The Eagles already got some publicity for their landing receiver Austin Watkins, who had multiple teams pursuing his services, last week.
Around the same time, the news about tight end EJ Jenkins, who had spent time with the Jets, also leaked.
On Monday, the Eagles officially released their reserve contract for this offseason which includes a total of 20 players.
We've signed the following players to Reserve/Future contracts:
DT Thomas Booker
T Le'Raven Clark
WR Shaquan Davis
DT Noah Elliss
DB Mekhi Garner
DB Mario Goodrich
WR Jacob Harris
WR Griffin Hebert
DE Tarron Jackson
TE E.J. Jenkins
LB Terrell Lewis
DB Tristin McCollum
DB Tiawan… pic.twitter.com/TdJGByTyVS— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) January 22, 2024
Brett Toth and Le’Raven Clark are two of the highlights among the other 18 as players who have valuable NFL snaps under their belts to provide some additional depth to the offensive line (which may be losing players like Sua Opeta and Jack Driscoll in free agency). Toth has been with the team for most of the time since the 2019 preseason. Clark has spent most of his time since the 2021 offseason with Philadelphia, so the pair are well versed in the demands of Jeff Stoutland.
Defensive end Tarron Jackson will also find himself in his fourth season with Philadelphia. The defensive lineman was picked by the Birds in sixth round of the 2021 NFL draft and has been with the team since then, though he hasn’t seen many snaps considering the depth they have at the positions he’d line up at.
Cornerback Taiwan Mullen was an undrafted free agent out of Indiana this year and spent time with the Eagles practice squad following initial roster cuts, though he was released in October. He had spent the preseason with the Chargers, so this would be his first year in camp with the Eagles.
Eagles fans may also be familiar with Brandon Smith, the Penn State linebacker who had a big billing that he just never seemed to live up to. He was selected by the Panthers in the fourth round of the 2022 Draft and wound up with the Eagles practice squad late this season, even getting activated for a few games due to injuries at the linebacker position.
Mario Goodrich and Mekhi Gardner are likely familiar names for fans of offseason camp. Gardner was one of the Eagles undrafted free agents this past offseason. Goodrich was an UDFA signing by the Birds back in 2022.
A few other Eagles UDFA signing to re-appear on the list are receiver Joseph Ngata, a 2023 signing who appeared to be a fan favorite in camp, and DT Noah Elliss, the brother of Christian Elliss who the Patriots claimed mid-season and was a 2022 UDFA signing for the Eagles. Elliss had been released with an injury after camp this season but returned to the Eagles on their practice squad midseason.
Tristin McCollum joined camp last season and was a standout to the coaches, but wound up being a final cut. He spent all season on the Eagles practice squad and saw some game action, playing most of the safety snaps in the second Giants game after Reed Blankenship left with injury.
Thomas Booker also spent the 2023 season on the Eagles practice squad after the former fifth-round pick was cut by the Texans in their final round of cuts.
A trio of new receivers finds themselves heading to Philadelphia. Griffin Herbert is coming out of Louisiana Tech where he recorded 1532 yards and 14 touchdowns over four seasons. Jacob Harris is out of Western Kentucky and was a fourth-round pick of the Rams in 2021. He spent two seasons in LA (including when they won the Super Bowl) before spending last season on the Jaguars’ practice squad. Shaquan Davis is out of South Carolina State and signed with the Saints as an UDFA in 2023. He spent the season on their practice squad (outside of time spent on IR).
A pair of offensive linemen in center Lecitus Smith, who was a sixth-round pick of the Cardinals and joined the Birds practice squad in November, and Jason Poe, who spent the last two seasons with the 49ers and Jets respectively, will spend their first full years with the Eagles if they make it through camp.
Linebacker Terrell Lewis was a third-round pick of the Rams in 2020 and was on the 53-man roster when they won the Super Bowl. He was an inactive during the postseason run, however, and spent a season with the Bears and last season with the Saints after camp cutdowns.
Lew Nichols is the lone running back to receive a futures contract from Philly. He was a draft pick of the Packers just last offseason after some impressive runs with Central Michigan, but he wound up with an injury in camp and was waived. The Eagles brought him in to their practice squad in October. This would be his first full season with any team if he can stick in camp and earn a practice squad (or potentially roster) spot.
