Eagles News: Willie Lampkin is “a bowling ball of knives”
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Eagles notebook: Their star of joint practices, a great nickname and more – NBCSP
Bowling ball of knives. Eagles second-year offensive lineman Willie Lampkin has become a fan favorite this summer. But the 5-foot-11 offensive lineman has also become a favorite in the locker room. Well, maybe not when his teammates have to face him. “Love Willie,” Jordan Davis said. “I call him a bowling ball of knives. Because he’s so short, he’s so small, he’s so stubby but he is so quick and powerful and precise with his hands that it’s really, for a taller guy like me, it gives me a lot of trouble, it gives me a lot of fits. That’s one of the things that keeps me up at night with Willie. “But he’s a tremendous player. He has a certain tenacity about him when he goes and plays a game, especially at center, and he commands that line. It’s really special to see and I’m excited to see where his game goes.”
Good note in here about Lane Johnson telling reporters unprompted that Willie Lampkin is really good. https://t.co/l7Hp3T11oi
— Brandon Lee Gowton (@BrandonGowton) August 21, 2026
The Eagles need to win back the fourth quarter in 2026 – BGN
This is the time of year when everything new is being installed, and training camp darlings are created. There will be a ton of things to look at this Saturday night when the Eagles face the Baltimore Ravens, and Sean Mannion’s offense, or what small portion of it is shown, will get scrutinized. But the real reality of the Eagles’ 2026 season will not arrive until around 6:30 p.m. Sunday, September 13 at Lincoln Financial Field. It’s about the time when the Eagles will be in the throes of their first fourth quarter of the season, in the season opener against the Washington Commanders. Winning the fourth quarter will be a big key to the Eagles’ 2026 success. In 2025, the Eagles did not win the fourth quarter. Last season, the Eagles wilted offensively and defensively.
Five things to watch in the Eagles’ second preseason game vs. the Patriots – PhillyVoice
4) Can Darius Cooper separate from Makai Lemon? Makai Lemon began practicing in a limited capacity on Thursday. He will be returning to practice full-time soon. The Eagles’ WR1 (DeVonta Smith) and WR2 (Dontayvion Wicks) spots are spoken for, but the WR3 spot remains wide open. Cooper is challenging for that role, and I imagine he’ll be given the opportunity to play against the Patriots on Saturday night. In the first preseason game against the Ravens, Cooper had 2 catches on 5 targets for 21 yards. Can he improve on that performance, and at least get the Eagles’ staff to consider starting him Week 1? If not, Lemon will have a golden opportunity to swoop in at the tail end of camp and claim that spot.
Eagles-Pats Day 2 – Iggles Blitz
It is great that Hurts and the offense came through this time around. We know that there will be a learning curve for the offense this season. There will be ups and downs. Hurts isn’t afraid of adversity so I think he’ll be able to work his way through issues. The offense was up and down from an overall perspective. Hurts got picked off a couple of times. While I don’t like the INTs, I do like the fact he is more willing to take chances this summer. You never want turnovers, but an offense won’t be at its best if the focus is being careful. You want to be aggressive. Just don’t be reckless.
The Ospreys – A PHLY Eagles Awards Show at the Fitler Club – PHLY
SPECIAL GUESTS RECENTLY ANNOUNCED: Sheil Kapadia, Brandon Lee Gowton and former PHLY Eagles Host Zach Berman, and Anthony Gargano! Join PHLY Eagles for the annual Ospreys, a one-of-a-kind awards show hosted by Bo Wulf, EJ Smith and Fran Duffy celebrating the 2025 Eagles season. Held at the Fitler Club in Philadelphia, this show brings together the PHLY Diehard community to relive the biggest moments, hand out awards for the season’s best performances and memories, and celebrate another incredible year of Eagles football. Whether you’ve been with us all season or are just looking for a fun night with fellow fans to get ready for the 2026 season, the Ospreys is the event for you!
