Training Camp is just a couple of days away and the Eagles are raring to go. But who are the players with the most to prove this Summer?
Quarterback
Clayton Thorson
The Eagles quarterback room is about as solid as they come. Carson Wentz heads the pack, while Nate Sudfeld assumes the current QB2 role ahead of Cody Kessler who will be trying to unseat him as camp progresses. As things stand, fifth-round selection Clayton Thorson is on the outside looking in.
Struggling in OTA's, Thorson has a long way to go. The good news is that the Eagles have a QB room filled with talent who can help him develop this offseason, but this is every chance that he's exposed to waivers in order for the team to stash him on the practice squad, especially if Kessler proves to be slightly ahead of Sudfeld due to starting 17 NFL regular-season games.
Running back
Josh Adams
Signed as an undrafted free agent out of Notre Dame last year, Josh Adams would start five games late in the season, totaling 333 rushing yards and a trio of touchdowns in that span. As injuries ripped their way through the backfield, Adams went from being an afterthought to a key piece in the resurgence of a rushing attack late in the season,
Adams proved himself as a downhill runner, ending his rookie season with 511 total yards, the most on the team. However, he was less than impressive in short-yardage situations, where you'd like to see a back of his caliber thrive. On top of that, he also underwent surgery on a torn labrum following the team’s playoff loss to New Orleans, something that flew massively under the radar.
With Darren Sproles returning and shuffling the order, Adams may have been pushed tumbling down the depth chart, now looking to force his way onto the roster as an RB5.
Offensive guard
Sua Opeta
Penn State’s Ryan Bates is someone that the team are high on and Big V’s move inside is only going to complicate matters at interior guard. There are too many chefs in the Kitchen at this point, and Opeta may just be the odd man out, although his 6’4, 301 lbs, frame that was dominant as a tackle at Weber State, may be a developmental name to watch if he reaches the practice squad.
Center
Stefen Wisniewski
While Wis is closer to a roster lock than he is being cast aside, let's remember the facts. He wanted a longer-term deal prior to last season and wasn't offered it. He was benched midway through 2018 for reasons he did not understand and vocalized. He test free agency waters and eventually took less money to remain in Philly. Halapoulivaati Vaitai was getting first team RG reps over him in OTA's.
The one lifeline Wis has here is that he has center experience and the Eagles have a lack of it behind Jason Kelce. But will that be enough if someone like Keegan Render can produce? Nothing is certain here and Wisniewski could be a surprise cut.
Offensive tackle
Casey Tucker
Tucker was an undrafted free agent who worked out for the Eagles during rookie minicamp and was offered a contract after impressing. As things currently stand, there seems to be a very natural structure at the position, one that Tucker will be fighting to be a part of this Summer.
Tight end
Josh Perkins
Perkins failed to really show anything when given opportunities last year. It’s easy to forget that somehow, he was taking receiving snaps over Dallas Goedert in the first few games of the season. That promptly changed. The Eagles re-signed Richard Rodgers, giving them 13-personnel flexibility and with Will Tye bringing a slightly speedier skill set to the table, there's no real cemented place for Perkins after such a disappointing 2018.
Wide receiver
Mack Hollins
After undergoing a sports hernia surgery in the early stages of the 2018 offseason, the UNC standout endured a bumpy ride. Hollins missed a huge chunk of Training Camp and preseason due to a lower-body injury, prompting the team to carry some extra depth and go as far as bringing Markus Wheaton onto the roster. But that injury would send Hollins to IR and rip him of his sophomore season.
As a rookie, the 6’4, 221 lbs, wideout showed plenty of promise and could maybe, just maybe, have a future in the slot as a 'big slot' receiver after playing 6% of his 32% snap share out of the slot and scoring his lone touchdown from the role. A deep threat with potential when healthy, he's buried on what is now a very deep position. Hollins HAS to step up this offseason, especially considering just how much competition there is around him and the phantom injury that ended his 2018 season.
Defensive bubble players are detailed on the next page below.
Defensive tackle
Anthony Rush
The trading for Hassan Ridgeway all but guaranteed a 4-man rotation at DT as the seventh round of the Draft came to a close, but making matters worse is the fact that the team are high on local product Kevin Wilkins.
Rush may be a physical behemoth, standing at 6'5, 350 lbs, but the UAB product has a very tall Mountain to climb, with Treyvon Hester and Bruce Hector standing in his way.
Defensive end
Hall is in a similar spot to Rush, only the DE depth is that much more dangerous. The man directly above him in a presumed depth chart would be Joe Ostman, the man who emulated Khalil Mack and J.J Watt, impressing the Eagles coaching staff with his scout team efforts last year. Hall may have the makeup of an NFL DE, but is it enough in such a strong group?
Linebacker
Alex Singleton
The latest in a line of former CFL standouts attempting to crack the Eagles roster is Alex Singleton, who not only dominated during his time at Calgary but set records.
Voted the CFL’s most outstanding defensive player after setting a new league record in tackles (among others) in 2017, Singleton rapidly grew into a starter and was named an all-star in both of his CFL seasons as a Stampeder. The zippiness to his game is outstanding and as an off-ball linebacker, there are buckets of potential.
Singleton had a great rookie minicamp and benefitted greatly from the first-team exposure. If he can ride that wave deep into a training camp where prized UDFA’s Joey Alfieri and T.J Edwards await, there is a chance he can spring the upset and maybe unseat them, pushing for a special teams role and climbing the rungs of the ladder in the same way that Kamu Grugier-Hill once did.
Cornerback
Josh Hawkins
If it comes down to cutting a CB, the Eagles just have too much upside at the position. Even UDFA Jay Liggins and his rangy frame present a very unique type of player for Schwartz to mold as a developmental talent. Hawkins is an NFL journeyman who received praise during the Spring, but it’s hard to envision him sticking onto the 53-man roster. He’s appeared in 32 regular season games since going undrafted in 2016 and spent time on the Eagles practice squad last year, which may prevent him from doing so again.
It depends how the Summer pans out. Do the Eagles want to keep a player who can step in during a pinch should an injury occur, or instead help develop the younger talent like Liggins or even Jeremiah McKinnon.
Safety
Andrew Sendejo
Known as a hard-hitter, Sendejo is a true tone-setter in the secondary and while he may not carry the same reputation as some of the more notable free agents, he will be among the more ‘bang for your buck’ available. Prior to his injury, he was coming off of a career-high 80 tackles in 2017, along with a career-best 7 passes defensed.
He’s definitely an upgrade over Corey Graham, although the two are very different in their playing style. Sendejo almost matches up with Rodney McLeod perfectly, which is probably a breath of fresh air, all things considered. So, why is he on this list?
Compensatory picks. If the Eagles were to cut Sendejo, they would receive a 4th-round compensatory pick for next year’s NFL Draft. The question is, can someone step up and convince Roseman that the defense would survive without Sendejo’s thunderous collisions?
