Now that the Philadelphia Eagles’ preseason schedule is over, the team’s focus shifts to cutting their roster down to the regular season 53-player limit before the 4:00 PM Eastern deadline on Tuesday, August 26. Here’s our best effort at projecting what the INITIAL roster is going to look like. The Birds will likely make some tweaks (injured reserve placements, trades, waiver claims, etc.) before they actually play the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1. Note that this activity is about predicting what the Eagles will do as opposed to what we think they should do.
OFFENSE
QUARTERBACK: Jalen Hurts, Tanner McKee, Kyle McCord (3) [3]
The reigning Super Bowl MVP had some ups and downs in training camp but there was more good than bad. McKee looked so good in the first preseason game that the Eagles decided they didn’t even need to play him in the second one. He has potential to be future starter. There is short-term concern about his finger injury, however. It’s not yet clear if McKee will be ready to play in Week 1. If he’s not, the Eagles will need to figure something out because McCord clearly isn’t ready to suit up for meaningful snaps this season. McCord didn’t play well enough to justify a roster spot but the guess here is the Eagles aren’t ready to give up on his developmental potential … unless a more tempting QB3 option comes along, which can’t be ruled out. Dorian Thompson-Robinson will probably have to find a new NFL home.
OUT: Dorian Thompson-Robinson
RUNNING BACK: Saquon Barkley, Will Shipley, AJ Dillon (3) [6]
My scorching hot take is that Barkley will be even better than last year. He looked to be in pretty good condition this summer. The Eagles revealed that Shipley is clearly RB2 when they barely played him in the first preseason game and rested him in the second while Dillon still played. Dillon might not make the initial roster since he’s a vested veteran (read: not subject to waivers) and the Eagles can probably re-sign him. But they might not want to mess around with another team entering the fray and convincing him to leave Philly? Not sure if that’s even realistic but with him looking good enough to make the team and them resting him for the preseason finale, I’m saying he makes the team. Montrell Johnson Jr. showed some intriguing potential but not so much that the Eagles have to worry about him getting claimed off waivers.
OUT: Montrell Johnson Jr., ShunDerrick Powell, Keilan Robinson
FULLBACK: Ben VanSumeren (1) [7]
The Eagles didn’t play BVS, who was a pregame team captain against the Jets, much on Friday night. Maybe they were preserving him? You can argue that they don’t need to use a roster spot on him but he did see some touches in camp, including a first-team target from Jalen Hurts. I think they like his fullback role and his special teams contributions. He might also be able to still play linebacker in an emergency.
WIDE RECEIVER: A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Jahan Dotson, John Metchie III, Darius Cooper (5) [12]
Brown has been missing time due to a hamstring injury but all indications point to him playing in Week 1. DeVonta also missed some time in training camp but he also projects to play in Week 1. Dotson had a solid offseason as the WR3 and, most importantly, it seems like Hurts is comfortable throwing to him now. Dotson could also be the top punt returner. The Eagles didn’t trade so much for Metchie that they simply MUST keep him but they probably don’t make that move just to waive him, right? Cutting Cooper would be a big mistake; he had a very good summer. The undrafted rookie worked his way up to taking first-team reps and actually seeing targets from Hurts. Losing Johnny Wilson to injured reserve for the season is unfortunate but the Eagles might be able to add Zach Pascal to the practice squad to give them an option for that “dirty work” WR role. Ainias Smith simply hasn’t done enough to justify a roster spot, though maybe the Eagles keep him because they don’t want to give up on the 2024 draft pick and he is capable of returning punts. Terrace Marshall Jr. doesn’t have a track record of playing special teams, which is typically important for a depth receiver. Elijah Cooks had a little moment there in camp but then he got hurt and struggled thereafter. Avery Williams showed nothing on offense and not much more on special teams. Taylor Morin seems like a practice squad candidate.
OUT: Ainias Smith, Terrace Marshall Jr., Taylor Morin, Avery Williams, Elijah Cooks, Ife Adeyi
INJURED RESERVE: Johnny Wilson
TIGHT END: Dallas Goedert, Grant Calcaterra, Kylen Granson (3) [15]
Goedert had a strong start to training camp before cooling a bit by the end. Calcaterra is clearly TE2; he wasn’t even suited up for the preseason finale. Granson was the Eagles’ third best tight end this offseason. That doesn’t mean they won’t look to try to upgrade on that spot if possible but, for now, he’s in. E.J. Jenkins is on the bubble but he didn’t really show any progress from last year. Probably can get him on the practice squad. And the Eagles don’t need to keep four tight ends plus a fullback. If the Eagles were going to shockingly retain one player on the roster, I’d go with Cameron Latu, who really stood out on special teams. But they shouldn’t have to worry about getting him back on the practice squad, if they even want him there.
