The Philadelphia Eagles are releasing running back Caron Steele before NFL cutdown day.
Reports from league insiders on Saturday indicated the team would part ways with the 23-year-old after he delivered productive and memorable performances in the preseason, including a hurdle and a touchdown that quickly made him a favorite among fans watching the backups.
Steele arrived in Philadelphia on a reserve/futures contract in mid-January, shortly after the Eagles’ playoff exit and after spending the previous season on the Kansas City Chiefs’ practice squad.
He had originally signed with Kansas City as an undrafted free agent out of UCLA in 2024 and earned a spot on the 53-man roster as a rookie.
That year, he appeared in all 17 games, contributing 183 rushing yards on 56 carries while also seeing work as a fullback and kick returner. The following season he did not stick on the active roster and spent 2025 developing on the practice squad before the Eagles brought him in.
His college background helps explain the physical style that showed up this summer. After two productive seasons at Ball State, where he rushed for 1,556 yards in 2022 and earned first-team All-MAC honors, Steele transferred to UCLA and added another 847 rushing yards.
At 6-foot and 228 pounds, he has long been known for exceptional strength; he once appeared on The Athletic’s Freaks List after squatting 615 pounds and bench-pressing 405 as a freshman.
Those traits translated in the preseason. Against New England he caught six passes for 84 yards and a score while also clearing defenders with two hurdles. In the finale versus Cincinnati he added eight receptions for 52 yards and another touchdown along with 24 rushing yards.
Across the three games he totaled 14 catches for 136 yards and two scores plus 59 rushing yards. Several beat writers noted that if preseason production were the main measuring stick, Steele would have a strong case to stay.
The Eagles’ running-back depth chart remains crowded, however, with Saquon Barkley at the top and Tank Bigsby, Will Shipley, and Dameon Pierce also in the mix.
That logjam, more than Steele’s own tape, appears to have driven the decision. If he clears waivers, many around the team expect him to land back on Philadelphia’s practice squad, where his versatility as a runner, receiver, and potential fullback could still prove useful as the regular season begins.
For now, the fan-favorite chapter in green looks likely to pause after just a few exhibition games.
