Defense
Defensive End
| Brandon Graham |
| Derek Barnett |
| Vinny Curry |
| Shareef Miller |
| Josh Sweat |
| Daeshon Hall |
| Kasim Edebali |
The top three spots are a lock, but there are some shifts at this position. After just one preseason game, it may be premature to pencil Daeshon Hall into a roster spot, but boy was he disruptive. Pushing him above Sweat has more to do with the latter’s performance. Sweat was almost non-existent. Despite looking bigger, he failed to generate any push. Hall made plays early and often and looked downright dominant against the third-stringers. Miller made some mental mistakes but also showed some upside. I believe the Eagles will take a long look at keeping six defensive ends this season. If Hall keeps the train rolling, Sweat will have to prove himself if he’s to stick to the final-53.
Defensive Tackle
| Fletcher Cox |
| Malik Jackson |
| Tim Jernigan |
| Hassan Ridgeway |
| Treyvon Hester |
| Bruce Hector |
| Kevin Wilkins |
Again, the three top spots are cemented. Jackson took the field, but was quickly yanked. Timmy watched in street clothes. Ridgeway looked fantastic before leaving with a shoulder injury. Hester blocked yet another kick and held his own on defensive snaps. Altogether, the defensive line barely made their presence known after the first half. Hector may be a victim of circumstance more than poor play. I think the Eagles will choose to keep an extra player at another position rather than a tackle with essentially three starting DTs on the roster.
Linebacker
| Nigel Bradham |
| Zach Brown |
| Kamu Grugier-Hill |
| Paul Worrilow |
| L.J. Fort |
| Nathan Gerry |
| T.J. Edwards |
| Alex Singleton |
With Kamu Grugier-Hill starting the season on the injured list, the Eagles will have to keep Nathan Gerry, but otherwise, he would struggle to make the roster. Despite ample opportunities, he has not been able to prove himself in his few years in Philadelphia. L.J. Fort was better, but not solid. He was stout against the run but got beat in coverage a few times. Zach Brown was around the football as per usual, but we all know his limitations in coverage. T.J. Edwards made some nice plays, but still has a way to go before sneaking onto an NFL roster. Singleton, despite being a PSN favorite, looks like a special teams player at best and will face an uphill battle to make the final roster.
Cornerback
| Ronard Darby |
| Avonte Maddox |
| *Jalen Mills (PUP) |
| Rasul Douglas |
| Sidney Jones |
| Cre’Von LeBlanc |
| Josh Hawkins |
| Orlando Scandrick |
| Ajene Harris |
| Jeremiah McKinnon |
| Jay Liggins |
It was a relatively rough night for the Eagles’ secondary outside of the starters. Rasul Douglas and Sidney Jones started on the outside with Avonte Maddox in the slot. Maddox was his usual self, showing tight coverage on a very good route runner in Adam Humphries. Rasul and Sid did a good enough job in coverage to force check-downs from Mariota. Although I did notice Jones was giving an awful lot of cushion and may have been taken advantage of by a savvier quarterback.
We heard a lot about McKinnon and Hawkins coming into yesterday’s game. Both showed glimpses of their ceilings and floors. Hawkins had a nice PBU a play after getting beat — although it was on a severely under-thrown ball to a wide-open receiver. The significance to that play is that he demonstrated a short-term memory, something Jim Schwartz lauds his corners for constantly. Ajene Harris will be a name to watch. He registered a sack in his short time on the field and showed fantastic discipline not to bite on the ball fake. McKinnon faired well in coverage but was picked on a bit by Tennessee’s larger receivers. Scandrick’s experience and slot coverage will give him the leg up for now.
Safety
| Malcolm Jenkins |
| Rodney MacLeod |
| Andrew Sendejo |
| Jonathan Cyprien |
| Blake Countess |
| Tre Sullivan |
| Deiondre’ Hall |
| Trae Elston |
It was telling that Blake Countess and Andrew Sendejo started the game. Although he was listed above those two on the unofficial depth chart, Tre Sullivan was clearly the 4th best safety on the field for the Eagles. Countess went off the field at one point with an injury, which will be something to keep on eye on. Cyprien had his ups and downs but looked solid overall. His versatility is key to him making the team. Deiondre’ Hall and Trae Elston had similar games and identical stat lines. That’s an interesting battle to keep an eye on for a possible practice squad spot.
Specials
| Rick Lovato |
| Cameron Johnston |
| Jake Elliott |
No controversies here. Elliot pinged the upright but was otherwise perfect. Johnston already looks like one of the best punters in the league. We knew he had a leg, but he also pegged a few inside the 20, showing some accuracy as well.
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
