Tight end Cameron Latu is on an NFL regular-season active roster for the first time, cornerback Jakorian Bennett is on injured reserve for the second time in his career and cornerback Eli Ricks is on the Philadelphia Eagles’ practice squad for third time this season.
In addition to bringing back Ricks, the Eagles also reunited with Quez Watkins by signing the wide receiver to their practice squad, too, in a busy day of personnel moves on Wednesday by the NFL team.
Latu and Ricks are Alabama alumni, and Bennett from McGill-Toolen Catholic High School in Mobile and Watkins from Athens High School are former Alabama prep standouts.
Philadelphia signed Latu from its practice squad for the 53-man active roster. Defensive backs Marcus Epps and Parry Nickerson also went from the practice squad to the active roster for the Eagles on Wednesday.
Wide receiver Darius Cooper and linebacker Nolan Smith joined Bennett in moving from the active roster to injured reserve.
And linebacker Lance Dixon joined Ricks and Watkins as an addition to the Philadelphia practice squad.
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Ricks initially joined the Eagles as an undrafted rookie in 2023, and he made the regular-season roster. After playing in 16 regular-season games and one playoff contest in 2023, Ricks played in seven games last season while dealing with groin and knee injuries.
This year, Philadelphia waived Ricks on Aug. 26 when it reduced its preseason roster to the regular-season limit of 53 active players. The next day, the Eagles signed Ricks for their practice squad. On Aug. 29, Philadelphia cut the cornerback. On Sept. 3, Ricks was back on the practice squad. On Sept. 10, he got cut again. And now Ricks has returned again.
A sixth-round choice from Southern Miss in the 2020 NFL Draft, Watkins had 98 receptions for 1,249 yards and six touchdowns in 49 games across four seasons with Philadelphia.
Watkins spent the 2024 season on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ practice squad without playing in a regular-season game. Watkins went to training camp with the Arizona Cardinals. But he got hurt and was released from injured reserve with an injury settlement on Aug. 10.
Latu made his NFL debut on Sept. 14 as a practice-squad elevation for Philadelphia, and he played in that role again on Sunday. In two games this season, Latu has been on the field for 11 offensive snaps and 31 special-teams plays.
A third-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Latu sustained a meniscus injury in the 49ers’ final preseason game in 2023. He spent the entire season on injured reserve and had two knee surgeries. Waived at the end of the preseason by San Francisco in 2024, Latu spent most of the season on the Cleveland Browns’ practice squad.
Bennett came to Philadelphia in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders on Aug. 4. A fourth-round draft pick from Maryland in 2023, Bennett missed the final seven games of 2024 because of shoulder injuries.
Bennett was on the field for 24 defensive snaps and 20 special-teams plays in the Eagles’ first three games this season. He sustained an undisclosed injury in Sunday’s 33-26 victory over the Los Angeles Rams.
NFL regulations require players on injured reserve to miss at least four games before being restored to the active roster.
The Eagles play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at noon CDT Sunday at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, in a meeting of 3-0 teams.
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