OUT: E.J. Jenkins, Nick Muse, Cameron Latu
OFFENSIVE LINE: Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, Tyler Steen, Lane Johnson, Matt Pryor, Darian Kinnard, Drew Kendall, Brett Toth, Kenyon Green, Myles Hinton (11) [26]
With Steen stepping up to win the right guard job, the starters are locked in once Dickerson gets healthy. We’ll see if he’s truly ready for Week 1 or not. After that, I feel good about Pryor, Kinnard, and Kendall as locks to make the team. Pryor is a top backup tackle option, even though he’s been better at guard. Kinnard has tackle/guard versatility and, honestly, it would be insane for the Eagles to not keep a player who’s won three Super Bowls in his first three seasons. Might just be a good luck charm. But Kinnard has also played well enough. Kendall seems promising and the fact that the Eagles made an effort to get him guard snaps makes it seems like he’ll avoid the fate of center-only Dylan McMahon, who got cut as a rookie last year. Hinton also seems like a pretty good bet to make the roster; Jeff Stoutland seems to really like him and he showed enough to not expose him to waivers. Toth is a real wild card here. I got burned for having him my initial 53-man roster last year. Maybe I should’ve learned from that mistake but I’m doubling down on him since he takes so many first-team reps and he could conceivably be starting in Week 1 if Dickerson isn’t ready. Kenyon Green missed a good chunk of training camp and didn’t play particularly well but I don’t think the Eagles are ready to give up on his potential. Kendall Lamm is one of those vested vets that the Eagles could do some roster chicanery with by leaving them off the initial 53 to temporary keep a spot open before then later re-signing him. Cameron Williams seems like a perfect candidate to stash away on IR with a stubbed toe. Trevor Keegan didn’t go enough to warrant a roster spot.
OUT: Kendall Lamm, Trevor Keegan, Hollin Pierce, Laekin Vakalahi (international exemption)
INJURED RESERVE (ELIGIBLE TO RETURN): Cameron Williams
DEFENSE
EDGE RUSHER: Nolan Smith, Jalyx Hunt, Joshua Uche, Azeez Ojulari, Patrick Johnson (5) [31]
The Eagles are really counting on Smith and Hunt to make big leaps in their development this season. There’s no question they have exciting potential. But they’re not yet proven commodities. Uche was the Eagles’ third-best edge rusher this offseason. He could have a rotational role. Ojulari was mostly quiet this summer but the Eagles are probably going to have him in their rotation. Johnson is a vested vet, so, the Eagles might not keep him on the initial roster. But he’s realistically done everything he could to justify a roster spot and he plays on special teams. Ogbo Okoronkwo is a tough cut but he’s a vested vet who could be re-signed. Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr. had a nice strip-sack in the Eagles’ final preseason game but he was otherwise pretty invisible this summer. I don’t think APR is ready to play this year.
OUT: Ogbo Okoronkwo, Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr., Ochaun Mathis, Jereme Robinson
DEFENSIVE TACKLE: Jalen Carter, Moro Ojomo, Jordan Davis, Gabe Hall, Byron Young, Ty Robinson (6) [37]
Carter is going to push for Defensive Player of the Year. Ojomo is primed for a breakout season. There’s a lot riding on this year for Davis; we’ll probably learn if he should be considered as a long-term part of the team or not. Vic Fangio has talked about how Hall and “BY” (his nickname for Byron Young) have progressed this offseason. Both of them looked good in practices and preseason games. Robinson might not end up playing as much as a rookie? Or at least not initially. The Eagles have a lot of defensive tackle depth. Which is part of the reason they traded Thomas Booker to the Las Vegas Raiders, where he’s projected to start. Jacob Sykes and Joe Evans could probably be depth defensive tackles on other teams; they had some moments this summer.
OUT: Jacob Sykes, Joe Evans, Justin Rogers
LINEBACKER: Zack Baun, Jihaad Campbell, Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Smael Mondon Jr. (4) [41]
Baun missed a large portion of training camp due to a back injury but he looked right back (no pun intended) to himself upon returning. Campbell didn’t play on Friday night; he’s clearly risen to Week 1 starting status after a good summer. Trot Jr. had a pretty good offseason but, unfortunately for him, he’s stuck behind Baun and Campbell. Wonder if the Eagles might look to trade him. If not, the linebacker depth is strong. Mondon Jr. showed potential to be a future starter. It remains to be seen how Nakobe Dean fits in this picture when he’s able to return … but that’s a good problem to have. Dallas Gant is a practice squad contender. Lance Dixon did some good things as an undrafted rookie … but he also got hurt in the preseason finale.
