The players on the roster bubble will look to make an impact against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday. With time and opportunities dwindling, those players will need to make the most of the next three exhibition matchups.
Analysis: The Eagles suffered a major blow to their roster-building outlook when Sudfeld broke his left wrist during the preseason opener against the Tennessee Titans. While Sudfeld’s season isn’t over, he will miss a few regular-season games as he recovers from wrist surgery.
With Thorson clearly not ready to perform in the NFL, Kessler is the top choice to back up Wentz for the foreseeable future. Kessler has started 12 games in the NFL and was 2-2 as a starter with the Jaguars last year. While he probably isn’t the ideal backup, Kessler at least has experience and can move the ball with the improved weapons and blocking he has at his disposal.
Kessler will need to establish himself over the next three weeks. He had a rough outing against the Titans and will need to bounce back against his former team on Thursday. Sudfeld will eventually return and retain his job.
The Eagles can afford to go with four at the running back position. Sanders and Howard form a dynamic 1-2 punch with Sproles and Clement weaving into the Eagles’ running back committee.
With short-term injuries impacting the roster, the Eagles will be caught in an awkward numbers game. That could end up hurting others. Adams and Smallwood could lose their jobs as Eagles general manager Howie Roseman looks to work the numbers during final cuts.
Analysis: With Sudfeld suffering a short-term injury, the Eagles will keep three active quarterbacks to enter the season. That outlook will impact other positions on the roster. Last week, we had Ward as the sixth receiver on the 53-man roster. However, he wasn’t targeted against the Titans, despite playing the majority of the game.
Michel has seemingly jumped Ward on the depth chart, so he is probably the sixth guy if there is one. Hollins has returned from his hip injury and he has looked good during team drills in practice. The first four wide receivers on the depth chart are locks and Hollins is creeping into that category as well, especially after Shelton Gibson was let go on Monday.
Analysis: The Eagles have shut down Goedert for the remainder of the preseason, as he is suffering from a calf injury. Richard Rodgers has been sidelined for two weeks with a foot injury.
With Ertz as the only notable healthy tight end on the roster, Perkins has received a ton of playing time in practice. After a rough start to training camp, Perkins has rebounded and mostly avoided the dropped passes that plagued him earlier in the summer. Ellis and Tye have outside shots at roster spots but Perkins seems to be the guy if the Eagles keep a fourth tight end.
Analysis: The Eagles are likely to keep extra injury insurance at quarterback and tight end due to short-term injuries at both positions. With those added bodies on the depth chart, the Eagles’ offensive line won’t be afforded the luxury of keeping multiple developmental prospects.
Mailata has shown some progress, as he looks to earn a role with the team. He will probably be a healthy scratch throughout the majority of his sophomore season and for good reason. Pryor can probably make it to the practice squad, so the Eagles can risk putting him on the waiver wire.
Dillard will back up Peters at left tackle, Wisniewski will back up Seumalo and Kelce at left guard and center and Vaitai will back up Brooks and Johnson at right guard and right tackle.
Analysis: It’s tough to cut a fourth-round pick in a five-prospect draft class, especially when you’re already cutting your fifth-round pick, too. Right now, it seems like Miller is on the outside looking in. While he has plenty of potential, Hall has clearly outplayed him and earned a spot so far. The battle between the two players will be worth monitoring moving forward.
Ridgeway (concussion) is likely to miss the game against the Jaguars. Still, the staff and front office have been impressed by him and he should fit into the defensive tackle rotation. Hester had a brilliant performance against the Titans and he should stick around as a utility backup and special teams player.
Analysis: With Bradham and Grugier-Hill sidelined, the Eagles could have limited depth at linebacker in Week 1. Gerry has received first-team reps throughout the summer, while Brown was introduced to the starting lineup after Grugier-Hill suffered his knee injury. Fort was a standout during the preseason game against the Titans as the second-team middle linebacker.
Singleton is a wild card. He was a special teams ace during his early years in the CFL and he played well on defense against the Titans. Worrilow is back in action and Edwards has flashed a bit. That trio will be battling for the next three weeks and it could end in any of three ways.
The Eagles are going to have some tough choices to make at cornerback, especially if Darby is forced to miss a game or two to start the season. The sensible move would be to keep Mills on the physically unable to perform list. While that strategy would cost Mills at least six games, he would be able to contribute during the second half of the season when the secondary will probably need fresh legs.
LeBlanc being placed on injured reserve seems to be the shrewd move to make as well. The Eagles don’t want to get stuck in a guessing game like they were with Sproles last year. LeBlanc, like Mills, could serve as a reinforcement for the playoff push during the second half of the season. It’s unfortunate for LeBlanc, but the Eagles need to protect themselves, especially if Darby isn’t ready for the opener against the Washington Redskins.
Maddox, Jones and Douglas have been fantastic during training camp. The Eagles used Jones and Maddox on the outside and at nickel cornerback. Their versatility should help with the initial numbers at the position. Douglas seems poised for a major jump in production and responsibility after last year’s performance down the stretch.
The Eagles should probably keep a veteran backup in the mix, regardless of Darby’s status. If LeBlanc and Mills aren’t ready, keeping Scandrick makes a lot of sense, as he can play nickel cornerback. He has looked good so far in camp.
The Eagles could probably sneak the rest of the competing cornerbacks onto the practice squad.
Analysis: Jenkins and McLeod will man the starting safety spots for their fourth season together. At this point, it’s also hard to argue against Sendejo making the roster.
Beyond the top three, there’s reason for debate. The Eagles brought in Cyprien to be a multi-purpose defender. Roseman wouldn’t have made that move just to give the veteran a half-chance at a roster spot. Cyprien will be a utility player for the Eagles and he could come in handy if injuries strike. Plus, Cyprien’s ability to play in the box could allow the Eagles to go light at linebacker, even with Grugier-Hill’s injury.
Blake Countess was waived on Tuesday. His absence could clear the way for Sullivan’s return to the roster. However, with injury concerns elsewhere, the Eagles may decide to focus their roster numbers in other areas of the depth chart
