Category: Sports News

According to Jordan Raanan, New York Giants WR Malachi Fields could start the season as the team's No. 2 receiver. The team traded up to get him in the third round because they were infatuated with his size, physicality and ability to make contested catches. He has shown all of that in camp.

SOURCE: ESPN.com - Jordan Raanan

Why It Matters: Fields is an intriguing WR5 with an ADP of 229. He could be a steal late in drafts.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Giants WR Malachi Fields' fantasy stock is rising

The Las Vegas Raiders’ 53-man roster is on all of our minds these days.

The team, of course, must establish its initial 53-man regular-season roster by Sunday afternoon’s NFL deadline. So, with that in mind, we dedicated our Tuesday Community Question to the subject. We asked our readers which undrafted rookie has become their favorite this preseason.

Unsurprisingly, the most popular answer was pass-rusher Cian Slone. The North Carolina State product signed with the Raiders with some excitement and he has delivered. Slone has flashed since the offseason and had a strong preseason.

He has a solid chance to make the 53-man roster and if not, he should be part of the team’s practice squad. So, good call, folks.

You can check out the comments to the post here.

Head to the comments section to share your thoughts and join the conversation. You can sign up for a commenting account below and we have full-time moderators to enforce the Community Guidelines.

Cheers and have a great weekend.

It’s easy to simply say Jalen Hurts stinks. Not like a smelly person or anything, but bad at football. Which is a bit of a lazy read. In recent years, he hasn’t exactly fit the mold of a traditional QB and could maybe fairly be called a tush-push merchant, but those labels massively overshadow one of the league’s more unique journeys.

In college at Alabama, Hurts was on an early path to becoming one of the best quarterbacks in a storied program… and then got replaced in the 2018 National Championship. Oddly, it turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to him. While it initially put him in a dark place where he considered quitting football altogether, he learned to be patient and take advantage of the opportunities when they came. It led to a Heisman finalist recognition at the University of Oklahoma.

When he entered the league with the Philadelphia Eagles, people still doubted him. Thought to be stuck as a backup who would hardly ever see the field. He stayed cool and waited for his shot. When he got it, he thrived. Two Super Bowl appearances in three years and won it all on the second go-around, earning Super Bowl MVP. So yeah, when you factor in the journey, it’s a bit uninspired to simply call the dude trash. He’s a champion after all. So let’s look at the phases of Jalen Hurts that made him who he is.

The 2026 edition of The Hockey News Yearbook is now available. Get it and more here. Included is incredible coverage of some of the game's top storylines, along with breakdowns of each team ahead of the 2026-27 season. 

For the Chicago Blackhawks, they predicted them to come in last place in the Central Division once again. Another 8th-place finish doesn't mean that they didn't improve, as an 8th-place finish a year ago was still an 11-point jump. This year, they are aiming to be in the playoff race for much longer, but it is going to be difficult. 

Part of the mountain is the division that they play in. The Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild, and Dallas Stars are all legitimate threats to win the Stanley Cup. The Utah Mammoth are right there too, and this could be the year that they make that jump. 

As for the St. Louis Blues, Nashville Predators, and Winnipeg Jets, there is a lot of uncertainty. However, all three of them have proven rosters that have finished ahead of Chicago for multiple years in a row. 

Unsurprisingly, Connor Bedard, Patrick Kane, Spencer Knight, and Bowen Byram are the most talked-about players when describing what could go right for Chicago. The expectation is that Kane's presence will help out all of the young players on the team, not just Bedard. With most of the roster in the early days of their careers, it is hard to project winning with so much unknown. 

Eventually, the Blackhawks are going to come out of the rebuild in the Bedard era. Whenever that is, it will come as a surprise at first. Leaders on the team like Connor Bedard, Alex Vlasic, and others have already expressed belief that they will take a step in 2026-27. Does that mean coming out of the Central Division's basement? Only time will tell. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay up to date on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive, and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting on the article below on THN.com or by creating your own post in our community forum.

Your 2026 New York Mets: It was an interesting set of circumstances.

“[Gasser] is a low-slot lefty where the ball really rises. It was an interesting set of circumstances for them. Typically, when you lose your starter on the first pitch of the game, you get put in a much worse situation. They had Gasser [pitch] five days ago and he threw [79] pitches. [Today] was literally his [bullpen day]. Not often do you have a starter sitting in the ‘pen to take the ball. … Our lineup was optimized to face the righty today. So you had a lot of matchups that favored Gasser. We didn’t flip it.” -Interim Manager Andy Green [Mets]

Gabba gabba, we accept you, we accept you, one of us.

