Eagles' 53-man roster projections before 2023 final cuts
Eagles' 53-man roster projections before 2023 final cuts originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The Eagles played their final preseason game of 2023 on Thursday night and will not have to get their roster down from 90 players to 53 by 4 p.m. on Tuesday.
Here are the final 53-man roster projections from Reuben Frank and Dave Zangaro:
Roob (3): Jalen Hurts, Marcus Mariota, Tanner McKee
It was pretty evident very early on that McKee would win the No. 3 QB job over Ian Book. The former Notre Dame star – a former 4th-round pick - will make an outstanding coach. Marcus Mariota wasn’t very good but he’ll start the season as No. 2.
DZ: Quarterback (3): Jalen Hurts, Marcus Mariota, Tanner McKee
From the second we saw McKee in the Ravens preseason game, the third QB job was his. The Eagles are going into the season with Mariota as their backup but McKee showed some real talent this summer and earned a roster spot, especially with the new QB rule put into place after the 49ers whined all offseason. There’s a chance McKee could be the backup going into 2024.
Roob (4): D’Andre Swift, Kenny Gainwell, Rashaad Penny, Boston Scott
The only real question here was whether Trey Sermon could unseat one of these four guys. But really his best chance of doing that was for oft-injured Rashaad Penny to get hurt. But Penny stayed healthy and Sermon is the odd man out.
DZ: Running back (4): D’Andre Swift, Kenny Gainwell, Rashaad Penny, Boston Scott
I know fans were excited to see Trey Sermon this summer and he was fine. But I still think Boston Scott is just a better player right now than Sermon. Swift and Gainwell are obvious locks and Penny has done enough this summer to show me he has some juice left. This will be a running back-by-committee system with potential in 2023.
Roob (5): A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Quez Watkins, Olamide Zaccheaus, Britain Covey
If the Eagles feel like Covey’s hamstring injury is going to continue to linger into the regular season, they could go heavy at WR and keep Greg Ward around to be a backup slot and punt returner until Covey’s healthy. But that means going light somewhere else, and that’s a problem. My guess is Covey stays on the 53 and if he’s not ready for the opener, Zaccheaus brings back punts the first week or two.
DZ: Receiver (5): A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Quez Watkins, Olamide Zaccheaus, Britain Covey
The depth is a tad questionable after Brown and Smith. While Watkins missed some time with a hamstring injury this summer, he’s still clearly the No. 3 and Zaccheaus will take over the role as the No. 4 receiver. This is a position where the Eagles might target on the waiver wire but I still think Covey is on the team as the punt returner. Of course, last year the Eagles didn’t add Covey to the 53-man roster until after the first few weeks so that’s a possibility again. But I think he is likely to be on the roster from the start.
Roob: Tight end (3): Dallas Goedert, Jack Stoll, Grant Calcaterra
I really thought Tyree Jackson gave Calcaterra a good run for his money as the third tight end, but Jackson – as an undrafted free agent and converted quarterback – had to significantly outplay Calcaterra, a 6th-round pick last year, to have a realistic shot to snag that TE3 spot from Calcaterra. I think Jackson was better but the margin wasn’t enough to snag a roster spot.
DZ: Tight end (3): Dallas Goedert, Jack Stoll, Grant Calcaterra
I was tempted to keep Tyree Jackson on the 53-man roster. There’s still something intriguing about the 6-foot-7 former college quarterback. But the Eagles used a draft pick on Calcaterra last year and it’s not like he did anything to lose his job. In fact, Calcaterra caught a ton of passes early in camp and is still likely on the roster, especially after not playing on Thursday.
Roob: Offensive line (9): Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Jason Kelce, Cam Jurgens, Lane Johnson, Tyler Steen, Jack Driscoll, Fred Johnson, Sua Opeta
A lot of interesting decisions here. At various times, it looked like Josh Sills, Josh Andrews, Dennis Kelly and even Brett Toth would make the 53 as backups, but this position really shifted over the past few weeks and all those guys could be on the outside looking in. Fred Johnson was the big find here. He wasn’t even on the radar when camp began, but he earned a roster spot and a new contract.
DZ: Offensive line (9): Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Jason Kelce, Cam Jurgens, Lane Johnson, Tyler Steen, Jack Driscoll, Fred Johnson, Sua Opeta
The Eagles kept 10 offensive linemen on their initial 53-man roster but I’m not sure they have the type of depth to warrant that this season. The five starters are obvious locks and so are Steen and Driscoll. After Fred Johnson signed a two-year deal, it’s clear he’s on the roster too. After that? A spot could come down to Opeta vs. Josh Sills. And Opeta clearly passed Sills on the depth chart recently.
Roob: Defensive tackle (7): Fletcher Cox, Jordan Davis, Jalen Carter, Milton Williams, Marlon Tuipulotu, Moro Ojomo, Kentavius Street
Seven interior linemen? Are you nuts? Maybe. But here’s my theory: Street didn’t play Thursday night, which is odd for a bubble player. But we know Ojomo is dealing with that concussion and that was a pretty serious injury he suffered against the Browns. He’s been out watching practice, but if the Eagles fear he won’t be ready for opening day but will be a contributor during the season, they can’t IR him until after final cuts without losing him for the entire season. When you don’t play in the final preseason game, that usually means you’ve made the team. So Ojomo goes on IR after final cuts and Street fills his spot as the last interior lineman on the 53 until Ojomo is cleared and returns to action. Or maybe Ojomo will get cleared from concussion protocol before Tuesday and Street will just get cut.
