The Philadelphia Eagles are closing in on the completion of their 53-man roster. Unlike in prior years, the Eagles have a very appealing stack of players that would be hard to let go. One player in particular has really caught my eye because of the untapped potential that Sean Mannion may have slightly revealed.
The Eagles signed RB Carson Steele in January to a reserve/future contract after he spent the 2025 season on the Chiefs’ practice squad. Steele signed with the Chiefs in 2024 as an UDFA and played in 17 games where he tallied 183 rushing yards on 56 carries. He only started three games for them in 2024 before being stuck on the practice squad in 2025.
The lack of playing time can make you wonder why Philadelphia could see a diamond in the rough when they look at Steele. I wondered the same until he exploded for 84 receiving yards on six catches against the Patriots during their preseason battle. He also rushed 12 times for 33 yards and had two incredible hurdles with one of them leading to a touchdown.
Steele presents a unique option for the Eagles that they do not currently have. The Eagles don’t want to overwhelm Saquon this year which is why they invested in trading for Tank Bigsby last season. Will Shipley has had his moments but he has yet to really carve out a role for himself within the offense.
Which leads us to Carson Steele. Steele may not possess Shipley’s explosiveness, but his ability to contribute as a runner, receiver and fullback gives the Eagles a different and a potentially more viable option. Emphasis on the more part because that’s what Sean Mannion wants in his offense. He wants the ability to misdirect a defense and dictate the pacing of his offense. While the receivers can do that with motion, Mannion can use Steele to do much more.
Steele presents the idea of having a Swiss Army knife in the backfield. Not in the range of someone elite but instead of someone that can become handy in critical moments. His 84 receiving yards were no fluke. They were by a basic design for the preseason but what if there’s more to it that could be revealed during the regular season
I’m not saying he’s a lock to make the roster but he’s an intriguing piece that will make it difficult for the Eagles to cut bait with him. They no longer have a full back in Ben VanSumeren but they do have Carson Steele who can play that role.
Another wrinkle is whether the Eagles go with three tight ends or even two at the start of the season. Steele can play the role of a catching tight end or even be the needed extra body out there on certain downs. He creates an opportunity for both Jalen Hurts and Sean Mannion to have a last-resort option that can create something positive out of something negative.
With the final opportunity to impress the team coming against the Bengals on Friday night, the Eagles could be stuck between a rock and a hard place when it comes to making the final roster cuts. Especially with a player like Carson Steele.