“I can’t believe I’m sitting here. I’m like a kid in a candy store. You guys have no idea how fun this has been for me tonight. I got to meet Sean Manaea, who I’m such a big fan of. I got to meet Zac Thornton, who I’m so impressed with. This is a big deal — I was on the field!” -Mike Breen [New York Post]

There’s the problem, the Mets spent the offseason putting together a team that put the ball in play but forgot to also make it a really good team.

“The challenge was, [the Brewers] are a really good team that put the ball in play. When you face a team like that, it’s rolling the dice. They are going to put the ball in play. It’s on you to make your best pitches.” -Robert Stock [Mets]

It doesn’t quite feel that way but I ran the numbers and ‘he’s had some nice starts’ and a couple ‘he’d want back’ checks out.

“We just finished up the game right now. We’ll talk about this [pitching staff] and see where our heads are at. [Robert Stock] had some nice starts for us. This is another one I’m sure he would want back.” -Interim Manager Andy Green [Mets]

You know what, Shawn Andy Green is absolutely right. I’m officially dropping the ‘interim manager’ bit.

“Everything [Lindor] has is put on the field to win a baseball game. I think we’re all cognizant of where we are [in the standings], but there was a game to be played with fans that filled the stadium — and gave a crazy roar after that play — and so you just enjoy those moments. It’s one of the reasons you play the game.” – Interim Manager Andy Green [New York Post]

No, I get by with a little help from my friends

“The team has picked me up more times than I’ve picked them up this year. So to be there for the guys, it meant a lot. I’ve been wanting to do that.” -Francisco Lindor [New York Post]

I’m gonna try with a little help from my friends

“Be the best version of myself. Be Francisco Lindor. Play as hard as I can day in and day out. Give everything I got to the guys.” -Francisco Lindor [New York Post]

Do all pitcher’s have this much introspection while they’re on the mound? Is that what Steve Trachsel was doing in-between every pitch?

“I had a moment of realization that I’m in a position where the game could end potentially with one pitch, one swing of the bat. [Senga said of his thought process on the mound.] Seeing the ball like that, it just kind of dawned on me again that that’s the type of role that I’m playing right now.” -Kodai Senga [MLB]

Luis Robert Jr. with some really nice thoughts on the Mets.

“This is a team that will always have a special place in my heart. I keep tabs of the results of the games, and I am really proud to see how they are performing this season.” -Luis Robert Jr. [New York Post]

As the only person that was kind of into Hansel Robles’ whole deal; don’t listen to him Jefry, you do you.

“Certainly, Jefry [Yan] will learn not to jump before the play is over. That’s something he’s still working through. I think the emotions of the moment got him there.” -Andy Green [MLB]

I think we’ve all given the term ‘runway’ enough runway to try to overuse a different buzzword this offseason.

“[Jared Young] always been a good hitter. This is the first time he’s gotten any runway in the big leagues, and he’s been really good. Those are the type of at-bats you have been getting. That’s a legit closer that has really good stuff and another big swing from him.” -Andy Green [New York Post]

/Count Rugen voice/ Get some rest, if you haven’t got your health, you haven’t got anything.

“We’ll see where [Bichette] is when he wakes up in the morning. You never really know how the ankle is until the next day. I’m hoping he is fine.” -Andy Green [Mets]

“I probably should have said something earlier. That’s just a boneheaded mistake on my side. But I am glad the results came back the way they did and it wasn’t worse. It could have been worse if I kept pitching through it.” -Austin Warren [New York Post]

“It was definitely different walking out to the pen the first night but I feel like everyone is stepping up and doing their job. That is all we can ask for right now.” -Austin Warren [New York Post]

Baseball is the best.

“[Mike Breen was working with WNBC radio during the [Mets] ’86 playoff run. And even though Hernandez was known as a great quote and a favorite of the media, Breen was still, as an early career journalist, intimidated.] I called you Mr. Hernandez, which I realize was a mistake at the time. I couldn’t tell you how intimidated I was, first off, because I was standing in front of Keith Hernandez. … You were a great quote back then, writers loved you. But I was 25, probably looked 17, and I was scared.” -Mike Breen [New York Post]

/Obligatory Jeff McNeil joke/

Let’s just say my time here moved me…TO A BIGGER HOUSE!

