Eagles newcomers ‘26: Are veteran adds Johnny Mundt, Ta’Quon Graham in for long Philly stays?
Mundt and Graham have carved out substantial careers on either side of the ball.
With Eagles training camp drawing nearer, The Inquirer is taking a closer look at the more than three dozen new faces who are expected to report along with the rest of the team on July 28.
Player: Johnny Mundt
Position: Tight end
Age: 31
Previous experience: Mundt is a journeyman veteran tight end. The Eagles are his fourth team in nine seasons. He played college ball at the University of Oregon and signed with the Los Angeles Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2017. He quickly became a UDFA success story, not only making the roster but spending five seasons in Los Angeles as a reliable blocking tight end. He’s also had stints with the Minnesota Vikings and, most recently, the Jacksonville Jaguars. He signed a one-year deal with the Eagles in March.
Whether a 2026 draft choice, a veteran addition, or a rookie free-agent hopeful, we’re telling you more about each player’s potential role this season. We’re rolling out two players per day in a mostly unscientific order that balances offense and defense, bigger names with mysteries, and locks with longer shots to be chosen for the 53-man roster.
Path to a roster spot: Mundt projects to make the final roster for two reasons: His rock-solid blocking abilities and his familiarity with new Eagles offensive coordinator Sean Mannion, with whom he was teammates in Los Angeles and Minnesota. The 31-year-old will slide into the third tight end blocking role, which would be crucial in Mannion’s wide zone scheme. He’s not a stat padder — Mundt’s best year came in 2023, when he logged just 172 receiving yards — but he’ll be a major key in rejuvenating the Eagles’ run game.
Fun fact: The back story behind Mundt’s blue collar, block-first approach to football is, well, nuts. In 1999, his parents started Alpine Pacific Nut Company, a plant that produces more than 75 million pounds of walnuts each year. Growing up, Mundt would wake up at dawn and work on the farm alongside his two brothers to help his parents run the successful business.
Quotable: “When I know I make a good block in the first one and a half seconds of the play, I know I won my rep and then I see the running back down the sideline, I mean, there’s no better feeling. It’s really special,” Mundt said via Eagles.com.
Player: Ta’Quon Graham
Position: Defensive end
Age: 27
Previous experience: Graham spent the first five seasons of his NFL career with the Atlanta Falcons, the team that selected him in the fifth round (148th overall) of the 2021 NFL draft. Prior to that, he spent four years playing for the University of Texas. He signed to the Eagles practice squad last November and re-signed with them in March.
Path to a roster spot: While you can never have too much depth off the edges, it will be an uphill battle for Graham to make the final roster. The Eagles already had Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith under contract entering the offseason. They then traded for (and subsequently extended) Johnathan Greenard. That means Graham will have to battle with Arnold Ebiketie, A.J. Epenesa, Uar Bernard, Jose Ramirez, Keyshawn James-Newby and Joshua Weru for rotational snaps. Let’s see if he can separate himself.
Fun fact: Graham’s mother worked night shifts as a correctional officer in Texas, so his brother, Broderick Thompson, was a father figure to him. Thompson taught Graham how to watch film, even during his peewee football days. That guidance helped him carve out a successful college career and hang around in the NFL.
Quotable: “I’m kind of a little foodie, just from trying different restaurants and things like that. Honestly, I’m pretty laid back; I don’t have many hobbies, but I do like to try new food places. I do like to try different things with my teammates, my friends, and all of them,” Graham said of his off-field life via USA Today.