15 Eagles to watch in preseason finale vs. Bengals
Aug 28, 2026
The Eagles will wrap up their preseason on Friday night when they host the Bengals at Lincoln Financial Field.
After that, they’ll have until 6 p.m. on Sunday to whittle their 90-man roster down to just 53 players.
So there are jobs on the line in this game. Even if those jobs aren’t with
the Eagles, this is an opportunity for players to put out good tape for the rest of the NFL to see.
Here are 15 Eagles to watch:
QB Cole Payton: The rookie from NDSU didn’t get much time in the second preseason game but was really impressive in the preseason debut. He showed an ability to make things happen with his legs and arm. It’ll be fun if he gets in this one.
QB Andy Dalton/Tanner McKee: The competition for the Eagles’ backup quarterback spot just won’t go away. McKee very clearly outplayed Dalton against New England last week but the two continued to rotate with the second-team offense in practice.
WR Makai Lemon: Because he missed so much time with a hamstring injury, it would make sense for Lemon to see some game action on Friday night. The first-round pick has been lining up with the starters in recent practices but has yet to see the field in the preseason. He probably won’t play long in this one, but it’ll be fun to see if he gets out there for a series or two on offense and maybe return some punts.
WR Elijah Moore: The veteran receiver has had a really good camp but is firmly the roster bubble as decision time nears. If Moore has a great third preseason game, he might be able to earn a spot or at least give himself a chance to land on another team’s 53-man roster.
TE Cameron Latu: The Eagles will have some tricky decisions at tight end and Latu is part of that. He has the ability to be a lead blocker but the Eagles didn’t really use a fullback in training camp. Still, Latu brings physicality and special teams prowess.
OL Micah Morris: The sixth-round guard from Georgia is a freaky athlete and we’ve seen that in the first two games. With a good performance, he can prove to the Eagles that he’s worth a spot on the 53-man roster as perhaps the last offensive lineman to make the team.
OL Jake Majors: The Eagles clearly like Majors, who has worked as a second-team guard and center all summer. The problem for him is that Drew Kendall and Willie Lampkin are clearly ahead of him and Morris has bigger upside. But Majors still has a chance.
DT Uar Bernard/OLB Joshua Weru: The pair of IPP products have become fan favorites this summer and everyone is rooting for them. They have improved so much over the course of a few weeks and both got in the stat sheet last week in New England. They have another opportunity on Friday night.
DT Zion Wilson: We haven’t talked much about Wilson this summer because he’s buried on the depth chart at a deep position but he has flashed. Wilson signed with the Eagles after the NCAA denied his waiver for a sixth year of eligibility. He has some talent.
OLB Keyshawn James-Newby: The seventh round pick from New Mexico missed most of training camp with an ankle injury but returned late and flashed in the final practice of the summer. This will be his first NFL game action.
LB Chance Campbell: After missing the first preseason game with an injury, Campbell played 32 snaps against the Patriots and had 6 combined tackles. Vic Fangio is a fan of Campbell, who is making a strong roster push.
LB Deontae Lawson: The UDFA from Alabama would have had a great shot to make the roster any other year. It’s possible he is competing with Campbell for a roster spot that may or may not exist.
CB Mac McWilliams: The Eagles’ cornerback depth is a bit questionable. Even if Jonathan Jones is the top backup on the outside, the Eagles need players to fill out the roster. McWilliams is firmly on the bubble after an up-and-down training camp.
DB Kapena Gushiken: The UDFA from Ole Miss has been playing safety and nickel this summer and that type of versatility is pretty impressive.
S Maximus Pulley: Pulley has an outside shot to make the roster as a safety but would need a strong performance in this game. The UDFA from Wofford has some ball skills so maybe he can show them off against the Bengals.
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