Gameday. The last chance that players on the outside looking in will have to prove they belong on the 2019 Philadelphia Eagles. Jobs will be decided, careers re-routed, and hopes and dreams put on hold. But which players face a head-to-head scrap for survival? Here are six battles you need to watch.
Alex Ellis vs Joshua Perkins
No Zach Ertz, no Dallas Goedert, and Richard Rodgers is injured. We should see plenty from the depth tight ends on the roster as a result, but there’s much more to it than just exposure to preseason snaps.
Ellis hasn’t been on the team all that long, but his impact has already been felt after a dominant performance against the Ravens. A touchdown, a key block on a 2-pt conversion, and a special teams tackle? The former Chiefs TE is heating up.
Perkins has 3 receptions for 23 yards this preseason and despite drawing praise from Pederson and having a track record with the team (having made the roster last year and receiving 57-yards against the Bucs before notching a ten-yard catch against Indianapolis one week later), he will undoubtedly be feeling the pressure.
The Eagles will undoubtedly want to keep a third tight end, perhaps a fourth depending on their intent to run 13-personnel. If that’s the case, this will be a head-to-head clash, with Ellis the outsider, scrapping with everything he has to cause an upset.
Perkins has the inside track…but it’s the runner on the outside gathering momentum…
Greg Ward Jr. vs Mack Hollins
Over two preseasons with the Eagles, Ward caught 13 passes for 92 yards, proving himself at 5’11, 190 lbs, to play physically, snatching balls out of the air with an impressive catch radius and developing as a route runner. Now in his third attempt, Ward Jr has 87 yards to his name and a touchdown catch.
The Eagles like what they have in Ward Jr. as evidenced by the fact he has been brought back on three occasions. But will this finally be the time he sneaks onto the final 53?
Standing in his way is four-time special teams captain at UNC, Mack Hollins. As a rookie in 2017, he saw a surprising amount of action, recording 226 receiving yards and a touchdown in the process. The deep-threat rapidly became a fan favorite but would miss the entire 2018 campaign with a mysterious injury that wouldn’t become clear until long after the dust had settled. After spending a whole offseason working his way back, Hollins has struggled to make the same impact Ward Jr. has over the last few weeks and this could become a head-to-head clash for the WR5 spot.
Clayton Thorson vs Cody Kessler
Okay, ‘Clayton Thorson song’ aside, this is a big game for the rookie. Wentz and McCown make the roster and even if Sudfeld does get IR stashed, he has to be on the week 1 roster anyway, meaning Sudfeld is likely going to be exposed to waivers. He could theoretically force his way to a roster spot if he blows up tonight, especially if Kessler continues to struggle.
Kessler has completed 7/15 passes, averaging 3.8 yards per pass. Big yikes. This isn’t really a battle, but Thorson needs all the snaps he can get and at this stage, Kessler is fighting for an NFL future. We could well see two very explosive quarterbacking performances tonight….
…or not.
T.J Edwards vs Alex Singleton
They may play different roles, but I love this battle. The rise of UDFA T.J Edwards has been exciting to watch over the last few weeks, with the UDFA now ranking third on the team in tackles. The Eagles, after releasing Paul Worrilow, are thin at linebacker and even with Fort making the roster, this should pave the way for one of these two young studs…but who?
Will it be 2017’s CFL defensive player of the year, or one of this year’s most coveted UDFA’s? Both provide special teams value and play instinctively off-the-ball, but who makes the cut? Keep your eyes fixed on the middle of the field tonight.
Rudy Ford vs Deiondre Hall
There has been a LOT of movement at safety over the last few days. Tre Sullivan has been waived and two more DB’s have been signed. The one mainstay however, has been Deiondre Hall.
A lot of people overlook Hall. He’s not the most explosive safety and won’t turn heads with a game-breaking play on a regular basis. But if I told you he played in 13 games for the Eagles last year, amassing 5 special teams tackles on 40% of special teams snaps, his place on the team then needs no explanation. The Eagles like what he brings to Fipp’s unit but that is now challenged.
Enter Rudy Ford, who signed with the team just a matter of days ago. During his NFL career, he’s played in 455 special teams snaps in comparison to 62 defensive snaps, but appeared in 13 games for the Cardinals last season.
A veteran versus a young guy who’s been on the team for a considerable amount of time. Can Hall cling onto his roster spot, or can a late-comer unseat him?
Boston Scott vs Donnel Pumphrey
Two backs built in a similar way who bring special teams upside and varying success rates at the next level will go head-to-head for a potential RB5 role. Whether it exists or not, is down to them.
Pumphrey has been more active on punt returns, but Scott’s 43-yards and average of 6.1 yards per carry, leads the team. Scott was often seen as the Darren Sproles replacement and if he can just prove enough tonight, the team may keep him around as a result, not wanting to expose him to waivers.
To me, Scott is the player Pumphrey should have been and it’s about time that experiment came to an end. But I’ve been wrong before…and maybe Lil Pump has one more trick up his sleeve.
Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
