And then, there were 53.
After weeks of anticipation, camp battles, preseason efforts, and a few trades for good measure, the Philadelphia Eagles have settled on their initial 53-man roster, with 17 more players set to join the team in the not-too-distant future as members of the practice squad.
Now granted, just because the Eagles settled on 53 players before the NFL-required deadline doesn't mean they are all going to stick, as Howie Roseman has already let it be known that he plans to watch the waiver wire and free agent market very closely to see if he can secure an on-field upgrade – either now or in the future – without surrendering an asset. Even with the 32nd and final spot on the waiver wire order, the Eagles still have a chance to secure any of the thousand or so players who just lost their jobs this week, presenting them with an opportunity to immediately compete for a Super Bowl mere hours after one of the worst phone calls of their lives.
And yet, while much of the Eagles' roster was more or less set before the preseason even began, there were a few players on the margins who went one way or the other, either losing their expected spot on the roster to encouraging young players or surging with strong efforts to force Roseman's hand.
With double-digit players selected in the 2025 NFL Draft, it was always going to be a long shot for the Eagles to find a spot for all ten players, but Roseman was able to find a way to keep eight of them, with just two, sixth-round picks Kyle McCord and Antwaun Powell-Ryland being released, and Michigan sixth-rounder Myles Hinton landing on IR with the potential to return. While McCord and APR each showcased some pop on the preseason field, neither did so consistently enough to justify a spot on a team looking to win now, with a chance for each to instead return on the practice squad if they pass through waivers.
A few other veteran but young players found themselves on the wrong side of the numbers game as well, with Eli Ricks' spot on the 53-man roster all but eliminated due to the additions of Adoree' Jackson, Mac McWilliams, and Jakorian Bennett in free agency, the draft, and via trade. Patrick Johnson's strong summer wasn't enough to beat out veteran edge rusher Ogbo Okoronkwo, even if he's widely regarded as a quality special teamer, and despite all of the excitement, Parry Nickerson will likely start the season on the practice squad, as the 30-year-old cornerback doesn't have to pass through waivers as a vested vet.
But the one release that genuinely came as a shock to many was the news that Ainias Smith wouldn't be on the initial 53-man roster, with the former fifth-round pick being released a few hours before the deadline. While Smith may not be a household name and clearly didn't do enough to guarantee his spot on the roster, he flashed enough to look like he had a future in Philadelphia and might still, even if that is no longer guaranteed.
Ainias Smith looked like the Eagles' long-term return man
In 2024, Ainias Smith didn't really do much for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Drafted before his fellow rookie wide receiver Johnny Wilson, Smith had a terrible camp at the NovaCare Center, with some wondering if he would even make the initial 53-man roster in his first professional season. Technically, he didn't, as the Eagles initially placed him on IR, but when Smith returned, he didn't exactly do much on the field, catching just seven of the nine passes thrown his way for 41 yards over 96 offensive snaps plus just four more on special teams for a season total of 100.
Coming into his second training camp in South Philadelphia, it seemed like Smith would have to really show his abilities in order to stick around once more. Fortunately, in a nice twist of fate, it looked like he'd done just that. In each of the Eagles' first two preseason games, Smith caught a touchdown, providing even more pop on special teams as a punt returner. While he never looked like the best wide receiver on the field in any of the games, and was actually outplayed pretty clearly by Cooper and Wilson before the latter went down with an injury, he cleared free agent addition Avery Williams as the team's top returnman, with his 46 yard run against the Cincinatti Bengals one of the most exhilarating plays of the entire preseason.
Granted, the Eagles also waived Williams and will be able to sign him to the practice squad since he doesn't have to pass through waivers. But after struggling with finding consistency on kick and punt returns over the past few seasons, Smith looked like he could be a legit weapon for Michael Clay's unit without having to risk a player like Cooper DeJean, who is simply too important to use as an every-down punt returner.
Who knows? Maybe the Eagles simply believe Smith will never become a legitimate NFL wide receiver and figure that they could find a capable returnman in a number of ways, including by claiming one off waivers with a higher ceiling. Then again, the Eagles found a spot for Cameron Williams on the 53-man roster explicitly because they wanted to develop him for a future season, not because he can play in 2025. Is Smith that forgone as a prospect, or does he simply play a position that already has too much talent on the roster, making his waiver wire trip a risk worth taking?
Ultimately, the Eagles very well may sign Smith to the practice squad and activate him for Week 1 as a returnman, taking back punts from Bryan Anger of the Dallas Cowboys and showing why he is or isn't the guy moving forward. If, however, he ends up filling that role elsewhere, fans will have to wonder if Roseman got a little too cute with his roster moves, or if it would have made more sense to release a vested veteran like Okoronkwo or Brett Toth, who wouldn't be subjected to waivers in order to make sure Smith was locked up for the regular season debut on Thursday Night Football.
I could see the Bills looking for a returner tomorrow through waivers that has more roster value than Codrington.
Ainias Smith, who was waived from the Eagles today, is a 2024 5th round WR pick that showed great flashes at punt returner this preseason pic.twitter.com/amUrMECRzG
— Bills Chat Podcast (@BillsChatPod) August 27, 2025
