The Eagles have now completed the necessary cuts to finalize their 53-man roster. While many other moves can still be made, the team will be going into the season with these 53 players plus whoever they choose to bring onto the practice squad. Here’s an outlook on the roster that was constructed for the 2022 season.
QB
Jalen Huts will be the undisputed QB1 for the Philadelphia Eagles this season. Hurts showed enough promise last season to buy himself another season as the team’s leader. With the additions of Zach Pascal and AJ Brown, Hurts should be set to have a big season. Gardner Minshew will be the lone backup. Minshew showed his value in critical moments last season when Hurts when down with an ankle injury.
RB
While Miles Sanders is the main attraction, the Eagles have decided to keep Kenny Gainwell and Boston Scott as the two backups for Sanders. The issue with the RB group is that they don’t have a true big-bodied back that can help wear down defenses as the team tries to close out games. I would expect the Eagles to make a move and bring in a guy that could fight for those extra yards.
WR
The most intriguing position of all. The team traded for then extended A.J Brown in hopes that he would be the perfect compliment for DeVonta Smith. With those two at the center of attention on offense, the Eagles are sure to be a better passing team this season. Sprinkle in the dynamic route ability of Zach Pascal and you now have a three-headed at the WR position. Following those three will be Quez Watkins and Jalen Reagor. While the Eagles have kept Reagor on the current roster, there is a strong possibility that they move him before the beginning of the season.
TE
A very dynamic group at Tight end this season. Dallas Goedert is destined to be an elite TE this year after building great rapport with Jalen Hurts but behind him will be Grant Calcaterra and Jack Stoll. Stoll is coming into his second season while Grant will be entering his rookie year. This will be a very interesting group compared to seasons past where those spots were once filled with older veterans.
OL
The strongest group on the team and quite possibly the league. The Eagles offensive line will be set to go with a near-identical group to last season, only Isaac Seumalo has been moved to the RG and there’s a shiny new backup center. The starters will be Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Jason Kelce, Isaac Seumalo, and Lane Johnson. Backing up the unit is Josh Sills, Jack Driscoll, Sua Opeta, and rookie Cam Jurgens.
DL
The defensive line is a loaded one this season but we may see more wrinkles than expected for the Eagles’ second favorite group. It’s headlined by Jordan Davis, Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham, Javon Hargrave, and Josh Sweat. The Eagles will go into the season with more than the expected amount of depth. They’ll be backed up by Derek Barnett, Tarron Jackson, Milton Williams, and Marlon Tuipulotu.
LB
Surprisingly, the Eagles have loaded up in depth at the LB position this season. While Nakobe Dean will be the focal point for the fans, Haason Reddick will be the player to watch. They’ll have all hands on deck as they kept Shaun Bradley, T.J. Edwards, Kyron Johnson, Patrick Johnson, Davion Taylor, and Kyzir White. You can expect a big season out of newcomer Kyzir White but I wonder where this amount of depth leaves Davion Taylor in reference to snaps and usage.
CB
The Eagles are finally in good place with their cornerbacks. James Bradberry’s arrival fits perfectly with Darius Slay while Avonte Maddox will continue to man the slot position. Josh Jobe is the surprising addition to the stay as the former UDFA has now found a permanent home for the time being. Zech McPhearson will be expected to take that next leap in his career while Josiah Scott will continue to intrigue us if he can stay healthy.
S
This group is headlined by the Eagles newest addition of Chauncey Gardner-Johnson. The Eagles traded for him on Tuesday while only giving up a future 6th-round pick and a 2023 5th-round pick. Leading the charge with CGJ will be the most intriguing piece on the defense, Marcus Epps. We’ve all witnessed his ability to play “center field” but can he deliver more than sporadic interceptions? Reed Blankenship is the only rookie to make the group while K’Von Wallace could be on his last leg with the franchise.
Specialists
While I incorrectly assumed that the team would replace Arryn Siposs, it looks like the punter will get another crack at it in Philly. Jake Elliott continues to be the guy going forward with his partner in crime Rick Lovato.
Photo by Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire
