It's that time of the year folks! A time when the first notes of televised football are in the air and teams are beginning to release hints of what's to come: regular season football. With that, your Philadelphia Eagles released the team's first Unofficial Depth Chart to the public, compiled by the PR team.
Our fearless leader Liam Jenkins has already dove into a position-by-position analysis of the listing, which you can check out here:
https://phillysportsnetwork.com/2019/08/07/over-analyzing-the-eagles-first-unofficial-depth-chart/
Since LJ has already broken down each position in detail, and noted some names to be on the lookout for this Thursday night, let's look at some names that are on the rise heading into the preseason clash with Tennessee. Based on the teasing news we've heard out of training camp, which names are on and upward trend, and which are listed higher than expected? Let's start at the top.
Stock Up
Offense
J.J. Arcega-Whiteside
Better believe the rookie will be given every opportunity to showcase his skill set this preseason. The big news here is that it's his name listed above that of Shelton Gibson. It was to be expected, but to see that he's been given the leg up so early in the process is great news for his development.
Andre Dillard
Liam mentioned how much it means for the first-round pick to be the sole backup to the legend Jason Peters. Ryan Bates is no slouch, but will likely not make the final-53. What this hopefully means is that the coaching staff has seen a big improvement into Dillard's run blocking, which was a knock on him coming out of college. Expect to see a lot of Dillard on Thursday.
Marken Michel
A favorite here at PSN, seeing Michel's name second in the slot is an overdue culmination of all the positive news about him coming out of camp. He does everything and will get plenty of chances to stick to the roster all preseason. Can he do what preseason legend Paul Turner did not all those years ago?
Mack Hollins
It's hard not to read into Hollins being way up on the depth chart despite barely touching the field since last fall. One thing is for certain, the coaching staff loves his upside. Just pop on the tape of him torching the Redskins defence two seasons ago and you'll understand why. Can he secure his spot with Charles Johnson biting at his heels? A second spot on the unofficial depth chart would suggest the coaching staff will give him a long leash to try.
Miles Sanders
I cannot wait -- let me just say that much. Despite some nagging offseason injuries, there will be no stopping Boobie season in Philly. The Eagles coaching staff clearly have no intention of keeping Mr. Sanders caged up to start the season, although they may pull him early. Howie Roseman spent a 2nd round selection on him, so why is a second-place seeding on the depth chart a big deal? With the amount of young, talented runners on the roster, Dougy P could easily have let Sanders ease into the rotation, especially following a tumultuous summer. It won't be long before Sanders is the feature back in Philly.
Defense
Nigel Bradham
The defensive line grouping is essentially as expected. There has been plenty of good news about Josh Sweat, but he will not be ousting BG for snaps any time soon. Bradham is entrenched as a starter in the Philly defense, so seeing him as the number one MLB shouldn't come as any surprise -- so why the rise?
Until last season, Bradham had spent most of his time on the outside before moving inside last season with Jordan Hicks' injuries. It's a position he is very familiar with, but hadn't manned it full-time. This summer the Eagles added Zach Brown to the roster -- an MLB through and through. Instead of pushing Bradham back to the outside, it looks as if the Eagles will ask Brown to work the weak-side of the defense. That means the team is very comfortable with Bradham running the front, even with him missing time this offseason.
Sidney Jones
It looks as if Jones is finally turning into the player the Eagles thought he would be. After struggling to stay healthy for the past two season, Sidney Jones looks to be in the shape of his career right now. Not only that but he seems to be coming into his own as of late. He’s been moved from the outside corner to the nickel corner consistently this offseason, he looks like he’s ready to conquer both positions! If the former second round pick can transform into the player that the Eagles believe he can be then Darby and Mills may have an uphill battle ahead of them.
Avonte Maddox
With Jalen Mills on the PUP-list, this was really Maddox's spot to lose. However, we've all seen what Rasul Douglas can do when given the opportunity, and Sidney Jones wasn't a first-round talent for nothing. It will now be Maddox's job to lose until the return -- and quite possibly longer -- of Mills. It's worth mentioning that all of the young promising corners on the roster could be mentioned in this section. Apart from Cre'von Leblanc's unfortunate Lisfranc injury, and some DeSean Jackson burn wounds, there has been nothing but good news emerging from camp about the secondary.
Tre Sullivan
Say what you will, but the man has earned the right to have his name slotted behind the great Malcolm Jenkins. Despite some early growing pains, Tre has outperformed every expectation. From the bone-crunching hit he laid in a preseason game against the Packers to being PFF's top-rated playoff safety -- Sullivan's short journey with the Eagles has been nothing less than inspiring. Beating Blake Countess out for the backup position -- a veteran player with ties to the system -- is a great sign that there is more to come.
Rasul Douglas
As Darby and Mills continue to rehab, Douglas has consistently been the number two outside cornerback along with Avonte Maddox. He’s been receiving nothing but praise all offseason with his play in the field. Rasul Douglas seems primed for a breakout season depending on the amount of playing time he gets. He finished last season on a high note after struggling to find his niche throughout his first couple of starts. Let’s not forget that transformation he’s done to put his body into better shape. Known to be a ball hawk and one of the top tacklers on this defense, it may be time for his game to come full circle.
