Iggles Blitz

by Tommy Lawlor

More on the Safety Position

Posted May 10th, 2026 | 1 Comment »

I wrote some thoughts on the Eagles situation at safety the other day when the Colts released Kenny Moore. After some reflection, I want to expand on the safety discussion so that everyone understands what is going on.

Howie Roseman is always looking upgrade his roster. He believes in putting together the most talented team possible. The key word here is upgrade. He obviously has some comfort level with Drew Mukuba and Marcus Epps as his projected safeties. If not, he would have made a move by now. The question he asks in regard to Moore or any other potential target…is he a clear upgrade? Howie has two players in place who have been in the system. Epps has started 29 games for the Eagles over a five-year span. They know him and what he can do. Mukuba was a player they targeted in the 2025 draft and were thrilled to get.

These guys aren’t just bodies. The coaches and front office like them. Fans for whatever reason have doubts. They want a proven veteran that they have heard of or read about to be the guy. Epps and Mukuba don’t cost much. They played well last year. Howie isn’t making a change for the sake of it. The change has to be a clear upgrade.

I think the team wants to see the whole group in action this summer. How do Epps and Mukuba work together? Is Michael Carter part of the mix? How does he do if he gets and extended shot at playing safety? He’ll have a full offseason in the scheme and that is valuable. And of course they’re excited to see how Cole Wisniewski does. Andre Sam is a player they like. Brandon Johnson could play safety or nickel. Then you have UDFAs Maximus Pulley and Kapena Gushiken. Safety is one position where you can find diamonds in the rough. There will be some serious competition.

The real key guy here isn’t Howie as much as Vic Fangio. He knows who/what he likes. If he’s happy with these guys, why make a change? On the flip side, he could tell Howie they need to go get someone. Always trust Uncle Vic. The man knows football and the guys who fit his system. He absolutely must trust the players. If he does, they can play for him.

The other thing to remember is that the Eagles don’t need to rush. They acquired CJGJ right before the season began in 2022. They can make moves during the season if things aren’t working. Howie and his staff will be studying roster cuts this summer to see if the right guy becomes available. He just has to be a clear upgrade.

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With four QBs on the roster we all assume that the Eagles would love to move Tanner McKee for picks. Andy Dalton could slide into the backup role, with Cole Payton as the developmental guy. That would be good. But Howie isn’t giving away McKee. He is valued as a good backup. You only trade that guy for a good return.

I’m not seeing a lot of teams where there is a need right now. Sounds like Aaron Rodgers will be returning to the Steelers. The Cardinals used a high pick on Carson Beck. The Jets drafted Cade Klubinik early and he’s looked good in the minicamp so far. Miami signed Malik Willis in the offseason and will build around him. The Raiders are set with 2 QBs.

Maybe the Saints would value McKee as a backup and someone to help mentor Tyler Shough. Kellen Moore had good success with McKee and could think he’s worth trading for. Maybe the Colts want an insurance policy behind Daniel Jones. I just don’t see a lot of options.

If someone gets hurt this summer, that could change things significantly. We’ll see. You might need to get comfortable with the realistic idea of the Eagles keeping four QBs for at least the beginning of the season. Albert Breer talks a lot about QBs in this interview.

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Nick Sirianni mentioned this play as something that really impressed him. Showed competitiveness, toughness and a ton of hustle. It showed that Lemon isn’t the typical diva receiver “Get me the ball”. He’s a fierce competitior that will do whatever it takes to win.

It really is amazing the depth teams go into when figuring out which players they really like.

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With quiet days ahead of us I recently asked for topics you would like covered. Thanks for the feedback. Here is some of what I’ve got planned.

I’ll have a good Howie post on Monday.

I will write about the 2008 team and their wild playoff run.

I’m going to do a series on the draft. I want to talk about the best GMs/personnel guys over the years. I will cover my own history as a draftnik. I will get into area scouts and what they do. I will try to write about analytics/scouting. These will be different pieces.

I will do my all-Eagles team…that’s a tough one.

I will write about my favorite Eagles.

We’ll have the schedule to discuss.

The AJ trade is only a few weeks away.

The Eagles will give us some oddball things to cover.

If you have more suggestions or things you want to read, please let me know.

Thanks as always.

Happy Mother’s Day to the ladies out there!!!

