The Eagles' first pre-season game is in less than a week, which means it's the perfect time for a 53-man roster projection! Philly aggressively addressed multiple positions of need over the offseason but also lost some franchise players. Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox both retired over the offseason, but their successors seem to have bright futures.
Philadelphia Eagles Offense
Quarterbacks (3) - Jalen Hurts, Kenny Pickett, Tanner McKee
Outside Looking In - Will Grier
Hurts will continue to lead the offense, and barring any injuries, he should be the only quarterback the Birds see start this year. GM Howie Roseman refers to the team as a "quarterback factory," which is why the Steelers' former starting quarterback and first-round pick Kenny Pickett is backing him up.
Will Grier hasn't seen many reps during training camp, and it doesn't look like Philly is giving him a chance to fight for a roster spot. McKee was the team's QB3 last year as a rookie and has been impressive during training camp. There have even been reports of him fighting for the QB2 spot with Pickett. That being said, unless the Eagles want four quarterbacks, Grier will most likely be suiting up in another team's uniform in 2024.
Running Backs (3) - Saquon Barkley, Kenneth Gainwell, Will Shipley
Outside looking in - Tyrion Davis-Price, Kendall Milton
Saquon Barkley has been one of the best RBs in the league since he was drafted by division rival New York Giants in 2018. He'll lead the rushing attack for Philly, with Kenneth Gainwell most likely keeping his RB2 spot, which he's thrived on in the past three years. Will Shipley was drafted in the fourth round of the 2024 draft and has been catching coaches' eyes during training camp, even being compared to former NFL running back Danny Woodhead. Shipley could end up taking some of Gainwell's touches and can contribute as a pass catcher, but all three guys should get their fair share of chances with the ball.
Wide Receivers (6) - AJ Brown, DaVonta Smith, Paris Campbell, Johny Wilson, John Ross III, Britain Covey
Outside looking in - Joseph Ngata, Ainias Smith
AJ Brown and DaVonta Smith are arguably the best receiver duo in the league, both coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons for Philly. Outside of swole and skinny Batman, the rest of the receiver core is new faces for Eagles fans. Paris Campbell has been in Indy his whole career, and outside of his 2022 campaign, has been pretty quiet. Rookie WR out of Florida State, Johny Wilson, is 6'6", 238 lbs, and ran a 4.52 40-yard dash time. He's gotten his fair share of first-team reps, which is a great look for him. John Ross III came out of retirement to try and revive his career in Philly. With Quez Watkins leaving for Pittsburgh, Ross could compensate for the missing speed. Covey was one of the best punt returners in the league last year but didn't see much action outside of that. He's shown during camp that he's a WR for a reason and could be a good slot guy for the Birds.
Tight Ends (4) - Dallas Goedert, Grant Calcaterra, CJ Uzomah, Albert Okwegbunam
Outside looking in - E.J. Jenkins
When healthy, Dallas Goedert is a top TE and a consistent target for Hurts. Grant Calcaterra has backed him up the past two seasons but doesn't see many targets. Albert O was acquired via trade from Denver last season and saw literally NO action. The Eagles kept him around, so he should at least make the roster in 2024. C.J. Uzomah had a quiet year in New York for the Jets last year but is great for depth, especially if Goedert goes down again.
Offensive Tackles (5) - Jordan Mailata, Lane Johnson, Mekhi Becton, Fred Johnson, Tyler Steen
Outside looking in - Anim Dankwah, Brett Toth
Mailata and Johnson are two of the best Tackles in the league; however, both struggle with occasional injuries. The Eagles consistently bulk up their O-line depth, and it's no different this year. Becton is another injury-riddled guy, but he is a great depth piece and could even battle for an interior line role. Fred Johnson and Tyler Steen are also solid depth pieces. God forbid Mailata or Johnson goes down this season, but Jalen Hurts should still be decently protected.
Interior Offensive Lineman (4) - Cam Jurgens, Landon Dickerson, Trevor Keegan, Dylan McMahon
Outside looking in - Matt Hennessy, Jason Poe
I just shed a tear writing those names and not adding Jason Kelce, but my trust is in Cam Jurgens. Beef Jurgy was drafted in 2022, so he's been able to sit behind arguably the greatest Center ever for a couple of seasons. Landon Dickerson has been an elite guard for Philly and should continue to improve. Dylan McMahon can play both guard and center. Trevor Keegan will likely be a depth piece with Becton or Steen starting at guard (even though they're listed on the depth chart as tackles). Matt Hennessy had a poor showing during training camp, but he can play anywhere on the line to make the final roster. I wouldn't put my money on it.
