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The Philadelphia Eagles will enter training camp with one of the NFL's deeper rosters, and that should create difficult decisions when the team begins trimming toward the initial 53-man roster.
Philadelphia has star power at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, defensive tackle, and cornerback, but the most competitive roster battles will occur near the bottom of the depth chart. The Eagles have added veteran insurance, traded for skill-position depth, drafted potential future starters, and brought in several young players who could make the back end of the roster difficult to predict. That leaves several players under pressure to prove they have a defined role, special teams value, or enough upside to avoid becoming a numbers casualty.
Here is an early look at seven Eagles bubble players under the most pressure ahead of training camp.
Cooper may be one of the more obvious players under pressure because Philadelphia's wide receiver room changed dramatically around him. DeVonta Smith is the clear lead option after A.J. Brown's departure, while the Eagles traded up for Makai Lemon, added Hollywood Brown, signed Elijah Moore, and acquired Dontayvion Wicks. Those moves changed the depth chart and made it harder for returning receivers to feel safe.
Cooper is talented enough to remain in the conversation, but he must show more than developmental promise. Hollywood Brown gives the offense vertical speed, Wicks is getting significant snaps and has drawn a Keenan Allen comparison from Nick Sirianni, and Lemon was drafted to contribute early. Johnny Wilson is also trying to regain momentum after a significant knee injury, while Quez Watkins, Danny Gray, and Britain Covey are competing for return, speed, and depth roles. Cooper needs a strong camp to prove he can help the active roster rather than remain just a practice-squad candidate.
Shipley is not in immediate danger because of talent, but he is under pressure because the running back room has become more crowded. Saquon Barkley is the centerpiece of the offense, and Tank Bigsby has a clear role after averaging 5.7 yards per carry last season following his arrival as a key trade acquisition. Dameon Pierce and Carson Steele add more competition, while Cameron Latu's role as a fullback/tight end could affect how many backs Philadelphia keeps.
Shipley needs to regain momentum and show he can contribute in a specific way. That could come as a change-of-pace runner, a receiving option, a pass protector, or a special teams player. The Eagles are excited about a new zone-rushing scheme that could help revive the run game around Barkley, but the backup roles behind him remain unsettled. Shipley's roster path is still real, but he needs a strong summer to avoid being squeezed by Bigsby's defined role and the added competition behind him.
Calcaterra has experience in the Eagles' system and has appeared in 62 games with 22 starts, but the tight end room looks different entering camp. Dallas Goedert is back on a one-year deal after catching 60 passes for 591 yards and a career-high 11 touchdowns, while Philadelphia drafted Eli Stowers in the second round as a potential long-term successor. Johnny Mundt is expected to fill the third tight end, run-blocking role, and Cameron Latu is being used as a fullback/tight end hybrid.
That puts pressure on Calcaterra to prove he still brings enough value to keep a roster spot. Stone Smartt, E.J. Jenkins, and Dae'Quan Wright also give Philadelphia options, and the Eagles may not have room for every tight end with receiving traits. Calcaterra's familiarity with the offense matters, but the question is whether he can provide enough blocking, special teams value, and offensive reliability to hold off younger or more specialized competition.
Johnson has given the Eagles valuable swing-tackle depth in the past, but the offensive line numbers could become difficult to manage. Philadelphia's starting five is set with Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, Tyler Steen, and Lane Johnson, while Markel Bell, Myles Hinton, Cameron Williams, John Ojukwu, Drew Kendall, Willie Lampkin, Jake Majors, Hollin Pierce, and Jaeden Roberts are all part of the competition behind them.
Johnson's pressure comes from age, roster math, and the team's need to develop younger linemen. He has value because experienced tackles are hard to find, and Lane Johnson's injury history makes swing-tackle depth important. Still, the Eagles have several young offensive linemen who could force their way into the picture. Johnson must show he remains reliable enough to justify a roster spot over players with more long-term upside.
Tryon-Shoyinka has the draft pedigree and athletic profile to remain interesting, but he enters camp in a crowded edge group. Jonathan Greenard, Nolan Smith, Jalyx Hunt, and Arnold Ebiketie give Philadelphia several athletic pass-rush options, and the Eagles could still add more depth to the room. Jose Ramirez, Ta'Quon Graham, Keyshawn James-Newby, and Joshua Weru are also competing for roles.
Tryon-Shoyinka's pressure is tied to production. He earned a 72.2 overall PFF defensive grade last season, but he played only 142 snaps and has never produced more than five sacks in a season. Philadelphia needs edge rushers who can affect the quarterback and defend the run, and Tryon-Shoyinka must prove he can be more than a traits-based rotational option. If younger players flash on special teams or as pass rushers, his roster security could become uncertain.
The Eagles have several other players who could land on the bubble depending on how camp unfolds. Quez Watkins, Danny Gray, Stone Smartt, E.J. Jenkins, Jake Majors, Gabe Hall, Tariq Castro-Fields, and Ambry Thomas all have roster questions to answer. Still, Cooper, Shipley, Calcaterra, Johnson, Tryon-Shoyinka, Campbell, and Epps stand out because each has a believable path to the 53-man roster, but each also faces enough competition to make training camp critical.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Eagles training camp: 5 bubble players under pressure
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Philadelphia has star power at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, defensive tackle, and cornerback, but the most competitive roster battles will occur near the bottom of the depth chart. The Eagles have added veteran insurance, traded for skill-position depth, drafted potential future starters, and brought in several young players who could make the back end of the roster difficult to predict. That leaves several players under pressure to prove they have a defined role, special teams value, or enough upside to avoid becoming a numbers casualty.
