July 28, 2025
Eric Hartline/Imagn Images
Lane Johnson and Saquon Barkley are the best players in the NFL at their respective positions.
With Philadelphia Eagles training camp underway — but a day off on Sunday — let's get to some questions and comments from our readers. As always, thank you for doing half the work for me. This is Part II of a two-part mailbag. Part I here.
Question from @twitrunner8: Weakest position so far, by rank order: RG, CB2, Safety?
I'll do you one better. I'll put each of the Eagles' projected starters into tiers in terms of how they compare to other players at their positions around the NFL:
Best player at his position in the NFL:
Top 2-5 player:
Top third of the league starter:
Top half of the league among starters:
Bottom half of the league among starters:
Too soon to rate them:
Yes, yes, I know... Quinyon Mitchell and Nolan Smith are too low, and Jordan Davis is too high.
Question from @Philly_Bul215: Any candidates to get a long-term contract during training camp?
Last year, the Eagles got offseason contract extensions done with six players. They were all finished relatively early in the offseason:
Blankenship's extension was just for one year. He otherwise would have been a restricted free agent this offseason.
This offseason, the Eagles got extensions done with three players, and again, all early in the offseason:
The remaining player who makes the most sense for an extension this offseason is Blankenship, who is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent next offseason. I'm certainly not saying that a deal can't or won't happen before the start of the season, but given the above history of early extensions it feels like it would have already happened if it were going to happen. We'll see.
Question from @ScooterMcgilli1: If Adoree' Jackson is starting Week 1 outside CB, would you consider that a great job by Adoree' or a bad job by Kelee Ringo?
All Ringo has to do is keep this competition close, and he'll start. So it would have to be considered a disappointment if he doesn't win.
That said, I do believe that Jackson isn't just some scrub. He can be a trustworthy veteran starter, if needed. He represents legitimate competition for Ringo and can earn a starting job if he's definitively better.
Question from @_weedie21: What position will they need to add to either with a free agent or a trade?
Nothing yet. Positions on watch:
Last year, it became clear that they needed to add a wide receiver, and, well, they did. Nothing is that obvious yet in this camp.
Question from @acbreakfast: Thoughts on Terrace Marshall's camp so far and chances to make the 53?
He's done some nice things so far, but unless he can beat out Jahan Dotson for the WR3 job, I don't like his chances. When he was released by the Panthers after 2024 training camp, GM Dan Morgan referenced his lack of contributions on special teams (via Schuyler Callihan of SI):
"I had a few teams call me and ask me about Terrace and obviously, I think the world of Terrace. Not only a great person, but he had a great camp. He did everything that we asked out there. I think those types of cuts, they're always tough, they're always challenging. It was right there at the end where we were kind of deciding if we were going to keep him or not. Special teams really comes into play and Terrace hasn't really been a special teams ace for us and that played a big role in our decision to ultimately release him. I wish him nothing but the best. I think he's going to do great and I wish him success where he's at."
We'll see if he can either prove he can play special teams or be good enough at receiver where it won't matter if he can't. But again, presently I'd have him on the outside looking in.
Question from @dan_mphillips: Do you expect both Ben VanSumeren and Avery Williams to make the roster as specialty positions?
Before the start of training camp, we listed our "locks, not-quite-locks, bubble players, and long shots."
I listed VanSumeren with the "locks," which generated some disagreement.
VanSumeren is going to make the 53-man roster. Yes, I suppose fullback is a "specialty position" in today's NFL, but I don't think VanSumeren should be viewed that way. He is a very good core special teamer, and could fill in at linebacker in a pinch if there were several injuries there in a game.
He is also extremely cheap, and the Eagles need guys like that to help balance out the costs of so many of their more expensive players. If the Eagles cut him, he'd be subjected to waivers, and you can be damn well sure some other team out there would claim him.
Williams is more of a bubble player to me. He has to play well in camp to make the team, whereas the Eagles already know what they have in VanSumeren.
Question from @nflmasala2022 (via Threads): Does Howie make a move to get Asante Samuel Jr. and/or Justin Simmons if Ringo/Jackson and the current safety room are not working?
I'm curious how much money Simmons' representation is asking for. He would obviously be on a team right now if he's not looking for something substantial.
Samuel had neck surgery in April, hence his unemployment status. But also, I think the Eagles feel like they already have their fallback veteran in Jackson if Ringo isn't ready to start.
Question from @chrisbrad22: Why is there never so much as a whisper about Lewis Cine?
Nothing to say. He's probably last in the pecking order at safety right now. He isn't getting many reps.
MORE: Eagles held focus group for 'new stadium' in May, per source
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