The Eagles had a flurry of moves to make ahead of the NFL’s deadline to trim rosters down to 53 and there were certainly some surprises along the way. Here’s all you need to know.
The big one
After signing Craig James to a contract extension, it was assumed that the Eagles would cut one of either Sidney Jones or Rasul Douglas. They ended up cutting both. The pair of 2017 draft picks have their tenures in Philadelphia cut short in their contract year after a tumultuous journey.
This does leave depth very light at the position, with only 5 corners on the roster. It seems as though the team will lean heavily on Jalen Mills, who of course acted as a starting outside CB ever since being drafted in 2016 until his one-year deal this offseason that saw him move to safety.
It will be interesting to see if the Eagles add any extra help to a positional group that was totally transformed this offseason.
Minor quibble
Shareef Miller was another player on the chopping block today, which was surprising to some. Last year’s fourth-round pick played 3 special teams snaps as a rookie and didn’t really take a huge step forward this Summer. A shortened offseason definitely hurt him, but he should end up on the practice squad.
Another big surprise was Joe Ostman. The star of the scout team did well to recover from a torn ACL and had an explosive camp, but he looks destined for the scout team again.
In his place, seventh-round pick Casey Toohill makes the cut. We’ll touch more on that in a later article, but that’s huge for the teams’ last pick of the draft.
No Togiai
It was assumed the Eagles would roll with 3 TE’s this season, but it looks as though it will be 2 until Josh Perkins is activated from IR. The team waived UDFA Noah Togiai after a strong first offseason. He should be a prime practice squad target, but leaving 2 active TE’s on the roster right now is a little worrying considering the team’s dependency on 12-personnel.
Defensive tackle depth
UAB’s Anthony Rush and a UDFA from this year’s class, Raequan Williams, failed to make the cut. Both players were just outside the already dangerous rotation, making their battle a tough one.
Oh line
A surprise to many, rookie Prince Tega Wanogho failed to make the jump to the final 53, with the Eagles running light on offensive line depth. PTW struggled in comparison to Jack Driscoll this Summer and considering the urgency at tackle, the team had to be creative. Jordan Mailata is safe, but for how long? If PTW makes the practice squad, that will be an interesting journey to watch.
Guard Sua Opeta was another player who wasn’t able to do enough to win over the coaching staff. Nate Herbig will be the backup guard behind Pryor/and-or Peters.
PUP or not to PUP
Brandon Brooks will start the season on PUP meaning he can play in 2020, which is absolutely mesmerizing. Alshon Jeffery, meanwhile, is listed on the active roster. This comes on the back of yet more trade talk, so watch that space closely.
Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire
