The defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles officially opened training camp on Tuesday, with rookies and vets reporting to the NovaCare Complex.
It's the start of a brand new year filled with optimism for the Eagles, who are looking to go back to the Super Bowl for the third time in four years. However, before they can look ahead, there are jobs to be won during training camp.
Training camp is the perfect proving ground for rookies and vets to see if they have what it takes to win a job.
Some players will get the opportunity to showcase their talents in preseason and training camp, while others will get cut in a matter of weeks. For two Eagles players, their journey with the team is already over before the first practice this summer.
Eagles Send KJ Henry, Lew Nichols Packing to Start Training Camp
On Tuesday, the Eagles announced that they waived defensive end KJ Henry and running back Lew Nichols. To fill those two spots on the 90-man roster, Philly signed veteran pass rusher Ogbo Okoronkwo and defensive tackle Jacob Sykes.
We've signed DE Ogbonnia Okoronkwo and DT Jacob Sykes and waived DE KJ Henry and RB Lew Nichols. pic.twitter.com/DKayPWTejq
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) July 22, 2025
It’s not surprising that the Eagles parted ways with those two guys, specifically given the talent on the defensive line and running back room. When it comes to Henry, Okoronkwo is a huge upgrade and could give the Eagles some production as a rotation piece behind Nolan Smith Jr. and Jalyx Hunt.
The 26-year-old Henry joined the Eagles late last season after the Dallas Cowboys waived him on November 23, 2024. The former Commanders’ draft pick did not suit up in any games for the Eagles after appearing in two games with the Cowboys and two with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Philadelphia released Henry during the playoffs but re-signed him days later, and gave him a futures contract in February to compete for a roster spot. However, since he was cut at the beginning of training camp, Henry will get a chance to find a new team and make a push for a roster spot.
Lastly, as for Nichols, he was going to be the odd man out in the running back room, as Philly is stacked with potential practice squad options like Keilan Robinson, ShunDerrick Powell, and Montrell Johnson Jr.
Those three running backs offer more practice squad upside than Nichols, who has been with the organization since 2023, but hasn’t seen any regular-season action.
However, the 23-year-old Nichols got a ton of run in the preseason last summer, where he got to showcase his versatility as a running back and returner. Nichols produced 30 rushing yards and a TD on 15 carries, while adding six receptions for 22 yards. He also posted 19.67 yards per kick return on three attempts.
Even though the former Packers’ seventh-round pick hasn’t seen any regular-season action yet, he’s still young enough at 23 to get that first opportunity. However, if Nichols doesn’t get picked up by another team this summer, one wonders if he should try his hand at spring football to get reps and film, which will only help him down the road.