3 key Eagles struggling early during 2026 NFL training camp

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3 key Eagles struggling early during 2026 NFL training camp

Matty Breisch, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Wed, Aug 5, 2026 ·

5 min read

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Ah training camp, the time of year just before the live bullets start to fly in Week 1 and all eyes are on the Philadelphia Eagles to see how the starters are performing, which rookies appear ready for action, and whether a dark horse or two can rise up the ranks and become a surprise contributor right away for Nick Sirianni's squad.

With a new offensive coordinator in town, a few incredibly high-upside offensive weapons added in the 2026 NFL Draft and enough free agent additions to replace the talent Howie Roseman let walk out the door, there is a lot to like about Philadelphia heading into the regular season.

And yet, while some players like Riq Woolen have received exemplary marks for their early efforts in midnight green , others haven't been so effective, to the point where fans have openly wondered about their status heading into the preseason. With so much to be excited about, here are three areas of concern to monitor moving forward.

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The entire Eagles starting offense

Can the Eagles' entire offense fill one position? Because based on the intel coming out of South Philadelphia, that certainly appears to be the case.

Now granted, the Eagles are missing multiple key players, are learning a new offense, and the o-line specifically has a new coach for the first time in any of their careers in Philadelphia. And yet, when players like Jalen Hurts are struggling to get much going against a defense that has been there for years now, it does leave more than a few fans with 2025 flashbacks.

Discussing what he's seen from the Eagles so far during his press time on Monday, Sirianni commented on the process of installing a new offense, noting that it will take some time for players to learn the new terminology and expectations .

"Again, just early on, obviously there's a progression to everything of how we install. I think [Offensive Coordinator] Sean [Mannion] has a good progression of how he's went about it. We'll be in day four as far as out there in practice today. So each and every day you guys will see more things because each and every day there's a new install through the first 10 or so installs," Sirianni noted.

"That doesn't necessarily mean — today is more of a review day actually, but because they're coming off of an off day and their walkthrough was in their install meeting was two days ago. So this will be a little bit more of a review of some of the things that you've seen. But we're working different things, working different concepts. The guys have done a good job of learning the new terminology. Sometimes I compare that to learning a new language."

Now granted, will the Eagles offense look better, especially when they can practice with the 11 players they expect to run out onto the field to start Week 1? Most certainly so, but for now, the offense remains a 100 percent question mark, which, admittedly, is nothing new, considering how often Philadelphia cycles through offensive coordinators.

RB Will Shipley

After heading into the 2025 season as the Eagles' third-down back, Shipley finds himself with new competition in the form of Tank Bigsby , who joined the team right before Week 1 last year, and Damian Pierce, who is looking to recapture his rookie form from his tenure with the Houston Texans .

On paper, Shipley should still have the inside track to take over for Saquon Barkley on obvious passing downs, but if he continues to drop balls like he did at camp on Tuesday, it could open the door for a player like Bigsby to take on a bigger role, especially since his rushing touches are already expected to increase as the RB2 in Mannion's offense.

Could Shipley find himself a casualty of the roster trimdown? Unlikely, as he does have a role on Michael Clay's special teams unit that appears to guarantee him a spot on the team, but considering Shipley is entering Year 3 in Philadelphia, this season will be pivotal in helping to define his role moving forward, as running back who fall out of rotations in Year 3 on rarely go on to have lucrative long-term roles elsewhere, especially when their best professional season consisted of just 34 touches for 117 yards .

T Fred Johnson

For much of his tenure with the Eagles, Fred Johnson has been Philadelphia's unquestioned swing tackle coming off the bench.

After playing a major role in the Eagles' success in 2024, appearing in 21 games with six starts for the eventual Super Bowl champions, Johnson tried to secure a full-time starting role with the Jacksonville Jaguars , but when that didn't work, he returned to Philadelphia to fill a reserve role via trade, appearing in 18 games with nine starts.

Now granted, Johnson's efforts in 2025 weren't as successful as his 2024 play, which is why he returned to Philadelphia instead of being courted away by a tackle-needy team, but if things continue to shake out as they have been, any chance of a long-term contract could continue to dim by the week.

With Lane Johnson unable to practice as he returns from injury, 2026 rookie third-round pick Markel Bell has really stepped up as the Eagles' first tackle off the bench, flashing some serious power and agility while wearing the number Tra Thomas made famous. With Bell locked in at starting right tackle, Johnson has been relegated to the second unit, and he hasn't exactly been sharp in the role, allowing a " sack " in simulated action on Tuesday.

Will Johnson make the team? Almost assuredly so, but much like with Shipley, if he doesn't play a solid role, it could seriously impact his future in the NFL, which makes at least matching Bell's level of play, if not outright beating it, imperative.

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