Ready rookies? Makai Lemon and Eli Stowers say they’re ready to contribute in their NFL debuts
Lemon and Stowers were banged up in training camp and the preseason, but both have a path to contribute in Week 1.
After injuries sidelined both Makai Lemon and Eli Stowers for portions of training camp, the two top Eagles rookies are looking forward to their first regular-season game action on Sunday.
Stowers, the second-round tight end out of Vanderbilt, is listed as questionable to play with a hamstring injury on the final injury report. However, he said on Friday that “the plan” is for him to play against the Washington Commanders.
He sustained his hamstring injury in the second preseason game against the New England Patriots, and while he missed the final week of training camp and the last preseason game, he said he’s feeling good and doing well in practice as a limited participant.
Lemon missed three weeks of camp, also with a hamstring injury, but he returned to action in time for the third preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Two weeks after his preseason debut, Lemon said that he feels caught up from the time he missed in training camp. Even on Friday, he stayed late after practice working on the field with wide receivers coach Aaron Moorehead as he prepares for his first regular-season outing.
“I feel like that’s an every day thing, getting extra reps,” Lemon said. “I feel like that’s what’s going to take me to that next level.”
The Eagles took both players early in the draft to contribute to a new-look offense that features a retooled corps of pass-catchers and a first-time play-caller in Sean Mannion. But their precise roles for Week 1 are unclear.
Both Lemon and Stowers could have special-teams roles in addition to their offensive responsibilities. Lemon, the first-round receiver out of USC, is listed on the depth chart as the first-string punt returner, but the Eagles could also elect to elevate the incumbent Britain Covey from the practice squad to the game-day roster.
Lemon didn’t return punts at USC. He was the team’s top kick returner in 2024, totaling 19 kickoff returns for 514 yards (his longest was an 80-yarder). Lemon said he has been fielding punts after practice in addition to the work he is doing in special teams periods.
“Just being ready, so whenever the coaches need me, I’m there,” Lemon said.
Similarly, Stowers could see playing time on special teams on Sunday, even though he has a limited college background in that phase of the game.
Special teams coordinator Michael Clay acknowledged on Thursday that Stowers’ skill set as a tight end translates to the duties that might be required of him on special teams. He listed his blocking ability and his overall athleticism as boons to the special teams group.
“A lot of special teams units, you use your athletic ability to your advantage and he progressively got better as the training camp went on,” Clay said.
Their prospective playing time on offense is unknown. Compared to Stowers, Lemon has more experience working with the starters. Even though Lemon missed time with a hamstring injury, both during the offseason program and training camp, he was taking reps with Jalen Hurts and the rest of the starters when he was healthy.
When he was injured, Lemon was still attentive, both on the sideline during team drills and in the meeting room. Now that he’s back in action, he’s continuing to build chemistry with Hurts.
“Every rep, building that trust, really. We get limited reps out at practice,” Lemon said. “It’s only a short amount of time. So just making sure every rep counts. Just building that trust up so when we go out Sunday, we’re not even thinking.”
While Lemon’s training camp reps with Hurts might have been limited, Stowers had even fewer. Most of his reps came with the second- and third-string offenses, catching passes from backup quarterbacks Andy Dalton and Tanner McKee.
With the regular season underway, Stowers is working to build trust with Hurts. That effort from the rookie tight end occurs both on and off the field.
“It’s on me to learn my assignment, understand what I have to do every single play so he can build that trust and know that I’m going to be in the right spot,” Stowers said. “And then from that point, it’s just reps, working with him on the timing, where the ball is going to be, where I’m going to be at, things like that.”
Stowers acknowledged that his transition to the NFL has required him to have patience, especially as he grows his skill set beyond his abilities as a receiver. At Vanderbilt, he displayed his pass-catching prowess, but blocking wasn’t one of his primary responsibilities.
He called training camp a “really good opportunity” to learn as his role evolves at the next level. He noticed personal growth in every aspect of his game, including his route-running, blocking, and understanding of the overall playbook.
Given that the Commanders have limited film of Stowers from the preseason — in a pared-down version of the offense at that — the Eagles could use their lack of familiarity with him to their advantage .
“They’ve seen your college film, but how that translates to the new offense, to the new team, teams aren’t really sure what it’s going to be,” Stowers said. “So I think that is an advantage to some extent. I really just want to put my best foot forward.”
Lemon will also have the opportunity to put together a better performance after he finished with three receptions for three yards in his limited preseason debut.
Regardless of his shaky showing, Lemon said it was “definitely important” to get a game-like experience in the preseason.
On Sunday, it’s for real.
“It’s hard to put it into words, really,” Lemon said. “I’m just super excited.”
The regular season is almost here! All the preseason talk has been about Jalen Hurts and new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion. But there’s somebody else who will have a big say in how high the Eagles fly. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane explains why this year, in the absence of traded star A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith has to take the next step, while also taking charge of the Eagles’ wide receivers group. Plus, Jeff dips into the mailbag for listener questions about Jalen Hurts and some key roster spots. Listen here.
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