
In Other News...
Eagles Bring Back A Familiar Returner With Unfinished Business
The Eagles added a familiar face to their practice squad, signing wide receiver and return specialist Xavier Gipson after he was waived by the Giants. Philadelphia also moved wide receiver Danny Gray to injured reserve in the corresponding roster move, giving the team a bit of extra backfield and special teams depth as it continues sorting through the back end of the roster.
Gipson is no stranger to the organization, having spent time with the Eagles last season, and his value comes with his ability to help on kickoff returns. For a team that always pays close attention to hidden yardage and the return game, bringing him back fits the kind of practical, low-risk move that can matter later, especially if the Eagles need another option in that phase of the game. [Read more 🡒]
Saquon Barkley Revealed The Early Setback That Shaped His Mindset
Saquon Barkley has never needed much time to remind people how quickly a season can change, and one of the earliest lessons in that mindset came long before his NFL stardom. Looking back on his Penn State debut in 2015, Barkley described a first game that did not go smoothly, with limited playing time and a benching after a mistake in pass protection. For a player who has long carried himself like a workhorse, it was an early reminder that every snap matters.
Barkley said a conversation with his father helped reset him heading into the next week, and the response came immediately. He bounced back with a strong showing against Buffalo, rushing for 115 yards and a touchdown, turning an early setback into the kind of correction that has followed him throughout his career. For Eagles fans, it is another glimpse at the steadying influence that has helped make Barkley such a reliable presence when the margins get tight. [Read more 🡒]
A.J. Browns Patriots Start Just Took Another Brutal Turn
A.J. Browns latest chapter in New England has taken an abrupt detour, with the former Eagles receiver now headed to injured reserve after suffering a high ankle sprain in the Patriots Week 1 game against the Seahawks. It is another tough break for a player who was expected to be a major part of the offense after the trade from Philadelphia in June 2023, and it leaves the Patriots waiting at least four games for his return.
For Eagles fans still tracking one of the most notable moves of that summer, the timing adds another layer to a story that has already been full of turnover and frustration. Browns absence will force New England to adjust early, while also extending the sense that his start there has never really found the rhythm the Patriots hoped for. [Read more 🡒]