The Eagles have made a pair of minor roster moves prior to this week’s clash with the Atlanta Falcons. Here’s everything you need to know about the players involved.
Roster Move: #Eagles have signed C Jon Toth to a reserve/future contract.
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) January 9, 2018
Firstly, the Eagles have signed another player to a futures contract, this time it’s a familiar face in Jon Toth. Toth has bounced on and off the practice squad for a while now, but he’ll have his chance to push further now with a futures contract.
At 6’5?, 307 lbs, Toth was a four-year starter for Kentucky in the SEC, leading a unit that ranked number 20 in the nation and third in rushing yards per game. A projected late round pick, Toth endured disc surgery on his back weeks before the Draft and after the Niners pulled out of a UDFA deal, the Eagles were the first team to give him a chance.
Toth joins TE Adam Zaruba, P Cameron Johnston and CB Elie Bouka as those signed to futures deals.
The second move is very much a shuffle around.
Roster Move: #Eagles have signed S Harold Jones-Quartey to the practice squad and released DT Winston Craig from the practice squad.
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) January 9, 2018
Jones-Quartey was signed by the Eagles practice squad in mid-November after having 16 starts over a two-year stint with the Bears. With 95 tackles, two interceptions, seven pass deflections, and a forced fumble to his name, the former UDFA who latched on to the Cardinals in 2015 was signed for depth purposes when the secondary was hurting. It didn’t hurt that the Eagles had a clash with his former team just one week later. On December 1st, he was placed on the practice squad injury list. But now he’s eligible to return, the Eagles had to make way for his presence and did so by waiving former Richmond Spider, Winston Craig.
After trying out for the Eagles having gone undrafted, Winston Craig was offered a contract by the team and it’s easy to see why. This 6’4, 290 lbs, pass rusher simply exploded in 2016. With 8 sacks and 11 tackles for a loss in his final season alone, leading the team in those categories as well as QB hurries, Craig even added a pick and 3 passes defensed to his tally. A team captain for the Spiders, Craig ended his four-year career at Richmond with a total of 166 tackles, 20 tackles for a loss, 13.5 sacks and 2 picks.
Craig was among those cut in the final weeks before the regular season, but his familiarity with the system and leaner frame could see him carve a niche in the Jim Schwartz defense if given a full offseason to work with the team. While cut, it would be interesting to see if the Birds do bring Winston back on a futures contract after an impressive offseason and familiarity with the team.
Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports
