Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Measuring who survives the Birds’ roster cull
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. » The Eagles have several tough decisions ahead Friday and Saturday.
Not necessarily who to release or trade to reach the 53man limit by the 4 p.m. deadline Saturday. Rather, it’s about who they need to add to enhance depth on a roster weak in certain key areas, particularly at linebacker, offensive tackle and cornerback.
The fourth and final preseason game offered little hope in those areas.
Here’s a look at how the 53-man roster could wind up:
QUARTERBACKS (2) » Carson Wentz, Matt McGloin.
SYNOPSIS » Let’s send Nick Foles to injured reserve, where he belongs. In all seriousness, he isn’t healthy enough to give the Eagles a scout team look. The Birds can activate two guys from IR this season. Maybe Foles will be one of them. Until then, McGloin is No. 2.
RUNNING BACKS (5) » LeGarrette Blount, Darren Sproles, Wendell Smallwood, Byron Marshall, Corey Clement.
SYNOPSIS » Donnel Pumphrey was being evaluated for a head injury after gaining 10 yards against the Jets Thursday. In the preseason he has 26 carries for 49 yards. That has IR written all over it. Marshall is the fourthbest running back. Clement has had a solid, if unspectacular preseason. He can’t catch passes. The last two roster spots are very temporary as the Eagles are sure to claim a handful of prospects.
WIDE RECEIVERS (5) » Alshon Jeffery, Torrey Smith, Nelson Agholor, Mack Hollins, Bryce Treggs.
SYNOPSIS » If Nelson Agholor gets traded or the Eagles go with six catchers, Marcus Johnson gets the nod although he didn’t show much in his prove-it start Thursday other than a 41-yard grab late in the contest. Treggs is a better option, hands down. Greg Ward is strictly a slot receiver, which limits his upside and value.
TIGHT ENDS (4) » Zach Ertz, Trey Burton, Brent Celek, Billy Brown.
SYNOPSIS » Pederson was looking for an excuse to keep Chris Pantale as a fourth tight end last year. Pantale couldn’t catch. Brown can. More important is the 6-4, 255-pound frame that makes Brown a powerful inline blocker capable of helping in the run game.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (9) » Jason Peters, Isaac Seumalo, Jason Kelce, Brandon Brooks, Lane Johnson, Stefen Wisniewski, Hal Vaitai, Dillon Gordon, Chance Warmack.
SYNOPSIS » Might have to rethink Gordon, and not just because he had a rough night, against the Jets, including allowing an awful sack to Kony Ealy. The novelty of Gordon lining up with Blount in the heavy package has worn off. We can do without Warmack, too. Maybe even Vaitai. That leaves Dallas Thomas, converted defensive lineman Taylor Hart and Josh Andrews. The starters had better be able to play hurt.
DEFENSIVE LINE (10) » Brandon Graham, Fletcher Cox, Tim Jernigan, Vinny Curry, Chris Long, Derek Barnett, Destiny Vaeao, Steven Means, Beau Allen, Elijah Qualls.
SYNOPSIS » This is the strength of the defense, even if you don’t buy coordinator Jim Schwartz’s mention of Jernigan in the same breath as Ndamukong Suh. Tackle Gabe Wright deserves a job, but rookie sixth-round pick Qualls has legitimate upside. Alex McCalister has a pass rush but that’s it. He also hurt his hamstring Thursday. IR, it is.
LINEBACKERS (6) » Jordan Hicks, Nigel Bradham, Mychal Kendricks, Kamu Grugier-Hill, Najee Goode, Joe Walker.
SYNOPSIS » After Hicks and Bradham you can pick the others blindly out of a hat because we still think Kendricks is getting traded. Goode has a broken hand. Walker is slow. Villanova product Don Cherry isn’t ready. Grugier-Hill is too skinny. There’s a reason — actually two — that newcomers Christian Tago and Carlos Fields were available.
DEFENSIVE BACKS (9) » Malcolm Jenkins, Rodney McLeod, Corey Graham, Chris Maragos, Jalen Mills, Ronald Darby, Patrick Robinson, Rasul Douglas, Dexter McDougle.
SYNOPSIS » Put rookie second-round pick Sidney Jones (Achilles’ tendon) on the non-football injury list, leaving a window for the cornerback to return. Send Jaylen Watkins (foot) to IR. McDougle and C.J. Smith, if he survives, will be among the first to be cut when the Eagles start claiming players.
SPECIALISTS (3) » Kicker Caleb Sturgis, punter Cameron Johnston, long snapper Rick Lovato.
SYNOPSIS » Veteran punter Donnie Jones will have no trouble finding a job. And he’ll probably get a raise from his $1.1 million salary if the Eagles don’t trade him. Jones He didn’t endear himself to the Birds staying away from voluntary offseason practices. Johnston, the rookie out of Ohio State, demonstrated again Thursday how skilled he is as a directional punter. Lovato gets the ball back to the holder quicker than Jon Dorenbos, who was traded this week.
To contact Bob Grotz, email bgrotz@21stcenturymedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BobGrotz.