The Philadelphia Eagles are preparing for a showdown with the New England Patriots in their second preseason game, but more importantly, they'll first join a joint practice.
Philly is looking to get off to a much better start to that game than last week in the 24-7 preseason loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The Eagles' offense could use more work than the defense after only having 159 total yards and six first downs against Baltimore.
Emotions will run high with A.J. Brown on the other side, but five players could use this joint practice to help them in some way during training camp. Here's a look at the five players who could help themselves against the Patriots in the joint practice.
These Eagles need to perform well at joint practice with Patriots
Cole Wisniewski, S
Wisniewski just returned to practice for the Eagles after dealing with his injury and got off to a good start. He got a sack and got a chance to play with the first team. A strong performance against the Patriots could earn him more playing time with the starters.
Darius Cooper, WR
Cooper has had a ton of buzz around him throughout the last three weeks, but he hit a wall against the Ravens in the preseason game when he dropped an easy pass. He still should be good to make the roster, with Jalen Hurts continuously praising him, but Cooper needs to prove himself against other competition. Watch for Cooper to see if he can get better from the preseason game.
Uar Bernard, DT
Bernard has shown potential after displaying his skills in the first football game he has ever played. While he played high with his shoulder pads, he showed effort and speed. Going against other competition again will be good for Bernard and can only make him better. Playing well, though, could help his chances of being on the 53-man roster.
Markel Bell, OT
Momentum is building for Bell after an impressive first NFL game against the Ravens. Bell's size makes him an ideal candidate to replace Lane Johnson after he retires at the end of the 2026 season. More reps will also help the rookie face a Super Bowl-caliber team like the Patriots.
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Eli Stowers, TE
The rookie second-round pick did not have a good debut in an Eagles uniform and needs to bounce back in a big way. A joint practice will help people buy into his stock again. Right now, it's not looking good for Stowers, so he'd better be ready to put up a huge performance against the Patriots to gain momentum going into the preseason game.
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