The Eagles have signed their 2026 undrafted free agent class. Eight names, $775,000 in total guaranteed money (the lowest UDFA spend since 2021), and a mix of SEC pedigree, small-school finds, and International Player Pathway prospects. Here is the full breakdown.
The 8 UDFAs
- Deontae Lawson, LB (Alabama). The headliner of the class. A three-year starter for the Crimson Tide whose football intelligence is widely respected. Slipped out of the draft due to an ACL tear in 2025.
- Jaeden Roberts, OG (Alabama). Offensive-line depth with SEC pedigree. Brings the kind of pass-protection technique that Chris Kuper will refine.
- Kapena Gushiken, DB (Ole Miss). Versatile defensive back. Tied for the highest UDFA guarantee in the class at $272,500.
- Tucker Large, DB (Washington State). West-Coast secondary talent with the kind of length scouts liked.
- Maximus Pulley, DB (Wofford). Small-school gem. The Wofford defensive scheme has produced NFL contributors before, and Pulley fits the profile.
- Rocco Underwood, LS (Florida). Long snapper competition, except there is no competition. The Eagles have no other long snapper under contract.
- Joshua Weru, DE (Arizona State, IPP). Another International Player Pathway prospect. Tied with Gushiken for the highest UDFA guarantee at $272,500.
- Dae'Quan Wright, TE (Ole Miss). Tight end depth behind Goedert, Calcaterra, Stowers, and Bell.
Key Names to Watch
Beyond Rocco Underwood (essentially the de facto winner of the long-snapper job before camp even opens), three names have realistic 53-man-roster paths:
Deontae Lawson has the best chance of any non-specialist UDFA. The Eagles' linebacker room is thinner than it has been in years. Zack Baun is the lock at one spot. The other base starting spot is a battle between 2025 first-round pick Jihaad Campbell, second-year Jeremiah Trotter Jr., and second-year Smael Mondon Jr. Behind those four, the depth is unproven. If Lawson's medicals clear and he plays to his college tape, he has a realistic path to the active roster.
Kapena Gushiken and Joshua Weru got the biggest guarantees ($272,500 each), which is the front office's loudest non-verbal signal about who they think has the highest ceiling. Gushiken joins a crowded defensive-back room but could earn practice-squad reps and develop into depth. Weru joins an even more crowded edge-rusher room but has the kind of physical tools that translate when given time. Both are real bets.
The International Player Pathway Connection
Joshua Weru, like 2025 UDFA Uar Bernard, is an International Player Pathway prospect. The IPP program brings athletes from outside the traditional United States football system into NFL camps with developmental support. The Eagles have leaned into the program over the past three years, and the early returns have been promising. Weru joining Bernard gives the Eagles two pathway prospects to develop simultaneously.
Minicamp Tryouts
In addition to the 8 signings, the Eagles invited 11 more players to rookie minicamp on a tryout basis. The hidden gems of any draft class are not always the ones who got contracts on draft weekend. Tryout invitees can earn deals in the days following minicamp if they impress. The Eagles have signed UDFA contributors out of tryout pools in the past, and the staff is watching carefully.
The Bigger Picture
The $775,000 total guaranteed UDFA spend is the lowest the Eagles have committed in five years. The signal is clear: the front office views the roster as championship-ready and is letting cap dollars sit rather than chase low-percentage UDFA bets. The two players who got real guarantees (Gushiken and Weru) are the only ones the team valued enough to outbid the market for.
For everyone else in this class, the path to the 53-man roster runs through training camp performance, special-teams ability, and the kind of patience that turns UDFA contracts into multi-year NFL careers.
The Bottom Line
Most UDFAs do not make their team's 53. The numbers are brutal: typically only one or two from any given class will be on the active roster in Week 1. Underwood is the safest bet. Lawson is the most intriguing. Gushiken and Weru are the highest-ceiling bets. The other four will fight for practice-squad spots and the chance to develop.
The math will sort itself out by August.
