July 22, 2024
Bill Streicher/USA TODAY Sports
A handful of Eagles players do some calisthenics before the start of a practice.
Philadelphia Eagles players report for training camp on Tuesday. Let's project the Birds' 53-man roster before camp gets underway, shall we?
Quarterback (3): Jalen Hurts, Kenny Pickett, Tanner McKee
Others (1): Will Grier
Grier has familiarity with Kellen Moore's offense, and will help Hurts, Pickett, and McKee get up to speed, but he's not much of a threat to make the 53-man roster.
Running back (3): Saquon Barkley, Kenny Gainwell, Will Shipley
Others (3): Kendall Milton, Tyrion Davis-Price, Lew Nichols
Sometimes the Eagles roll with just three running backs, and sometimes they keep four. This year they'll likely just keep Barkley, Gainwell, and Shipley. Milton, an undrafted rookie, is a player to watch in training camp, but the odds are against him.
The Eagles will likely keep a back or two on the practice squad, ready to be called up in case of injuries.
Wide receiver (6): A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Parris Campbell, Ainias Smith, Johnny Wilson, Britain Covey
Others (5): John Ross, Joseph Ngata, Austin Watkins Jr., Jacob Harris, Shaquan Davis
In a recent mailbag I was asked if there's a position on the team where I think a Week 1 starter is not currently on the roster. That has happened more often than you'd think in recent years:
• 2023: LB Zach Cunningham.
• 2022: S Chauncey Gardner-Johnson.
• 2021: None, though they did sign CB Steven Nelson a few days before the start of camp.
• 2020: None, though they signed RG LT Jason Peters a week or two ahead of camp to start at RG in place of Brandon Brooks, and then had to pay him more in September to play LT after Andre Dillard got hurt.
• 2019: None.
• 2018: WR DeAndre Carter, S Corey Graham.
• 2017: CB Ronald Darby.
If there's a spot where that's a possibility this year, it's probably at WR3, with safety not far behind.
Barring any moves, these would be the six players I think stick, with Ross and Ngata challenging for spots as well.
Tight end (3): Dallas Goedert, C.J. Uzomah, Grant Calcaterra
Others (3): Albert Okwuegbunam, McCallan Castles, E.J. Jenkins
I think the Eagles would like to keep four tight ends, but that just feels like a waste of a roster spot to me with their lack of depth there.
Offensive line (9): Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, Tyler Steen, Lane Johnson, Mekhi Becton, Trevor Keegan, Dylan McMahon, Max Scharping
Others (8): Fred Johnson, Matt Hennessy, Anim Dankwah, Gottlieb Ayedze, Brett Toth, Darian Kinnard, Jason Poe, Laekin Vakalahi (exempt)
Does Hennessy vs. Scharping do anything for anyone as a backup iOL camp battle? I do think it's interesting that Becton quickly jumped Hennessy on the OG totem pole, and the team brought in Scharping after they got a look at Hennessy in OTAs. Give me Scharping in that battle.
Edge defenders (5): Bryce Huff, Josh Sweat, Brandon Graham, Nolan Smith, Jalyx Hunt
Others (4): Patrick Johnson, Tarron Jackson, Julian Okwara, Terrell Lewis
The five players that we have here are all locks, without much room for another edge rusher to crack the roster.
Interior defensive line (6): Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Milton Williams, Marlon Tuipulotu, Moro Ojomo, P.J. Mustipher
Others (2): Gabe Hall, Thomas Booker
We have Mustipher down as the sixth iDL over Hall for now because he could serve as a backup NT, but I would look for Howie Roseman to scour the trade market for more depth.
Linebacker (5): Devin White, Zack Baun, Nakobe Dean, Oren Burks, Jeremiah Trotter
Others (2): Ben VanSumeren, Brandon Smith
VanSumeren would be my 54th guy because of his special teams ability.
Cornerback (6): Darius Slay, Isaiah Rodgers, Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Kelee Ringo, Josh Jobe
Others (5): James Bradberry, Eli Ricks, Zech McPhearson, Tyler Hall, Mario Goodrich, Shon Stephens, Parry Nickerson
Rodgers, Ringo, Mitchell, and DeJean could all be competing for the starting CB2 job opposite Slay. The team likes Jobe's special teams contributions, so he'll likely stick as well.
Bradberry is the player most likely to be traded during camp, and Ricks could be a player the Eagles shop as well for depth at iDL, WR, S, etc.
Safety (4): Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Reed Blankenship, Sydney Brown, Avonte Maddox
Others (3): Tristin McCollum, Mekhi Garner, Andre' Sam
Brown will start camp on the PUP list, but I expect that he will will be activated to the 53-man roster by final cutdowns.
We listed Maddox with the safeties, but there is a possibility that the Eagles add a veteran during camp. There are plenty of recognizable names available at safety on the open market, most notably Justin Simmons.
Specialists (3): Jake Elliott, Braden Mann, Rick Lovato
All three of the Eagles' specialists scored new contracts this offseason. They'll all run unopposed in training camp.
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