DZ: Defensive tackle (6): Fletcher Cox, Jordan Davis, Jalen Carter, Milton Williams, Marlon Tuipulotu, Moro Ojomo
I know. Six defensive tackles seems like a lot but I didn’t know who to cut. Tuipulotu is the backup nose tackle. Maybe Ojomo will land on season-ending IR before final cuts but that would end his rookie season before it begins and I think he can help this year. That leaves the veteran Kentavius Street off the roster for now. But maybe they can avoid guaranteeing his salary and bring him back if/when needed.
Roob: Edge (5): Haason Reddick, Josh Sweat, Brandon Graham, Nolan Smith, Derek Barnett
I wanted to keep Patrick Johnson because I think he’s a talented kid and he showed – especially over the last 10 days or so – that he can play and generate some serious pressure. But there are just too many edge rushers here, and the Eagles seem to be committed to one-time 1st-round pick Derek Barnett. Johnson should get through waivers and wind up on the practice squad, but I expect we’ll see him play as the year goes on.
DZ: Edge (6): Haason Reddick, Josh Sweat, Brandon Graham, Nolan Smith, Derek Barnett, Patrick Johnson
The first four are roster locks. And I don’t think Barnett did anything this summer to lose his job, especially after taking a pay cut. The real question is whether or not the Eagles keep another player here. I’m giving the edge to Johnson over Janarius Robinson and Kyron Johnson, who recently had an appendectomy. Patrick Johnson has more experience and has been a quality special teams player in his two years in the NFL. And after losing Shaun Bradley for the season with an Achilles tear, it might be worth keeping Patrick Johnson around.
Roob: Linebacker (4): Nakobe Dean, Zach Cunningham, Christian Elliss, Nicholas Morrow
It would be nuts to keep Tyreek Maddox-Williams after one preseason game, but it’s tempting. He made more plays against the Colts than Nicholas Morrow has made all summer. But I don’t see a roster spot for him or undrafted rookie Ben VanSumeren. You love the energy and effort they played with Thursday, but I’d expect both to land on the practice squad, with Ellis and Morrow backing up Cunningham and Dean.
DZ: Linebacker (3): Nakobe Dean, Zach Cunningham, Christian Elliss
Maybe the Eagles elect to keep Nicholas Morrow as their fourth linebacker but I just don’t think he’s worth the roster spot right now. So, yes, I have the Eagles keeping just three linebackers out of the gate. This is a position where the Eagles could still add more. But they can also get by with three with a couple safeties who can play in the box.
Roob: Cornerback (6) Darius Slay, James Bradberry, Avonte Maddox, Kelee Ringo, Josh Jobe, Eli Ricks
With Zech McPhearson out for the year and Mario Goodrich released, who’s the backup slot? We’ve seen Bradberry in the slot a ton the last week or 10 days, and I can see a scenario where he gets you through a game with Jobe outside if Avonte Maddox gets hurt and then you sign Goodrich off the practice squad if you need him. I think it’s worth going that route over releasing Ricks and keeping Goodrich. Ricks has been a real find, and I would fear the Eagles losing him if they expose him to the waiver wire.
DZ: Cornerback (6): Darius Slay, James Bradberry, Avonte Maddox, Kelee Ringo, Josh Jobe, Eli Ricks
The top five feel like locks to me. Slay, Bradberry and Maddox are starters. Ringo isn’t going to get cut after the Eagles traded away a third-round pick to get him in April. And Jobe is clearly the top backup outside cornerback. That might be it. Or the sixth spot will come down to Mario Goodrich vs. Eli Ricks vs. Mekhi Garner. It might make more sense to keep Goodrich as the backup nickel cornerback but Ricks is a player who might legitimately get claimed on waivers. So some roster gymnastics to keep him and get Goodrich to the practice squad.
Roob: Safety (4) Reed Blankenship, Sydney Brown, K’Von Wallace, Justin Evans
My guess is Evans has won the starting spot after opening training camp as a real longshot to start and not even a lock to make the team. When one guy gets the lion’s share of the 1st-team reps this late in the preseason, it usually means what it looks like. Where is Terrell Edmunds? He’s not on my 53. I just don’t think he earned a roster spot, and to me he was behind Brown, Evans and Wallace.
DZ: Safety (5): Reed Blankenship, Terrell Edmunds, Sydney Brown, K’Von Wallace, Justin Evans
The Eagles don’t have to keep five safeties but like I said earlier, if they go light at linebacker, they can keep extra defensive backs. If there is an odd-man out, it could be Wallace but he’s been a solid special teams contributor. The starting spot next to Blankenship is still up for grabs and we’ve seen Evans, Edmunds and Brown get first-team reps recently.
Roob: Specialists (3): Jake Elliott, Arryn Siposs, Rick Lovato
I’m putting Siposs on here, but I still think there’s a very good chance the Eagles’ opening-day punter is somebody who’s on another roster right now.
DZ: Specialists (3): Jake Elliott, Arryn Siposs, Rick Lovato
The Eagles could possibly make a switch at the punter position but Siposs is on my roster for now. We’ll see if he’s still here when Week 1 begins.
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