Analyzing the Eagles' initial 2026 practice squad

The Philadelphia Eagles announced on Monday that they signed 13 players to their practice squad. There are also a few other reported signings that the team has not yet announced. Players with an asterisk have not yet been officially announced by the team.

• RB Dameon Pierce: Pierce was a Texans fourth-round pick in 2022, and he very quickly had a big role in their offense, rushing 220 times for 939 yards and 4 TDs as a rookie. However, his numbers fell off sharply the following season, when he rushed for just 2.9 yards per carry. The Texans waived Pierce during the 2025 season, and he later signed with the Chiefs' practice squad before being elevated to the active roster in late December. His career rushing stats:

Pierce had a good start to camp, but a hamstring injury kept him out of a half dozen practices, slowing his momentum. When he returned to the field he had some nice runs in the final preseason game. He is something of an RB4, and likely to be the first guy called up should Saquon Barkley, Tank Bigsby, or Will Shipley go down. Quality PS player.

• RB Carson Steele: Steele became something of a fan favorite after he caught a bunch of passes and hurdled some guys in the preseason games. He has some RB/FB versatility.

• RB Jaydon Blue*: Blue had just 214 carries in college, partly because he played behind guys at Texas like Bijan Robinson and Jonathon Brooks. In 2024 at Texas, he had 134 carries for 730 yards (5.4 YPC) and 8 TDs. His appeal is that he has breakaway speed (4.38 40 at the Combine), and some receiving chops (42-368-6 in 2024). The Eagles brought Blue in for a pre-draft visit in 2025, and had some interest in him.

The Cowboys ended up selecting Blue, in the fifth round of the 2025 draft. He got 38 carries as a rookie, gaining 129 yards (3.4 YPC) and 1 TD.

Blue has some talent, but a number of draft analysts flagged football character concerns.

• WR Britain Covey: Covey is likely to be active on gameday as a practice squad callup. He remains the team's best punt returner, and by a wide margin. He is probably also the team's best kick returner.

• OT Kiran Amegadjie*: Amegadjie had some dominant tape at Yale, playing against lower level competition:

He also has some ideal physical traits, notably his 36 1/8" arms. He was selected by the Bears in the third round of the 2024 draft, but appeared in just six games, with one start (125 snaps), all in 2024. He did not play at all in 2025. The Eagles will take a look at him.

• iOL Jake Majors: Majors had some rough moments in practices, but he had some good blocks in the Eagles' second preseason game against the Patriots, when the second-team offensive line mauled the Pats' defense.

• OT/OG John Ojukwu: Ojukwu has some NFL experience (9 career starts), and some guard/tackle versatility.

• EDGE Keyshawn James-Newby: James-Newby missed eight practices with an ankle injury and was a limited participant in three more. He showed a little juice in practice at the end of camp, as well as in the final preseason game against the Bengals, but he just did not have a body of work big enough to make the roster. He was a priority player to bring back to the practice squad.

• EDGE Mason Reiger: Reiger was a priority undrafted free agent who signed with the Miami Dolphins. Leading up to the draft, most analysts thought he would be selected. For example, he was Mel Kiper's 140th-ranked (4th/5th round) prospect, and Dane Brugler's 197th-ranked (5th/6th round) prospect.

But, Reiger had a complicated evaluation because of a worrisome injury history, and he did not get drafted. In his final season at Wisconsin, Reiger had 33 tackles and 5 sacks. He has some juice as a pass rusher. Video via @JonahTuls:

In his lone preseason game appearance, Reiger had 2 tackles and a sack, but the Dolphins waived him shortly thereafter with an injury settlement. So, the Eagles are taking a look.

• EDGE Joshua Weru: Weru is an undrafted rookie International Player Pathway prospect who flashed impressive athleticism in practice and the preseason games, but is also a raw athlete who needs to bulk up in the weight room. I though there was a chance Weru could be claimed, but he made it through waivers. He is a long-term project.

• iDL Gabe Hall: Hall had a great camp a year ago, and had his moments this summer as well. He is a playable interior defensive lineman, however, with five iDLs making the roster, he got caught in a numbers crunch. I thought Hall had a decent chance of getting claimed on waivers, but the Eagles were able to bring him back.

• iDL Uar Bernard: Like Weru above, Bernard is an International Player Pathway prospect, though he was selected by the Eagles in the seventh round of the 2026 draft. Bernard has imposing size and raw athletic testing numbers, but he has robotic movement at this stage of his development. He literally played his first ever football game this preseason, and is probably an even longer-term project than Weru.

• LB Chance Campbell: Campbell was a Titans sixth-round pick in 2022, but missed his entire rookie season with a knee injury. He was on and off the roster in 2023, until he suffered a pregame injury in November, ending his season. And then in 2024 he missed the entire season with a torn ACL suffered in training camp. So, you know, he's injury prone.

The Eagles signed Campbell in late August last year, and he spent the entirety of the season on the practice squad, impressing teammates with his athleticism and tenacity along the way. He had a good start to camp, but his momentum was slowed by a groin injury. He'll begin the 2026 season once again on the practice squad.

I believe Campbell will be on the 53-man roster at some point this season.

• S Cole Wisniewski: Wisniewski missed the entire spring and most of camp with a hamstring injury, followed shortly thereafter by a concussion. He made some sense for short-term IR, but the team opted to cut him outright. Wisniewski didn't really have much of a chance to show what he can do on the field, but the Eagles will continue to work to develop him in something of a safety/linebacker role.

• S Maximus Pulley: Pulley is an undrafted rookie free agent who I thought showed something in camp. He does a nice job of reading what the offense is trying to do and anticipating where the ball is going, and I like the way he triggers downhill in the run game.

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