2026 NFL Draft Day 2 Recap: Eagles Continue To Build Offense and Trade for Pro Bowl EDGE
The second night of the 2026 NFL Draft was certainly an eventful one for the Philadelphia Eagles. After trading up for Makai Lemon in the first round, Eagles general manager Howie Roseman continued to build the offense. But that’s not all! Roseman also pulled off a blockbuster deal for a Pro Bowl edge rusher. What do Philadelphia’s latest additions bring to the team and what’s next?
Eagles Find Their TE of the Future
The Eagles have failed to make a significant investment in the NFL Draft for several years. That trend changed on Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft as Philadelphia selected Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers with the 54th overall pick. The former quarterback-turned-tight end is new to the position, yet the flashes that he’s shown made him one of the best tight ends in this year’s draft class.
Philadelphia can now follow the plan that they’ve utilized at tight end in recent history. When the Eagles moved on from Brent Celek, Zach Ertz was already in place as his replacement. When Ertz was traded away, Dallas Goedert was there to step in. Now when the Eagles move on from Goedert, Stowers will be there to become Philadelphia’s next TE1.
If the Eagles wanted to land former Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq in the first round, Stowers is the next best option in that mold. At 6’3 3/4” and 239 lbs., Stowers doesn’t have a ton of size or blocking ability at the position, yet he possesses explosive athleticism and a sky high ceiling. He’ll be able to learn from Goedert and others in Philadelphia before stepping into a potential starting role in 2027.
Eagles Trade for Pro Bowl EDGE
After selecting Stowers, Philadelphia announced a trade that has seemingly been in the works since the start of the new league year. The Eagles were linked to the Minnesota Vikings and a potential trade for Pro Bowl edge rusher Jonathan Greenard since March. But the deal was finally completed on Friday night, as the Eagles sent a 2026 third-round pick (98th overall) and a 2027 third-round pick to the Vikings for Greenard and a 2026 seventh-round pick (244th overall).
Philadelphia also signed Greenard to a four-year, $100 million contract as part of the deal. The soon-to-be 29-year-old edge rusher will immediately ascend to to the top of the team’s depth chart at edge rusher and fills the void created by the departure of Jaelan Phillips. While Greenard only recorded three sacks last season, he still posted an elite pressure rate and is one season removed from back-to-back seasons with 12 or more sacks in 2023 and 2024.
Eagles Land Lane Johnson’s Successor
Eagles All-Pro right tackle Lane Johnson is returning for another season, yet his future beyond 2026 is certainly unsure. Therefore, Philadelphia needed to finally invest in his replacement and that’s exactly what they did in the third round. With the 68th overall pick, the Eagles selected Miami (FL) offensive tackle Markel Bell.
At 6’9 1/4”, 346 lbs. with 36 3/8” arms, it’s easy to see why the Eagles would be intrigued by Bell. He brings size to the position that is reminiscent of Eagles left tackle Jordan Mailata and former Eagles right guard Mekhi Becton. While Jeff Stoutland is no longer in the building to develop Bell, he’s a player that has already made significant strides in college.
Bell began his collegiate career at Holmes Community College before transferring to Miami (FL) and holding down the left side of their offensive line. He started 21 games at left tackle in two years with the Hurricanes and didn’t allow a single sack in his final season. Now Bell will have a chance to sit and learn behind Johnson, Mailata and Fred Johnson for at least one season in Philadelphia.
What’s Next for the Eagles?
After another trade on Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Eagles will still have three picks to work with on Day 3. Here are all of Philadelphia’s remaining picks in the event:
Round 5, Pick 178
Round 6, Pick 197
Round 7, Pick 244
After trading away two fourth-round picks to move up for Makai Lemon, Philadelphia will have quite a wait before they’re on the clock on Day 3. It’ll be interesting to see if Roseman will make any moves utilizing future draft picks or a player to add more picks in this year’s draft. Yet given how weak the 2026 NFL Draft is considered, Philadelphia may be content just sticking and picking from where they are.
After not selecting a single player that they hosted on a pre-draft visit in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Eagles have now selected two players that visited the team’s facility in Makai Lemon and Markel Bell. Therefore, here’s a look at all of Philadelphia’s reported 30 visits and a few names to potentially watch for on Day 3.
