Eagles stock watch: Who ranks among the risers and fallers at 2026 training camp?
As the Eagles approach their preseason opener this Saturday in Baltimore, here's what the trend line says about some key players.
After a week and a half of Eagles training camp, it’s time to check the stock market.
Plenty of players have flashed, including the usual notables Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley. But who else is turning heads? And who has more work to do to carve out a role on the team by the end of camp and the preseason?
Here are our early risers and fallers:
Stock up 📈
OLB Jalyx Hunt
With Jonathan Greenard sidelined due to a pectoral strain, Hunt has stepped up and taken advantage of his increased opportunities. He has had his pass-rush wins — either in team drills or one-on-ones — against starting tackles Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said at the beginning of training camp that Hunt is “very capable” of having a big year in his third season with the team, and it’s become increasingly clear why.
DT Jalen Carter
The Eagles have high expectations for Carter, as evidenced by their decision to sign him to a four-year, $152 million contract extension at the start of camp. He’s setting the groundwork to meet those expectations, notably after recovering from shoulder procedures last season and sitting out during the offseason program. Carter continues to flaunt his game-wrecking ability, most recently when he beat Cam Jurgens on a rep during Saturday’s mock scrimmage and forced Hurts to scramble. Fangio said Wednesday that Carter is in good shape, which is allowing him to do “the little things better.”
RB Tank Bigsby
Barkley is the Eagles’ feature back, but Bigsby is making his case for more touches in his second season with the team. Most of his reps were with the second-string offense on Saturday, but he has had opportunities to spell Barkley with the starters in the first week and a half of camp. His energetic play style stands out. Bigsby has had his ups and downs in pass protection, and Saturday was a microcosm of that, as he kept a blitzing Ambry Thomas away from Andy Dalton on one play and got beat by Jihaad Campbell on the next.
C/G Drew Kendall
Kendall, the 2025 fifth-rounder out of Boston College, is Jurgens’ likely backup at center, but he has also been cross-training at guard in camp. He has taken reps with the starters, filling in for Landon Dickerson at left guard on Wednesday when the veteran took a rest day. Kendall spelled Dickerson occasionally on Saturday, then took some reps at center when Jurgens exited the field early and headed indoors with a trainer. Kendall hasn’t looked out of place. Defensive tackle Jordan Davis said on Friday that Kendall has displayed a “tremendous” amount of growth since his rookie season.
WRs Dontayvion Wicks, Elijah Moore, and Darius Cooper
DeVonta Smith and Makai Lemon have missed time with hamstring injuries, leading to opportunities for other receivers. Wicks, Moore, and Cooper in particular have had their standout moments. Wicks has popped from the start as he makes his case for WR2, highlighted by his leaping grab over a pair of defensive backs on a deep ball from Hurts on the second day of camp.
Moore and Cooper are more unlikely risers. Moore had a relatively quiet start to camp, but his chemistry with Hurts is steadily growing. He was wide open in the end zone for a successful catch on a two-point conversion during a red zone period on Saturday. Still, Moore has his work cut out for him to make the initial 53 in a crowded room.
Cooper, the 2025 undrafted free agent out of Tarleton State, has been a reliable option for Hurts. He has made several impressive plays, including a diving catch on a pass over the middle of the field from Hurts in 7-on-7s at the outset of camp. The 28-year-old quarterback noted that Cooper is a “strong-hands guy” in an interview with the NFL Network on Wednesday.
Stock down 📉
This section comes with the caveat that the Eagles are in the early stages of training camp. Just because a player’s stock might be trending downward at this moment doesn’t mean it’s time to sound the alarm.
OT Fred Johnson
Johnson has been the Eagles’ top backup swing tackle for the last few seasons. This year, he has a competitor. Markel Bell, the third-rounder out of Miami, has asserted himself as the first tackle off the bench, primarily to fill in for Lane Johnson at right tackle. On Saturday, the elder Johnson was still ramping up after he missed four practices for personal reasons, so Bell occasionally filled in for him during the scrimmage. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Eagles want their third-round pick taking those snaps with the starters, especially in light of the 36-year-old Johnson announcing Saturday that this is “probably” his final season.
WR Makai Lemon
Perhaps the best characterization of Lemon’s stock is neither up nor down. The first-round receiver out of USC has missed the last four practices with a hamstring injury. While that may put him behind compared to his peers, offensive coordinator Sean Mannion acknowledged on Saturday that Lemon has been “super engaged” in the meeting room and in walkthroughs as he follows along with the script.
Lemon isn’t the first highly touted Eagles rookie to sustain an injury during training camp. Cooper DeJean missed most of the summer in 2024 with a hamstring injury and made his preseason debut in the third and final game. Smith missed time during training camp his rookie year with an MCL sprain, returning for the second preseason game.
DT Ty Robinson
Robinson, the 2025 fourth-rounder out of Nebraska, had a slow start to camp, taking reps early on with the developmental group. He has fared better lately, including on Saturday when he won a rep in one-on-ones against Kendall. Preseason will offer more opportunities for Robinson to prove why he deserves a roster spot with Carter, Davis, Moro Ojomo all locks ahead of him.
The Eagles are grinding their way through the second week of training camp. Some parts of the team have looked good, others remain very much a work in progress. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane and Jeff Neiburg assess quarterback Jalen Hurts’ play, how some of his targets are faring, and why, regardless of how the offense is coming together, the defense could be elite enough to help the Eagles contend for another title. Listen here.
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