Willie Lampkin SZN: Undersized center’s preseason play makes him impossible to cut

Willie Lampkin is doing it again, and this time it might actually matter beyond August.

A year ago, Willie Lampkin was the undrafted rookie who couldn’t stop putting Rams defenders on the ground in preseason, right up until an injury got him waived and claimed off waivers by the Eagles.

He spent all of 2025 rehabbing in Philadelphia instead of playing. Now he’s back on a field that counts, and in Friday’s preseason opener against the Ravens, he put Broderick Washington on his back well after the whistle on a third-and-15 rep.

Why Willie Lampkin’s roster spot is safe

Willie Lampkin (61) on 3-15… finish to the echo of the whistle. pic.twitter.com/1jhLO1EDXu

— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) August 15, 2026

>> Shop Eagles Gear Here

Sirianni isn’t hedging on this one. He’s said the staff sees Willie Lampkin flash on tape “consistently,” that he can play center or guard, and that he’s building trust with teammates by doing his job every single day.

That’s coach-speak for: this isn’t a camp body. Lampkin went undrafted purely because of measurables, first-team All-American at UNC, Jacobs Blocking Trophy winner, five years starting in the SEC-adjacent ACC trenches. None of that mattered to NFL front offices obsessed with height and weight. It’s mattering to the Eagles now.

Cam Jurgens’ back injury opens the door

Cam Jurgens has a documented, chronic back problem, a herniated disc that required surgery after Super Bowl LIX, followed by a stem-cell procedure in Colombia this offseason to try to get ahead of it.

He’s said publicly he’s feeling better than he has in years. But per multiple camp reports this month, Jurgens has already exited practice early on back-to-back days, and the Eagles are being deliberately cautious with his reps. Back injuries don’t resolve on a schedule. They linger, they recur, and this is a player who was already playing hurt for most of last season.

That’s the opening. Lampkin isn’t just No. 3 center depth anymore. If Jurgens misses time, a game, a stretch, a whole chunk of the season, Lampkin is the guy the staff has already said they trust, on tape, in real reps, against real NFL defensive linemen.

He’s not waiting for an opportunity. He’s already shown he can take one.