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The Philadelphia Eagles lost their opening preseason game to the Baltimore Ravens 24-7. Despite the outcome, four players stood out and significantly boosted their stock on the roster bubble.
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Ty Robinson
Robinson was viewed on the roster bubble by many prior to the game. After a disappointing rookie season, where his pass-rush skills that earned him third-team All-Big Ten honors, did not translate to the NFL, Robinson had a slow start to training camp.
As camp has continued, Robinson has picked up some steam in recent practices, which continued in Philadelphia’s opening preseason game.
Robinson picked up a sack after a smooth swim move in the first quarter, one of his three pressures of the night. He did draw an avoidable penalty on a late hit to the quarterback, but in total, it was a strong outing for the second-year defensive tackle as he looks to become a staple in the rotation.
Cole Payton
Payton’s 92 total offensive yards in the fourth quarter was more yards than both Andy Dalton and Tanner McKee, despite each having more drives. His pocket presence and mobility allowed him to extend plays, rolling out and finding his receivers downfield or picking up chunk yardage with his legs.
The North Dakota State product was already a strong bet to make the 53-man roster, given that Philadelphia hasn’t parted ways with a fifth-round rookie since 2019. With this performance, however, Payton didn’t just secure his roster spot, he positioned himself as a legit candidate for QB2 in 2027 and beyond.
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Willie Lampkin
Lampkin has been one of the biggest surprises of Eagles training camp. After going undrafted in 2025 and sitting out all of his rookie season recovering from injuries, Lampkin returned to play and made his impact felt, consistently making positive plays and working his way up the depth chart. His strong camp translated immediately into live game action.
In the Ravens game, Lampkin was the highest-graded Eagles offensive lineman, playing both guard and center. He has all but secured a spot on the 53-man roster.
Deontae Lawson
Lawson was signed by the Eagles as an undrafted free agent after spending five years at Alabama. A two-time team captain and the Crimson Tide’s “green dot” defensive signal-caller, he finished his college career with 283 total tackles. Lawson is a rangy defender who reads plays well before the snap and excels in zone coverage guarding underneath routes.
Though he suffered a torn ACL in 2024, Lawson returned to post a career high in tackles, but red flags remain due to his injury history and smaller frame. That vision showed up against the Ravens, where he logged five tackles and consistently read the run well.
The Eagles’ interior linebacker room is one of the strongest in the NFL, but if Philadelphia keeps five linebackers to preserve that surplus of talent, Lawson is likely competing directly with Chance Campbell for that final roster spot.
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This story was originally published August 17, 2026 at 3:06 PM.