After the first training camp practice of the summer, Jordan Davis stepped to the microphone with a giant smile on his face and turned the tables on reporters.
“How are we feeling about LeBron being in town? Come on, give me something!”
LeBron James’ decision to join the 76ers is one of the biggest sports stories in recent Philadelphia history and it has created plenty of buzz across the street at the Jefferson Health Training Complex.
Many Eagles are excited about the arrival of King James.
“I think for what he represents in sports and sports culture, it’s huge,” Jalen Hurts said. “I think it’s huge for the City of Philadelphia. It’ll be exciting to have a figure like that in the city. What he’s done, one of the greatest to ever do it. I’m excited to be a part of that.”
The 41-year-old James is one of the greatest basketball players ever. He’s a four-time MVP, a four-time NBA champion and a 22-time NBA All-Star.
James played his first NBA game in October of 2003, just eight months after Cooper DeJean was born.
“Big fan, obviously,” DeJean said. “He’s been my favorite player since I was a kid. I think it’s pretty cool. I’ll be at a lot of the games. Get to watch him right there, hopefully pretty close. I’m excited. I think it’s going to bring a lot of joy to this city.”
While DC Vic Fangio said the Eagles had a “great sequence” this offseason to get Jaylen Brown and then James, he didn’t think it’s the greatest signing in the city’s sports history. That, Fangio says, came when the Phillies signed Pete Rose back in 1979.
Many of his players probably wouldn’t agree.
“I’m excited,” Saquon Barkley said. “I think the City of Philadelphia is a super cool place to be for sports and how involved the fans are. Having Bron here is just great for the culture.”
DeVonta Smith is a noted Boston Celtics fans and the move that precipitated James’ arrival to Philly was the trade that sent Brown from the Celtics to the Sixers. Smith chalked that up to the business of professional sports.
What does Smith think of the big news?
“Looks like the Sixers are trying to go win one,” Smith said. “Can’t be mad at that.”
More trades this summer?
Howie Roseman had a busy August last year, making five trades in the month. Here’s a refresher:
Aug. 5: Acquired CB Jakorian Bennett from the Raiders for DT Thomas Booker IV
Aug. 18: Acquired WR John Metchie III and a 6th-round pick from the Texans for TE Harrison Bryant and a fifth-round pick
Aug. 24: Acquired QB Sam Howell and a 6th-round pick from the Vikings for a 5th-round pick and a future 7th
Aug. 25: Acquired OT Fred Johnson from the Jaguars for a 7th-round pick.
Aug. 25: Acquired future 6th-round pick from the Packers for OL Darian Kinnard
Are there more trades coming this offseason? There’s always a good chance of that.
“The roster’s always a work in progress,” Roseman said. “Every day we’re coming in, we’re trying to find ways to get better. We’re communicating with every team in the league to try to find fits, to see if there’s opportunities to make ourselves better. It’s certainly incomplete at this time. It will be incomplete throughout the course of the season. Any opportunity we have– and you look at our roster, it reminds me of just all the rooms that we have that evolve over the course of time. That’s not a reflection of how we feel about our players now, excited about it, can’t wait to see them out there, but any time we have a chance to get better, to improve our team, we’re going to look at that.”
Saquon getting deep
Saquon Barkley got into the weeds a little bit on Day 1 of training camp, talking about how deep he’s going to line up when the Eagles are under center in 2026.
And a lot more goes into it than you might think.
“Depends. Depends who you are,” Barkley said. “I remember I talked to AP (Adrian Peterson), he liked to be at 8 (yards).
“ More times than not, you’re around 7, 7 1/2. Some guys like to be at 7. You get a feel with it. I might cheat it a little bit if it’s 3rd-and-3. Depends on what the defense is doing. I might step back a little bit if I feel like they’re penetrating. That’s kind of like the fun part of playing football. You can play around with that and get a feel for it.”
Where will Mannion be?
As Sean Mannion goes through his first training camp as an offensive coordinator, there’s one big decision about the season that’s lingering: Where will he be stationed?
Some coordinators and play callers like to be on the field for face-to-face communication, while others like to be in the booth for a better view.
“We’re still working through all of that,” Mannion said. “We have some simulated games here at practice where I’ll get to get a feel for both of them, but I think either way, it’s going to be a good experience. There’s certainly– that’s something we’ve already charted out a couple days to kind of work through both of those options.”
High praise for Hunt
Jalyx Hunt had a big season in 2025 and the expectations are even higher in 2026. After just a couple of practices in training camp, Hunt is off to a good start.
Just ask the guy who has to try to block him
“Tremendous growth. Super proud of Jalyx,” left tackle Jordan Mailata said. “Very smart player. He’s learning from every year he gets to play against us. Super dynamic, super explosive. He had a great day yesterday. He has some great moves. He’s starting to pick up on a few cues of mine and he let me know. And so I was like, ‘I really appreciate that, brotha.’ I watched the film and I was like, ‘Ah, he’s such a liar.’ I didn’t even do what he was talking about. I just got beat.
“He’s come a long way and iron sharpens iron is how I see it. I’m excited for this year. It’s going to be a good battle in camp between us. He showed that yesterday.”
Hunt, 25, had a really good second season in 2025. He led the Eagles in sacks with 6 1/2 and interceptions with 3. He became the first player in Eagles history to lead the team in both categories in a season. What’s next for Hunt? Vic Fangio thinks a big season could be coming.
“Yeah, I am looking for that,” Fangio said. “He’s very capable of it.”
Taking some losses
This offseason was a bit of a tough one for Howie Roseman. He lost three trusted members of his front office this offseason with the departures of former assistant GM Alec Halaby, former senior VP/tertiary football executive Bryce Johnston and former VP of football operations Jeff Scott.
While the Eagles have overcome front office losses before, it still stings a bit.
“It’s bittersweet because all of those guys have put themselves in position to make career choices, to improve their lot in life, which you hope for, for people that you’re really close to,” Roseman said. “I remember I was out to dinner with my wife at one point and just said, ‘It’s going to be an adjustment for me.’ The relationships that I have with those guys, the ability to communicate, really the language, to be able to say things very short and sweet and them understand what I’m looking for, that comes with time.
“They’re three incredibly valuable members, all of those guys. When I came in on Monday, it was obvious to me those are three of the four offices that surround me, so it’s a transition. For me, I have to evolve. I have to continue to get better and learn and to continue to develop people that are here, and I plan on doing that.”
The Eagles have since promoted Adam Berry to assistant GM, Grant Reiter to director of football administration, among other promotions and hires. It’s up to Roseman to keep the pipeline going.
