The Philadelphia Eagles have shuffled their roster ahead of their preseason opener.
With starting long snapper Charley Hughlett (neck) injured, the Eagles signed Christian Johnstone as his replacement on Sunday, per PHLY Eagles reporter Zach Berman. To make room, the front office released 2025 undrafted free agent B.J. Mayes.
The Eagles signed long snapper Christian Johnstone and waived DB BJ Mayes.
— Zach Berman (@ZBerm) August 3, 2025
Top long snapper Charley Hughlett popped up as limited on the injury report with a neck injury.
This will be something to monitor. Hughlett cannot be placed on IR now if he's going to be eligible for the…
Being Waived Ahead of Preseason Could Be Blessing for BJ Mayes
The Eagles originally signed Mayes as part of their undrafted free agent class following the conclusion of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Last season, Mayes played for the Texas A&M Aggies and led the team in interceptions (four). He also had five passes defended and a fumble recovery in 11 games.
While certainly not the direction Mayes wanted his rookie season to go, the timing of his release could work to his favor. With a month to go until the Thursday night regular season opener, there's time for other teams to get him into their program and see if he can push for a roster spot or, probably more likely, a place on a practice squad once 53-man rosters are due on August 26.
Depending on how long Hughlett remains out, Mayes could also find himself back on the Eagles roster at some point.
Mayes was an unsung prospect out of high school, first enrolling at FCS Incarnate Word, where he played from 2021-22. As a freshman, he was teammates with 2025 NFL Draft No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward, who transferred to Washington State ahead of the 2022 season.
Mayes transferred to UAB in 2023, where he recorded 41 tackles, two interceptions and a team-high 10 passes defended.
It was always going to be difficult for Mayes to crack the team's 53-man roster, considering the Eagles are set up nicely at cornerback, with standout 2024 rookies Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean and 2023 fourth-rounder Kelee Ringo established at the top of the depth chart, and 2025 free-agent addition Adoree' Jackson providing depth along with fellow veterans Tariq Castro-Fields and Parry Nickerson, among others.
Several teams, most notably the Miami Dolphins, have dealt with defensive back injuries during training camp, and if injuries continue to pile up, Mayes could be an attractive option for those who need a healthy corner.
It's a promising sign for the Eagles that during the early portion of training camp, they don't fit that description.