Josh Sweat
Sweat is coming off a season that was cut short due to injury. Now he’s finally fully healthy and is more than prepared for the Eagles to call his number. He’s added on 20 pounds but has also said that in doing so he feels more explosive than ever. With Chris Long being retired and after the Joe Ostman injury, Sweat may have an open lane for him to travel on the road to a breakout year. Lane Johnson has even gone as far as comparing Sweat to Jadaveon Clooney in regards to his speed. The Eagles are going to need Sweat to produce at a high level this offseason if they’re looking to make a run. The depth around the D-line will be something to keep an eye on.
Continued on the page below.
Stock Down
Offense
Shelton Gibson
It seemed like it was only a matter of time before Gibson was surpassed by JJAW, but to see himself surpassed so early in the season must sting. Shelton has always shown glimpses of the downfield burner he was in college, but after watching the team add young receiver after young receiver, the realization that his time with the Eagles may be closing is on the horizon. Mack Hollins' health will weigh heavy on Gibson's chances at making the final roster.
Jordan Mailata
Being the third option on an NFL roster just years after learning the sport of football is nothing to scoff at. The truth is, Mailata shouldn't be expected to beat out Vaitai for the backup position this early on his career. His name on the list is simply a reflection of the reality that he isn't as close as last season's hype train would have you believe. In his own words, he's still only got a half bag of peanuts. If Lane does need a spell, it will be interesting to see if Big V shifts back to tackle and Wisniewski slots in at guard, or if the team is willing to give Mailata some run. The depth chart suggests the former.
Greg Ward Jr.
The former college QB and the Eagles have had a dramatic on-again-off-again relationship. He definitely has the upside to make a push for the final roster. However, seeing his name behind CFL recruit Marken Michel is not a good start. Both will get plenty of reeps this offseason, but Ward faces an uphill battle and doesn't have the special team's experience that Michel does.
Braxton Miller
Another former college quarterback, at one point this was thought of as a very savvy addition by Howie Roseman. Since his arrival, we haven't heard much from Miller in Philadelphia. Mentioned as a possible breakout candidate this off-season, he will have to upstage veteran Charles Johnson to even have a shot at the roster. For now, his spot on the outside looking in seems firmly cemented.
Stefen Wisniewski
The Eagles signed Wiz in hopes he could be the backup center but that plan has backfired as of late. Last week Wiz had issues with snapping the ball, now he’s already been replaced with Seumalo at center. There’s a high possibility that Wiz could be at the end of the road with Eagles after preseason.
Wendell Smallwood
After somewhat of a breakout season in 2018, to see four names in front of Smallwood is telling. There is little room on the roster for the former WVU back and he will have to fight tooth-and-nail to stick to the final-53. Even after looking the better runner in the early-goings of last season, Wendell finds himself behind Corey Clement, who is returning from a knee injury.
Josh Adams
Despite leading the team in rushing yards last season, Adams faces an uphill battle to make the team this year. The Eagles seem to be content letting him hit waivers in hopes to sneak him onto the practice squad. After an impressive rookie campaign, it seems unlikely none of the other 31 teams take a flyer on the young back. Adams' career in Philadelphia could be over before it really started.
Donnel Pumphrey
2019 will be the last year of the annual off-season Pump project. It may also mean curtains for the FBS' 4th all-time leading rusher's NFL career.
Clayton Thorson
Many questioned Howie's decision to spend a 5th round selection on Thorson. If he can't show enough upside to keep castoff Cody Kessler at bay, those doubters' thoughts will grow thorns. In spite of a couple of nice deep balls, from all accounts, Thorson has struggled this summer. He does not have a star-studded college stat line to point to that would suggest any overnight improvement either.
Mack Hollins
It looks like Hollins is battling another injury once again, this time it has no relation to his previous issues. With Hollins back in the fold, it looked as if he would give the rookie JJ Arcega-Whiteside a run for his money but that doesn’t look likely. Instead it has only assured where on the depth chart JJ belongs and unfortunately for Hollins, it’s ahead of him. With the injury bug hitting Shelton Gibson next, it would benefit Hollins to find a way to get back on the field.
Defense
Orlando Scandrick
The thought was that Scandrick was brought in as a camp body after news of Leblanc's injury surfaced. This depth chart all but confirms that theory. Scandrick will likely be looking for work again before the year is over. With reports that Josh Hawkins has been making plays, it might be sooner rather than later.
Blake Countess
The man was expected to make an impact after showing some growth with the LA Rams. However, his return to the Eagles may be a brief one if we're placing bets based on the list above. He should still be able to make a run for a special teams spot if this chart is true-to-size, but to lose an early battle to Tre Sullivan would be disappointing to say the least. The last secondary spot could easily go to new addition Jonathan Cyprien unless Countess comes to play.
Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
