The Eagles have FINALLY won a preseason game! Rejoice!
After Thursday's 24-10 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, every Philly fan's favorite AFC team, there are a few players whose stock rose after the the game.
Contrarily, there are also a few players whose stock dropped after the game.
Who are those players? Well let's find out, shall we?
Stock Up
Clayton Thorson
Admit it, when Thorson came into the game when Kessler went down, you weren't very excited. Thorson didn't start his second game off great, but he did finish it on a high note.
Thorson finished the game 16/26 for 175 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Not game breaking numbers by any means, but it's a long ways away from the 2/9 for seven yards and an interception we saw just last week.
Although he under throws this ball, he placed it where only his wide receiver can get it:
https://twitter.com/Eagles/status/1162150815034798080?s=20
That's the type of throw you want to see in a quarterback fighting for a roster spot.
With Cody Kessler being in concussion protocol, Thorson can cement his spot as QB3 with a strong showing against the Ravens next week.
Jordan Mailata
The Aussie continues to validate the coaches' faith in him.
When the Eagles traded away Ryan Bates to the Bills last week, it signaled confidence in the 2018 seventh round pick. Mailata has rewarded that confidence with another strong showing in the preseason.
NFL Network's Brian Baldinger heaped praise on Mailata after the first game and couldn't help but gush over him again after the second game:
https://twitter.com/BaldyNFL/status/1162358415227805697?s=20
Mailata joined Matt Pryor as the only Eagles players to play all of the offensive snaps during the game. It seems as though he is cementing himself as the primary backup to Lane Johnson.
Daeshon Hall
If Thorson and Mailata's stocks are up, Hall's stock is breaking through the ceiling.
No one on the Eagles has impressed more than the third year pro.
Seemingly an afterthought on the depth chart, Hall has strongly made the case that he deserves to be in the main defensive end rotation.
https://twitter.com/DZangaroNBCS/status/1162351247699189761?s=20
You read that correctly. He doesn't just lead the Eagles in those stats, he leads the entire NFL. He has been making offensive linemen look silly trying to block him and it doesn't matter if those linemen are first team, second team, or third team.
https://twitter.com/EagleSessions/status/1162156304351277056?s=20
Hall will definitely be a main part of the defense this season, don't be surprised if he ends up being the main back up behind Derek Barnett.
Halapoulivaati Vaitai
"Big V" seemed like a lost cause at left tackle over the past few seasons, but he has found new life at right guard.
Going into this season, Vaitai looked like a surefire third string/cut candidate, with Stefan Wisniewski being the primary back up to Brandon Brooks at right guard.
But Big V has played outstanding this preseason and is getting to the next level (the linebackers) with ease:
https://twitter.com/JoshNorris/status/1162139813627101184?s=20
If you watch the video, focus on the left side of the screen. You'll see Vaitai pull through to the linebackers and solidify the running lane for Miles Sanders. Vaitai has really made a case for his spot on the roster, or at least another team's roster (HowieSZN).
Boston Scott
In his first game action of the preseason, Scott only saw 17 snaps on offense. However, those 17 snaps led to seven carries for 43 yards and this touchdown:
https://twitter.com/Eagles/status/1162184410474504192?s=20
Scott showed flashes of potential last season as both a running back and kick returner, and it looks like he is making sure his name is in the fifth running back conversation.
With Howard, Sanders, Sproles, and presumably Clement locking down the first four spots on the depth chart, Scott has gained the upper hand on that fifth spot over Josh Adams, Wendell Smallwood, and Donnell Pumphrey.
So which players have seen their stock fall after Thursday's game? Find out on the next page.
Mandatory Credit: Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports
Stock Down
Cody Kessler
It may seem unfair to place a player who suffered a concussion in the "stock down" list, but head coach Doug Pederson's expressed his frustration with the fact that Kessler didn't recognize the blitz coming:
They pressured there. You really would like the quarterback to see that and get that quick throw. Held the ball a touch. We needed to get the ball out.
Although rookie left tackle Andre Dillard was responsible for the defensive end getting to Kessler, Kessler should have diagnosed it and changed the play at the line of scrimmage.
With Kessler going down and Thorson stepping up, it seems as though Kessler is losing time to gain the upper-hand in the back up quarterback (until Sudfeld comes back) position to start the season. (With the addition of Josh McCown it all but puts the nail in the coffin for Kessler’s time on the Eagles)
Stefen Wisniewski
Wisniewski came back to the team in May after looking for a starting job elsewhere this offseason, and it seems like we may have found out why he couldn't find work.
His work at center this summer has been, for lack of a better term, abysmal.
If you watch Thorson's throws, most of his incomplete passes came from bad snaps from Wiz. He was either getting the snap at his toes or having to jump up to get the ball. This is not an ideal situation for a developing quarterback.
Safe to say Wisniewski won't be making the team.
Marken Michel
I hate to say this, because Michel is a favorite of mine, but it looks like the team has a clear favorite at WR5 and that's Greg Ward Jr.
Michel had a nice game in the first game, catching a 75 yard bomb from Nate Sudfeld. However, he followed that up with a one catch for 12 yards in the second game. He was targeted twice, the same as Ward, but it looked like the routes for both were drastically different.
Game three will certainly give a clearer picture on how the team sees Michel, but right now it looks like Michel is on the outside looking in on the roster.
What say you, Eagles fans? Agree or disagree? Let us know!
As always, follow us on Twitter at @PhiladelphiaSN and follow @FlippinBirdsPod!
Mandatory Credit: Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports
