The Philadelphia Eagles' 24-7 preseason loss to the Baltimore Ravens provided the first real opportunity to evaluate several of the team's roster battles against another NFL opponent. Preseason results aren't necessarily predictive of what will happen during the regular season, but the game did provide valuable information about several players competing for roster spots.
Here's my updated projection of Philadelphia's 53-man roster after the first preseason game.
Quarterback — 3Jalen Hurts, Tanner McKee, Andy Dalton
Cole Payton's 45 rushing yards on three carries were encouraging, but Philadelphia's veteran depth makes it difficult to project the fifth-round pick onto the initial 53-man roster. The Eagles could still decide to trade or release McKee, allowing Payton to be the developmental quarterback to watch behind Hurts, while Dalton gives the Eagles an experienced second option.
Running back — 3Saquon Barkley, Tank Bigsby, Will Shipley
Bigsby received 10 carries against Baltimore and remains one of the more interesting pieces in the competition behind Barkley. Shipley had seven carries but averaged only 3.1 yards per attempt. Pierce didn't play in the opener, but his experience gives him an opportunity to push for a roster spot.
Wide receiver — 6DeVonta Smith, Hollywood Brown, Makai Lemon, Dontayvion Wicks, Elijah Moore, Darius Cooper
Cooper was one of Philadelphia's more productive offensive players against Baltimore, catching two passes for 21 yards on five targets. The former undrafted player continues to make his case for a roster spot. Wicks, Lemon and Moore give the Eagles additional competition behind their top receivers.
Tight end — 3Dallas Goedert, Johnny Mundt, Eli Stowers
Stowers played 43% of the offensive snaps and also contributed heavily on special teams, making him an intriguing roster candidate. Calcaterra remains a dependable depth option, while Mundt's experience and blocking ability give him an advantage.
Offensive line — 10Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, Tyler Steen, Lane Johnson, Willie Lampkin, Drew Kendall, Fred Johnson, Myles Hinton, Micah Morris
This could be one of the most important position groups to monitor throughout the rest of the preseason. Morris and Majors each played 77% of the offensive snaps, while Cameron Williams, Lampkin and Ojukwu were heavily involved.
Defensive line — 8Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Moro Ojomo, Byron Young, Ty Robinson, Uar Bernard, Zion Wilson, Josh Weru
The interior competition remains crowded. Philadelphia has plenty of young bodies competing for rotational roles, and the next two preseason games should help separate the contenders.
Linebacker/edge — 9Zack Baun, Jihaad Campbell, Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Smael Mondon Jr., Nolan Smith, Jalyx Hunt, Arnold Ebiketie, A.J. Epenesa, Jonathan Greenard, Deontae Lawson
Lawson's 41 defensive snaps against Baltimore were particularly notable. He also played 70% of Philadelphia's special-teams snaps. Mondon played 59% defensively, while Trotter played 46%.
Secondary — 8Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Riq Woolen, Michael Carter II, Kelee Ringo, Mac McWilliams, Andrew Mukuba, Marcus Epps
McWilliams led Philadelphia's defense with 65 snaps and played 81% of the defensive snaps. Ambry Thomas also played 57 defensive snaps, but Philadelphia's numbers at cornerback and safety make this one of the most difficult groups to project.
Specialists — 3Jake Elliott, Braden Mann, Rocco Underwood
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Eagles 53-man roster projection after Week 1 of preseason
Leave a Comment