Philadelphia Eagles Special Teams
Specialists (3) - Jake Elliot, Braden Mann, Rock Lovato
Outside looking in - N/A
Jake Elliot is one of the best kickers in the league and was arguably the team's MVP last year. He was 30-32 and 7-8 from 50+ yards out. He posted career highs in FGM, FG%, and points accounted for and tied his longest-made field goal (61 yards). Braden Mann and Rick Lovato are locks a their positions to make the final roster.
Philadelphia Eagles Defense
Interior Defensive Line (5) - Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Milton Williams, Marlon Tuipulotu, Moro Ojomo
Outside looking in - PJ Mustipher, Gabe Hall, Thomas Booker
The Georgia boys should fill the void Fletcher Cox left quite nicely. Jordan Davis had an outstanding rookie season with 33 tackles, six sacks, five stuffs, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. Jalen has looked great in camp and will be an issue for opposing offenses. Jordan Davis has been 350+ pounds since he came into the league but slimmed down to 336 pounds, which has been great for his conditioning, which has been a slight issue since he started his career. New Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio even said he could keep Davis on the field for 10 plays a drive. Milton Williams has been a solid depth piece for Philly and is looking to have a breakout season. He's been effective as a run-stopper and as a pass-rusher during training camp. Rookie Moro Ojomo could be a good depth piece for the Birds and could see some action.
EDGE (5) - Josh Sweat, Josh Huff, Brandon Graham, Nolan Smith, Jalyx Hunt
Outside looking in - Patrick Johnson, Tarron Jackson, Julian Okwara
The Eagles traded Haason Reddick to the Jets because he wanted a contract extension, leaving room for multiple rushers to step up. Josh Sweat has been the great opposite of Reddick, putting up 11 sacks in 2022 and 6.5 last season. Nolan Smith didn't see the field much last year, but he did end the season with 18 tackles and a sack. Brandon Graham is entering the final season of his career, and he hasn't slowed down a bit. It'll also be great to have him mentoring the younger guys, and his legendary trash talk is always great. Rookie Jalyx Hunt didn't have high expectations, but he looks much more advanced than expected. It'll be interesting to see which edge rushers make the final roster and how the snaps are divided between such a talented group.
Linebackers (4) - Devin White, Zack Baun, Nakobe Dean, Jeremiah Trotter Jr.
Outside looking in - Ben Vansumeren, Oren Burks, Brandon Smith
The Eagles linebacker play last year was atrocious. Bringing in veteran LB Devin White is huge for Philly. He didn't have a great season for his standards last year in Tampa Bay, but he's looked explosive in training camp and is the Birds' top option at the position. He can also be a great leader for the young LB core and hopefully help Nakobe Dean, who had high expectations from Eagles fans coming into the league, finally break out. Jeremiah Totter Jr. was drafted in the fifth round and looks to fill his father's shoes, who was also drafted by the Eagles in 1998.
Cornerbacks (7) - Darius Slay, Isaiah Rodgers, Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Kelee Ringo, Eli Ricks, Avonte Maddox
Outside looking in - Zech McPherson, Josh Jobe, Parry Nickerson, Tyler Hall
Last year, the Eagle's secondary wasn't the greatest. They only had nine interceptions on the season, and James Bradberry ensured every receiver in the league could get past him. This CB looks to be very strong. Isaiah Rodgers was suspended all of last year for gambling but is still a great option at CB2. Rookie Quinyon Mitchell could be the CB2 as well, but he'll see the field regardless. He's taken snaps as a nickel and dime defender and has had battles with AJ Brown, who has high praise for him.
Cooper DeJean has been injured, so it's hard to say what his role could be, but he said he's willing and able to play any position in the secondary. Kelee Ringo and Eli "pick six" Ricks both had great ends to the season last year, which was overshadowed by the Eagles' collapse. Ringo was even lining up against WR1s and performing great. He held Tyrek Hill to zero catches on three targets and had a PBU. Avonte Maddox was waived and then brought back on a cheaper deal. His role will likely be limited, but I don't see him not making the roster.
Safeties (4) - CJ Gardner-Johnson, Reed Blakenship, Sydney Brown, Mekhi Garner
Outside looking in - James Bradberry, Andre' Sam, Tristin McCollum
After the Eagles Super Bowl appearance in the 22-23 season, CJGJ decided to leave for Detroit, and after one short injury-riddled year, he's back. As Thanos said, "You could not live with your own failure, and where did that bring you? Back to me." Reed Blakenship led the team in tackles and interceptions last season despite missing two games. There have also been rumors all off-season about the Eagles signing former Broncos safety Justin Simmons, who would be another huge addition. James Bradberry was moved from CB to S but I'm still not sold on him making the roster. He still has enough value that the team could trade him before Week 1 for at least something in return. He was terrible in coverage last year and couldn't tackle to save his life, not qualities you want in safety...
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