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Depth Pieces

Posted May 9th, 2026 | 1 Comment »

Expectations are important when a team makes offseason moves. Zack Baun came to Philly expecting to be a role player and became a star. Bryce Huff came to be a QB’s nightmare and instead was a bad dream for the Eagles. Those are extremes, but the point is still true. With that in mind, let’s talk about some offseason moves beyond the top guys. If players can become good depth pieces or role players, there is value in that.

Joe Tryon-Shoyinka was a first round pick by the Bucs. He started 45 games for them and had some success. He just never became the key player they expected. The Eagles signed him this offseason. JTS has good size at 6-5, 260. The Eagles like to have a big edge in the mix when they can. Now they have Jonathan Greenard and JTS. I don’t expect JTS to suddenly turn ino some great player, but he can push for a roster spot or maybe the practice squad. He has experience and ability.

Make sure you’re following Devin on Twitter. He is a great resource. Plus he’s a really good dude.

We know the top four edges will be Greenard, Nolan Smith, Jalyx Hunt and Arnold Ebiketie. Maybe I’m being too aggressive there with Ebiketie, but he’s such a good fit and he’s in the prime of his career. He would have to be awful this summer to lose his job. We still don’t know what’s up with BG. He wants to play. The Eagles love BG. This kinda feels like a money issue, but that’s purely a guess. There is room for JTS. Rookie Keyshawn James-Newby will certainly do his part to steal that last edge spot. He’s got real juice, but might not be NFL ready yet.

If JTS only lands on the practice squad, that would be great as well. You can mix him in as needed. Again, he’s got experience and ability. And he’s only 27. This isn’t Ryan Kerrigan or anything like that.

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Elijah Moore joined the team back in March to be part of the WR mix. The Eagles then added Dontayvion Wicks and Makai Lemon, giving Moore a real uphill battle. The team would love to find a way to keep homegrown players like Johnny Wilson and Darius Cooper. There will be some real battles for roster spots at WR. I don’t feel like that has legitimately been the case for a while.

Moore disappeared last year, only catching 9 passes for Buffalo. He averaged 50 catches per season in the four previous years so he has been productive, and that was playing with the Jets and Browns. Not exactly a lot of star QBs throwing him the ball. Moore is a good fit for the new offense. He is good in the slot. He can work the middle of the field and has good RAC ability. If someone gets hurt, he can step in and contribute.

Moore is an ideal candidate for the practice squad.

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Howie Roseman admitted he didn’t have good enough CB depth last year. Kelee Ringo, Jakorian Bennett and rookie Mac McWilliams weren’t the guys you wanted for a Super Bowl contender. So Howie went and signed veteran Jonathan Jones this offseason. Jones won’t be mistaken for Eric Allen anytime soon, but he’s what the Eagles need for this team. Jones will turn 33 in September. He has 78 career starts, 477 tackles, 62 PDs, and 10 INTs. He played in multiple Super Bowls for the Pats. This is a guy you should be comfortable if he has to jump in a game or even start for a week or two. He has added value because he can play in the slot or outside.

Jones didn’t have a good year for WAS last season. He started 7 games, which isn’t ideal at this point in his career. He also played on a dysfunctional defense that finished last in the league in yards allowed. He’ll be in a much different situation in Philly. And that gives him a better chance to succeed.

The Eagles needed a veteran backup. It feels like the ship has sailed on Ringo as a corner. He’s good on STs, but looks lost too often in coverage. You hope McWilliams makes a big leap in Year 2. You just can’t count on that. I don’t know what to make of Bennett. The raw ability is there, but he’s struggled in the summer and fall. We’ll see with him. I think Vic Fangio will trust Jones and that’s critical.

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Carson Steele signed with the team on a futures deal after playing for the Chiefs the last two year. He is 6-0, 228 and is a RB/FB hybrid. He had a great preseason in 2024, showing real ability as a runner. That got the hype train going. Steele ran for 183 yards that year and caught 7 passes. He also got used as a KOR and played 137 snaps on STs. He did have some fumbling issues and only averaged 3.3 ypc. Then again, their OL wasn’t particularly good, as you may recall from the Super Bowl beatdown. KC loaded up on veteran RBs last year, costing Steele his spot. He spent the season on the practice squad.

Steele is an nteresting guy because of his ability and versatility. The Eagles feel like there is a lot to work with. He needs coaching and better blocking. The Eagles were able to develop Ben VanSumeren and Cam Latu into effective FBs. Maybe they can do the same with Steele. At the least, this is the kind of young talent you want to give a shot and see what’s he’s got.

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