Eli Stowers, a second-round pick for the Eagles, is facing a seriously rough start, looking likely to be a gameday inactive right out of training camp. This isn’t just a bump in the road; folks are saying he’s “unplayable” right now, and for a rookie drafted that high, that’s a huge cause for concern.
Stowers Is “Swimming Mentally” And Out With Injury
Throughout camp, Eli Stowers just hasn’t shown much to get excited about, whether he’s trying to catch passes or block. He’s not flashing those explosive traits everyone knows he has in his body, and honestly, he’s looked pretty tentative when it’s time to block. We’re talking about a guy who hasn’t even made catches more than 10 yards downfield. The word on the street is Stowers is completely “swimming mentally,” just trying to wrap his head around the offense and get used to the insane speed of the NFL. He’s thinking way too much instead of just playing ball. To make matters worse, he’s currently sidelined with a hamstring injury.
There was talk about him potentially being a “redshirt” IR candidate, but that’s probably not happening. The team poured a valuable second-round draft pick into him, so they’re going to want him to get every possible chance to improve during the season. If he’s stashed on IR, he can’t practice with the squad, and that’s not ideal for his development. The hope is he eventually catches up mentally and starts playing fast. But, being real, the more realistic outlook is he becomes a positive contributor in 2027 and beyond. That’s a long time to wait for a second-round talent.
Woolen Shines As Offense Has Its Struggles
While Stowers is struggling, Riq Woolen definitely made some noise at an open practice at The Linc, snatching two interceptions off Jalen Hurts. Yeah, you read that right, two picks! He’s definitely a playmaker, and even though he might have some frustrating moments and “low lows,” those “high highs” make him a net positive. The Eagles’ offense itself has been a total mixed bag. There have been plenty of mistakes from a bunch of different players, including Hurts with those INTs, dropped passes, and some seriously erratic blocking with Lane out.
It’s clear the offense is gonna have its ups and downs as they try to get used to a new system and learn to play together with new faces. But hey, it’s not all bad news. There’s encouragement in what went right, and mistakes can be fixed. It’s good for the players to taste success and see how things look when they actually execute properly. And let’s be real, they’re going up against one of the best defenses in the league in practice, so that’s not exactly an easy group to learn against. Plus, Willie Lampkin, the NFL’s shortest offensive lineman, is apparently the team’s “secret weapon,” proving that you sometimes have to suspend disbelief when it comes to exceptions to prototypes.
For the Eagles, they’ve got to hope Stowers can somehow flip a switch later this season. Otherwise, that second-round pick is going to feel like a miss. They need that offense to gel, and they need it fast, especially with such a tough defense to contend with every day in practice.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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