Following the Philadelphia Eagles’ preseason finale, it’s time to look ahead to final cuts. As Week 1 of the regular season quickly approaches, Eagles general manager Howie Roseman will have several difficult decisions to make.
In previous seasons, the Eagles weren’t nearly as deep at position groups such as cornerback, linebacker, and wide receiver. Now Philadelphia has a bit too much talent in those areas, and Roseman must choose wisely during final cuts.
Here is my final 53-man roster projection for the Eagles.
Who Cracks Final Philadelphia Eagles 53-Man Roster?
Quarterback (3)
Starters: Jalen Hurts
Backups: Kenny Pickett, Tanner McKee
Jalen Hurts is clearly QB1 in Philadelphia and is poised for a bounce-back season in 2024. While Kenny Pickett failed to impress during preseason action, he appears to have the upper hand over Tanner McKee as backup QB.
Running Back (3)
Starter: Saquon Barkley
Backups: Kenneth Gainwell, Will Shipley
Thanks to the arrival of Saquon Barkley, the Eagles have a clear workhorse RB in the backfield. Yet Kenneth Gainwell and Will Shipley should each have roles in 2024, as Philadelphia looks to wisely manage Barkley’s workload.
Wide Receiver (6)
Starters: A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Jahan Dotson
Backups: Johnny Wilson, Britain Covey, Ainias Smith
Following the acquisition of Jahan Dotson, the Eagles have arguably the best WR trio in the NFL. Johnny Wilson and Britain Covey have earned the fourth and fifth spots in Philadelphia’s WR room throughout training camp and preseason action.
While the sixth spot in the room could come down to rookie Ainias Smith and two injury-prone veterans in Parris Campbell and John Ross, I’ll give Smith the edge due to his age, upside, and his four-year rookie contract.
Tight End (2)
Starter: Dallas Goedert
Backup: Grant Calcaterra
Dallas Goedert and Grant Calcaterra are clearly the top two tight ends in Philadelphia. Following the release of C.J. Uzomah, E.J. Jenkins seems like the obvious choice at TE3 for the Eagles.
Yet, is Jenkins good enough to warrant keeping him on the final roster? Maybe not. Eagles could elect to keep Jenkins or Albert Okwuegbunam Jr. on the practice squad while going heavier at other positions during the initial roster cut.
Offensive Line (10)
Starters: Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, Mekhi Becton, Lane Johnson
Backups: Fred Johnson, Trevor Keegan, Dylan McMahon, Brett Toth, Darian Kinnard
Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland has assembled quite a talented room in Philadelphia. Roseman will need to make a few difficult decisions with the final roster spots along the offensive line.
As Tyler Steen continues to battle an ankle injury, I believe he could be an IR candidate as he fully recovers. That would also allow the Eagles to keep both Brett Toth and Darian Kinnard around for at least four more weeks.
Defensive Tackle (5)
Starters: Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Milton Williams
Backups: Moro Ojomo, Thomas Booker IV
Thomas Booker IV has been the surprise of training camp and preseason action. Booker has worked his way from a long shot to make the final roster to a near virtual lock to remain in Philadelphia.
While Marlon Tuipulotu has shown promise as well, it could be hard for the Eagles to keep six defensive tackles. Therefore, I think Booker gets the edge over Tuipulotu because he’s flashed a bit more and is one year younger.
EDGE (6)
Starters: Bryce Huff, Josh Sweat
Backups: Nolan Smith Jr., Brandon Graham, Jalyx Hunt, Patrick Johnson
While many are concerned about Philadelphia’s edge group, they offer a ton of upside. Bryce Huff showcased his ability against the run in the team’s second preseason game, which was a question following his arrival.
Nolan Smith Jr. and Jalyx Hunt are high-upside players who have also flashed during the preseason. Patrick Johnson will be a core special teams player as well.
Linebacker (5)
Starters: Devin White, Zack Baun
Backups: Nakobe Dean, Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Ben VanSumeren
The Eagles are deeper at linebacker than the team has been in years. Devin White and Zack Baun have cemented themselves as the top LB duo in Vic Fangio’s defensive front.
Although Nakobe Dean should have a considerable role, given his blitz ability and improvement in coverage, Jeremiah Trotter Jr. showed promise during the preseason and Ben Van Sumeren should be a core special teams player.
Cornerback (5)
Starters: Darius Slay Jr., Isaiah Rodgers Sr., Quinyon Mitchell
Backups: Kelee Ringo, Cooper DeJean
The Eagles will have a few difficult decisions to make at CB. Eli Ricks and Josh Jobe are young players who have shown promise in the past but might not be good enough to make the final roster in Philadelphia right now.
Roseman has completely revamped the Eagles’ secondary in one offseason. Philadelphia’s cornerback room could rival many of the top units in the NFL.
Yet that might cause Roseman to let go of a few promising players that could upset fans during final cuts.
Safety (5)
Starters: C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Reed Blankenship
Backups: Avonte Maddox, James Bradberry, Tristin McCollum
Despite C.J. Gardner-Johnson returning to Philadelphia, the safety group as a whole is still filled with question marks.
Gardner-Johnson, Reed Blankenship, and Sydney Brown all missed games due to injury last season. In fact, I believe Brown will begin the regular season on the PUP list.
Avonte Maddox has appeared to secure a roster spot due to his versatility, while James Bradberry could have the edge over Tristin McCollum, considering he was inactive for Philadelphia’s preseason finale.
Although that could also be a sign that the Eagles are hoping to keep Bradberry healthy and trade him as well, McCollum has played well throughout the preseason and deserves to make the final roster.
Specialist (3)
Kicker: Jake Elliott
Punter: Braden Mann
Long Snapper: Rick Lovato
No surprises here. Jake Elliott is regarded as one of the best kickers in the NFL. Braden Mann brought much-needed consistency at punter for the Eagles last season, and Rick Lovato remains a fixture in the middle of Philadelphia’s special teams unit.
PUP/IR (3)
PUP: Sydney Brown
IR: Tyler Steen, Caden Sterns
In previous seasons, players needed to remain on the 53-man roster through initial final cuts and could then be placed on IR while remaining eligible to return. That rule has changed in 2024.
Each team is allowed to place two players on IR during final cuts. I believe the Eagles could use those designations on Tyler Steen and Caden Sterns.
This would allow both players to recover from their current injuries while remaining in Philadelphia. The same goes for Sydney Brown, as he’ll remain on the PUP list and be eligible to play in Week 6.