The Philadelphia Eagles have played only one preseason game, but it doesn't look great for one of their rookies.
Philly took a bad 24-7 loss to the Ravens and has plenty to clean up. The Eagles also got some good performances from their rookies, including offensive tackle Markel Bell and quarterback Cole Payton.
Not every rookie had the kind of standout performance they were hoping for. This first impression is leaving many wanting more from him.
Eagles have a concerning problem with rookie Eli Stowers
Stowers was highly regarded as one of the best tight ends in the NFL Draft class this year. He ran the second-fastest 40-yard dash time at the NFL Combine for a tight end with a 4.51-second run.
The Eagles decided to draft him in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft, with many praising the move. Since then, though, the signs have not been trending in the right direction for him.
During OTAs, Stowers did nothing noteworthy, already raising concerns about him. Training camp hasn't improved things for him, and concerns about his consistency as a receiver and blocker.
The Eagles-Ravens preseason game seemed to increase the noise around Stowers even more. Sports Illustrated's Jeff Kerr named Stowers as one of the five losers from the Eagles' preseason opener.
"Another player that had a holding penalty, expect this was on the first play of the game -- and set the tone for the rest of the night. Stowers struggled to block in his first game and his two catches came late in the first half when the Ravens wanted the Eagles to run the clock out. There's a lot to work on with Stowers' game, which is why he's the TE3."
At first, Stowers didn't seem to have a bad game. However, his blocking left much to be desired, and it's an area he needs to improve.
It's easier to understand why the Eagles decided to let Johnny Mundt rest for the game. Mundt is clearly winning the backup tight end job, and Stowers doesn't look like a threat to steal it from him in 2026.
Looking forward to this season, Stowers is probably going to be on the bench often. He still has to get better as a blocker and improve as a receiver.
This is a good lesson for the Eagles that just because someone is fast and athletic, it doesn't translate to them being a great player right away. They will need to give Stowers time to grow and develop.
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The problem is that the plan was for him to make an impact in Year 1. If things don't get better, it's going to be hard not to start thinking about whether he is a true draft bust or not.
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