It's a nerve-racking period on the NFL calendar, as 53-man rosters are squared away for the Philadelphia Eagles and all 32 NFL teams.
General Managers and coaching staff must make debatable final personnel decisions, while the fate of players vying for roster security hangs in the balance.
And as news broke surrounding who's in and who's out for the Philadelphia Eagles, there were certainly a few head-scratchers for Eagles fans to ponder.
Pair of Eagles offensive skill position surprises served up by Howie Roseman
The inclusion on the 53-man roster of both E.J. Jenkins and Elijah Moore has certainly caught some fans by surprise.
At tight end, many thought that if an extra depth piece was kept, it would spell the return of Cameron Latu, but Jenkins surprisingly made the cut. This suggests rookie second-rounder Eli Stowers isn't expected to contribute much early on, but even so, Latu has shown more versatility and production when called upon than Jenkins.
When it comes to Moore, his arrival in Philadelphia on a one-year deal was mostly lost in the shuffle, as more prolific moves to land the likes of Dontayvion Wicks and Hollywood Brown stole the headlines. Moore has bounced around on several rosters of late, and seems a bit redundant when considering the higher-upside, younger weapon waiting in the wings in Darius Cooper.
With Cooper and Hollywood Brown also backing up the trio of DeVonta Smith, Makai Lemon, and Wicks, keeping six wideouts seems excessive. The team elected to go lighter at other key positions - especially at safety - in favor of a veteran wideout who likely doesn't figure to see many snaps. He did have a solid camp showing, but his limited special teams impact also calls the decision into question.
Eagles' corner moves appear a bit puzzling
Defensively, the decision to keep Kelee Ringo and Mac McWilliams on the 53-man roster definitely raises some eyebrows. After a woeful 2025 season, Ringo saw extended preseason action, which typically suggests a returning veteran has a lot to show and prove in order to stick around.
In Ringo's case, he continued to show he's a liability in coverage. The past few weeks did nothing to deter his critics, and after three seasons in Philadelphia and one lone interception to show for it, he's made it onto the 53-man roster. Yes, he's strong on special teams, but that's about all he's offered up to this point, leaving fans to question if his roster spot could have gone to someone else more deserving.
Speaking of corners, we've been high on McWilliams since he landed in Philadelphia by way of his fifth-round selection in the 2025 draft. A strong summer showing at this time last year hinted that he was ready to make an impact, but his rookie season came and went with hardly a whisper out of the Florida product. Like Ringo, the team's three preseason games this summer were set up to be a crucial audition for McWilliams to prove his worth, and he also struggled mightily in coverage.
Read more: Eagles fans are still processing why they cut the cord on 2 intriguing players
Only time will tell if keeping these four on board was worth it, but there are definitely plenty of Eagles fans scratching their heads over these decisions.
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