OUT: Dallas Gant, Lance Dixon, Chance Campbell
PUP: Nakobe Dean
CORNERBACK: Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Adoree’ Jackson, Jakorian Bennett, Mac McWilliams (5] [46]
Mitchell had an awesome summer; he looks like he could be an All-Pro lockdown corner this year. DeJean will likely be the slot cornerback in nickel packages but it remains to be seen where he’ll be playing in base defense. Probably on the outside, to start, and not at safety where he repped for most of training camp. No one really won the Eagles’ CB2 battle; it’s just that Jackson lost it the least. He’ll probably start early in the season before eventually being replaced. Bennett has shown some potential but not enough to where he’s a slam dunk starting option. The Eagles are seemingly trying to fast track McWilliams’ development as both an outside option and a nickel defender. Why no Kelee Ringo on this list? Well, he was demoted out of the CB2 competition following the second preseason game. And then he was suspiciously added to the injury report on the final day of practice despite seemingly totally fine the day before. Ringo could be a trade candidate. I mean, we all know Howie Roseman is going to make a deal or two or three over the next several days. I toyed with the idea of them selling low on him with the thought it’s just not going to work here and he needs a fresh start elsewhere. But I’m going with the Eagles using one of their two injured reserve spots where the player is still eligible to come back after Week 4. Ringo probably could use some time away to hopefully regain his confidence.
OUT: Parry Nickerson, Brandon Johnson, Eli Ricks, Tariq Castro-Fields, A.J. Woods
INJURED RESERVE (ELIGIBLE TO RETURN): Kelee Ringo
SAFETY: Reed Blankenship, Sydney Brown, Andrew Mukuba, Tristin McCollum (4) [50]
Blankenship is a lock to start. Brown seems like a good bet to be next to him in Week 1 since Mukuba suffered a hamstring injury. Depending on the severity, maybe Mukuba is a candidate to go on IR (designated for return). If it’s not that bad and he can return soon, Mukuba could overtake Brown if the latter struggles. Mukuba is also a contender to take snaps as a dime defender. McCollum doesn’t seem like a lock to make the roster but he’s the best option of the depth candidates and the Eagles can’t just keep three safeties with Mukuba banged up. But they don’t need to keep five with DeJean as an option at this position. If not both, at least one of Andre’ Sam or Maxen Hook will make the practice squad. Lewis Cine had a nice diving interception against the Jets but he was otherwise invisible all offseason long and he’s struggled to stay healthy.
OUT: Andre’ Sam, Maxen Hook, Lewis Cine
SPECIAL TEAMS
KICKER: Jake Elliott (1) [51]
Good to see Elliott make multiple field goals from 50+ in the preseason finale after he really struggled from distance last year. He’s so back.
PUNTER: Braden Mann (1) [52]
Mann got a lot of work in the preseason and mostly looked good. The pressure is on to perform well in a contract year.
LONG SNAPPER: Charley Hughlett (1) [53]
The Eagles could get tricky here and leave Hughlett, a vested veteran, off to temporarily open up a roster spot before then re-signing him. But I think they’re going to play that game with other players instead.
INJURY DESIGNATIONS
INJURED RESERVE (IR): WR Johnny Wilson
Wilson was already placed on IR due to needing season-ending surgery on his knee and ankle injuries. He’s ineligible to play in 2025.
PHYSICALLY UNABLE TO PERFORM LIST (PUP): LB Nakobe Dean
There’s currently no indication that Dean will be activated from the active/PUP list. If Dean does indeed go on the reserve/PUP list, he’ll automatically be ineligible to play in the first four games of the season.
INJURED RESERVE (DESIGNATED FOR RETURN): OT Cameron Williams, CB Kelee Ringo
As a developmental tackle, Williams seems like a prime phantom injury candidate to be stashed on IR. Ringo is apparently banged up and could afford to miss some time to get his body and mind right.
PRACTICE SQUAD
QB Kenny Pickett, RB Montrell Johnson Jr., RB ShunDerrick Powell, WR Terrace Marshall Jr., WR Taylor Morin, TE E.J. Jenkins, OG Trevor Keegan, OT Hollin Pierce, EDGE Ochaun Mathis, DT Jacob Sykes, LB Dallas Gant, LB Lance Dixon, CB Parry Nickerson, CB Brandon Johnson, S Andre’ Sam, S Maxen Hook
International exemption: OT Laekin Vakalahi
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