The first Philadelphia Eagles’ unofficial depth chart of 2026 is out, and while I never take these things at face value because sometimes they don’t list guys in the right order, it does give us a framework heading into the preseason opener against the Baltimore Ravens.

There are real battles brewing at multiple positions, and these next few weeks are going to tell us a lot about what this roster looks like come Week 1. So let’s break down the four biggest positional fights I’m watching.

Wide receiver 2 and 3 are intriguing spots

Makai Lemon was listed behind DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks on the initial depth chart, but he hasn’t practiced much and hasn’t been on the field. That placement tells me that when he does get healthy, he’s going to be a featured option in this offense. But the bigger question right now is what happens behind him.

Who are the other guys that can make this roster? Is it Hollywood Brown? Is it Elijah Moore? Britton Covey? We know Smith is a lock. We know Wicks is a lock. But if Lemon is dealing with this injury, the Eagles need to figure out who else they can count on. That receiver room is crowded, and preseason reps are going to be critical for sorting out the bottom of this group.

Swing tackle

Everybody assumed Fred Johnson would slide into the swing tackle role coming into this season, but third-round pick Markel Bell has made a big statement at training camp. You heard what Lane Johnson said about him, right? Johnson advocated for Bell, calling him the greatest rookie he’s ever been around. That is high praise from one of the best tackles in football.

So Bell might just win that job over Johnson, and that’s something to keep our eyes on throughout the preseason. The Eagles invested a third-round pick in this kid for a reason, and if he’s already turning heads from a guy like Lane Johnson, that could be a sign of things to come.

Safety

I still think one of the biggest concerns with the Eagles heading into 2026 is the safety position because they didn’t go out and address it this offseason. Here we are a couple weeks away from the regular season, and we’re still trying to figure out who starts next to Andrew Mukuba, assuming he can stay healthy.

The battle right now is Marcus Epps versus Michael Carter. Based on everything we’ve heard out of camp, I feel like Epps is going to win the starting job. But Carter will still have a role in the defense as a nickel corner in dime packages and in other responsibilities. That said, this thing is still up in the air to me, and I don’t think it’s 100% decided yet.

Edge rusher

This might be the most fascinating battle on the entire roster. We just talked about Jalen Carter and the kind of camp he’s been having. On the edge, though, when Jonathan Greenard comes back and is healthy, hopefully early in the season, who’s going to be the starter opposite him? Is it Jalyx Hunt? Is it Nolan Smith?

Smith has to bounce back. This is a huge year for him both for the now and for his future contract. But Hunt has a lot more boom potential and an ability to turn into a star, and he’s looking like one at camp. The question is whether he can beat out Smith and lock down that spot.