Why Johnny Wilson Can Still Return To Eagles After Being Waived This Year

The Philadelphia Eagles waived Johnny Wilson with an injury settlement on Friday. There's still a chance Wilson could return to Philadelphia.

Since Wilson cleared waivers, the Eagles reverted him to injured reserve just 24 hours later. Wilson would be out for the entire 2026 season and could return for 2027 -- if Wilson remins on injured reserve all season.

How can Wilson return to the Eagles this year? If the Eagles and Wilson work out an injury settlement, Wilson can sign with any team immediately or return to Philadelphia after the injury settlement is reached. There would also be an additional three weeks taxed on as a penalty.

So there is a chance Wilson could be back, although the Eagles and Wilson will likely move on.

Wilson was a contender for a spot on the 53-man roster

Heading into the start of training camp, Wilson was one of the front runners to earn the WR5 spot. The Eagles needed a blocking receiver and a receiver with size given the state of the wide receiver position. Without Wilson on the 53, the tallest receiver amongst the top-7 is Dontayvion Wicks.

Perhaps this is why there's a chance Wilson could return when he's healthy. If the Eagles don't find wide receiver depth on the trade market or after the roster cutdown deadline, an injury settlement is an option. This is unlikely to happen, given the extent of Wilson's knee injury is unknown.

Wilson was on track towards making the team last season before severe knee and ankle injuries ended his year. He hasn't played a game since 2024 and was looking to play in his first preseason game in over a year, before another knee injury set him back.

Who are the top options for the No. 5 receiver?

The Eagles have a battle for the final wide receiver spot. Hollywood Brown and Elijah Moore are battling for one of the spots on the roster, and Darius Cooper is trying to hold onto his roster spot.

Cooper was one of the best receivers early in camp and has a role on this team as a blocking receiver. The Eagles have moved Cooper down to the second team in the past week, giving Brown and Moore opportunities with the firts team.

Brown and Moore aren't the same player, but can play the same role as a WR4. Neither are specialized in doing the physical work at wide receiver, similar to what Wilson did as a blocker and red zone threat.

Cooper has played that role this summer, even though he's significantly smaller than Wilson. Brown and Moore earned the first team reps in the joint practices this week due to DeVonta Smith and Makai lemon working their way back from hamstring injuries.

The battle for two wide receiver spots will come down to the final practices. The Eagles are likely to keep five receivers based on roster construction, which makes this battle even more intriguing.

The final week of practice will be crucial for Brown, Moore, and Cooper.

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