The Philadelphia Eagles will return to the gridiron for the first time in 206 days. The collapse had officially commenced following a very forgettable 32-9 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL Wild Card Round. Several months have passed as players have rested both physically and mentally following a humbling campaign.
A Friday night kick-off between Philadelphia and Baltimore represents the first chance to see the changes provided by Kellen Moore’s presence as offensive coordinator. The same goes for the opposite side of the pigskin with Vic Fangio bringing his 21 years of NFL experience to the Eagles coaching staff. Only those inside the NovaCare Complex really know what the game plan will be for San Paulo, Brazil and the Green Bay Packers. However, Friday’s night football fight allows Eagles fans to get their first idea of what to expect in a little less than a month on September 6.
There is A LOT to watch entering the first preseason game of the season for Birds fans headed down to the stadium and/or catching the broadcast on the moving pictures machine. While everyone will be watching the first series for the first gallop from Barkley or the continued legendary preseason performance from Jalen Hurts, here are five other Eagles players to watch for on Friday Night.
#1 – Quinyon Mitchell – DB – Draft Pick (1st Rd. – #22) – Toledo
This one almost seems too easy and I debated including him as a player to watch at all. Mitchell’s status as a rookie lands him in the top overall spot just as he was for the Eagles 2024 draft class a few months ago. With a potential injury to Gardner-Johnson in the early days of camp, there is an opportunity for the coaching staff to play with the lineup a bit during the early pre-season. In theory, this allows the veteran coordinator to test out his new first-round cornerback in coverage between outside and the slot to see how he handles the transition during game action.
#2 Devin White – LB – Free Agent Signing – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
In an attempt to fix the play at the linebacker position in 2024, the Philadelphia Eagles reached out to an individual involved in that final miserable contest of the season, Devin White. The former Buc brings 76 games of NFL experience to Philly alongside “a quick twitch trigger and rare pursuit speed to close gaps” according the his former team’s breakdown. While we might only see White for a series or two on Friday night, he should have a big impact on returning the Eagles to a championship-caliber defensive squad.
#3 – Mekhi Becton- OG – Free Agent Signing – New York Jets
Offensive line guru Jeff Stoutland loves himself a project. Whether it be turning a rugby-playing behemoth into an elite offensive tackle (Jordan Mialata) or coaching up the “next” Jason Kelce, Stoutland always seems to have a trick up his sleeve. Howie Roseman provided a brand new project this offseason in massive 6-7 tackle Mekhi Becton from New York.
Becton, previously a tackle with the Jets, appears to see his best opportunity at playing time at the guard position with Landon Dickerson and Mialata anchored into the tackle spots on the Eagles offensive line.
The former first-round pick, has never appeared in an NFL game at guard in his career. Currently listed starting right guard, Tyler Steen saw less than 75 snaps during his rookie season in the National Football League. If Becton proves he can transition naturally from tackle to guard, there could be an intense August competition for a starting offensive line position.
#4 – Kenny Pickett – QB – Trade – Pittsburgh Steelers
Speaking of the offensive line, the non-winning party of the Becton/Steen competition will have the opportunity to protect the red practice jersey of the new arrival, Kenny Pickett. With Jalen Hurts smashing preseason expectations, there might be little reason for Coach Sirianni and Co. to keep Hurts in the contest. Once Hurts checks out for the day, Kenny Pickett enters the game rocking the old-school Ron Jaworski #7 on his chest to lead the Eagles into battle.
Pickett was selected 20th overall in 2022 by the Pittsburgh Steelers who decided to pivot in a new direction this offseason by adding Russell Wilson and Justin Fields to the QB room in the Steel City. That led to a move to Philadelphia via trade for the New Jersey native. As a starter in the AFC, Pickett was 14-10 with 4,400 passing yards and a non-ideal 13 interceptions to 13 touchdown split.
#5 – Isaiah Rodgers – CB – Free Agent – Indianapolis Colts
Eagles General Manager Howie Roseman excels when other general managers make a bizarre decision. In the case of Isaiah Rodgers, the Eagles swooped in and signed the free-agent defensive back in August 2023 after he was released by the Indianapolis Colts following a violation of the league’s gambling policy. The Eagles placed him on the Reserve/Suspended list where he remained all last season. Rodgers was reinstated by the NFL in April.
Isaiah Rodgers finds himself in the middle of the battle for the CB2 starting position with Keele Ringo. According to reports from camp, both have looked excellent over the inaugural weeks on Broad Street. With an experienced coordinator like Fangio, it does not seem like a stretch to think a veteran of 45 NFL games like Rodgers would have the inside track to join Darius Slay.
Plenty of Intriguing Action in Baltimore For Preseason Week One
While NFL preseason games typically provide action for starters for maybe 30 minutes, there is plenty of action to watch all around the field on Friday night in Baltimore. Sure, it is not the illustrious Jalen Hurts-Lamar Jackson street fight that would electrify Interstate-95, but the tune-up contest starts to put the wheels in motion on the 2024-25 NFL season.
In the blink of an eye, Philadelphia will be flying south for a different prime-time QB matchup from Brazil. The Philadelphia Eagles will “host” the Green Bay Packers from San Paulo, Brazil on September 6, 2024. The Eagles will hold a kick-off watch party for the game at Lincoln Financial Field.
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