Eagles-Patriots week: 6 burning questions, from joint practices to Makai Lemon’s status – The Athletic
Do you feel better or worse about the Eagles’ offense after joint practices? Kubena: Worse. The first-team unit needed to show it can consistently move the ball after the reserves played poorly in Saturday’s preseason opener. But the run game’s success was inconsistent across both days against the Patriots. Elijah Moore caught a deep touchdown in Wednesday’s team drills, but explosive passing plays have been few and far between in training camp. Dontayvion Wicks showed impressive separation in one-on-one drills, but it didn’t translate into major plays during red zone and two-minute drills. Of course, DeVonta Smith and Makai Lemon have missed over two weeks of practice with hamstring injuries. The Eagles need them healthy. Berman: About the same, but if I had to give you a lean, I’d say slightly worse. There have been joint practices during the past decade when the Eagles were the superior team. That was not the case this week, but the context is that the Patriots are the defending AFC champions with a season win over/under of 9.5. It’s not as if the Eagles were expected to dominate these sessions. But I also can’t say they were the clearly superior team. The secondary didn’t play as well as I anticipated Wednesday, although the pass rush was strong, and it looks different in a game when you can hit the quarterback. The defense recovered on day two. It’s still hard to get a gauge of the passing game without Smith and Lemon in team drills. The running game was better Wednesday than Thursday. If the running game can carry Wednesday’s effectiveness into the season, you should feel good about the offense.
2026 NFL season: Ranking the best, worst positional groups – ESPN
SAFETY — Unit to watch: Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles were a strong candidate for “shakiest.” Reed Blankenship signed with Houston, which positions second-year man Andrew Mukuba (who missed half of his rookie season with a fractured ankle) and Marcus Epps (a backup for most of 2025) as the team’s top full-time options. Cooper DeJean should also get some run at safety, but he is the team’s primary slot corner.
Spadaro: 6 things to watch in Saturday’s preseason matchup vs. Patriots – PhiladelphiaEagles.com
2) Get something going on offense. No question the offense – with Andy Dalton, Tanner McKee and Cole Payton – didn’t get untracked against the Ravens. The goal is to move the ball early here. That doesn’t mean a revised plan for offensive coordinator Sean Mannion, who is likely to keep things simple with the expanse of the roster on the field – the starters saw action on a lot of reps in the joint practices. It means the players need to execute in the early downs, stay ahead of the sticks and gain first downs.
Patriots starters not expected to play in preseason game vs. Eagles – Pats Pulpit
Entering their preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles fresh off a pair of joint practices, the New England Patriots are expected to give their starters some rest. Quarterback Drake Maye and the other core players on offense and defense are “unlikely” to take the field during the Patriots-Eagles exhibition contest on Saturday night, as first reported by Mike Reiss of ESPN. This means that Maye and company will not have seen any game action through two postseason games.
The Eagles teamed up with Philly-based fashion brand Addison Bay to design a collection ‘for the girl on the go’ – Inquirer
In less than a month, the South Philadelphia sports complex will be decorated in Eagles green, smoke from the tailgate grills will cover the parking lots, and the sun will beat down on the asphalt canvas as fans prepare for the home opener against the Washington Commanders. That means it’s time to break out your favorite game day outfits, whether that’s your lucky Jalen Hurts jersey, your favorite vintage top, a reworked masterpiece — or maybe even a new piece from Addison Bay? The Philly-based lifestyle brand is collaborating with the Eagles on an exclusive clothing line curated for women and designed to blend fashion and comfort.
Nakobe Dean embracing leadership role during Las Vegas Raiders’ training camp – Silver And Black Pride
When the Las Vegas Raiders signed linebacker Nakobe Dean during free agency this offseason, the team wasn’t just getting a defender who can patrol the second level of the defense. It added a much-needed leader to a young position group and defense. While Maxx Crosby has done a good job in that role over the last several years, serving as the alpha on the Raiders’ defense, the defensive end’s position limits how much he can do as a leader. NFL defensive coordinators typically lean on a linebacker to wear the green dot; relaying the play call, getting everyone aligned pre-snap and taking overall command of the defense. From his time at the University of Georgia to the last four years with the Philadelphia Eagles, Dean’s football IQ and leadership skills have allowed him to successfully take on that role on several occasions. And during the early stages of training camp, it sounds like the Raiders have gotten what they were looking for in that department.