Here is an early look at seven Eagles bubble players under the most pressure ahead of training camp.
1. Darius Cooper, wide receiver
Cooper may be one of the more obvious players under pressure because Philadelphia's wide receiver room changed dramatically around him. DeVonta Smith is the clear lead option after A.J. Brown's departure, while the Eagles traded up for Makai Lemon, added Hollywood Brown, signed Elijah Moore, and acquired Dontayvion Wicks. Those moves changed the depth chart and made it harder for returning receivers to feel safe.
Cooper is talented enough to remain in the conversation, but he must show more than developmental promise. Hollywood Brown gives the offense vertical speed, Wicks is getting significant snaps and has drawn a Keenan Allen comparison from Nick Sirianni, and Lemon was drafted to contribute early. Johnny Wilson is also trying to regain momentum after a significant knee injury, while Quez Watkins, Danny Gray, and Britain Covey are competing for return, speed, and depth roles. Cooper needs a strong camp to prove he can help the active roster rather than remain just a practice-squad candidate.
2. Will Shipley, running back
Shipley is not in immediate danger because of talent, but he is under pressure because the running back room has become more crowded. Saquon Barkley is the centerpiece of the offense, and Tank Bigsby has a clear role after averaging 5.7 yards per carry last season following his arrival as a key trade acquisition. Dameon Pierce and Carson Steele add more competition, while Cameron Latu's role as a fullback/tight end could affect how many backs Philadelphia keeps.
Shipley needs to regain momentum and show he can contribute in a specific way. That could come as a change-of-pace runner, a receiving option, a pass protector, or a special teams player. The Eagles are excited about a new zone-rushing scheme that could help revive the run game around Barkley, but the backup roles behind him remain unsettled. Shipley's roster path is still real, but he needs a strong summer to avoid being squeezed by Bigsby's defined role and the added competition behind him.
3. Grant Calcaterra, tight end
Calcaterra has experience in the Eagles' system and has appeared in 62 games with 22 starts, but the tight end room looks different entering camp. Dallas Goedert is back on a one-year deal after catching 60 passes for 591 yards and a career-high 11 touchdowns, while Philadelphia drafted Eli Stowers in the second round as a potential long-term successor. Johnny Mundt is expected to fill the third tight end, run-blocking role, and Cameron Latu is being used as a fullback/tight end hybrid.
That puts pressure on Calcaterra to prove he still brings enough value to keep a roster spot. Stone Smartt, E.J. Jenkins, and Dae'Quan Wright also give Philadelphia options, and the Eagles may not have room for every tight end with receiving traits. Calcaterra's familiarity with the offense matters, but the question is whether he can provide enough blocking, special teams value, and offensive reliability to hold off younger or more specialized competition.
4. Fred Johnson, offensive tackle
Johnson has given the Eagles valuable swing-tackle depth in the past, but the offensive line numbers could become difficult to manage. Philadelphia's starting five is set with Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, Tyler Steen, and Lane Johnson, while Markel Bell, Myles Hinton, Cameron Williams, John Ojukwu, Drew Kendall, Willie Lampkin, Jake Majors, Hollin Pierce, and Jaeden Roberts are all part of the competition behind them.
Johnson's pressure comes from age, roster math, and the team's need to develop younger linemen. He has value because experienced tackles are hard to find, and Lane Johnson's injury history makes swing-tackle depth important. Still, the Eagles have several young offensive linemen who could force their way into the picture. Johnson must show he remains reliable enough to justify a roster spot over players with more long-term upside.
5. Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, edge rusher
Tryon-Shoyinka has the draft pedigree and athletic profile to remain interesting, but he enters camp in a crowded edge group. Jonathan Greenard, Nolan Smith, Jalyx Hunt, and Arnold Ebiketie give Philadelphia several athletic pass-rush options, and the Eagles could still add more depth to the room. Jose Ramirez, Ta'Quon Graham, Keyshawn James-Newby, and Joshua Weru are also competing for roles.
Tryon-Shoyinka's pressure is tied to production. He earned a 72.2 overall PFF defensive grade last season, but he played only 142 snaps and has never produced more than five sacks in a season. Philadelphia needs edge rushers who can affect the quarterback and defend the run, and Tryon-Shoyinka must prove he can be more than a traits-based rotational option. If younger players flash on special teams or as pass rushers, his roster security could become uncertain.
Final analysis
The Eagles have several other players who could land on the bubble depending on how camp unfolds. Quez Watkins, Danny Gray, Stone Smartt, E.J. Jenkins, Jake Majors, Gabe Hall, Tariq Castro-Fields, and Ambry Thomas all have roster questions to answer. Still, Cooper, Shipley, Calcaterra, Johnson, Tryon-Shoyinka, Campbell, and Epps stand out because each has a believable path to the 53-man roster, but each also faces enough competition to make training camp critical.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Eagles training camp: 5 bubble players under pressure
Continue reading...
