Author: Ryan Novozinsky

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.

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.

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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.

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: Jonathan Greenard

Position: LB

Age: 29

Previous experience: The veteran outside linebacker has 38 sacks and 60 tackles for loss in 77 games across six seasons. The Houston Texans selected him in the third round (90th overall) of the 2020 draft after he dominated at Louisville and Florida. He most recently played for the Minnesota Vikings, where he spent two seasons and was named a captain.

Greenard’s sack total was down last year — three in 12 games — but he still had a high pressure rate (47, according to Pro Football Focus). The Eagles traded third-round picks in 2026 and 2027 for Greenard on April 24. He subsequently signed a four-year, $100 million contract with $50 million guaranteed.

Path to a roster spot: Greenard was arguably the Eagles’ splashiest offseason acquisition. They obtained him in the hopes that he’ll replace the production of Jaelan Phillips, who signed with the Carolina Panthers. Not only is he a lock to make the roster, he’ll be a starter and a key cog for one of the NFL’s top defenses. General manager Howie Roseman wanted a premium pass rusher to work alongside Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt. He’ll certainly get that with Greenard if the veteran can stay healthy.

Fun fact: Greenard could have found fame off the gridiron, too. The Georgia-born linebacker sang gospel music in the church choir with his sister, Victoria, and mother, Carmen, who was the choir director. When he was 14, he was invited to perform at “The Gift,” a singing competition sponsored by McDonald’s for young talent in Atlanta and was recruited by the music industry. “Producers wanted him badly,” Carmen said. He also made an appearance on the 26th season of ABC’s The Bachelor in 2022.

Quotable: “I respect the hell out of the guys that have come before me, and all I can do is continue to just carry that light and make sure the things they’ve done in the past don’t go in vain,” Greenard said in his introductory press conference with the Eagles. “So I love everything about it. I love the historic franchise. I’m wanting to be a part of that. I want to be a part of having some hardware on my finger.”

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Player: John Ojukwu

Position: OT

Age: 27

Previous experience: Ojukwu joined the league in 2023 as an undrafted free agent. He signed with the Tennessee Titans after an impressive career at his hometown college, Boise State. In his senior season, he was the only player to start all 14 games. He allowed zero sacks and committed just two penalties but still went undrafted, despite some pundits projecting him as a Day 3 pick. Ojukwu played in 16 games in three seasons with the Titans, starting nine. He signed a reserve/future contract with the Eagles on Jan. 13.

Path to a roster spot: Ojukwu is a long shot to make the Birds’ final roster. Ahead of him on the depth chart are line stalwarts Jordan Mailata and Landon Dickerson and solid depth pieces like Markel Bell, Fred Johnson, Myles Hinton and Cameron Williams. You can never have too much offensive line depth, but Ojukwu will have to turn heads at camp in order to make the team.

Fun fact: As a junior in high school, Ojukwu weighed just 185 pounds. He had talent but knew he needed to add serious weight if he wanted to succeed in college. According to the Idaho Statesman, he gained nearly 100 pounds in nine months — working out multiple times a day, then gorging on gallons of milk and whole pizzas in order to meet his caloric goals.

Quotable: “He was always the one around watching film or outside hitting the sled by himself. He’s always working, and it’s paid off,” former Boise State offensive coordinator Zak Hill said of Ojukwu, via the Idaho Statesman.

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: Michael Jordan

Position: G

Age: 28

Previous experience: Despite suiting up for four different teams (plus two practice squad stints with the Packers), Jordan actually has a decent NFL resume. A journeyman guard, Jordan has 49 starts in 78 games in his six seasons.

He most recently played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he started nine games and played in 11 last season. He played in his home state of Ohio in college and NFL, playing two years for Ohio State before being selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL draft (136th overall).

Path to a roster spot: Jordan’s chances of making the Eagles roster are fairly high. Beyond Landon Dickerson and Tyler Steen, who are virtual locks to start, Philadelphia has a fairly inexperienced guard group — made up of names like Micah Morris, Willie Lampkin, Drew Kendall, Jaeden Roberts, and Jake Majors. On paper, Jordan should shine vs. an inexperienced bunch.

Fun fact: So, let’s talk about that name. Yes, Jordan is well aware that he shares a name with arguably the most famous basketball player ever. In fact, according to a story on Panthers.com, he once got “cursed out” when trying to order a pizza on Super Bowl Sunday, since the restaurant thought it was a prank call. “And he starts cussing me out,” Jordan said with a laugh. “He said ‘This is Super Bowl Sunday; you can’t be playing around with fake names like that.’”