Dallas Cowboys are true Super Bowl contenders in 2026; plus, three paper tigers – NFL.com
Christian Parker is quietly building a real defense. After struggling through a pair of one-and-done seasons from coordinators Mike Zimmer and Matt Eberflus, the Cowboys lured the 34-year-old Parker away from the rival Eagles to run their defense. The first-time play-caller takes over a new-and-improved unit, with talent added to each level this offseason. March’s trade for Rashan Gary and last week’s signing of Von Miller helped round out a front that now positions Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark on the inside, with a rotation of dynamic pass rushers (2025 second-round pick Donovan Ezeiruaku, 2026 first-rounder Malachi Lawrence, James Houston and Sam Williams) on the perimeter. The front’s versatility and explosiveness will let the Cowboys use more traditional pass-rush tactics and simulated pressures (a four-man rush with a second-level defender blitzing from depth and a lineman dropping into coverage) to attack offenses without exposing the defensive backfield. Using deceptive tactics like sim pressures, Parker will test the instincts, awareness and diagnostic skills of the opposing quarterback and offensive line, while allowing his ball-hawking defenders to play with vision on the QB to make plays on tipped and overthrown passes. With a collection of experienced studs (Miller, Gary, Clark and Quinnen Williams) playing in a scheme that showcases movement at the point of attack, Parker will lean on the extensive knowledge of the veterans to build a plan that maximizes the overall talent of the defense. A disciple of Vic Fangio, Parker brings an expanded playbook that should provide plenty of big-play opportunities for a group that features playmakers at the point of attack.
3 offensive Cowboys with most to prove in Arizona – Blogging The Boys
1) RB Jaydon Blue. To this point, Jaydon Blue’s Cowboys tenure has been disappointing, to say the least. After playing in just five games during his rookie year, Blue looked to take a step forward this year and cement himself as Dallas’ RB2 in Oxnard. So far, that has not happened. While he has shown some flashes during camp, Blue has struggled with consistency, and his fumbling habits have reared their ugly head once again. In Dallas’ first preseason game against Seattle, Blue got the most carries of any Cowboys running back, but the 22-year-old was not productive. The former Texas Longhorn recorded just 19 yards on eight carries, an average of 2.4 Y/A on the day.
Commanders preseason: Frankie Luvu among players to watch vs. Lions – Hogs Haven
Head coach Dan Quinn admitted as much before Thursday’s practice. Who will play, and how much? Quinn wasn’t ready to reveal that. “A good amount of starters will get some playing time,” Quinn said during that Thursday press conference. “I’ll finalize that list tonight, after practice, once I get the overall health of all the positions where we’re at, but a lot of the guys who sat out for Miami will get an opportunity to get some work in for this week, all obviously different amounts.” Quinn has been getting asked about quarterback Jayden Daniels’ availability all week. Washington simply can’t afford him hurt in the preseason. Quinn said he’ll evaluate the health of those around Daniels before making that call. If he plays, Daniels is obviously the most important player to watch in Saturday’s game. Since that’s up in the air, you won’t see him discussed in the list below, despite the fact we’re hedging bets on some of them.
New York Giants mailbag: Jaxson Dart, Najee Harris’s role, Odell’s number, more – Big Blue View
Brayden Martell asks: Will Odell Beckham Jr. get his number 13 back? Ed says: Brayden, the better, more important question is whether or not Beckham will make the team. Right now, I think that’s a 50-50 proposition. I might even trend toward saying I think it could be difficult for him to make the 53-man roster. If everyone is healthy Malik Nabers, Malachi Fields, Darnell Mooney, Darius Slayton, Calvin Austin, and Braxton Berrios are making the team. That’s six guys. NFL teams often keep only six wide receivers. If the Giants keep a seventh wide receiver, there is an argument to be made that Dalen Cambre might have more value on game days than Beckham because he can be a core special teams player. So, before you worry about Beckham’s jersey number, worry about whether or not he is going to get a jersey at all.
6 international NFL landing spots, ranked – SB Nation
Roger Goodell is hell-bent on making international expansion his NFL legacy. It’s a topic the commissioner has spoken about year, after year, after year — all the while more and more games are scheduled overseas. This past week Goodell was asked about the possibility of permanent international expansion, i.e. having a team permanently located outside the United States, and his response could not be clearer.
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