The Falcons face the Dolphins in the third and final preseason game of the 2026 NFL season. Kevin Knight and Adnan Ikic bring you live coverage through all four quarters, including updates on the Falcons closest position battles, the players to watch during Friday’s game, and a whole lot more.

Fellow Falcoholics, welcome to another episode of The Falcoholic Live!

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During the season, I tend to dig into either specific plays or look at some of the bigger picture takeaways. Scheme and gameplan and blah blah blah. The preseason is different because those things don’t really matter. I’m more concerned with how individual players looked. So I watch a ton of players, taking notes and gathering clips, then look up and realize I don’t have time to write about them all. What a fool I’ve been! The week is almost over! This week I got a chance to write about Jordan Love and Trey Smack, but then it all went south on me.

So, today, we’re just doing a bit of a data dump. I’ll write about some of the players I watched on offense, throw out some notes and clips and we’ll all move on with our days. Let’s go.

Offense

Isaiah Neyor (80)

Week 1 saw Neyor as a possession receiver. A lot of stuff close to the line. He has speed (ran a 4.4 40 at the Combine), but we didn’t get a chance to see him open it up last week. He had a few snaps running deep this week. I’ll say that it didn’t look quite as explosive as Sturdivant, but his speed was on display more than we saw in week 1. He shows a solid ability to stack the corner when he gets over the top, as well.

One issue I had in Week 1 was Neyor’s blocking. He showed both a willingness to block and an understanding of where to be, but every single block attempt involved him wrapping his arms around his target. We saw some better form in that regard this week.

In the shorter area, he shows some really nice snap at the top of his routes to create separation.

Week 1 saw him working primarily outside. This week saw him in the slot a bit more, and he looked good when put there. If he’s able to improve his blocking form, working as a blocker out of the slot could be a nice spot for him.

We didn’t necessarily get a ton of flashes this week, but he continues to show a well-rounded skillset.

J. Michael Sturdivant (87)

Unlike Neyor, we pretty much only got go routes from Sturdivant in Week 1. His explosion/speed was on full display, but we didn’t see much more than that. This week we got a little more, with Sturdivant showing good, sharp breaks at the top of his shorter routes.

This is something that could really serve him well with more room to work: threaten with his speed, then break off a route.

In this next clip, you can see him attacking the outside shoulder of the defender before snapping back inside. Unfortunately, this is the play he was injured on, so there were limited snaps for Sturdivant this week.

We did get to see a bit of blocking, and the process looked much better than we had previously seen. In Week 1, he was tentative and didn’t always seem to know where he was supposed to be as the play unfolded. This week he attacked the blocking much better.

Drake Dabney (49)

I thought Dabney looked much more comfortable this week. Locked down some of his blocking assignments, and was at the very least a general nuisance when he wasn’t locking up. He knew where to be and wasn’t shy about engaging. Has a little movement as a receiver as well. Not necessarily a field-stretching type of guy, but there might be a little more here than I had previously thought.

McCallan Castles (47)

Looked a lot like Dabney in terms of his approach, but didn’t work quite as well as a receiver. Of the two, I’d certainly prefer Dabney at this point, but Castles showed some nice things as a blocker.

Jager Burton (52)

I didn’t get a chance to highlight Burton on all of these clips. Apologies.

If you’ve seen one clip of Burton this week, it’s this one. And it’s a good one. He’s working as left guard, going against Zach Allen. Burton has good drive off the line, controls the rep and ends up burying Allen. Tremendous rep.

I’m also a sucker for a young guy who is always looking for work. As the rep goes on Burton doesn’t have anyone to block, so he puts a shoulder into #96.

You can also see his strength as he drives as part of a double team. He keeps driving through the whistle, which is always something I like to see.

Unfortunately, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. We saw him win against Zach Allen earlier. Here, he very much does not do that. Allen gets into Burton’s body and easily sheds the block attempt to hit Lloyd.

Down in the low red zone, he fires off and gets out over his skis quickly, allowing #98 to control the rep and easily shed the block.

Burton has showed some really nice stuff that makes me believe he will be a good player, but it doesn’t seem like he’s ready just yet. There are too many reps of him getting overpowered or controlled through the entire rep. Other times it seems like he’s fine, but the defensive lineman is just holding him in place until he needs to shed.

Burton also got beat multiple times by an inside swim move. His recovery move was to turn and lunge with his arms wide, which feels like offensive holding waiting to happen.