Quotable: “I’m actually pretty terrible at basketball,” Jordan said. “You can ask the guys in the locker room; they already know that. I’ve been terrible since I was a kid. I have to look at the ball when I dribble.” — Jordan said in an interview with Panthers.com

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Player: Rocco Underwood

Position: LS

Age: 23

Previous experience: The Eagles snagged one of the best long snappers in college football in their undrafted free agent group. Underwood, who played in 50 games over five years at Florida, won the 2024 Patrick Mannelly Award as the top long snapper in college football.

Path to a roster spot: Underwood is a virtual lock to make the team. The Eagles are still trying to find their long-term replacement for long snapper Rick Lovato, who was with the team from 2016 to 2024. The tandem of Charley Hughlett and Cal Adomitis didn’t quite cut it in 2025, which is why general manager Howie Roseman picked up the highly regarded Underwood.

Fun fact: Trainer Chris Rubio is widely recognized as the best long snapper coach in the nation. Rubio’s camp is the longest-running long-snapping camp in the nation. Underwood was the first ever athlete to earn six-star status as a long snapping prospect at the camp.

Quotable: “He’s jelled really well with the veteran guys. [He’s an] athletic individual,” Eagles special teams coordinator Michael Clay said. “It’s nice [that] he played under [Florida senior special teams analyst] Joe Houston, who had coached in the NFL. He knows the rigors of the NFL probably from talking to Joe, but he’s doing a really good job. Obviously, once the pads come on, he gets an actual real rush, but he’s taking it stride for stride, and he and [special teams assistant] Tyler Brown meet every day. I’m in there poking fun at him still. I’ll rush him a couple times, [but] he’s going to get rushed by a far better athlete in game situations.”

To this day, former University of Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray and wide receiver Nick Basquine still argue over who wooed Marquise “Hollywood” Brown.

It was December 2016 and OU, in the midst of a heated Big 12 championship race against rival Oklahoma State, was in an equally heated recruiting battle against West Virginia for Brown, a 5-foot-9 junior college wideout who moonlighted as a Six Flags ride operator in California to make ends meet.

Brown just so happened to have a 40 time in the low 4.3s, too.

Murray gave his pitch. Ditto for Basquine. And while Murray still doesn’t believe this story, when Brown did finally commit to the Sooners, wide receiver coach Dennis Simmons gave Basquine the nod for sealing the deal.

“I remember we had a practice on a Monday and coach Simmons came up to me and was like, ‘Dude, thank you,’” Basquine said. “I’m like, what are you talking about? He’s like, ‘You got us Marquise.’

“And, well, the rest is history. You saw what he did here. You see what he can do in the NFL, too.”

Now 29, Brown will try to have a career resurgence with the Eagles, who signed him to a one-year, $6.5 million contract this offseason.

Brown has bounced around the league since dominating in college and getting off to a strong start to his NFL career. The No. 25 overall pick by Baltimore in the 2019 draft, he still ranks No. 4 in Ravens history for total touchdowns by a wide receiver (21). The former first-round pick peaked in 2021 when he had a 1,008-yard season, but he mostly fizzled out after that.

He was traded to the Arizona Cardinals in April 2022, playing two seasons with Murray but failing to recapture his former 1,000-yard magic. Brown moved on to Kansas City but was injured for most of the 2023 season — he did catch two passes for 15 yards in the Chiefs’ Super Bowl loss to the Eagles — and had 49 catches as a part-time starter with Kansas City in 2025.

Is there any reason to believe that Brown — who had 587 yards last season — can recapture his Baltimore success in Philadelphia?

Candidly, Basquine doesn’t know if the numbers will reflect that resurgence. But that doesn’t mean Brown can’t impact opposing defenses, especially playing in a modern offense led by Jalen Hurts, Basquine’s quarterback during his senior year at OU.

“The threat that Marquise poses, it’s going to impact the defense,” Basquine said. “Whether they play two-high shell or one high, Marquise’s presence, even though he’s not going to be the first guy people think of, people who know football and understand the threat of speed, you always have to account for it. Marquise is still blazing fast.

“The stats probably won’t show up, but the stress and the game plan the defense has to do because of that is going to be valuable in itself.”

General manager Howie Roseman thought the same thing when he signed Brown in March. It’s obvious why Roseman brought in names like Brown, Dontayvion Wicks, and Elijah Moore, and drafted Makai Lemon this offseason: He wanted to bolster his wide receiver depth in an attempt to recreate A.J. Brown’s production in the aggregate.

Barring a 2021-like revival, it’s unlikely that Marquise Brown will get many starts this season. There’s a good chance he’ll fill depth wide receiver Jahan Dotson’s spot since Dotson signed a two-year deal with the Falcons this offseason.

