The Philadelphia Eagles are now about a month away from training camp starting, and the heat is being turned up on a few players on the roster.
There could be several reasons for it: players might not make the roster at all in 2026, or they need to play well for their futures in Philly. This fits with several players on the roster who are trying to keep their hopes alive of becoming impact players on the Eagles.
Here are five players who are feeling the pressure in a make-or-break summer for them.
Will Shipley, RB
Shipley has been slipping on the depth chart slowly over the last year, with Tank Bigsby emerging as the main backup to Saquon Barkley. It doesn't help that Shipley struggled as a kickoff returner last season, leaving his roster status more up in the air than ever. He really needs to take a massive leap in his development this season, or it could be time for the Eagles to move on from him.
Jeremiah Trotter Jr., LB
The door is open for Trotter to take advantage of the linebacker situation and become the guy Eagles fans have waited years for him to become. Zack Baun and Jihaad Campbell are still the starters, but Trotter should be featured more in the rotation with Nakobe Dean gone. If this season doesn't work out for Trotter, he will never get his chance to be a solid NFL linebacker ever again. He must do it now.
Darius Cooper, WR
What a great story Cooper was last season as he went from an unknown undrafted free agent from Tarleton State to becoming a training camp darling, making the 53-man roster. The honeymoon phase is over for Cooper, as the wide receiver room is crowded with talent, and he will have to compete with Johnny Wilson and Elijah Moore for the last one or two spots on the roster. Cooper has been great on special teams, but he will need more than that to continue playing in Philly.
Grant Calcaterra, TE
The clock is ticking on Calcarterra after a rough 2025 season for the Eagles, with the poor blocking skills that could cost him a job. He's got a ton of competition ahead of him as he has to beat out Dallas Goedert, rookie Eli Stowers, Johnny Mundt, and many more at tight end. Eagles fans are pretty much prepared to see Calcaterra in an Eagles uniform for the last time in preseason if he can't stand out at training camp.
Read more: Bryce Huff unleashed on Eagles and fan base after one season failure
Marcus Epps, S
It might be an odd thing to say for a guy at 30, but Epps is entering a pivotal point in his career, as it could be his last ride before being a backup full-time. He showed that he can be a solid starter late in the season when he replaced the injured Andrew Mukuba. Now Epps must work alongside Mukuba to keep his career going, and he's only got one year to prove he should be a starter beyond 2026.
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