By Tucker Bagley, Sports Talk Philly staff writer
The Eagles have six weeks to recoup until training camp begins, but we learned a lot from voluntary OTAs and mandatory minicamp.
It's time to reevaluate who we think will remain on the roster when it is cut down to 53 men prior to the regular season.
Quarterback (2): Carson Wentz, Nick Foles
No changes here. Barring any sort of injury, Wentz and Foles will be the Birds' top two quarterbacks in 2017. Foles is certainly an upgrade from Chase Daniel and there isn't a need for a third QB on the roster, especially with no obvious candidate currently employed by the team.
Running Back (4): LeGarrette Blount, Wendell Smallwood, Darren Sproles, Donnel Pumphrey
Still assuming Ryan Mathews is out, Blount is the only newcomer to this group. The ex-Patriot will be the lead back in this committee and adds a certain punch that has been lacking in Eagles backfields since Leonard Weaver tore his ACL. With Sproles, Pumphrey and Smallwood, Doug Pederson could get very creative in his play-calling.
Wide Receiver (5): Alshon Jeffery, Torrey Smith, Jordan Matthews, Nelson Agholor, Mack Hollins
Shelton Gibson has really struggled since joining the Eagles and he could be a candidate for the practice squad moving forward. As for the rest of these guys, each one has impressed in practice. Agholor looks rejuvenated, Jeffery and Smith have been as advertised and Hollins seems to be ready for a bigger role than we may have anticipated when he was drafted. Wide receiver coach Mike Groh has certainly put in work since joining the team.
Tight End (3): Zach Ertz, Brent Celek, Trey Burton
No changes. This is a solid group.
Offensive Line (10): Jason Peters, Isaac Seumalo, Jason Kelce, Brandon Brooks, Lane Johnson, Chance Warmack, Allen Barbre, Halapoulivaati Vaitai, Stefen Wisniewski, Dillon Gordon
The Eagles have added a ton of talent and depth along their offensive line and should be ready for when injuries pop up. Peters' recently-signed extension will give the Birds more stability at the tackle positions, but his age and health remain a bit of a concern. It is still necessary for the team to find his long-term replacement sooner rather than later.
Defensive End (6): Brandon Graham, Vinny Curry, Derek Barnett, Chris Long, Steven Means, Alex McCalister
Brace yourself, we're closing in on the end of the Marcus Smith era. With his absence from voluntary OTAs, it seems like the writing is on the wall for the former first-round pick. Means and McCalister can offer similar production at a fraction of his cost. In addition, it seems like Barnett is much more advanced than some anticipated and he could work his way into the starting line up early in his rookie season.
Defensive Tackle (4): Fletcher Cox, Tim Jernigan, Elijah Qualls, Beau Allen
Bennie Logan left in free agency, but adding Jernigan and Qualls will help the interior of the Birds defense not skip a beat. Jernigan is more of a pass-rusher than Logan and could be a better fit in Jim Schwartz's defense. Meanwhile, Qualls was forced to miss most of the spring practices due to the NFL's graduation rules, but he still remains on the right side of the roster bubble for now.
Linebacker (6): Nigel Bradham, Jordan Hicks, Mychal Kendricks, Najee Goode, Joe Walker, Nate Gerry
Depth could remain an issue, but Gerry has added weight and played well in the spring, so he could be a decent depth piece in 2017. However, his physicality will remain in question until the team starts hitting in training camp. Still, this is a talented group and Hicks looks to be primed for his first Pro Bowl season.
Cornerback (5): Jalen Mills, Rasul Douglas, Ron Brooks, Patrick Robinson, Aaron Grymes
Sidney Jones remains in doubt for Week 1, but it is beginning to look like he may be ready at some point in 2017, which could be a huge boost to this secondary. Douglas has gone one-on-one with Jeffery during camp and performed admirably, while Mills continues to build off his solid rookie campaign. If Robinson and Brooks can remain healthy, the Eagles will have a solid core of corners who can hold their own with any receiving group in the league.
Safety (5): Malcolm Jenkins, Rodney McLeod, Terrence Brooks, Chris Maragos, Jaylen Watkins
Jenkins and McLeod won't be going anywhere for a while. But Maragos and the rest of the bunch are decent back ups and special teams guys who could step up in a pinch.
Special Teams (3): Caleb Sturgis, Donnie Jones, Jon Dorenbos
No changes here. Sturgis, Jones and Dorenbos are proven veterans who will have job security until further notice.