3 Sleepers To Watch for the Eagles in 2026
Following an unceremonious end to last season, Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman has remained busy. While Roseman has made plenty of noteworthy additions this offseason, there are a few players that are flying under the radar in Philadelphia. In my latest 53-man roster projection for the Eagles, I had a few players surviving final cuts that others left off in their most recent iterations of the exercise.
In recent years, Roseman and his staff haven’t been afraid to move on from recent draft picks if other players emerge at that position. It’s also worth keeping in mind any coaching staff changes or schematic changes occurring in the City of Brotherly Love. Therefore, I wanted to elaborate a bit more on three of the obscure choices that I made in my most recent 53-man roster projection. Here are three sleepers to watch for the Eagles in 2026.
Erik Ezukanma
Following the departure of A.J. Brown and the hiring of first-year offensive coordinator Sean Mannion, Roseman has completely revamped Philadelphia’s wide receiver room. While DeVonta Smith is expected to step-up as WR1 moving forward, it’s going to be interesting to see how everything plays out behind him. The expectation is that rookie Makai Lemon will be WR2, while Dontayvion Wicks is the favorite to be WR3 with Hollywood Brown behind him.
Then the next tier of wide receivers is filled with players such as Johnny Wilson, Darius Cooper, Elijah Moore and others. Yet I’m very intrigued by the addition of former fourth-round pick Erik Ezukanma. “Eazy-E” hasn’t done much in the NFL but he has worked with Eagles pass game coordinator Josh Grizzard, as well as Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen, who has connections to Mannion and the Sean McVay scheme.
The final roster spots at wide receiver could come down to which players can contribute on special teams. While Wilson has shown the ability to do so, Cooper is the only other player that has contributed in that area. Ezukanma seemed to embrace his time in the UFL this year and became a special teams ace. If he can showcase his skills as a kick returner, while also making tackles in coverage, that may help him win a roster spot in 2026.
Chance Campbell
Despite the loss of Nakobe Dean, Philadelphia’s linebacker room is still one of the best in the NFL. Zack Baun and Jihaad Campbell are the expected starters with Jeremiah Trotter Jr. cemented as the top backup behind them. Yet things could get interesting in the battle for the potential fourth and final spot in the Eagles linebacker group.
While second-year linebacker Smael Mondon Jr. is the current favorite to win that role, I’ve got my eyes on Chance Campbell. The 26-year-old linebacker was a sixth-round pick by the Tennessee Titans in the 2022 NFL Draft, yet several injuries ended his time with the team. The Eagles claimed Campbell ahead of final cuts last season and he eventually stuck around on Philadelphia’s practice squad.
It’s worth noting that Campbell was named one of the players that stood out to the Eagles starters on Philadelphia’s scout team last season, according to Zach Berman of The Athletic. Fast forward to 2026 and Campbell reportedly received a few snaps with the Eagles first-team defense alongside Baun during Campbell’s absence at practice. At 6’2”, 232 lbs. with a 4.57-second 40-yard dash and a near 40” vertical jump, Campbell has the size and explosive athleticism to push for a roster spot in Philadelphia, if healthy.
Kapena Gushiken
After allowing Reed Blankenship to walk in free agency, Philadelphia is embracing a revamped safety room in 2026. Second-year safety Andrew Mukuba is expected to be the top player at the position, while Marcus Epps and Michael Carter II are battling for the second and third spots in Philadelphia. Yet the real intrigue could be at the fourth safety spot, where two rookies may be battling for the job.
While the Eagles selected Cole Wisniewski in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft, he isn’t necessarily a lock to make Philadelphia’s final 53-man roster. In fact, undrafted rookie Kapena Gushiken actually received more guaranteed money in his contract than Wisniewski did. According to Spotrac, Gushiken received a total guarantee of $272,500 in his rookie deal, while Wisniewski has a total guarantee of just $126,532.
The Eagles have kept undrafted signings over late day three draft picks in the past and that could certainly be the case in 2026. Gushiken has already earned the nickname “Gush” from Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio and reportedly made a few plays during team drills at mandatory minicamp. Gushiken’s ability to play both safety and slot cornerback could give him the edge over Wisniewski and earn him a 53-man roster spot in Philadelphia.