5 Eagles offensive players generating momentum ahead of training camp

The Eagles’ offense will still run through Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, DeVonta Smith, and one of the NFL’s best offensive lines, but training camp will help determine how the supporting cast takes shape after a busy offseason.

Philadelphia traded A.J. Brown, added multiple wide receivers, drafted another high-end tight end, and reshaped the competition behind Barkley. That creates opportunity for players who may not enter camp as headline names but could still become important pieces in Sean Mannion’s first year as offensive coordinator. The Eagles do not need every role player to become a featured weapon, but they do need several of them to turn spring momentum into defined jobs by September.

Tank Bigsby

Bigsby belongs at the top of this list because his path to more touches is obvious. Barkley remains the centerpiece of the Eagles’ running game, but Philadelphia needs to manage his workload and create more balance behind him. Bigsby was acquired from Jacksonville during the 2025 season as a return specialist, and eventually showed enough burst to make a case for a larger role. He finished with 344 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 58 carries, averaging 5.9 yards per attempt, and his spring work has only strengthened the argument that he should be more than an emergency option.

The Eagles also have Will Shipley, Dameon Pierce, Carson Steele, and Elijah Mitchell in a crowded running back room, but Bigsby brings the most direct combination of power, acceleration, and proven production in Philadelphia’s system. His value could go beyond traditional carries. If Mannion wants to use more checkdowns, two-back looks, or change-of-pace packages, Bigsby gives the offense a physical runner who can punish light boxes created by Hurts, Barkley, and the passing game. He will not overtake Barkley, but he can force the Eagles to find him a weekly role.

Dontayvion Wicks

Wicks has a major opportunity because the Eagles’ wide receiver room is being rebuilt around Smith. Makai Lemon has the draft status and explosiveness to earn an immediate role, while Hollywood Brown brings speed and veteran experience. Still, Wicks might be the receiver whose role could grow the most if he proves he can be consistent in camp.

Nick Sirianni compared Wicks’ skill set to Keenan Allen during the offseason, which is meaningful because Philadelphia needs a receiver who can win with route craft, timing, and feel rather than only vertical speed. Wicks has the size and versatility to work inside or outside, and he should have a legitimate chance to become one of Hurts’ most trusted intermediate targets. The question is whether he can turn potential into day-to-day reliability. If he does, Wicks could become one of the most important offensive additions on the roster.

Eli Stowers

Stowers is not a sleeper in the traditional sense, as the Eagles selected him in the second round, but he is still a player whose role may be underestimated heading into camp. Dallas Goedert remains the established starter, and Grant Calcaterra has been part of the tight end room, but Stowers gives Philadelphia a different type of receiving option.

The former Vanderbilt standout was one of the top tight ends in the draft, and his background as a former quarterback gives him a different understanding of spacing, timing, and coverage. He is still developing as a blocker, which could determine how quickly the Eagles trust him in every package, but his pass-catching ability should create a path to early snaps. If Mannion wants more easy throws for Hurts and more answers over the middle of the field, Stowers could become a useful piece sooner than expected.

Johnny Wilson

Wilson’s momentum is tied to health and role clarity. Before suffering knee and ankle injuries that ended his 2025 season before it began, he appeared to be on track to make the roster. The Eagles missed his size and blocking ability last season, and his return gives Philadelphia another big-bodied receiver who can help in the run game, win on possession routes, and do the dirty work that does not always show up in a box score.

Wilson is not competing to be the No. 1 receiver, but he does not have to. At 6-foot-6 and 228 pounds, he offers a different profile from Smith, Lemon, Brown, and Wicks. His best path is to become a physical depth receiver who can block on the perimeter, contribute in heavy personnel looks, and show enough receiving growth to justify a game-day role. If Wilson looks fully healthy in camp, he could make the receiver room more diverse.

Darius Cooper

Cooper is one of the more interesting under-the-radar names because the Eagles’ receiver competition has changed dramatically. Brown’s departure opened snaps, but Philadelphia did not simply hand those opportunities to one player. Lemon, Wicks, Hollywood Brown, and Elijah Moore were added to the mix, while Wilson, Cooper, Quez Watkins, Danny Gray, Britain Covey, Samori Toure, and Erik Ezukanma are also competing for positioning.

That makes Cooper’s margin thin, but not impossible. Sirianni mentioned him among the players who can do the dirty work on offense, and that matters for a roster spot. The Eagles value receivers who can block, handle assignments, contribute on special teams, and stay ready for limited offensive opportunities. Cooper’s challenge is to prove he is more than depth. If he stacks strong practices and shows reliability in preseason games, he could push for a bigger role than many expect.

Final analysis

The Eagles already have their offensive stars. Training camp is about finding the next layer. Bigsby can become Barkley’s most useful complement. Wicks can grow into a featured piece in the passing game. Stowers can give Hurts another middle-of-the-field target. Wilson can restore size and blocking value to the receiver room. Cooper can force the Eagles to take him seriously in a crowded competition.

Those roles may not all become major jobs, but each player has a real path to more responsibility. For an offense trying to evolve without Brown while keeping its championship standard intact, those margins will matter.

This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: 5 Eagles offensive players generating momentum ahead of training camp