Philadelphia Eagles fans have finally arrived for the team's first game since January, as they face the Baltimore Ravens in preseason action.
While there may be big questions about whether the starters will play, some of the biggest storylines are behind those guys. Plenty of position battles are on the line, and guys need to have big games if they want to earn playing time in 2026.
That leaves the Eagles with five players to watch for the upcoming Ravens preseason game. Here are the five players fans should mainly focus on while watching on television or in person.
5 Philadelphia Eagles players fans must watch in preseason debut vs. Ravens
5. Jeremiah Trotter Jr., LB
Trotter is having a great training camp and continues to show his potential as a linebacker in the rotation. This first became clear last year against the Washington Commanders in Week 18, when he racked up 12 tackles, two quarterback hits, and one tackle for loss.
Now with three weeks of training camp under his belt, Zack Baun and Jihaad Campbell most likely won't play in the Ravens game. This gives Trotter an opening to prove himself worthy of being a part of the starting lineup in some capacity.
4. Eli Stowers, TE
Stowers hasn't exactly had the best first impression on Eagles fans. He had an extremely quiet OTAs, and training camp has not been off to a good start. This past week, though, Stowers has started to get more consistent as a pass catcher, so that's a positive.
Still, this preseason game is a good first step in seeing what kind of player the Eagles got in the second-round pick. Can Stowers answer the call and play well against another NFL team and other veterans?
3. Andy Dalton, QB
Philly's QB2 battle is one of the most intriguing position battles in training camp between Dalton and Tanner McKee. Most Eagles fans already know what the team has in McKee, but more are fascinated by what they have in the 38-year-old three-time Pro Bowler.
Dalton knows new Eagles offensive coordinator Sean Mannion's scheme, so that gives him an advantage in the battle, but training camp has been very average for the veteran QB. If Dalton wants to take the job from McKee, he will have to play much better against Baltimore.
2. Markel Bell, OT
Lane Johnson's potential retirement announcement makes Bell's preseason performance more important than anyone else's on the Eagles. Bell was drafted in the third round with the sole purpose of having a chance to replace Johnson if he ever retired in the near future.
There's a lot of pressure to see how Bell holds up from the right tackle position in this game. This will be the first major challenge of his career, and if he can pass it, Eagles fans will know whether they have the successor they need for Johnson.
1. Darius Cooper, WR
For the second straight season, Cooper is the Eagles' training camp darling, but 2026 feels very different. Comparisons to A.J. Brown are adding more pressure on Cooper to potentially be the guy to replace Brown after several great days of practice at training camp.
Read more: Eagles draft bust showed his new team what he should have done in Philly
Last year, Cooper made a statement in the first preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals that helped him win a spot on the 53-man roster as an undrafted rookie from Tarleton State. Now, he can do it again against another AFC North team, but this time, he could be playing for a starting job.
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