1 player to watch at each position during the Eagles’ 2023 OTAs
After a busy offseason of retooling the roster, the Eagles’ organized team activities will begin on Tuesday, May 30.
Philadelphia’s OTAs will be held May 30, June 1-2, June 5-6, and June 8 before the team breaks until the start of training camp.
While the team prepares to return to the field with the entire roster and the coaching staff, we preview one player to watch at each position group.
QB -- Ian Book
The former Notre Dame signal-caller spent all of 2022 as the No. 3 quarterback, but he’ll face competition from rookie sixth-round pick, Tanner McKee.
The OTA sessions will give a preview of Book’s development and whether he has the tools to hold off the former Stanford signal-caller.
RB -- Trey Sermon
Philadelphia has six running backs on the roster after signing Rashaad Penny in free agency and trading for D’Andre Swift.
Kennedy Brooks is a second-year player and the odd man out, but he has practice squad potential, while Sermon could get cut with Boston Scott being the trusted fourth running back on the depth chart.
OTAs offer an initial opportunity for Sermon to see where he stands on the depth chart after a full season in Philadelphia.
WR -- Olamide Zaccheaus
Zaccheaus had 40 catches for 533 yards and three touchdowns last season, and he could potentially top those numbers in the explosive Eagles offense.
Teams adjust, and if the weekly game plan centers on taking away A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, then someone outside of Dallas Goedert will have to make teams play one-on-one with their slot cornerbacks or safety.
The six OTA sessions offer an opportunity to separate himself from Quez Watkins.
TE -- Grant Calcaterra
The former Oklahoma and SMU pass catcher saw action in 15 games, with two starts, while Dallas Goedert was injured.
Calcaterra caught five passes for 81 yards as a rookie in an offense dominated by Goedert and other pass catchers.
Calcaterra has a relationship with Jalen Hurts from their time at Oklahoma, and Philadelphia can be especially dangerous on offense when multiple tight ends are in the lineup.
OTA sessions allow Calcaterra to separate himself from Dan Arnold and Brady Russell.
OL -- Cam Jurgens
The successor to Jason Kelce at center, Jurgens will get the first crack at replacing Isaac Seumalo at the right guard spot.
OTAs are padded sessions, but it will gave Jurgens his first opportunity to see how he fits next to Lane Johnson.
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DT -- Jordan Davis
Philadelphia moved up to secure Davis after the former Georgia All-American defensive tackle recorded a 4.78 time in the 40-yard dash during the 2022 NFL Combine, weighing over 330 pounds.
Davis missed several games with an ankle injury. Still, he was so impactful that he was named the 2022 PFWA All-Rookie Team after producing 18 total tackles, four quarterback pressures, one tackle for loss, and one pass defended.
Davis could snag several awards if he can increase that production and combine it with week-to-week impact.
Edge -- Nolan Smith
The former Georgia pass rusher is already impressing Eagles brass and the OTA session will allow defensive coordinator Sean Desai multiple opportunities to to create a role opposite Haason Reddick.
LB -- Nakobe Dean
Philadelphia GM Howie Roseman let T.J. Edwards (Bears) and Kyzir White (Cardinals) walk in free agency, expecting the former Georgia All-American to take a critical role at the linebacker position under new defensive coordinator Sean Desai.
Dean recorded just 13 combined tackles and one tackle for loss in 2022, but he is an intelligent player who can both play downhill and hold his own in coverage.
Dean saw action in all 17 games last season, finishing with six total tackles (5 solos) in a reserve role.
Dean ranked T-2nd on the team with seven special teams tackles, and he’ll now look to take the next steps as a downhill run stopper capable of making plays in space when forced into pass coverage.
CB -- Eli Ricks
A talented player with an All-American pedigree, Ricks started at LSU playing in 2020 and 2021 and transferred to Alabama for the 2022 season. Ricks played 25 games during his collegiate tenure, compiling 44 total tackles, five interceptions, and two touchdowns.May 5, 2023
The OTA sessions offer the first opportunity to see how Ricks will transition to the NFL and elite wide receivers.
S -- Terrell Edmunds
Edmunds had 70 tackles (41 solo, three for loss), two sacks, and five passes defended in Pittsburgh last season, and offers the versatility to play in the box and the slot, along with free safety.
An intelligent and reliable safety, the OTA sessions offer the first opportunity to see how Desai will employ the efficient safety.
Edmunds offers some versatility as a true in-the-box safety, but it’ll be on Sean Desai to put the veteran in a position to be successful.
Edmunds logged most of his snaps with Pittsburgh as a box safety, with another 200 snaps coming deep and almost 200 snaps in the slot
Special teams -- Ty Zentner
The Eagles didn’t bring in or work out any punters, giving Zentner a chance to take the punter job away from Arryn Siposs.
The Kansas State punter/kicker didn’t start playing football until his senior year of high school. Zentner spent time at Butler Community College before joining Kansas State University. He was a punter/kicker, making 11 field goals and recording a season-long 72-yard punt.
