Several teams reportedly wanted to trade up for Patriots OT Caleb Lomu
Several teams wanted to trade up for Caleb Lomu, but the Patriots secured him in the NFL Draft.
The Philadelphia Eagles completed a transformative 2026 NFL draft, trading up for USC wide receiver Makai Lemon and selecting tight end Eli Stowers and offensive tackle Markel Bell. They also acquired Pro Bowl edge rusher Jonathan Greenard.
PHILADELPHIA â The 2026 NFL draft is over. Philadelphia Eagles GM Howie Roseman can rest. For now, at least.
Itâs been a busy few days for Roseman and his staff.
The Eagles traded up on Thursday in dramatic fashion for first-round USC wide receiver Makai Lemon.
They drafted Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers and Miami offensive tackle Markel Bell and acquired Pro Bowl edge rusher Jonathan Greenard on Friday.
And on Saturday, they selected North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton, Georgia guard Micah Morris, Texas Tech safety Cole Wisniewski, Nigerian prospect Uar Bernard and New Mexico edge Keyshawn James-Newby.
So the Eagles are coming away with eight new players to help them get back to the Super Bowl â and extend that window â after a disappointing 2025.
The Eagles are listed at +1800 to win the Super Bowl next year on FanDuel
The Eagles selected USC wide receiver Makai Lemon, Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers, and Miami offensive tackle Markel Bell.
Makai Lemon is a first-round pick from USC, described as a 'killer' by his college coach, indicating his potential impact on the Eagles' offense.
The Eagles traded up dramatically to secure their first-round pick, which was used to select Makai Lemon.
Jonathan Greenard is a Pro Bowl edge rusher acquired by the Eagles, enhancing their defensive lineup significantly.
Several teams wanted to trade up for Caleb Lomu, but the Patriots secured him in the NFL Draft.
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Here are our biggest takeaways from what Roseman and the Eagles did on 2026 NFL draft weekend.
A much-needed offensive reset
The Eagles spent their Day 1 and 2 picks on offense. That was by design. Not only did they need more weapons with A.J. Brown on his way out of town, but the Eagles are about to commit a lot of money to one of the NFLâs top defenses.
Zack Baun got paid last offseason. Jordan Davis got a $78 million extension in March. Greenard got $100 million over four years. Jalen Carter, Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell are due to receive extensions in the near future. Thatâs a lot of dough. And thatâs why the Eagles needed to key in on impact offensive players on rookie deals.
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Big swings on âunusualâ traits
The Eaglesâ Day 2 picks have their flaws; thatâs why they werenât first-rounders. Stowers is not a good blocker. Bell is a project with only one year of full-time starting experience.
But one word stuck with me when Roseman was talking about Stowers and Bell, who the Eagles hope will one day take over for Dallas Goedert and Lane Johnson, respectively.
âWhen we were studying both of those guys, the word âunusualâ came up a lot,â Roseman said. âBoth of those guys are unusual. ... We know that these guys arenât finished products. But really excited about what the ceilings could be with both of those guys.â
Stowers is a freak athlete; his broad jump and vertical jump numbers were the best in NFL Combine history at the tight end position. Bell, meanwhile, stands at 6-foot-9, 346 pounds.
Roseman could have taken safer prospects in the second and third rounds. But heâs betting on Stowers and Bellâs traits elevating them toward their sky-high ceilings.
Compensatory picks matter
Compensatory picks donât get much shine or attention. Maybe itâs because theyâre tough to follow. But comp picks are a big deal if you know how to use them. And the Eagles do.
When Milton Williams left last offseason, the NFL gave the Eagles the No. 98 pick in the third round of this yearâs draft as compensation. Roseman knew heâd get one; that was part of the calculus behind dealing No. 87 to the Dolphins for Jaelan Phillips.
Phillips just left in free agency, but the Eagles will likely recoup a third-round comp pick in 2027. That helped Roseman trade a 2027 third and No. 98 overall for Greenard.
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Dallas didnât learn its lesson
Itâs been half a decade since the Cowboys and Eagles traded with each other in the first round of the 2021 draft. The Eagles moved up from No. 12 to No. 10, just ahead of the Giants, to draft DeVonta Smith. Dallas pocketed an extra third-round pick, which was used to draft defensive tackle (and relative non-factor) Chauncey Golston.
For Dallas to do it again, giving the Eagles another Biletnikoff Award-winning wideout and getting only a couple fourth-round picks extra in exchange, was even more surprising. If Lemon pans out, maybe Jerry Jones will think long and hard about dealing with Roseman again.
Roseman is really good at this
The fact that the Cowboys traded with the Eagles on Thursday speaks to Rosemanâs persuasion and relationship-building skills. Most heated rivals wouldnât trade with each other, so I suppose it speaks to the Cowboysâ willingness to try to do whatâs best for them, too.
But Dallas, after watching Smith be such an integral part of the Eaglesâ Super Bowl LIX triumph, deciding to deal with Roseman again is a feather in his cap.
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