You probably need to be a hardcore Eagles fan to know who Daeshon Hall is, and that's okay.
He's a former third round pick who never really was able to make a spot for himself on an NFL roster — having short stints with the Panthers, Texans and in Philadelphia at the end of last season.
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However, he's made it his business to make it really difficult for the Eagles to leave him off their 53-man roster when cuts are due next Saturday. Through three preseason games, the 24-year-old has three sacks, two forced fumbles and eight tackles — plus a bevy more quarterback pressures. Still, he wishes he could have done more.
"You never can be satisfied," Hall said Tuesday, "there's always things you can do better. You think about stuff after the game, things you wish you could have done better. There is always room for improvement."
Hall is being hard on himself because his short Eagles stint could be almost through. He's in the grips of a breakneck three-way competition for presumably one roster spot.
"You're looking at Daeshon Hall. You're looking at Josh Sweat and then of course Shareef Miller, there's three guys, three young players there, that have played a lot in preseason and will play again Thursday night, get quite a few snaps," Eagles head coach Doug Pederson said. " So, that last spot is kind of — one of three players, quite frankly and they have all done a great job. I’m looking forward to Thursday night to see how they play and give us that rush that we need because we play so many guys up front, at least eight guys, four ends, four tackles in games. So it's a great way for any one of them to see the field."
It's interesting, as Pederson mentioned, that "that last spot" is what they are fighting for, as Jimmy Kempski and several others projected two of the Eagles last DEs make the team for a total of five.
The competition, to Hall, is nothing but friendly as he competes with Miller — this year's fourth round pick by Philly (who has two sacks himself in an impressive preseason of his own), and Sweat — last year's fourth round pick.
"We are all brothers," Hall, who attended Texas A&M, said. "At the end of the day we are playing this game to provide for ourselves and feed our families. There has been great competition but I would go to bat for all these guys."
Which brings us to Thursday's game against the Jets, the Eagles' final preseason game. With most of the 53-men predetermined already, the battle for the last defensive end spot is one of the few reasons for fans to pay attention with back ups and third stringers slated to suit up at Metlife Field.
And perhaps unfortunately for the Eagles, Hall may have played himself out of a practice squad spot with 31 other teams watching — as they'll have the right of refusal to sign him should be be cut by the Birds.
"It's a big game just because it's the next game," Hall said. "Anytime you have an opportunity to put some stuff on tape it's really big in this league. I am really excited for this last chance to do some things."
Of course, there always remains the possibility that Hall, Sweat and Miller all get cut. Why? The first reason would be numbers — if the team indeed sticks with four instead of five DEs on the 53-man roster. Derek Barnett, Vinny Curry and Brandon Graham aren't going anywhere. And Jadeveon Clowney — rumored to be moved for perhaps an offensive lineman or some draft picks before the start of the regular season — reportedly prefers the Eagles as one of his destinations.
The Eagles could go in a number of ways with their fourth/fifth DE's over the next week. And for Hall and the rest of the roster hopefuls, it's not worth worrying about.
"Gotta go to work," Hall said. "Control your controllables and that's all you can do at the end of the day."
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