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Eagles roster cuts: WR Quez Watkins among Birds early moves; all eyes on Howie Roseman; live updates

The Eagles need to cut their roster from 91 players down to 53 by 6 p.m. Sunday.

Eagles GM Howie Roseman (left) talks to head coach Nick Sirianni before Friday's preseason game.
Eagles GM Howie Roseman (left) talks to head coach Nick Sirianni before Friday's preseason game.Read more
Monica Herndon / Staff Photo
What you should know

  1. The Eagles lost their final preseason game against the Bengals Friday night. Here are what we learned about the backup QB competition and grades from last night's game.

  2. Rookie Makai Lemon had a rough NFL debut. He's just ‘glad’ it didn't happen in September.

  3. The deadline for the Eagles and every other NFL team to trim their rosters down to 53 players is Sunday at 6 p.m. Here's our final 53-man roster predicion.

  4. Jeff McLane also made his own roster prediction, which included a potential quarterback trade.

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2026 Eagles roster cut tracker

The Eagles are in the process of reducing their roster down to 53 players by Sunday's 6 p.m. deadline.

Here are all the players the Eagles are expected to waive, according to sources and other reports:

Offense

  1. Wide receiver Quez Watkins

  2. Running back Carson Steele (per multiple reports)

  3. Wide receiver Samori Toure (per NFL Network)

  4. Guard Michael Jordan (per NJ.com's Cayden Steele)

  5. Tackle Myles Hinton (per ESPN's Adam Schefter)

  6. Cornerback Shaun Wade (per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler)

Eagles release DB Shaun Wade: ESPN

Cowboys trade for OT Broderick Jones: ESPN

Eagles release CB Ambry Thomas: ESPN

Eagles reportedly release two lineman

Eagles reportedly waive safety Cole Wisniewski

Eagles reportedly release DB Maximus Pulley

Eagles waiving edge rusher Tarron Jackson

The Eagles are waiting edge rusher Tarron Jackson, according to a source.

Jackson was drafted in the 6th round by the Eagles in the 2021 draft. He was in his third stint with the Birds after being signed by the team on Aug. 10.

— Ryan Novozinsky, Rob Tornoe

Eagles releasing WR Quez Watkins

Eagles reportedly release RB Carson Steele

Eagles waive WR Samori Toure: NFL Network

The Eagles made their first post-preseason cut.

The team is waiving wide receiver Samori Toure, NFL Network reported Saturday afternoon. The 28-year-old signed with the Birds on the first day of free agency in June.

The Eagles are likely to keep five or six wide receivers. DeVonta Smith, Makai Lemon, Dontayvion Wicks, Hollywood Brown and Darius Cooper are likely locks, while Elijah Moore, Britain Covey, Quez Watkins, Danny Gray, Erik Ezukanma and Tahj Washington duke it out for the sixth spot.

— Ryan Novozinsky

Other teams begin trimming their rosters

All is quiet on the Eagles' front so far, but other teams have begun making moves:

  1. The Jacksonville Jaguars are waiving linebacker Amari Burney, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

  2. The Miami Dolphins announced numerous cuts, including cornerback Alex Austin and running backs Coleman Bennett and Donovan Edwards.

  3. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers waived quarterback Connor Bazelak and several other players, according to Fox Sports' Greg Auman.

  4. The Buffalo Bills are reportedly waiving wide receiver Mecole Hardman (per Fowler) and punter Mitch Wishnowsky (per Tom Pelissero).

— Rob Tornoe

Giants trade for Ravens DT C.J. Okoye: NFL Network

Final Eagles 53-man roster prediction features four QBs

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.

What does recent history say about going winless in the preseason?

The Eagles ended the preseason winless after losing at home to the Cincinnati Bengals Friday night.

But does that even matter?

Since 2021, when the NFL reduced the number of games from four down to three, 32 teams have gone winless during the preseason. Of those, 15 – about 47% – went on to make the playoffs.

