With the combine starting this week the Eagles will be getting another look at future prospects and players ahead of the 2026 NFL draft.
And while the draft doesn’t begin until April 23rd. The Eagles still have a lot of work to do in the coming weeks with over 20 free agents set to hit the market with less than two weeks until the legal tampering period(march 9th) and free agency(march 11th) open
2026 Free Agents
Below is a list of the 20 players the Eagles will need to make a decision on in the coming weeks:
TE Dallas Goedert
S Reed Blankenship
ED Jaelan Phillips
ED Azeez Ojulari
WR Jahan Dotson
DL Brandon Graham
P Braden Mann
ED Joshua Uche
CB Adoree Jackson
TE Kylen Granson
G Matt Pryor
RB A.J. Dillon
OT Fred Johnson
LB Nakobe Dean
ED Ogbonnia Okronkwo
G Brett Toth
S Marcus Epps
QB Sam Howell
TE Grant Calcaterra
FB Ben VanSumeren
There’s a few positions that stand out the most. Including the Tight End room with 3 of the main rostered tight ends set to hit the open market. leaving E.J. Jenkins, Cameron Latu and Jaheim Bell as the only TE signed through the 2026 season.
The other major position of concern is Safety. Losing a defensive captain in Blankenship could be a heavy blow to the Eagles strong defensive unit. With Mukuba returning from a fractured ankle, and Sydney Brown having not taking a leap when given playing opportunity leaves the Eagles secondary thinner than it was last season.
There might be a handful of moves to come during the offseason, to nobodies surprise.
Approaching The Draft
The Eagles are always an active team during the offseason. After winning the Super Bowl in 2025, the Eagles made a total of 6 trades before and during the draft. The first 2 being moves that acquired draft capital moving C.J. Gardner-Johnson as well as Kenny Pickett. The next 4 took place during the draft that included moving up to acquire Jihaad Campbell, as well as trading up and back in the draft. Securing players like Ty Robinson and Mac McWilliams.
Similarly, the Eagles made two trades prior to the 2024 NFL draft, acquiring Kenny Pickett and moving on from Haason Reddick. They went on to make an additional EIGHT trades during the draft that helped them acquire players like Cooper DeJean and multiple trade backs that helped re-stock future drafts while acquiring Jalyx Hunt, Will Shipley and more.
With a few weeks to go before players are able to make agreements with other teams. Who do you think the Eagles will re-sign before the legal tampering period begins?
Philadelphia Eagles fullback Ben VanSumeren’s season is over after tearing his patellar tendon Thursday night against the Dallas Cowboys, according to a report from ESPN.
VanSumeren was an undrafted rookie free agent in 2023 who did not make the initial 53-man roster, and who was thought of as more of an athlete than a football player in some scouting reports. His athleticism was indeed very appealing, as he ran a 4.45 40 and vertical jumped 42.5″ at 231 pounds.
VanSumeren eventually worked his way onto the 53-man roster during the 2023 season and found a role as a regular on special teams, where his athleticism was often praised by special teams coordinator Michael Clay.
During 2024 training camp, he also proved to be more than just an athlete, as he was one of the most physical defenders in camp, and also one of the most improved players. On the final day of 2024 camp, Eagles coaches had some players square off in 1-on-1’s against each other in front of the whole team to close practice. VanSumeren lined up at receiver against rookie S Andre’ Sam, and he ran an absolutely filthy corner route, complete with head fakes at the route stem, and absolutely dusted Sam, causing both offensive and defensive players to go nuts. But… No. 2 quarterback Kenny Pickett overthrew him.
During the 2024 season, VanSumeren would get the opportunity to flip to the offensive side of the ball, at fullback. This offseason, we cut up all of VanSumeren’s run blocking snaps, and there was a lot to like.
Late in the 2024 season, VanSumeren suffered a still-unknown knee injury. During the Super Bowl media night, he would only disclose that (a) it wasn’t an ACL tear, and (b) he’d be ready for the start of 2025 camp. He practiced during the spring, and was a full go for training camp.
VanSumeren was poised for a bigger role in 2025, and even said on Tuesday that he was going to get carries. His season ended on the first play of 2025.
The Eagles have plays for a fullback built into their playbook, and on Thursday night against the Cowboys, TE Kylen Granson filled that role.
Thursday night, before a long and stressful game that had a little bit of everything. The Eagles got to hang their second Super Bowl banner in front of fans at Lincoln Financial Field.
What ensued were questionable flags, a costly turnover, weather delays, an early ejection and even…spitting contests?
Chaos At Kickoff
The Eagles unveiled the banner, with a little help from recently retired Brandon Graham.
And just minutes later, on the opening kickoff return. Ben VanSumeren’s season might’ve came to an abrupt end. We’ll wait for an official announcement on the severity of the injury, but the Eagles FullBack idea might be over.
To makes matters worse, VanSumeren wouldn’t be the only player to miss the rest of tonight’s game. With a self inflicted wound, Jalen Carter was ejected while trainers dealt with the injured player. It doesn’t matter if Han or Dak shot first. But Carter’s presence was missed for 4 Quarters as the Cowboys totalled 119 rushing yards and 2 rushing touchdowns.
While the Eagles pass rush struggled to get home, they managed 2TFLs late in the game. Almost like they were missing one of their best defensive players?
