Follow The Eagles' Money In Undrafted Free Agency To DB Kapena Gushiken

The Eagles didn’t spend as much on the 2026 undrafted class, giving out a total of $775,000 in total guarantees in an eight-player class.

Georgia tight end Lawson Luckie (7) lunges for a pass as Ole Miss safety Kapena Gushiken (14) defends during the Sugar Bowl and College Football Playoff quarterfinals at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, La., on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. Ole Miss defeated Georgia 39-34. | Ayrton Breckenridge/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Follow the money is a familiar refrain when examining any business.

The NFL is no different from the highest-paid superstar in any organization, down to the annual undrafted rookie class.

The Eagles didn’t spend as much on the 2026 undrafted class, giving out a total of $775,000 in total guarantees in an eight-player class, according to Spotrac.com. That stipend is way below the organization’s 2025 outlay of $1.139 million for nine players, and far less than than the 2024 budget of $1.351M.

Considering this wasn’t the deepest of draft classes according to most observers, that tracks.

Peel Back The Onion

The highest-profile players in the Eagles’ 2026 UDFA class to casual fans are a pair of former Alabama players: linebacker Deontae Lawson and offensive guard Jaeden Roberts, as well as Ole Miss tight end Dae’Quan Wright.

The most likely to contribute is Florida’s Rocco Underwood, the only long-snapper on the roster.

None of those SEC-pedigreed players, however, got the kind of commitment that a lesser-known SEC player, Ole Miss defensive back Kapena Gushiken, did.

Gushiken received, a $25,000 signing bonus and $272,500 in total guarantees.

The only UDFA who matched Gushiken was International Player Pathway hopeful Josh Weru, the Kenyan edge rusher who got the exact same deal.

Wright did get a $25K signing bonus but only $50K in guarantees, the same as Wofford DB Maximus Pulley.

Roberts and Underwood got $20K to sign and no other guarantees, while it was $10K for Lawson, a number likely tied to the 2024 ACL tear that scared some teams.

Washington State DB Tucker Large, who was already waived/injured after being unable to participate in rookie camp, did not get a signing bonus.

The fact that the Eagles have a need at safety and Gushiken could project as an immediate help on special teams with the kind of kind of slot/safety versatility Vic Fangio likes, should send a strong signal that the undersized but speedy DB should be leading the list of UDFAs to keep an eye on when on-field OTAs start next week.

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