Albums listened to: Pedro the Lion – It’s Hard to Find a Friend; Dolly Parton – Ultimate Dolly Parton

Chicago Bears fans are some of the most loyal fans you will ever find. We love our players, and that includes backups, undrafted free agents, practice squad players, and even former players (we miss you, DJ!) But one thing I have noticed about emotions is that the highs are matched by the lows. No better reminder of that than roster cuts. Right?!

With teams required to make cuts to get down to 53-man rosters this Sunday at 5:00 pm CST, it got me thinking about which players I hope make the cut. Then my mind went to which cut stands out above the rest over the years, which is my question to you all!

Since you have been a fan of the Bears, which roster cut was the hardest one to witness?

A few camp legends come to mind. Devin Aromashadu, who eventually made the team at WR, as did another camp hero, Dane Sanzenbacher, but others like OLB James Vaughters were not so lucky. Terrell Lewis is another whom I thought earned his roster spot, only to get released at cutdown day, with Trevis Gipson soon to follow. Tanner Gentry, Daniel Braverman, MyCole Pruitt, Armanti Edwards, Tom Zbikowski, Harvey Unga, Josh Beekman, Brandon Rideau, and even our own Ryan Poles were also notable cuts at the end of camp.

But the hardest one for me to stomach was Terrell Lewis in 2023.

We entered that year with a glaring hole at edge rusher despite signing free-agent Yannick Ngakoue that offseason to a 1-year, $10.5 million deal and eventually trading a future 2nd-round pick for Montez Sweat. But why cut Lewis? He was on fire that pre-season and led the league in sacks and forced fumbles. He would go on to practice for the Eagles but not play another down professionally, so clearly Chicago wasn’t the only one to deem him unworthy of a roster spot, but man – he was looking good for us all camp.

What about you? Who comes to mind as far as one of the most difficult roster cuts of all time?

The playing time for edge rusher Wesley Bailey and safety Nick Andersen in Saturday’s preseason win over the Chargers could indicate that the two undrafted free agents will make Sean McVay’s final 53-man roster. Bailey was pulled from the game after only two snaps, while Andersen only played in eight snaps. Historically, the less that McVay wants to see of you in the preseason, the better.

This should leave McVay with very few unknown bubble decisions, although several of the names in consideration for not making the roster could surprise fans, such as Stetson Bennett and C.J. Daniels.

A week ago, we highlighted the players who either had not played in the preseason at all or who had been held out of the second game after playing in the first. By all accounts, every single one of those decisions by McVay does indicate that the player is making the roster, with the exception of cornerback Zech McPhearson, who was released due to injury.

But while there was pushback on why some players sat out, like Ronnie Rivers, a running back who the majority of fans wanted to see cut in favor of Jarquez Hunter, McVay reiterated how important Rivers is to him because of “trust”. Then Hunter was traded to the Dolphins for Tutu Atwell, clearing the way for Rivers and opening the door for Atwell to make the roster out of left field.

A field once thought to be occupied by Daniels.

Rams notable snap counts vs. Chargers

Per PFF, here are some key snap decisions by McVay on defense:

• LB Nikhai Green-Hill, 49 snaps
• EDGE Tomon Fox, 45 snaps
• CB AZ Hamilton, 42 snaps
• EDGE Darryl Peterson, 42 snaps
• CB Cam Lampkin, 36 snaps
• DT Bill Norton, 30 snaps
• DT Payton Zdroik, 27 snaps
• DT Larrell Murchison, 26 snaps
• DT Tim Keenan, 24 snaps
• S Nick Andersen, 8 snaps
• EDGE Wesley Bailey, 2 snaps

That’s not the complete list. It just indicates that McVay didn’t want to see a lot of Anderson or Bailey, but he did want to give those snaps to players like Peterson, Fox, and Tanner Ingle and Alex Cook.

As of last week, there were 21 defensive players held out of the preseason game against the Saints, not including McPhearson.

If we add in Andersen and Bailey, that makes 23. There aren’t many more players on a defensive roster than that. Maybe 2.

Here were some key snap decisions on offense:

• OT AJ Arcuri, 74 snaps
• OL Austin Blaske, 74 snaps
• OL Bryce Henderson, 74 snaps
• G Wyatt Bowles, 74 snaps
• WR Brennan Presley, 53 snaps
• QB Ty Simpson, 48 snaps
• TE Max Klare, 41 snaps
• RB Dean Connors, 38 snaps
• WR CJ Daniels, 34 snaps

Last time we did this, 19 players were held out on offense, with Xavier Smith joining the group in preseason week 2.

