August 24, 2026

'Swiss Army knife' Carson Steele hurdles into Eagles roster conversation

It's going to be tough for the Eagles to justify keeping four running backs, but Carson Steele's performance against the Patriots at least has to make them think.

By Nick Tricome
PhillyVoice Staff

Carson-Steele-Hurdle-Eagles-Pats-Preseason-2026-NFL.JPG

Gregory Fisher/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The first time Carson Steele jumped over a guy on Saturday night.

The Eagles' running back picture looked set halfway through Saturday night in Foxboro.

Saquon Barkley was the obvious No. 1, Tank Bigsby the clear No. 2, and after Will Shipley barreled down to lead an early scoring drive in the preseason game against the Patriots, it became a safe bet that the No. 3 spot would be his.

But then Carson Steele caught a quick pass, broke into the open field, and hurdled over a guy. Then he did it again, but this time stumbling into the end zone on the landing for a late Eagles touchdown.

And it was all enough to make you think about it, which probably meant it was enough for the Eagles to wonder, too: can they somehow fit a fourth?

Steele, the 23-year-old running back (or fullback depending on how he's played), was a surprising YAC monster through the back half of the Eagles' 24-21 preseason loss at New England.

He finished the night with six receptions for 84 yards and a touchdown, and then 12 carries for 33 more yards on the ground – for 117 yards in total.

And you always knew when he had the ball, because he always seemed to make something happen, like two hurdles in one game when you'd otherwise be lucky to see just one.

"Man, it's been a second," Steele said afterward about even attempting to hurdle in the first place. "A couple of them, I didn't think I was gonna get up there. I'm gonna say back to my Ball State days, that's probably the last time I did."

But they certainly got him to stand out, if just for a night.

Carson Steele Made a Strong Case for an Eagles Roster Spot Tonight 🦅🔥

18 Touches, 117 Total YDS, 1 TD pic.twitter.com/82wK1UYlmj
— Football Performances (@NFLPerformances) August 23, 2026

It might be too late for Steele to crack the 53-man roster. The Eagles are already crowded with NFL-caliber running backs as is, and the likelihood is that they're going to need the remaining spots for immediate depth elsewhere, along with retaining long-term development projects in quarterback Cole Payton, and pass-rushing novices Uar Bernard and Joshua Weru.

And yeah, there's always the catch of the fact that Steele was going off against a Patriots defense that was starting to reach deep into its preseason depth chart.

But the former undrafted free agent showcased a versatility and shiftiness that can be useful out of the backfield during the game, along with a mentality of being willing to help anywhere else or at any set position postgame.

"That's kind of how I started my career," Steele said. "Special teams, trying out fullback. I've done that as well. Some people say I am a fullback, some people say I'm a running back. I'm here to do whatever. That's really what it is...I do really take pride in that."

So when he does get asked what position he plays, his response...

"A little bit of everything," Steele quipped. "I tell them 'Swiss Army knife.'"

Steele was first signed by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2024, after a college career that started at Ball State and ended at UCLA.

He flipped between fullback and running back with the Chiefs, taking 56 carries for 183 yards and making seven catches for 26 yards through his rookie year.

Steele was cut by the Chiefs next training camp in 2025, and spent the season on their practice squad before signing a futures contract with the Eagles in January.

Now he's patching together a late push to leave a mark and to try and carve out a spot for himself on the final 53, even with space limited – one hurdle at a time, it seems.

"Any way the team really needs me," Steele said. "Whether it's running the ball, pass game, stuff like that, even special teams. Just gotta go out there and try to make a guy miss. That's my go-to, because that's how the elite guys kind of really separate themselves, is making that first guy miss out in open space."