All eyes are Howie Roseman ahead of NFL roster deadline

Howie Roseman has all the pieces laid out in front of him as he whittles the Eagles’ 91-man roster down to 53 players ahead of Sunday’s 6 p.m. deadline.

Most of the team is in place, but it isn’t like some piece of furniture from IKEA with specific parts. Roseman will build his makeshift roster by balancing the Eagles’ immediate needs with the long term, while also factoring in injury variables, the salary cap, and other potential moves.

The general manager is scanning the rest of the NFL for upgrades at positions that are in question. He’s yet to make any trades since camp started, but no one likes to wheel and deal as much as Roseman. C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Jahan Dotson are just two of the players Roseman acquired in and around this time.

What we learned about the backup QB battle from Friday's preseason game

After displaying signs of progress in the second preseason game against the New England Patriots, Tanner McKee took a step back on Friday.

He started and played the entire first half. In 32 plays, McKee went 12-for-22 for 55 yards and an interception, good for a 41.1 passer rating. He was sacked twice.

The 2023 sixth-rounder out of Stanford struggled to push the ball downfield. Most of his yardage came on short gains, namely check downs to the running backs. Running back Carson Steele was McKee’s most popular target in the first half, as he amassed five receptions on five targets for 32 yards. Steele had one long 17-yard catch-and-run gain, but he averaged 3.75 yards per reception on his other four.

Eagles roster hopeful Andre Sam carted off the field

Safety Andre Sam went down late in the third quarter after attempting to make a tackle. He did not put any pressure on his left leg as he was lifted off the field and carted indoors.

Sam, a 2024 undrafted free agent out of LSU, had a strong outing prior to his injury. He recorded a pass breakup, a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries (one on defense, another on special teams), and three tackles.

— Olivia Reiner

Eagles 2026 schedule

Next up after roster cuts? Actual football games.

The Eagles 2026 season kicks off at home on Sunday, Sept. 13, against the Washington Commanders on Fox. Calling the game will be childhood Eagles fan Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady, who is entering his third season as Fox's top analyst.

Here’s the Eagles’ complete 2026 schedule:

  1. Week 1: Commanders at Eagles — Sunday, Sept. 13, 4:25 p.m. (Fox)

  2. Week 2: Eagles at Titans — Sunday, Sept. 20, 1 p.m. (Fox)

  3. Week 3: Eagles at Bears — Monday, Sept. 28, 8:15 p.m. (ABC, ESPN)

  4. Week 4: Rams at Eagles — Sunday, Oct. 4, 1 p.m. (Fox)

  5. Week 5: Eagles at Jaguars (London) — Sunday, Oct. 11, 9:30 a.m. (NFL Network)

  6. Week 6: Panthers at Eagles — Sunday, Oct. 18, 1 p.m. (CBS)

  7. Week 7: Cowboys at Eagles — Monday, Oct. 26, 8:15 p.m. (ABC, ESPN)

  8. Week 8: Eagles at Commanders — Sunday, Nov. 1, 8:20 p.m. (NBC)

  9. Week 9: Giants at Eagles — Sunday, Nov. 8, 1 p.m. (Fox)

  10. Week 10: Bye week

  11. Week 11: Steelers at Eagles — Sunday, Nov. 22, 4:25 p.m. (CBS)

  12. Week 12: Eagles at Cowboys — Thursday, Nov. 26, 4:30 p.m. (Fox)

  13. Week 13: Eagles at Cardinals — Sunday, Dec. 6, 4:05 p.m. (Fox)

  14. Week 14: Colts at Eagles — Sunday, Dec. 13, 1 p.m. (Fox)

  15. Week 15: Seahawks at Eagles — Saturday, Dec. 19, 5 p.m. (Fox)

  16. Week 16: Texans at Eagles — Thursday, Dec. 24, 8:15 p.m. (Prime Video)

  17. Week 17: Eagles at 49ers — Sunday, Jan. 3, 8:20 p.m. (NBC)

  18. Week 18: Eagles at Giants — TBD (TBD)

— Rob Tornoe