Who do the Eagles care about the most and who is actually ready to play?
Those are the two questions that will really determine who comes-and-goes over the next two days as the Eagles begin trimming their roster down to 53-players.
Building a roster that is balanced and ready for Sundays is obviously important, but with so many veterans and starters locked in, the Eagles are in a bit of a position of luxury. They can keep extra players at positions that might not make sense on paper, but make sense for this team in 2020. The only complicating factor will be injuries, especially at linebacker, cornerback and offensive guard.
With that being said, here is my final 53-man roster prediction:
Quarterback: Carson Wentz, Nate Sudfeld, Josh McCown (3)
Analysis: The Eagles have exactly one quarterback under contract in 2020, a large part of the reason they drafted Clayton Thorson to develop for the future. You have to think the Eagles don't want to risk losing him to waivers — or the possibility he would decide to sign elsewhere as a free agent. After a terrible game on Thursday, however, that is a risk they might feel a little better taking.
Running back: Jordan Howard, Miles Sanders, Darren Sproles, Corey Clement (4):
Analysis: Wendell Smallwood has earned a spot on this roster. He has had a strong camp, he stepped up and played better than expected when he was called upon last season and the coaches trust him. The numbers just don't add up to the Eagles keeping five running backs.
Wide Receiver: Alshon Jeffery, Nelson Agholor, DeSean Jackson, J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, Mack Hollins (5)
Analysis: Hollins' roster spot is pretty safe, mostly because of what he brings to special teams and the height he brings to the red zone, something head coach Doug Pederson had mentioned during training camp. The fact he played in the final preseason game, however, is a bit alarming.
Tight Ends: Zach Ertz, Dallas Goedert, Joshua Perkins, Richard Rodgers (4)
Analysis: If the Eagles have legitimate worries about Goedert not making it through Week 1 they could decide to keep four tight ends, with Alex Ellis being the fourth. To get him as the fourth tight end, however, they could keep Richard Rodgers and then place him on injured reserve -- then re-sign Ellis.
Offensive line: Jason Peters, Brandon Brooks, Jason Kelce, Isaac Seumalo, Lane Johnson, Halapoulivaati Vaitai, Andre Dillard, Matt Pryor, Stefen Wisniewski (9)
Analysis: Nate Herbig has made a push to make the final roster, but it is hard to see him not passing through waivers, and he will be added to the practice squad. Wisniewski can play three spots as a backup along the interior line and has started in big games for this team.
Defensive line: Brandon Graham, Fletcher Cox, Malik Jackson, Derek Barnett, Vinny Curry, Timmy Jernigan, Treyvon Hester, Hassan Ridgeway, Daeshon Hall, Josh Sweat (10)
Analysis: Most of the spots along the offensive line are locks — Graham, Cox, Jackson, Barnett, Curry and Jernigan. Hester and Ridgeway are likely pretty close to locks. That leaves two spots for Sweat and Hall, with the team hopefully putting Miller on injured reserve with some kind of injury to keep him on ice for a year.
Linebackers: Nigel Bradham, Kamu Grugier-Hill, Nate Gerry, Zach Brown, L.J. Fort, T.J. Edwards (6)
Analysis: Edwards is one of the toughest players on the roster to figure out. The Eagles made him a priority free agent as an undrafted rookie and their future at linebacker isn't especially bright past 2019. They could cut him and put him on practice squad, but Edwards has a real chance of getting claimed by Joe Douglas and the Jets, as Douglas was here when the Eagles decided to bring him in as a UDFA. Six linebackers is a lot, but Edwards is a nice combination of both filling a long-term need and potentially being able to play early on if needed.
Cornerbacks: Ronald Darby, Avonte Maddox, Sidney Jones, Cre'Von LeBlanc, Rasul Douglas (5)
Analysis: This position will see plenty of change throughout the season and will likely be different than the group that plays against Washington in Week 1. LeBlanc seems like a candidate for the injured reserve list, but to make it there, he has to make the initial 53 — unless the Eagles think he is going to miss the entire season. Once LeBlanc goes on injured reserve they can bring Orlando Scandrick back, making him the fifth cornerback on the roster. Mills seems destined for the PUP.
Safeties: Malcolm Jenkins, Rodney McLeod, Andrew Sendejo, Rudy Ford (4)
Analysis: This is a position where special teams could be the reason one player makes it over another. Jonathan Cyprien has been fine since coming to the Eagles, but the team traded for Ford, who is known as a very strong special teams player. Cyprien won't be subject to waivers, and wasn't signed for a large portion of the offseason despite getting multiple workouts, so chances are he won't get scooped up right away.
Special teams: Cam Johnston, Jake Elliott, Rick Lovato (3)
Analysis: As always, the special teams are the easiest part of the roster to project — which isn't something the Eagles shouldn't take for granted.
PUP: Jalen Mills
IR: Jordan Mailata
You can follow Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com!