So if you take 19 and you add in obvious “made it” candidates Simpson and Klare, that adds up to 21. If the team keeps Tutu Atwell and Xavier Smith (they are similar, but not the same, as Atwell is not a known punt returner), that makes 22.

Do the math:

• 23 on defense
• 22 on offense
• 3 on special teams

That’s already 48 players, leaving only five available spots.

This is a list of 48 that does not include:

• Bennett
• Daniels
• Connors
• Blaske
• Arcuri
• Keenan
• Lampkin
• Keagen Trost

Unless Trost is placed on IR, he will also be on the 53-man roster. That would only leave four spots.

If the Rams keep Daniels, in addition to the ones already mentioned, that would be seven wide receivers. Not only would it be seven receivers, it would be seven receivers on a team that has five tight ends.

And if the team keeps Bennett and Connors, it’s an offense with three quarterbacks, four running backs, seven receivers, and five tight ends. A little unusual.

However, if A.J Jackson and Puka Nacua are suspended, then McVay has to keep two additional offensive players on the roster anyway. It’s a bit strange that the NFL hasn’t announced anything on that this close to the season.

Barring that though, it’s hard to see how the Rams can keep every player who outsiders think they should keep or will keep. Certainly C.J. Daniels is 100% on the bubble and not a lock to make the team. He may be the one most “hopeful”, if you can call it that, that Nacua is suspended.

Bennett is taking a roster spot from someone else, if Ty Simpson is named as the backup.

Blaske would be an 11th offensive lineman, which is a luxury teams can usually only afford if they don’t have high numbers at every other offensive position.

So what’s it going to be?

The Rams had good news for Bailey and Andersen with how little they played on Thursday. They can only give out so much more good news in the next couple of days.

Three months after Josh Jacobs was arrested on five charges relating to domestic abuse, the Green Bay Packers star running back on Thursday was formally charged with misdemeanor battery and misdemeanor criminal damage to property.

The Brown County (Wis.) District Attorney’s Office released an incident report that asserts that video footage taken inside Jacobs’ garage corroborates the altercation the alleged victim described. However, a felony and four misdemeanor charges pertaining to domestic violence were dropped.

Jacobs’ legal team led by David Z. Chesnoff issued a statement: “The Brown County District Attorney has reviewed evidence and elected to file misdemeanor charges against Josh that do not include domestic violence. The allegations will be addressed in court, and not in the media. Mr. Jacobs respects the District Attorney’s office and the process it followed.”

The report states that on the morning of May 23, police were dispatched to Jacobs’ home near Green Bay because of a disturbance between Jacobs and a woman described as his girlfriend.

The woman told officers she had a lump on her head as a result of a physical struggle with Jacobs. She said she became upset after looking through Jacobs’ phone and seeing he had been talking to other women. Jacobs had her phone, and she told Jacobs he could look through it, but when she tried to take back her phone, he grabbed her arm and she ended up on the floor.

According to the report, the video shows that Jacobs followed her to the garage. When she attempted to exit, Jacobs grabbed her, threw her to the ground and she struck her head. The woman lay on the ground before standing and walking into the house.

Read more:How an alleged fake 49ers wideout wooed women and took $1.3 million: ‘That’s Google, not me’

The report stated that a responding officer observed redness on the woman’s face and neck and felt the bump on the back of her head.

Retrieving relevant video from the surveillance system in the garage “was complex and took several weeks,” according to the report. Surveillance footage “corroborates the relevant portions of [the alleged victim’s] statements” that occurred in the garage but “does not depict any portion of the incident that is alleged to have occurred inside the residence.”

The day of the incident, Jacobs was charged with felony strangulation and suffocation, and four misdemeanors pertaining to domestic abuse. However, he was released from jail the next day because the District Attorney’s office said it found insufficient evidence to pursue criminal charges.

Three months later, that changed, although neither of the Class A misdemeanors filed Thursday mentioned domestic abuse. Jacobs would be subject to a fine of not more than $10,000 and not more than nine months in jail if he is convicted.

