At MetLife Stadium, the Eagles defeated the New York Jets 19–17 on Friday night to cap off their preseason.
General manager Howie Roseman must reduce Philadelphia’s roster to 53 players over the course of the next four days, and many of those choices will be challenging.
The following ten Eagles players fit that description and are on the roster bubble:
Ainias Smith, a wide receiver
Smith hasn’t been very good, but he has made more plays in his second summer with the Eagles.
He has displayed a respectable burst following the catch and on punt returns. However, the Eagles may select someone other than Smith because they have had other guys return punts throughout practice.
Darius Cooper, a wide receiver
Everyone’s camp crush has been Cooper.
The Tarleton State undrafted free agent had a slim chance of making the 53-man roster last month. However, after dominating Philadelphia’s reserve cornerbacks throughout practice and tearing up the Cincinnati Bengals secondary (six receptions for 82 yards) in the Eagles’ opening preseason game, his ranking was altered.
Cooper leapt over linebacker Jihaad Campbell and quarterback Quinyon Mitchell in the middle of the field on the final day of training camp. On an out route, he also caught a score against Adoree Jackson.
Cooper’s stat line against the Jets (one catch for eight yards) was unimpressive, and that was not his fault. The attack led by Kyle McCord was ineffective.
A.J. Brown, Dallas Goedert, and Jalen Hurts have all praised the small-school wideout, which is encouraging. Although he is not a roster lock, his chances of reaching the 53 boosted after Johnny Wilson was declared out for the season.
The Eagles might put Cooper back on the practice squad to continue developing if they are aware that he will remain unclaimed on waivers.
The tight end Granson, Kylen
Granson has excelled his rivals and shown promise as a pass catcher.This past week, John Metchie was traded to the Houston Texans in exchange for Harrison Bryant.Too many passes have been dropped by E.J. Jenkins. Nick Muse and Cameron Latu haven’t been very noteworthy.
Granson could yet be freed, though. The Eagles had two tight ends going into the 2024 campaign, and they could do the same this year.
Following the first round of free agency, Granson agreed to a one-year contract with the Eagles. Other teams won’t prioritize him, and he might be added to the PS.
Fullback Van Sumeren, Ben
VanSumeren’s status is contingent upon the Eagles’ fullback plans.
The Eagles could keep VanSumeren on the 53 for a bigger role or move him off the PS for specific games.
VanSumeren is too vital on special teams to be waived, according to Eagles special teams coordinator Michael Claycould argue.
Edge rusher Okoronkwo, Ogbo
With additional experience in Vic Fangio’s scheme, Okoronkwo, who joined the Eagles on the eve of training camp, might grow into a reliable rotational pass rusher.
Against the Jets, Okoronkwo recorded one QB hit and two tackles. The No. 5 edge rusher slot in Philadelphia is up for grabs, but Patrick Johnson could be able to outperform Okoronkwo since he adds more value to special teams.
Patrick Johnson, an edge rusher
Johnson has taken advantage of his chances and shown improvement as a pass rusher in back-to-back summers. By batting the pass to himself, he was able to intercept Bengals quarterback Jake Browning. Johnson also caused trouble against the Jets and Browns.
However, Johnson has never been embraced by the Eagles as a pass rusher.
Since his debut season in 2021, Johnson has been confined to special teams duty by the Eagles. The New York Giants claimed him after he was waived prior to Week 2 of the previous season. He returned to the Eagles this offseason on a one-year contract after recording four tackles in 12 games for New York.
Johnson would be the odd man out if Roseman were to sign and/or trade for an edge rusher to complete their five-man rotation. In that case, he would require the Eagles to retain six edge rushers.
The cornerback Ricks, Eli
Ricks is both good and awful since he jumps routes to get interceptions. He likes to play “feast or famine.” He must eliminate the downsides for the Eagles.
Ricks played 28% of the snaps in his debut season (2023) and was a reliable nickelback in coverage.
However, Ricks was moved down the depth chart when the Eagles selected Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell in the spring draft. Ricks may be benched as he no longer has a route to playing time.
The defensive tackle Young Byron
Young was claimed by the Eagles off waivers from the Las Vegas Raiders prior to Week 1 of the 2024 season. In October, he was placed on injured reserve after missing just one game. Due to a groin ailment, he missed considerable time this summer.
Young’s potential captivated the Eagles, but are they interested in him enough to retain him for another season?
Young, a 2023 third-round pick, might be valuable to develop. Gabe Hall, a second-year defensive tackle, has performed better than Young and should be on the 53 instead. Six defensive tackles could be retained by the Eagles.
Guard Brett Toth, offensive
In Week 1, Toth might start at left guard in place of an injured Landon Dickerson against the Dallas Cowboys.However, Toth is not required to be on the Eagles’ active roster. He might be promoted for one start and re-signed to the PS. Other teams wouldn’t be too interested in him because he has played for the Eagles PS for the majority of his career.
The offensive tackle Lamm, Kendall
Lamm, an 11-year veteran with starting experience, was originally thought to be the Eagles’ top choice for swing tackle, but after two bad games, he is unreliable.
There are no established alternatives on the Eagles’ backup offensive line besides Lamm and Matt Pryor. It could be harmful if starters sustain injuries.
If Stoutland doesn’t think rookie Myles Hinton will play this season, he might overlook Lamm’s poor summer. Lamm has a history of strong play and might recover in the regular season.
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