Makai Lemon and Eli Stowers missed valuable practice time during their first NFL training camp, but the Philadelphia Eagles’ confidence in their top two draft picks has not changed. General manager Howie Roseman said the organization has “tremendous confidence” in both players and expects them to contribute during the 2026 season and beyond.
"Obviously, they had some setbacks here physically, and we looked at that as a staff and a group and maybe can figure out some changes here to get those guys going a little bit sooner from a skill position perspective, but don't have any doubt about what they're going to be in the NFL over time and still believe that they're going to contribute to our 2026 team."
Philadelphia selected Lemon with the No. 20
overall pick to add another versatile playmaker to its receiving corps. A hamstring injury limited him during the summer, delaying his preseason debut and reducing his opportunity to build timing with quarterback Jalen Hurts. Lemon still made the initial roster as one of six wide receivers. The Eagles do not need to force him into a featured role immediately, with DeVonta Smith, Hollywood Brown, Dontayvion Wicks and Elijah Moore providing experienced options.
Stowers, the No. 54 overall pick, offers similar developmental upside at tight end. The former college quarterback is still learning the details of playing the position but possesses the athletic ability to create mismatches in the passing game.
Dallas Goedert remains the clear starter, while Johnny Mundt and E.J. Jenkins provide additional depth. That structure should allow Philadelphia to identify packages that use Stowers’ receiving ability without requiring him to master every responsibility immediately.
The rookies’ limited summer workloads could make their development a gradual process. Philadelphia drafted both players with more than Week 1 in mind, however. Roseman’s comments suggest the Eagles remain confident that Lemon and Stowers can help Sean Mannion’s offense this season while developing into larger pieces of the team’s long-term plans.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Eagles are confident rookie playmakers can help the offense immediately