Next Man Up
With Carter ejected it was time for another Georgia Bulldog to take his place.
Shoutout Jordan Davis
– 6 tackles – 2 pressures – 1 batted pass – 1 TFL
Davis played the 2nd most snaps on the D-line tonight. He stepped up after the Carter ejection. pic.twitter.com/hHTkd9yEJl
While some of his pressures should have turned into sacks tonight. Jordan Davis played a huge role along with Moro Ojomo who both played 89% of the Eagles defensive snaps.
Among others who made plays Thursday night include Jahan Dotson, Zack Baun and Jihaad Campbell. Who forced a fumble on Miles Sanders on the Eagles 10 yard line, might have been the game deciding turnover.
And Then There Was A Weather Delay. Again.
As if a 45 minute delay for the first Super Bowl banner wasn’t enough… It happened again
With 4:45 remaining in the third quarter of a 24-20 game. Lightning in the surrounding area led to over an hour long delay in the game. Not returning until 11:30 local time, there was still almost 20 minutes of clock left to play.
The delay killed momentum for both teams, as the game saw 5 straight punts before the end of the 4th, after 8 straight scoring possessions opened the season.
The Eagles played sloppy throughout the game. As a team should look missing key pieces, already beginning to deal with injuries (Landon Dickerson & A.J. Brown), with new players in the defense like Campbell, Mukuba & Jackson. With yet another new offensive system now under Kevin Patullo.
With a week 1 divisional victory under their belts, do the Eagles look like they’re ready to run it back for Super Bowl 60?
This blog contains links from which we may earn a commission.Credit: Dave Adamson/Unsplash
Traditionally, the fullback played as a blocker, clearing the way for running backs or quarterbacks. The athletes who played the position tended to be large, physical, intimidating players, and while they would also be used to collect some passes, their primary role in the team was to block.
More recently, the position has fallen out of favor.
Only a single fullback was even picked in this year’s draft, although some teams are starting to transition existing players into quasi-fullbacks – running backs who can also block.
The Eagles
Having won last year’s Super Bowl, the Eagles are once again among the favourites to lift the trophy this year, having been given odds of +700 to do so. The event remains one of the most significant betting events of the calendar and is not only popular in the US but overseas, with bettors using secure offshore wagering accounts to find the best odds and bet on their NFL favourites.
According to sports betting expert Steven Brown, the NFL, in general, is one of the most popular sports for betting in the US.
The Eagles will prove popular once again this year, and one of the reasons some neutrals will be rooting for them is because they are effectively reintegrating the fullback position – a position that has become somewhat nostalgic.
1) Keith Byars
Byars was the tenth overall pick in the 1986 NFL Draft, when he was picked up by the Eagles. He had enjoyed an excellent college career, although his senior year was blighted by a foot injury, which reoccurred when Byars tried rushing back before the injury had fully healed. He was a multifunctional player, slotting in as running back and right end as well as fullback, and he was known for excellent running, efficient pass catching, and, critically for the fullback role, his blocking skills. He is considered by many to be the best fullback the Eagles have ever had.
Byars remained with the Eagles until 1993, when he joined the Miami Dolphins. He would also go on to play for the New England Patriots and the New York Jets and was widely regarded at all the clubs he played for. He retired from playing in 1998, losing his final game with the New York Jets, when they were beaten by the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game.
2) Kevin Turner
PHOTO: Dave Adamson/Unsplash
Two years after Byars left the Eagles, Kevin Turner took his place in the fullback role. Turner had excelled as a blocker with the Alabama Crimson Tide college team, and, as a result, he was picked in the third round of the 1992 draft by the New England Patriots. He played three seasons for New England before he moved to the Eagles and played five seasons. Turner finished his career in 1999 after suffering two neck injuries.
He won the Ed Block Courage Award for having played through previous injuries. Following his retirement, Turner led a lawsuit against the NFL regarding concussions in the sport. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2016 – his passing was later attributed to chronic traumatic encephalopathy, caused by repeated head injuries.
3) Jon Ritchie
Jon Ritchie was widely considered one of the best high school fullbacks in the country. Despite being courted by Penn State, he opted to play college football for Michigan. After transferring to Stanford, he was initially deployed as a linebacker but eventually transitioned back to fullback.
In 1998, he was picked by the Oakland Raiders in the third round of the draft and spent five seasons there before joining the Eagles in 2003. After two years playing fullback for Philadelphia, Ritchie retired from playing and took up a role commentating in Philly.
4) Leonard Weaver
Leonard Tony Weaver III had a relatively short career and only saw a single season with the Eagles, but that one season was a glowing one. Having played a linebacker and H-back for Carson-Newman College, Weaver signed with the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2005. Here, he converted to the fullback position and signed a one-year extension in 2008.
After the 2008 season, he left the Seahawks and joined the Eagles as an unrestricted free agent. He was widely considered the best fullback in the league by the end of the 2009 season, but was injured in his first carry of the 2010 season, ultimately being forced to retire in 2011.
5) Ben VanSumeren
Although the fullback position has largely fallen out of favor, one player who wants to see it resurrected is Ben VanSumeren. VanSumeren was recruited to play fullback for Michigan at college, but soon converted to the running back position and then linebacker. He was picked up by the Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2023.
“It’s something I did growing up, and it is something I did in college as well, and so there has never been a time when I felt I had to knock the rust off.”
