Eagles Sign Two Former UFL Players: What Does It Mean?

The Philadelphia Eagles officially signed two new players on Tuesday. We also received clarity regarding a mysterious situation involving one of the team’s free agent acquisitions back in late March. Eagles general manager Howie Roseman continues to reshape Philadelphia’s roster ahead of the start of training camp later next month.

Yet before we jump into that, I’d like to address the elephant (or the eagle) in the room. As you can see above, I’m using a different approach with my graphic for this article. Father’s Day is a few days away and I wanted to figure out a creative way to honor my children. In a world full of AI slop, that Eagles logo was drawn by my daughter…and honestly, all of you might have to get used to it because I love it (and more importantly, she does too).

Now let’s dive into Philadelphia’s most recent moves and address a recurring rumor that apparently won’t go away anytime soon.

Eagles Sign WR Erik Ezukanma

The Eagles signed wide receiver Erik Ezukanma, who was a fourth-round pick by the Miami Dolphins in the 2022 NFL Draft. The 26-year-old was most recently with the DC Defenders of the UFL. Following a quiet start to his NFL career, Ezukanma was able to showcase his ability on special teams in the UFL with nearly 500 kickoff return yards.

At 6’2” and 206 lbs., Ezukanma brings some much-needed size to Philadelphia’s wide receiver room. Another edge that “Eazy-E” may have in the battle for a depth spot is his history with Eagles pass game coordinator Josh Grizzard, as they were together in Miami for two seasons. Ezukanma also spent time with the Jacksonville Jaguars under head coach Liam Coen, who has experience with both Sean Mannion and Grizzard.

Eagles Sign DB Shaun Wade

The Eagles signed defensive back Shaun Wade, who was a fifth-round pick by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2021 NFL Draft. The 27-year-old was most recently with the Dallas Renegades of the UFL. Since arriving in the NFL in 2021, Wade has bounced around the league and spent time with four different teams. But now he’ll be reunited with a familiar face in Philadelphia.

Wade spend three seasons with the New England Patriots, where his cornerbacks coach was Mike Pellegrino. Therefore, it’s clear that the connection between Wade and Pellegrino helped him land in Philadelphia, similar to when the Eagles signed veteran cornerback Jonathan Jones earlier this offseason. Wade could make things interesting in a competition for the fifth or sixth spot on Philadelphia’s cornerback depth chart.

One last note regarding the signing of Wade is the position that the Eagles have listed him at on the official roster. Wade is listed as a defensive back and not just cornerback. The other players listed at defensive back on the team’s official roster are Cooper DeJean, J.T. Gray and Tariq Castro-Fields. If Wade is going to play both safety and cornerback, that would also help increase his value in Philadelphia.

Joe Tryon-Shoyinka Retires

When the Eagles signed veteran edge rusher Joe Tryon-Shoyinka in March, it seemed like the typical dart throw from Roseman. “JTS” is a 27-year-old, former first-pick that fits the mold of free agents that Roseman normally prefers to take a chance on. Yet he reportedly never showed up for OTAs or mandatory minicamp.

It was a mysterious situation and reporters were unable to gain any clarity about his absence. Yet fast forward to this week and the Eagles announced that Tryon-Shoyinka was placed on the reserve/retired list. “JTS” has dealt with multiple hip injuries and also had a lengthy absence due to a concussion late last season. It’s tough to see a player retire at such a young age but I’m sure that Tryon-Shoyinka did what was best for himself and his family.

Eagles Waive DB Brandon Johnson

The Eagles surprisingly waived second-year defensive back Brandon Johnson. The 23-year-old signed with Philadelphia as an undrafted free agent following the 2025 NFL Draft. At 5’10” and 185 lbs, Johnson didn’t offer much from a size standpoint but made up for it with his positional versatility. While he didn’t make the team’s initial 53-man roster, he stuck around on the Eagles practice squad.

Johnson was elevated to the active roster for two games late in the regular season. It felt like he could make a push for a final 53-man roster spot in 2026, yet the Eagles are moving in a different direction. Johnson likely showed enough in Philadelphia to warrant receiving a chance on another team’s 90-man roster this offseason. There’s also a chance that Roseman keeps him close and continues his roster juggling show, as he always does.

‘Nuclear Hot’ Nonsense

On June 14, Sports Illustrated beat writer Hondo Carpenter reported that the Eagles were one of two teams that have a “nuclear hot” level of interest in trading for Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby. The other team that Carpenter included in the report was the San Francisco 49ers. Maybe I’m crazy but specifically mentioning those two names with some specifically headline grabbing phrasing surely seems like a smart thing to do during the lull of the offseason.

The Eagles have grown into the easy button for engagement, especially given Roseman’s aggressiveness. But as I wrote back in February, I don’t believe that Philadelphia would make a move for Crosby, especially if the cost is remotely close to the two first-round picks that the Baltimore Ravens traded for him, prior to that deal falling through. My guess is that Roseman is more than happy with an edge rusher rotation that is headlined by Jonathan Greenard and a rising star in Jalyx Hunt. I’ve learned to never say never with Roseman, but I have my doubts this time.