Overview
- Darius Cooper has moved from a roster bubble to a likely spot on the Eagles’ 53-man roster after earning repeated first-team reps and making multiple contested catches in full-team work.
- DeVonta Smith and rookie Makai Lemon have missed practice time with hamstring issues, which created the expanded opportunities that accelerated Cooper’s evaluation.
- Quarterback Jalen Hurts has frequently targeted Cooper in drills and praised his strong hands, a pairing that reporters and insiders cite as a key reason for Cooper’s rise.
- Elijah Moore and Dontayvion Wicks have also risen in the pecking order by producing in 11-on-11 periods while veteran Marquise 'Hollywood' Brown faces increased pressure from the expanding group.
- Cooper’s climb builds on last season’s resume — he made the 2025 roster after a preseason touchdown and finished that year with nine catches for 92 yards — but final roster spots remain provisional until preseason games and the rest of camp conclude.