The Eagles are officially done with the preseason as they fell to the Colts to go winless in each of the three preseason games. As the days draw closer to when the Eagles must complete their 53-man roster, there’s a handful of players who deserve some recognition for what they’ve done during the preseason.
Here are five players that stood out:
Trey Sermon
The Eagles have quite the conundrum at the RB position. We know for sure that Swift, Penny, and Gainwell will all make the roster but the fourth spot could be up in the air. While Boston Scott saw limited action during the preseason, it may be fair to assume that he is going to be the 4th RB in the Eagles depth chart.
But I feel as if Trey Sermon made a strong case for that spot. The former third-round pick shined when the ball when his hands but the fumbles are still an issue for him. Outside of that, he showed great decision-making along with good speed and cuts out of the Eagles backfield. Maybe it’s time to move on from Scott and give Sermon the show he deserves.
Ben VanSumeren
The linebacker group is one of the biggest question marks on the team. While Nakobe Dean, Zach Cunningham, Christian Ellis, and Nicholas Morroware all locks to make it, the rest of the group is just one big unknown. Can the Eagles go into the season with only four LBs are will there be an underdog added to the mix?
VanSumeren is my underdog at the moment. The kid has a high level of energy and a nose for the football. It seemed like he was everywhere he needed to be during the preseason games but he did have a terrible pass interference call last night that can never happen during the regular season.
He led the team in tackles against the Colts with 17 total tackles. He seems to be a raw mixture of Alex Singleton and T.J. Edwards. If the Eagles do keep him on the roster then I would expect to see him deployed mostly on special teams this season with growth potential later on.
Eli Ricks
The Eagles have to find a way to keep Eli Ricks on the roster. Ricks had a terrific preseason and could be an essential piece for the Eagles in just a short amount of years. He seems to be fitting the trend that the Eagle set last year with UDFA in both Josh Jobe and Mario Goodrich.
It’s amazing how the Eagles have found such solid UDFA pieces to take a chance on. While it may take some time for Rick to enter the spotlight with the team, I would expect them to keep him due to his high ceiling and their need for the cornerback position.
Devon Allen
The Eagles need speed on special teams and Devon Allen is that guy. Not only did he make something out of nothing with his kick return against the Colts but he also shined as a gunner when he flew downfield to make a tackle as soon as the Colts player caught the ball.
He could be an essential piece in case Covey falling short again this season. Allen’s speed is a rarity in the NFL and could be a weapon if used correctly.
Tanner McKee
What else do we need to say about the Eagles rookie QB? He did everything that was asked of him and showed why he was worth the investment in the first place. It’s not easy for a rookie backup to crest so much noise that people start to write off the veteran guy.
McKee will be a great insurance piece for years to come if he can improve upon an incredible offseason.
AP Photo/Matt Rourke