This could be an ideal scenario for Brown, whom Basquine said is more determined to win a ring “than anybody.” As Roseman pointed out after he signed Brown, depth receivers have been critical pieces to Philadelphia’s Super Bowl rosters.

“On Hollywood, there have been times on our offense we’ve had really that vertical skill set, but also a guy can separate at the top of his routes,” Roseman said. “And we had that a little — I was looking at our teams in 2017 — I thought Nelson [Agholor] did a great job of that, bringing that to the team. I think you looked at 2022 and Quez [Watkins] did a good job of that. I think 2024 was constructed a little bit differently, but I think that really fits the skill set of our quarterback.”

If Brown does somehow carve out a starting role due to injury, Basquine, who played with both Brown and Hurts, said they can form an “underrated duo” due to their skill sets.

With the Eagles now running a Sean McVay/Kyle Shanahan-esque offense under offensive coordinator Sean Mannion, Simmons took the prediction a step further.

“I actually think his best football is in front of him,” said Simmons, now the wide receivers coach at USC. “We can see the best of Hollywood in Philly.

“He’s been in a variety of offenses … so the playbook will not be an issue for him. I know what his work ethic is like. I know he’s healthy. Philly’s gonna love him.”

With Eagles training camp drawing nearer on the horizon, 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. 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.

Player: Arnold Ebiketie

Position: Linebacker

Age: 27

Previous experience: Ebiketie has four years of NFL experience, and his football journey began at two local schools. The native of Cameroon played linebacker at Temple from 2017 to 2020 before transferring to Penn State for his senior year. Ebiketie began his NFL career with the Atlanta Falcons, the team that selected him in the second round, 38th overall in the 2022 draft.

Ebiketie started 12 of 67 games played over four seasons with the Falcons. In total, he has 16.5 career sacks and 129 tackles. His best season came in 2022, when he logged 6.0 sacks, six tackles for loss and 38 tackles.

The Eagles signed him in March to a one-year, $7.3 million contract, including $4.3 million fully guaranteed.

Path to a roster spot: While the news didn’t exactly dominate headlines, Ebiketie could be a sneaky good signing for the Birds. Yes, their defensive front is loaded, but Ebiketie projects to be a decent rotational piece/situational edge rusher who will generate pressure, especially under defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s guidance.

Despite a limited role in Atlanta, Ebiketie still managed to post 24 solo tackles, which ranked 45th among 115 eligible edge rushers last season. If he takes advantage of every snap, he could be another diamond-in-the-rough signing by Howie Roseman.

Fun fact: The Cameroonian Ebiketie did not play organized football until high school. He initially focused on soccer and basketball when he emigrated to the United States at age 13, until his high school basketball coach challenged him to give football a try. “He made a joke like, ‘Are you scared?’ So, that got me,” Ebiketie said via the Eagles’ website. “I’m competitive. I wanted to prove him wrong. After that, I liked it.”

Quotable: “The fans in this city and the Eagles, it goes hand in hand. Everything is about the Eagles. I saw that at Temple. Everything matters to them. I’m here and I know it’s fast-paced and very, very important. This is a championship culture. That is the standard here. I embrace that. I want that and I know it’s going to help bring out the best in me.” — Ebiketie to the Eagles’ website.

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Player: Jaeden Roberts

Position: Guard

Age: 23

Previous experience: Roberts is an undrafted free agent who played college ball for Alabama. He started 12 games at right guard for the Crimson Tide in 2024 and was a projected star in 2025 before an August concussion turned him from guaranteed starter to rotational guard. He started just four games in his final season, playing in 10 overall.

Roberts was a preseason All-American and named to the Outland Trophy Watch List before the season.

Path to a roster spot: If he’s going to make the roster, Roberts will need to prove that last season was a fluke. He has tremendous strength and a massive frame, but he’ll need to combine that with sound technique if he wants to earn a spot after going undrafted.

The Eagles have plenty of fringe offensive linemen who are trying to carve out a role. Names like Tyler Steen, Michael Jordan, Micah Morris, Willie Lampkin, Drew Kendall, and Jake Majors will all enter camp motivated to win jobs. Roberts will need to somehow separate himself from that bunch.

Fun fact: Let’s talk about Roberts’ strength for a second. The 23-year-old earned a spot on The Athletic’s “Freaks List“ two years in a row thanks to some impressive weight room accomplishments. The 6-foot-5, 333-pound lineman can squat over 800 pounds and power clean 415 pounds. Not too shabby.

Quotable: “Just being consistent,” Roberts said when he was asked how he could get on the field more amid a position battle at Alabama last season, via AL.com. “I know I’ve been missing practice time, I have been talking to the coaches and just working on the details that I need to improve on, and consistency is one thing that I think I’ve really improved on.”

