Another preseason has come and gone for the Philadelphia Eagles, so let’s wrap it up. The biggest highlight was a surprise move for Commanders’ wide receiver Jahan Dotson, which we detailed last week. There is still much information to cover about the preseason, including the final roster and some position battles during the three games. Let’s close the door on the preseason before the Eagles head to Brazil to take on the Green Bay Packers on Thursday.
Philadelphia Eagles Preseason Wrap-Up
The 53-Man Roster
James Bradberry
The final edition of the Eagles roster had several surprises, the biggest being James Bradberry. The noise around Bradberry made this a huge surprise; the early indication is that he would be a cut or trade candidate. That was unsurprising, given his play last year, especially down the stretch. His PFF grade was 56.6, the lowest of his career. Then Bradberry moved to safety to save his spot on the roster, which worked out for him.
However, he is now on the IR and out for 6-8 weeks after a lower leg injury. He could have easily found himself in a trade, but now that seems highly unlikely. Howie defended the move, stating Bradberry’s football instincts. Fans will have to wait to see those instincts translate to safety, but he will not be a starter and rotate in to give Reed Blankenship and C.J. Gardner-Johnson breathers throughout games.
Avonte Maddox and potentially Cooper DeJean will see time behind the starters at safety without Bradberry. It will be interesting to see if the transition paid off for the team as it did for Bradberry; that answer will require some waiting due to the injury. The expectations are low, but having secondary depth that can play corner or safety if needed is always good.
Parris Campbell
Campbell was the clubhouse leader for the third receiver spot during camp, and now he is on the practice squad. That move is a product of the Dotson trade and rookie Johnny Wilson‘s emergence.
Just a few weeks ago, Campbell felt like a lock to make the roster. Moves like this goes to show how quickly the NFL goes. His groin injury likely cost him a spot on the roster. Campbell has had trouble in the past dealing with injuries. Now, he will be the call-up if any receiver on the active roster misses time.
It will be interesting to see if another team signs Campbell as the season progresses. However, a call-up to the Eagles’ main roster is unlikely outside of injury.
Position Battles
Backup Quarterback
After the Kenny Pickett trade, it was a foregone conclusion that he would be the backup behind Jalen Hurts. The preseason painted a different story, as Tanner McKee was the more impressive of the two.
McKee had a far better pocket presence, which is honestly surprising. Pickett has run an offense for the past two years; if you were to ask someone who had been a starting quarterback before and only showed that person the preseason, most, if not all, people would say it was McKee.
The trade for Pickett still is alright, even with hindsight. It was worth the chance to see Pickett in an off-season with a sound offensive system. However, given his preseason struggles, that did not make a difference. It is clear that McKee is the better of the two, and it will be interesting to see the coach’s choice.
Will the Eagles factor in the trade and draft capital, or will Philadelphia give the job to the one who impressed them the most this preseason?
Final Preseason and Roster Thoughts
The Eagles loaded the defensive side of the depth chart with 28 players compared to the 22 on the Philadelphia offense. It makes sense, given the roster was more than solidified on the offensive side. The defense will also benefit from the extra depth, being able to rotate at critical positions. That number on offense should not be a concern either; players can be called up, and the team can make moves.
There were some surprises, including the ones talked about. The only other surprise was linebacker Oren Burks making the roster after Bradberry’s injury. The roster is now finalized, and with the official depth chart soon to come, football is officially back.
Now, all focus turns to the Green Bay Packers, where the Eagles will head to Brazil to take on a formidable NFC opponent. And suppose the unofficial depth chart is a hint. In that case, we will see rookie cornerback Quinyon Mitchell in the slot take on a talented receiver core along with Isaiah Rodgers who won the starting cornerback job across from Darius Slay.
The rosters are final, and the official depth charts are almost here. That is a sign that we are so close to NFL action for the next couple of months. The Eagles hope to play to the end, but we have 18 weeks of these teams battling it out before we get to the postseason. And everyone can rejoice that the NFL is back.
