The Philadelphia Eagles have just one more preseason game before it’s time to lock in the 53-man roster ahead of the new season. After a grueling first two weeks of Training Camp, here’s a look at how the depth chart may shape up by the time week one rolls around.
Eagles 2024 53-man roster prediction
Quarterbacks: 4 (4)
Jalen Hurts, Literally anyone but Kenny Pickett, Tanner McKee, Kenny Pickett (by force)
Kenny Pickett has given us 13 reasons why this offseason. 13 reasons why he shouldn’t be on the roster. Yes, the Eagles are financially tied to him, but that doesn’t mean they’re forced to play the riskiest hand possible when it comes to a very important spot on the roster. Send him to the phantom IR, or keep him on the roster, it matters not. Just don’t put yourself in a situation where it’s week 14, you’re down 6 with 2 minutes to go in a crucial game, and all hopes lie on a QB who can’t complete a slant in the preseason.
I don’t think Tanner McKee is quite there yet. He might be in 2-3 years, but for now, keep him around and find literally anyone else to take QB2 reps and help Jalen Hurts. Whether it’s a savvy veteran, or even Will Grier who has previous experience under Kellen Moore, as long as they can manage a clock, that will do just fine.
Running Backs: 3 (7)
Saquon Barkley, Kenny Gainwell, Will Shipley
No shocks here. I think Will Shipley might actually end up being Philadelphia’s RB2 in 2024. His preseason performances have been nothing short of brilliant, and the leash on Gainwell is much shorter due to this being his contract year. Pass the baton and let Shipley soak up some sun in an expanded role.
I do like the name Kenneth, though. There should be more Ken’s in the world. And Gainwell at least understands how to commit to a gap unlike Miles Sanders. 2-0 to the Ken men.
Offensive line: 10 (17)
Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, Lane Johnson, Tyler Steen, Trevor Keegan, Matt Hennessy, Mekhi Becton, Fred Johnson, Darian Kinnard
The offensive line is a very tricky area to read beyond the starters. The Eagles need to ensure they have enough depth across the board, which is how Matt Hennessy sneaks onto the roster as a backup center. Darian Kinnard has looked stellar in the preseason and will be a valuable depth piece to have in behind the likes of Trevor Keegan. I wouldn’t be shocked to see Tyler Steen hit the IR to begin the season after a Summer of injury setbacks and struggles.
Tight end: 3 (20)
Dallas Goedert, Grant Calcaterra, Johnny Wilson
The Eagles are still fairly light at TE, and Calcaterra is still the developmental TE2 to keep an eye on. C.J Uzomah has done nothing to convince me he’s worth keeping around despite his veteran experience, and I’d much rather force a way to give Johnny Wilson exposure to game reps. The rookie wideout has been used all over the field and while he’s not a TE by nature, this is simply a way to get him onto the roster without having him buried on the WR depth chart. He’d still take most of his snaps as an in-line blocker or as a slot wideout, but his versatility will come in handy when forming the depth chart.
Wide receiver: 5 (25)
A.J Brown, DeVonta Smith, Parris Campbell, Britain Covey, Ainias Smith
The big 3 will be Smitty, Brown, and Britain Covey. Campbell’s absence might just give Covey the boost up the depth chart needed to flaunt his stuff as a slot receiver, while the older veteran can fill in as a possession wideout when needed.
I was a big fan of Ainias Smith’s college tape. I gushed over it on live streams but expressed concerns over his incessant need to do everything but drive forward. Spins, hurdles, cuts, Smith got away with it all in college but at the pro level, it’s haunting his game. However, he did look better in the second preseason outing and the Eagles have a very mouldable skillset on their hands.
As a Brit, I’m also still unsure how to pronounce his name. This isn’t even satire or an attempt at a joke. I say In-ee-uss, but I’ve had people tell me it’s ah-neye-us, ah-nee-us etc. I’m going to call him Simon until I figure it out.
Joseph Ngata could turn some heads in the final preseason game, but the Eagles have more assets committed to Smith and that could be the deciding factor.
Defensive line: 9 (34)
Brandon Graham, Josh Sweat, Bryce Huff, Jalyx Hunt, Nolan Smith, Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Marlon Tuipulotu, Milton Williams
This could be the most impressive unit when all is said and done. Little needs to be said of the upside that lies at the DT position, but outside of that is where things get interesting.
The 3-4 defense calls for a lot of versatile pieces and while the EDGE players here won’t be lining up with a hand in the dirt on every snap, the likes of Jalyx Hunt is talented enough to draw more looks at OLB without cluttering up the positional group.
The Eagles have a monstrous 4-man rotation at DT and the defensive ends will be supported by a flurry of outside linebackers, reducing the need to go heavy on the outside.
Linebacker: 6 (40)
Nakobe Dean, Devin White, Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Zack Baun, Oren Burks, Patrick Johnson
After years of concerns at linebacker, I’m weirdly bullish on this group. Some call it delusion, others call it conviction. Whatever it is, I think Zack Baun has all the makings of a breakout star in this group, while Nakobe Dean’s strides through the Summer have drawn plenty of praise.
The depth has enough time to grind its way up the special teams ladder, and Patrick Johnson’s preseason progress has to be noted as he continues to mature into a solid NFL option.
Oren Burks scares me, but then so do Bees…and I still like Honey. There is a good analogy in there somewhere, I’m just not sure what it is. As long as Burks doesn’t run back the struggles he had for the 49ers, he’ll be fine…probably. If not, Jeremiah Trotter Jr. will at least be a name of intrigue over the 2024 season.
Cornerback: 6 (46)
Darius Slay, Quinyon Mitchell, Avonte Maddox, Isaiah Rodgers Sr., Kelee Ringo, Eli Ricks
I still think a lot can change at cornerback depending on what happens at Safety. For now, Darius Slay will head up a very young group with Quinyon Mitchell snatching the nickel spot away from Avonte Maddox, and Isaiah Rodgers Jr. manning the second boundary spot.
Kelee Ringo’s growth spurt has been fun to watch. He had a solid rookie year and should be well-placed to contribute in a rotational role in 2024. There’s a real abundance of talent here and a number of corners could take that final spot currently owned by Eli Ricks…or they could give it to James Bradberry and ruin my day.
Safety: 4 (50)
C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Reed Blankenship, Cooper DeJean, James Bradberry
With Sydney Brown starting the season on IR, the Eagles roll into the year with a pretty sturdy safety group. It’s a shame that Cooper DeJean missed so much time, and his usage in the final preseason game could dictate whether he makes the roster as a corner over Ricks, or holds a Safety spot. I’ll leave him here for now so I don’t have a panic about being forced to keep James Bradberry.
Specialists: 3 (53)
Jake Elliott, Rick Lovato, Braden Mann
The special teams unit has been cemented after this past offseason, so expect no changes here.
Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