The Eagles have owned the NFC East in recent memory, winning two straight division titles and five in the last 10 years.

There’s no reason to think 2026 will be any different, right? The Eagles are the favorite at +135 via FanDuel to win the division, after all.

But things feel a little different this time. The Eagles had a transformative offseason, tinkering with their offensive strategy and adding on defense, but dealing away their No. 1 weapon in wide receiver A.J. Brown. All the while, almost all of their NFC East foes took steps forward, at least on paper.

Let’s take a look at those steps. Are the Eagles destined to three-peat? Or will the revamped Giants, Cowboys or Commanders steal their crown?

Dallas Cowboys (7-9-1 in 2025)

NFC East title odds (FanDuel): +200

Last year’s results vs. Eagles: The Cowboys split their series with the Birds in 2025 in two heated installments that began with Jalen Carter spitting on quarterback Dak Prescott in the Eagles’ season-opening 24-20 win. Dallas won the return matchup, rallying for a 24-21 victory in Week 12.

Scheduled 2026 meetings vs. Eagles:

• Oct. 26 (Monday Night Football) at the Linc
• Nov. 26 (Thanksgiving) at Dallas

Biggest changes: The Cowboys can actually thank the Eagles for their biggest offseason change. In January, Dallas named lauded defensive mind — and former Eagles DBs coach/defensive pass game coordinator — Christian Parker its new coordinator for 2026. He’ll coach a promising defense that now has stud Ohio State safety Caleb Downs in the mix.

Why the Cowboys are optimistic: Offense never seems to be a concern for the Cowboys, who ranked second in yards per game last season (391.9). Defense has been their Achilles’ heel in recent years. But with a promising mind like Parker’s in the building and some exciting new faces (plus the first full season of defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, who was obtained at the 2025 trade deadline), there’s reason to believe their defense could carry them in 2026.

Why they shouldn’t be: The Cowboys just can’t help themselves when it comes to off-field distractions. The team still doesn’t have a contract resolution with wide receiver George Pickens, who ranked third in receiving yards last season (1,429).

Washington Commanders (5-12 in 2025)

NFC East title odds (FanDuel): +450

Last year’s results vs. Eagles: The Commanders faced the Eagles twice in the final three weeks of 2025, with Washington already out of the playoff race. The Eagles took the first game on the road, 29-18, while Washington came to the Linc and won 24-17 in a regular season finale where the Eagles rested most of their starters.

Scheduled 2026 meetings vs. Eagles:

• Sept. 13 at the Linc
• Nov. 1 (Sunday Night Football) at Washington

Biggest changes: The Commanders front office somehow managed to underwhelm its fans more this offseason than in last year’s 5-12 campaign. The biggest change came in the coaching room, with the team firing defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. and parting ways with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. First-time coordinators Daronte Jones and David Blough will take over as DC and OC, respectively.

Why the Commanders are optimistic: Jayden Daniels is the only reason to be optimistic about the 2026 Commanders. He willed them to the NFC title game in 2024, so you can’t rule out the possibility of him doing it again. At the very least, if he can stay healthy, they’ll be competitive.

Why they shouldn’t be: GM Adam Peters’ splashiest move of the spring was adding running back Rachaad White, who’s not exactly a headline grabber. They’re reportedly in on 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, which might lead to more problems than solutions. Daniels might need another miracle season like his rookie campaign to help lift this group.

New York Giants (4-13 in 2025)

NFC East title odds (FanDuel): +550

Last year’s results vs. Eagles: The Giants split their 2025 series against the Eagles, securing a stunning 34-17 victory in a Week 6 coming out party for rookies Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo on Thursday Night Football. The Eagles rolled the Giants in the second matchup held 17 days later, 38-20.

Scheduled 2026 meetings vs. Eagles:

• Nov. 8 at the Linc
• Jan. 10, 2027 at New York

Biggest changes: It feels like everything changed for the Giants this offseason. The team made its splashiest head coaching hire since Tom Coughlin, bringing in John Harbaugh from the Ravens. They also had a headline-worthy draft, picking up Ohio State edge rusher Arvell Reese and Miami tackle Francis Mauigoa in the top 10, then bringing in linebacker Tremaine Edmunds in free agency.

Why the Giants are optimistic: Harbaugh is the main reason for optimism in East Rutherford. The Giants have had talented rosters, but lackluster coaching has helped hold them back. If Dart progresses and wide receiver Malik Nabers returns to form, they should be one of the most improved teams in the NFL.

Why they shouldn’t be: The Giants were a bad run defense with stalwart defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, allowing a league-worst 5.3 yards per rush last season (the worst such mark in team history). How much worse will things get with Lawrence now traded to the Bengals? Let’s just say new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson has his work cut out for him.