5 Eagles Players on the Hot Seat Ahead of OTAs
The Philadelphia Eagles will begin OTAs on May 26th as the team looks to turn the page after a disappointing end to last season. Eagles general manager Howie Roseman has added many new players this offseason, which should put a few other players on notice. The Eagles are much deeper at several positions, which will certainly make roster battles interesting.
Roseman has talked about the need to invest in depth at several positions, such as wide receiver, which is why he has added four new players at the position. Yet Philadelphia’s backup wide receivers from last season aren’t the only players that are feeling the heat in the City of Brotherly Love. Here are five Eagles players that are on the hot seat ahead of OTAs.
Tanner McKee
One year ago today, Eagles backup quarterback Tanner McKee was viewed as one of the hottest potential trade targets at the position. Fast forward to 2026 and McKee’s value has declined significantly as the Eagles have brought in two new quarterbacks this offseason in veteran Andy Dalton and rookie Cole Payton. Philadelphia likely won’t keep four quarterbacks on the 53-man roster and McKee is heading into the final year of his rookie contract.
While the 26-year-old has shown promise at times, he really struggled against the Washington Commanders in Week 18 last season. McKee still has the inside track to be QB2 in Philadelphia in 2026, yet it’s fair to wonder if the Eagles brought in both Dalton and Payton to put some pressure on him. Roseman is never content at backup quarterback and it’s hard to feel confident in McKee after what we saw last season.
Will Shipley
The Eagles selected running back Will Shipley in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. While he wasn’t expected to contribute much behind Saquon Barkley, he has failed to impress through his first two seasons in Philadelphia. The 23-year-old averages just 3.0 yards per carry and has just 13 receptions in two seasons with the Eagles. Shipley’s underwhelming performance is why Roseman traded for Tank Bigsby in 2025.
Shipley remained involved as Philadelphia’s primary kickoff returner, where he averaged 26.8 yards per return in 2025. While that average ranked in the top 10 last season, the Eagles were likely hoping that Shipley would be more than a kickoff returner when they drafted him. Now Philadelphia has brought in Dameon Pierce, who has shown more as a ball carrier and averages 32.8 yards per return as a kickoff returner in the NFL.
Johnny Wilson
Eagles third-year wide receiver Johnny Wilson was “my guy” at the position in the 2024 NFL Draft. Wilson’s blend of size and athleticism is hard to find at wide receiver. Yet through his first two seasons with the Eagles, Wilson has failed to show more than his ability as a blocker. He was finally starting to showcase his talent last summer before he suffered a season-ending injury during practice.
Now Wilson could face an uphill battle to make Philadelphia’s 53-man roster in 2026. The Eagles have added four new wide receivers this offseason, headlined by first-round pick Makai Lemon. While Wilson should be the favorite to win the fifth spot at wide receiver, it remains to be seen how new Eagles offensive coordinator Sean Mannion will value his skillset in Philadelphia’s revamped offense.
Grant Calcaterra
It’s no secret that I’m not a fan of whatever it is that Eagles tight end Grant Calcaterra brings on the football field. While Philadelphia re-signed Calcaterra to a one-year, $2 million contract, only $700,000 of the deal is guaranteed. Therefore, it doesn’t seem like the 27-year-old is a lock to make Philadelphia’s final roster. Especially given that Roseman has added several tight ends this offseason, headlined by second-round pick Eli Stowers.
Calcaterra has essentially served as Philadelphia’s TE2 in recent years due to a lack of depth at the position. He has hauled in nine or fewer receptions in three of his four seasons in the NFL. Calcaterra is also a complete liability as a blocker, which severely hindered Philadelphia’s offense last season. The Eagles need to move in a different direction at the position and it’s clear that Calcaterra will have to improve to earn a roster spot in Philadelphia this time around.
Kelee Ringo
When the Eagles traded up to select Georgia cornerback Kelee Ringo in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, many (including myself) viewed the move as a steal. Yet fast forward to 2026 and Ringo has failed to show much as a cornerback at the next level. While Ringo brings a ton of value as a special teams contributor, he simply hasn’t been able to stay afloat as a cornerback in the NFL. Therefore, it’s fair to wonder if he could be playing elsewhere in 2026.
Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has had several opportunities to play Ringo and it’s clear that he isn’t a big fan of the 23-year-old’s game. Roseman made two notable additions at cornerback this offseason in Riq Woolen and Jonathan Jones. While Ringo could still serve as Philadelphia’s fifth cornerback and a special teams ace, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him eventually traded elsewhere as he enters the final year of his rookie contract tract.