Through 11 practices and with the preseason opener set for Saturday evening against the Ravens in Baltimore, a handful of Eagles have already changed the conversation in camp. These aren’t all locks for the 53-man roster, but they’ve done enough to grab attention, and for some of them, the practice squad still looks like a very real path to staying in the building.
The biggest surprise at the top of that list might be Markel Bell. The rookie third-round tackle has gone from intriguing long-term piece to one of the camp’s loudest success stories.
Lane Johnson went as far as calling him the best rookie offensive lineman he’s ever seen, and when Johnson was out, Bell handled the bulk of the reps with the first group. That’s about as strong a signal as a young lineman can get, especially while working against this Eagles defensive line.
Johnson basically pointed to Bell as the heir apparent when he retires after the 2026 season.
Darius Cooper has also forced a major rethink. When camp opened, he looked like a possible roster bubble guy.
Then he started stacking good days, and now he looks like a roster lock with a real chance to matter on offense. He was already impressive last summer, but he’s been even better this year - and in this view, probably the Eagles’ best overall receiver in camp.
The warning about training camp standouts who disappear once the season starts always applies, but the report here is clear: “This kid can flat-out play.”
Michael Carter has quietly made one of the more interesting transitions on the roster. He’s spent his whole career as a slot cornerback, but he’s looked comfortable at safety and has a legitimate shot to push Marcus Epps for the starting job opposite Drew Mukuba.
Carter has played only 21 of his 2,716 career defensive snaps at safety, according to Pro Football Focus, so this isn’t some tiny tweak. It’s a real position change, and he’s handled it well enough to stay in the mix.
At wide receiver, Elijah Moore has gone from afterthought to one of the more intriguing names in the room. He entered camp behind Makai Lemon, Hollywood Brown and Dontayvion Wicks, which made sense after catching just nine passes last season while splitting time between the Bills and Broncos.
But Moore still brings a strong résumé, including a stretch from 2021 through 2024 in which he averaged 50 catches for 541 yards, and he was a high second-round pick, 34th overall, in 2021. After a quiet start, he’s made a lot of plays over the last week and a half and appears to have built real chemistry with Jalen Hurts, especially on routes over the middle.
Andy Dalton has also made things more interesting than expected. A 38-year-old quarterback who has won one of his seven starts since 2023 wouldn’t normally be in the mix to challenge for the No. 2 job, but that’s where things stand.
The former Pro Bowl selection with the Bengals in 2011, 2014 and 2016 has looked comfortable splitting second-team reps with Tanner McKee. He doesn’t have elite arm strength at this stage, but he has been accurate and productive.
One of the more eye-catching performers has been Willie Lampkin. At 5-foot-11 and 290 pounds, the interior lineman looks like a player you have to see in person to believe, and then the drill work makes sense of it all.
He arrived as a center only, but now he’s added guard to his game and has turned in a terrific camp. The history around his size makes the profile even more unusual: there has been just one NFL offensive lineman 5-11 or shorter in the last 50 years, Terry Long of the Steelers, who last played in 1991.
Lampkin may not get the chance, but the report on him is simple: he can play.
Chance Campbell has made a clear leap after spending last season on the Eagles’ practice squad. With Smael Mondon and Jeremiah Trotter behind Zack Baun and Jihaad Campbell, the roster math is tight, but Vic Fangio made sure not to let the beat writers forget him, literally telling them not to leave Campbell off projected 53-man rosters. That’s the kind of comment that sticks.
Tariq Castro-Fields is still fighting for a longer runway, and he’s doing it the hard way. The former Penn State corner is now five years removed from college, turned 27 in January, and is on his fourth team since the 49ers took him in the sixth round in 2022.
He has appeared in just 12 games, with 27 defensive snaps and 109 more on special teams, but he’s been around the ball all camp and hasn’t backed down from any receiver. There may not be a route to the 53, but the practice squad remains in play.
Mac McWilliams has been another steady corner in a room that’s suddenly crowded with them. The rookie fifth-round pick barely played last season, logging 28 defensive snaps and 21 on special teams for a total of 49, the third-fewest among 36 fifth-round picks.
This summer has been different. He’s been solid, feisty at 5-11 and 190 pounds, and looks like one of the most improved players on the defense compared with a year ago.
Quez Watkins rounds out the group. He’s not expected to make the team, and the drops and fumbles that stuck with fans are still part of his story.
Even so, he has had a decent camp, and the speed is still there. Watkins can still get on top of cornerbacks, and after not playing since 2023, he deserves credit for staying in the fight.
A practice squad spot, where he spent part of last year, is still possible.
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Saquon Barkley gave the Eagles a jolt at training camp on a day when he otherwise looked sharp in drills, only for his workout to take an awkward turn when trainers came over to check on him. His cleat even came off during the examination, a small but unsettling scene for a player Philadelphia is leaning on as it settles into a new offensive system and gets ready for its preseason opener.
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Vic Fangios side of the conversation may wind up mattering just as much, especially with the competition in the secondary starting to sharpen. Marcus Epps and Michael Carter are still jockeying for position, and the opener could help clarify who is truly pressing for a bigger role. Add in the steady camp progress from Byron Young, Mac McWilliams and Jakorian Bennett, and the first preseason game already carries more weight than a typical August tune-up. [Read more 🡒]