Preseason Week 1: Are You Ready For Some Football?

By: Jesse Larch, Sports Talk Philly Staff

It’s the moment we have all been waiting for. At 8 p.m. tonight the Eagles will enter Lambeau field and look to begin 2017 on the right foot. 

The starters are only expected to play a series or two, and then the depth of the Eagles’ roster will get a chance to play and begin to determine who will remain with the team come September. 

Things To Watch For

The Eagles have toyed with the idea of using a fullback during camp, and not just in goal line situations. Offensive tackle Dillon Gordon has lined up in the backfield, and even caught some passes on plays designed for him.

Offensive coordinator Frank Reich said that the Eagles do intend on utilizing a fullback this season, and Gordon is the only player to have received reps at the position. With the starters limited, it will be interesting to see if the Eagles use Gordon as a fullback in the preseason opener. Gordon will spend much of the night at left tackle once Jason Peters leaves the game. 

The Eagles also tried some trick plays so far in camp, including one that saw Darren Sproles attempt a pass to Trey Burton. It will be interesting to see if the Eagles go into their bag of tricks on night one. 

There could be some interesting names with the first team, as Alshon Jeffery and Brandon Brooks’s statuses are both up in the air for the game. Jeffery has been nursing a shoulder injury and Brooks suffered an ankle strain at Monday’s practice. 

Chance Warmack has been taking reps in place of Brooks at right guard and Marcus Johnson received reps as the first team wide receiver. 

On the defensive side of the ball, the cornerback competition appears to be wide open. Jalen Mills and Patrick Robinson have played well at times, but have done little to claim their spot as the starting cornerbacks. 

C.J. Smith has been the most impressive and consistent corner in camp, and he figures to see extended playing time with the second unit. A strong showing from Smith can earn him more first team reps at practice, which will go a long way to earning the starting job. 

Players with the most to gain

The Eagles have a large stable of running backs in camp, which makes it hard for younger players to stand out amidst the shuffle, but preseason games afford those players a great opportunity to open some eyes. 

Corey Clement and Donnel Pumphrey are two players who will look to make the most of their opportunities tonight. 

Clement is an undrafted free agent out of Wisconsin. He has a downhill running style, and was a top running back in college, but his lack of versatility saw him drop out of the draft. 

Pumphrey was the Eagles’ fifth round selection this past season, and is in the mold of Darren Sproles, an undersized running back with great agility and hands out of the backfield. Pumphrey broke the NCAA record for rushing yards at San Diego State. Both players will get a chance to show that their college production was not a fluke. 

Defensively, the 2017 draft class will be trying to justify the Eagles’ selections. First round pick Derek Barnett may draw some snaps with the first team, but figures to get most of his time with the second unit.

Barnett has looked explosive at times in camp, but struggles against the likes of Jason Peters and Lane Johnson, which is no reason to lose faith in the rookie, as the Eagles have one of the best pairs of tackles in the NFL. A strong showing from Barnett can move him up the depth chart, where he currently sits behind Brandon Graham, Vinny Curry, and Chris Long. 

Cornerback Rasul Douglas will also see a lot of the field and get a chance to insert his name into the aforementioned cornerback discussion. Douglas plays physical man coverage, but struggle to keep up with quicker receivers.

Nate Gerry has the potential to be a steal for the Eagles in the fifth round. Gerry was converted from safety to linebacker after being drafted, and Gerry’s combination of size and coverage ability makes him an ideal hybrid linebacker. Gerry will play at outside linebacker with the second team, and can push Mychal Kendricks who has seemingly fallen out of favor with the coaches. 

The position where the Eagles have their least amount of depth is defensive tackle. After Fletcher Cox and Tim Jernigan the depth chart is wide open as Beau Allen finds himself on the injured list. 

The Eagles’ sixth round pick Elijah Qualls will get an opportunity to stake his claim as member of the defensive rotation. Qualls is an undersized defensive tackle, but boasts measurable that defy his frame. Qualls will likely play from the second quarter on as a rotational player with the twos and a starter with the threes. 

Expected Starters

How to Watch

8:00 p.m. on NBC 10 or online with NFL Game Pass