“Our office sought to ensure a fair and complete review of available evidence, some of which only recently became available to our office due to significant, ongoing forensic efforts by law enforcement,” Brown County District Attorney David L. Lasee said in a statement. “A criminal complaint is nothing more than a written, formal accusation against a defendant alleging the commission of criminal offenses and does not raise any inference of guilt. Mr. Jacobs is presumed innocent of these charges.”

The Packers and the NFL both issued statements saying only that they are monitoring the developments and will cooperate with law enforcement.

Jacobs has been one of the top running backs in the NFL since he was drafted out of Alabama in the first round by the Raiders in 2019. He signed a four-year, $48 million contract with the Packers as a free agent after the 2023 season.

Jacobs, 28, has rushed for more than 1,000 yards in four of his seven NFL seasons and last year rushed for 929 yards despite missing two games with a knee injury.

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Fantasy football drafts have been set. The preseason games are almost over. Training camp is done.

Yep, the 2026 NFL season is nearly here, and your Philadelphia Eagles are once again a contender.

Are they the favorites to get back to the Super Bowl and/or win it? Nope. But that’s OK. It’s always better to fly under the radar. We do know that this Eagles roster is stacked with really good players, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, featuring a potential top-five unit.

Offensively, there are questions, and there will be struggles. But it was time for this scheme to evolve, so it’s fun anticipating what it all may look like once the regular season begins.

Still, there are a number of questions as yet unanswered as training camp winds down. Here are 10 of the more fascinating ones.

1) Who is the backup QB?

Or perhaps an even more fascinating question… “Is the Eagles’ backup QB for 2026 currently on the roster?”

The “battle” between incumbent No. 2 Tanner McKee and veteran ginger Andy Dalton has not been a scintillating one. Dalton appeared to be getting more run as Jalen Hurts’ backup this summer, but McKee appeared to outplay him during his more limited action. Neither QB bathed themselves in glory though, and given the fact Dalton appeared to be the front-runner for most of training camp, it’s fair to wonder how much faith the organization has lost in McKee following his lackluster performance in Week 18 last season.

In an ideal scenario, one of these players will be traded after the team’s final preseason game. I would keep McKee over Dalton. There’s more upside there. But if Howie Roseman doesn’t feel good about either player, perhaps a long-rumored trade for Minnesota’s J.J. McCarthy or Indianapolis’ Anthony Richardson will come to fruition.

2) Can Saquon Barkley lead your fantasy team’s RBs?

Last year, I picked Barkley No. 2 overall in my fantasy draft. I finished in 11th place in a 12-team league.

The two were related.

No one expected Barkley to repeat his 2,005 yard performance from 2024, but a drop from 125.3 yards per game to 71.3 wasn’t on anyone’s bingo card. The offensive line was banged up all year and the playcalling and scheme did no one any favors, either.

So we’re all curious to see how Barkley will do in a Sean Mannion offense with a healthy offensive line. If you draft Barkley as your RB1, are you doomed to failure like I was a year ago?

3) Which receiver finishes with the 2nd-most yards?

Barring a disaster (or a breakout performance, I suppose), DeVonta Smith is going to be this team’s leader in receiving yards. But who will be No. 2?

The Ringer’s Philly Special spent the last couple of podcasts asking this question and it made me want to weigh in, too. Based on the preseason, it would appear Dontayvion Wicks is the most likely answer. He looked elusive and quick and is familiar with Mannion and what he’s likely to do. He’s also likely to get a lot of snaps, probably as the team’s slot receiver to start.

Makai Lemon will enter the season as the No. 2, but he missed most of the summer with a hamstring injury. Will he be able to ramp it up and develop enough chemistry with Hurts in a short amount of time to emerge as the team’s second-leading receiver? Rookie receivers rarely have that kind of immediate immpact. And what about camp superstar Darius Cooper? Is he capable of making a “leap?”

And don’t forget tight end Dallas Goedert, who made 15 starts for the first time in his NFL career a season ago, finishing with 591 yards and a career-high 11 TDs. How will Mannion’s offense affect his productivity? Health will be a major factor.

My money is on Wicks.

4) How many starts does Markel Bell make?

The rookie third-round pick has been one of the most impressive new players in camp this year and it sure does look like the team has found its eventual Lane Johnson replacement. For 2026, he’ll enter the season as the team’s swing tackle, and while I’m optimistic about the health of Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata, I say that every year. And every year, one of the tackles misses time.

