After signing star running back Saquon Barkley in free agency, the Philadelphia Eagles added several more offensive weapons in the 2024 NFL Draft. The hard part will come in a few months when the Eagles need to figure out who is sticking around in Philadelphia on the team’s final 53-man roster.
Last season, it seemed like the Eagles had questionable depth at several spots on the team’s offense. Yet, Philadelphia general manager Howie Roseman has addressed several of those needs in a variety of ways in 2024.
Philadelphia Eagles 53-Man Roster Projection
The Eagles selected nine players in the 2024 NFL Draft, bringing the team’s roster to a total of 83 players. Philadelphia has also reportedly signed seven undrafted free agents, which brings the team’s roster to the limit of 90 total players.
While it’s only May, it’s never too early to take a look into the crystal ball and try to predict what Philadelphia’s roster will look like in September.
Let’s start by projecting Philadelphia’s 53-man roster on the offensive side of the ball:
Quarterback (3)
Starter: Jalen Hurts
Backups: Kenny Pickett, Tanner McKee
Quarterback is likely the easiest position group to predict for Philadelphia’s final 53-man roster in 2024.
Hurts is locked in as the starter, and Pickett is the favorite for the second-string spot. McKee has the clear edge over Will Grier due to age and upside.
Running Back (3)
Starter: Saquon Barkley
Backups: Kenneth Gainwell, Will Shipley
Barkley sits atop Philadelphia’s running back depth chart, and it obviously isn’t close. Gainwell is the early favorite for the second-string spot, but Shipley could have an impact if he can fix his fumbling issues.
While Philadelphia could opt to keep a fourth running back, I expect them to go heavier along the offensive line in 2024. They could always keep a fourth RB on the team’s practice squad. Everyone already saw Rashaad Penny essentially occupying an unnecessary roster spot last season.
Wide Receiver (6)
Starters: A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Parris Campbell
Backups: DeVante Parker, Ainias Smith, Johnny Wilson
Now, wide receiver is where things will get interesting for Philadelphia.
Brown, DeVonta Smith, Ainias Smith, and Wilson are all locks to make the final roster. Campbell and Parker, meanwhile, will have to earn their spots on the team, but they have experience that the room is lacking behind Philadelphia’s dynamic duo.
The Eagles will have to make a tough decision with Britain Covey. While he was one of the NFL‘s best punt returners last season, Covey didn’t offer much as an actual wide receiver. Given the fact that Philadelphia invested two more Day 3 picks at the position, it’s clear that they’re looking for players who can actually contribute on offense as well.
If Covey fails to show much as a receiver, he’ll likely be let go, especially given the versatility and return ability of Ainias Smith, who is five years younger.
Tight End (3)
Starter: Dallas Goedert
Backups: C.J. Uzomah, McCallan Castles
After several years of neglecting the depth at tight end behind Goedert, Philadelphia made a few additions this offseason. Uzomah will offer much-needed experience behind Goedert, who is due to miss a few games each season.
One of the most interesting battles to watch in training camp and preseason will be at those backup TE spots. After essentially doing nothing all of last season, Grant Calcaterra and Albert Okwuegbunam will have to show some flashes to make the team.
Which is why I’m giving the edge to Castles, who the Eagles signed as an undrafted free agent. Castles offers a ton of upside due to his ability to make plays after the catch and could easily outshine Calcaterra and Okwuegbunam leading up to final roster cuts.
Offensive Line (10)
Starters: Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, Tyler Steen, Lane Johnson
Backups: Mekhi Becton, Matt Hennessy, Fred Johnson, Trevor Keegan, Dylan McMahon
The Eagles dealt with quite a few injuries along the OL last season, and it came back to haunt them. Philadelphia didn’t invest adequately in the depth inside the trenches, and Roseman clearly wanted to address that situation this offseason.
KEEP READING: Eagles’ 53-Man Projection on Defense: Tough Decisions at CB
While four of the five starting spots are locked in, Steen will likely have to beat out several others for the starting job at right guard. He should have the upper hand given his one-year head start at Stoutland University.
Although the Eagles kept nine offensive linemen on last season’s final 53-man roster, I can’t see the team wanting to risk losing any of the five backup players listed here.
Keeping these 10 players on the final roster would solidify Philadelphia as the NFL’s top offensive line room.
