Final Eagles 53-man roster prediction: Will all four quarterbacks make the initial roster? It’s possible.

Training camp is officially over, and Howie Roseman is on the clock.

The Eagles have to submit their initial 53-man roster by 6 p.m. Sunday, and there are key decisions to make at multiple positions, including the quarterback spot.

Projecting the 53-man roster has its twists and turns throughout a training camp. The Inquirer’s Jeff McLane revealed his one and only roster prediction earlier on Friday before the team’s 30-13 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in the final preseason game.

» READ MORE: Final Eagles 53-man roster prediction: Will all four quarterbacks make the initial roster? It’s possible.

But Friday night’s defeat provided some more data when it comes to decision making, both for Roseman and in this roster view. So, let’s get to our final projection of the 2026 training camp:

Well, this is quite a departure from every projection from this training camp. But if you watched Friday night, and saw the other two games, can you really imagine another NFL general manager parting with draft capital to acquire one of Hurts’ backups?

Dalton probably has more trade value at this time of year given his body of work. But trading him means the Eagles would be committing to McKee as the primary backup, and while that was fine last year, backing up Hurts with McKee and Payton seems a bit risky for a team that fancies itself a Super Bowl contender.

McKee was dreadful Friday night, though the necessary caveats need to be applied: he was playing with backups, and the only first-teamer who joined him on the field, Makai Lemon, was playing NFL football for the first time. But he was playing against backups, too. He finished the game 12-for-22 for 55 yards and an interception (that hit Lemon in the hands). A year ago, McKee dominated the Bengals in the first preseason contest of the season and cemented himself as the bona fide backup.

Keeping four quarterbacks would be a bit unusual, but it also gives Roseman some time to figure out what to do next. The first game is still two weeks away, and a lot can change on his roster and the other 31 between now and then.

The easy answer might be to cut Payton. The fifth-round pick has been turnover-prone during camp, but the Eagles may not want to expose him to waivers and ensure they’re the team that gets to develop him.

All of this uncertainty begs the question: Is the Week 1 backup quarterback even on the team’s roster right now?

Cut: Dameon Pierce, Carson Steele, Jordan Mims

This projection has been steady all camp. Pierce ran well Friday night, and Steele has been a playmaker, but that’s why there’s a practice squad.

Cut: Elijah Moore, Britain Covey, Quez Watkins, Danny Gray, Samori Toure, Erik Ezukanma, Tahj Washington

It’s fair to argue Moore had a better camp than Brown, but Brown signed a guaranteed $5 million deal, and Moore is a vested veteran that won’t have to go through waivers. Do the Eagles keep him around by promising him a game-day elevation to avoid him going elsewhere? Injuries plagued the top end of the receiving corps throughout camp, so the unit will enter the 2026 without A.J. Brown and with some question marks hanging over it.

Cut: Grant Calcaterra, E.J. Jenkins, Stone Smartt

Stowers, who is dealing with a hamstring injury, did not have an inspiring camp. He’s likely to be ready to go for the start of the season, but he may not be ready for a real role. Thus, the need for Latu, who could clear waivers if he’s cut but provides the Eagles with a valuable special-teamer who can block.

Tight end is a spot where Roseman could be looking to upgrade via trade between now and Week 1, too.

Cut: John Ojukwu, Jake Majors, Michael Jordan, Cameron Williams, Myles Hinton, Zeke Correll

Bell seems to be the winner of the swing tackle competition between the third-round pick and Fred Johnson. It’s possible Johnson’s job is in danger. He had a rough camp and the new offense might not be a scheme fit for him, but the Eagles aren’t very deep at tackle, which could work in his favor.

Ojukwu could be a player the Eagles want to get on the practice squad, as a veteran who has positional versatility. Kendall and Lampkin both have positional versatility along the interior, as does Majors, who had a good camp and may end up making the team.

Cut: Gabe Hall, Zion Wilson, David Blay

Robinson came on a few weeks into camp and solidified his spot on the roster. The Eagles have one of the best interior trios in the NFL in Carter, Davis, and Ojomo, and a pretty solid No. 4 in Young. It’ll be hard for Robinson to carve out a large role, and he’ll need to show he can execute against first-team offensive linemen.

Bernard, meanwhile, is a long-term project the Eagles want to develop and probably won’t risk losing to a waiver wire claim.

Cut: Tarron Jackson, Keyshawn James-Newby, Jose Ramirez

Greenard’s status for Week 1 might be in doubt, but it seems unlikely he starts the season on the PUP list, so the Eagles will need to roster him on the initial 53. Hunt has had arguably the best training camp of any Eagles player. It’s after Smith where the Eagles may have some depth concerns. Ebiketie hasn’t exactly looked like a world-beater in camp, but he’s signed to a relatively expensive deal (one year, $7.3 million, $4.3 million guaranteed).

The Eagles plucked Epenesa out of free agency in June, and while he’s firmly in the mix for a roster spot, the Eagles could cut him and bring him back on the practice squad with the aim to elevate him on game day. He will not need to go through waivers.

Weru is in the same category as Bernard.

Cut: Chance Campbell, Deontae Lawson, Brandon George

Vic Fangio likes Campbell, but is he even the best deep reserve at his position? Lawson has as good an argument for a roster spot. The Eagles have an abundance of capable linebackers. Trotter probably could start on multiple teams. Mondon, a 2025 fifth-round pick, seems to be developing well. Campbell and Lawson are deserving of spots.

But that doesn’t mean the Eagles need to keep a fifth linebacker. The Eagles could roll the dice and cut both Campbell and Lawson and live with one of them being claimed and getting one of them on the practice squad while crossing their fingers it’s both of them.

Cut: Jakorian Bennett, Tariq Castro-Fields, Shaun Wade, Ambry Thomas, Isaiah Bolden

McWilliams struggled during the team’s preseason games, but the Eagles need all the depth they can get behind their top-line trio of Mitchell, Woolen, and DeJean (nickel). Jones battled a shoulder injury during camp, and while he may be the primary backup option on the outside, he’ll be 33 in a few weeks.

Ringo’s special teams talents help get him on the roster.

Cut: Cole Wisniewski, Maximus Pulley, Andre Sam, Kapena Gushiken, Jaylen Mahoney.

Maybe Wisniewski ends up on the roster if he didn’t suffer a concussion in the second preseason game. The seventh-round pick dealt with a hamstring injury for most of the first part of camp.

Safety is the thinnest position on the roster, and keeping just three is fitting. Roseman could be looking to acquire a safety to bulk up the position.

But keeping three is also reasonable because DeJean is going to eat up some snaps at safety when the Eagles are in base. Carter, meanwhile, could be on the field in dime packages and can provide some backup nickel snaps, too.

Cut: Rocco Underwood (long snapper)

Cutting Underwood helps Roseman get other players on the roster and bides time.