Birds pluck QB Sudfield from ‘Skins
The Eagles tapped Washington for a practice squad quarterback, signing Nate Sudfeld instead of Dane Evans.
The Redskins took Sudfeld off the board in the sixth round pick of the 2016 draft.
Like Eagles starting quarterback Carson Wentz, Sudfeld checks in around 6-6, 235. Like Wentz, Indiana product Sudfeld lists Audience Of One, the spiritual calling, on his verified Twitter account.
Sudfeld completed 33 of 56 passes (58.9 percent) for 360 yards in the preseason. He didn’t throw a touchdown or an interception, was sacked three times and formulated a 78 passer rating.
Sudfeld could be the ultimate scout team quarterback this week as the Eagles oppose the Redskins in the regular season opener Sunday at FedEx Field. The Eagles are 1-point favorites.
The Eagles almost certainly will pick Sudfeld’s brain to figure out what the Redskins like to do.
The Eagles chose Sudfeld over Evans, among their reserve quarterbacks through training camp and the preseason.
Sudfeld threw 27 touchdowns and just seven interceptions to lead the Hoosiers to a 6-6 record in 2015.
Eagles veteran backup quarterback Nick Foles, who also is 6-6, said he’s ready to practice this week. Foles is coming off an inflamed flexor in his throwing elbow that sidelined him the entire preseason and most of training camp.
The rest of the Eagles’ practice squad is composed of players who were with them through training camp and the preseason.
Keep in mind practice squad players can sign elsewhere at any time.
The practice squad includes center-guard Josh Andrews and offensive tackle-fullback Dillon Gordon. With just eight offensive linemen on the 53-man roster, the Eagles can elevate these guys in case of an injury.
The other offensive players on the squad are tight end Billy Brown, running back Byron Marshall and wide receivers Bryce Treggs and Greg Ward. Marshall and Treggs were on the 53-man roster last season.
The rest of the practice squad is composed of linebacker Nathan Gerry, the fifth-round pick out of Nebraska, defensive tackle Justin Hamilton and cornerback C.J. Smith.
Eagles vice president of football operations Howie Roseman is looking at the bottom eight players on the 53-man roster and the 10 practice squad additions as developmental talents.
It’s a modest change in the team building process.
“We’re not trying to sacrifice the roster as it goes into Washington,” Roseman said. “We’re trying to compete and win as many games as we possibly can. But we also don’t want to be short-sighted about losing guys that we think down the road can develop into starters. We’ve got a lot of faith in guys like (wide receiver) Marcus Johnson, who come back after a year and take a step and then look like they have traits to be a starter. And so guys who have a high ceiling, we’re going to try to invest in those guys and try to develop them and be a little patient.”
Johnson is part of the current 53-man roster.
The notable absence from the practice squad is linebacker Don Cherry, the product of Villanova who had a pretty good camp and preseason. It’s a sign that the Birds like what they’ve seen of Gerry. The practice squad is a very fluid group, though.
Unofficially the Eagles had just one of the players they released picked up by another team. The Los Angeles Rams claimed Adam Neary, the 6-4, 301-pound center out of Eastern Michigan who started the last preseason game for the Eagles.