I think we have to pencil Bell in for at least two starts at one of the tackle spots, and if Johnson or Mailata is out for longer, he’s going to be the guy to get those reps, not veteran Fred Johnson. I’m excited to see more of Bell, but hopefully it doesn’t come this year at the expense of either of the team’s Pro Bowl offensive tackles.

5) Is the Eagles’ No. 2 TE currently on the roster?

Goedert will be the starter, but he’s also an injury-prone, 31-year-old tight end. The team drafted Eli Stowers in the second round of the draft hoping he’d be TE2, but his well-documented summer struggles have torpedoed those chances. Right now, run-blocking specialist Johnny Mundt is the No. 2, and if Goedert were to go down, there would be absolutely zero pass-catching options at the tight end position.

In a recent Philly Voice post, Jimmy Kempski noted the Rams appear to have a few too many tight ends on the roster and that one of them could be had in a trade, with Davis Allen mentioned as the most obvious candidate. Earlier in the off-season, former Eagle-turned-Cardinal-turned-Commander Zach Ertz expressed a desire to return to Philadelphia. He has recovered from a devastating knee injury at the end of 2024 and believes he can still play. Other names in the ether, more likely to be dealt at the trade deadline, are Carolina’s Ja’Tavion Sanders, Denver’s Evan Engram and Atlanta’s Kyle Pitts.

6) When will Jonathan Greenard be back?

The Eagles’ biggest off-season acquisition has missed the entire summer with a pec injury that landed him on the PUP list, and NFL insider Adam Schefter said this week he’s unlikely to play in Week 1.

Thankfully, the Eagles are pretty deep on the defensive line, but edge rusher was an area of uncertainty as the off-season began and, without Greenard, they’re lacking one big pass rusher. Also, how long will it take Greenard to get into game shape and perform at his normal levels of production when he does return?

Greenard should not return until he’s fully healthy, even if he misses the first month. No one wants him to come back too soon and play at a sub-optimal level, like we saw with Cam Jurgens and Landon Dickerson a year ago.

7) Who will lead the Eagles in sacks?

Jalyx Hunt had perhaps the best training camp of anyone on the roster and, with Greenard hurting, he could be the guy. But he’s not the only candidate.

Nolan Smith is finally healthy to start the season and is looking to have a big campaign in the final year of his rookie deal. And on the inside, Jalen Carter, with a big-money contract extension tucked under his very large arms, looks exceedingly good right now, too. It’s harder for tackles to pile up as many sacks as edge rushers, but Carter’s immense talent automatically makes him a possible exception to that rule.

My money is on Hunt, with Greenard piling up some sacks late in the season once he returns.

8) Are we sleeping on Jihaad Campbell?

The talk this summer has been centered on the emergence of Jeremiah Trotter, Jr. as a starting-caliber linebacker in the NFL. That’s a wonderful development and a fantastic legacy story, but are we sleeping on Campbell?

Remember, Campbell was a first round pick and had all the hype in the world at this time last year. Opposing players were cursing that the Eagles had landed a player with the kind of potential impact Campbell has. He understandably moved to the bench last season when Nakobe Dean was ready to play, but with all the attention everyone else on the defense is getting, Campbell has the potential to be a sneaky impact player on this roster.

And, if he isn’t, Trotter, Jr. is there ready for his time in the sun.

9) Are the Eagles suddenly deep at safety?

I had the safety position as the second-weakest area of the team heading into training camp (after wide receiver), but I am changing my tune on this unit. Andrew Mukuba is a second-year player who has, by all accounts, improved and appears destined to snag one of the two starting spots. Veteran Marcus Epps provides a high floor as the other starting safety, but one pleasant surprise has been Michael Carter’s transition from slot corner to safety.

The Eagles suddenly have three safeties who appear capable of starting, something I didn’t foresee when training camp rolled around.

10) Can Jake Elliott get it together for one more season?

The player on the roster I am perhaps the most cynical about is the franchise’s greatest all-time kicker, Jake Elliott.

No one has been a better kicker in the clutch than Jake, and he will one day deservedly enter the team’s Hall of Fame. But Elliott simply can’t do it anymore.

Sure, he’ll knock in 95% of his kicks from inside 45 yards, but in a league where kickers are nailing more 55-65 yard field goals, Elliott’s lack of length is a big problem. It’s confounding that the Eagles didn’t bring in some competition this summer. I don’t get it.

Maybe he has one more good season in him. But for the last two regular seasons, he’s been a well below average NFL kicker. For a team with Super Bowl aspirations, they should have tried to do better.