53-man forecast
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Eagles
53-man forecast
Jeff McLane, Inquirer Staff Writer
Everyone else is doing it, so I figured I'd throw my one cent in on who's going to make the Eagles' 53-man roster when cuts are announced Saturday at 6 p.m.
Here are Brookie's predictions in Sunday's paper.
Essentially, there's really only a handful of players that are teetering on the cut line, so it's not like I'm predicting the weather. Nevertheless, here's one man's take on who the Eagles will keep and who they will let go.
QUARTERBACK
If A.J. Feeley gets traded before the season the only question is if the Eagles will carry Michael Vick on its roster or take advantage of the special exemption the league gave the team as the quarterback carries out his suspension. If it's a two-game suspension, the Eagles will probably deal Feeley (to New England?) and take the roster blow so Vick can practice. If it's longer than two games, the team may be forced to keep Feeley for a while and have Vick as exempt. Either way, Feeley's days in Philly are numbered and that's just sad because it means less opportunity to see Heather Mitts outside the Eagles' locker room on game days.
Will make the team: Donovan McNabb, Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick.
RUNNING BACK
I've heard a few beat reporters say that the Eagles carry only three running backs -- Brian Westbrook, LeSean McCoy and Leonard Weaver. I'm not so sure about that and will take the over with four. Eldra Buckley, Lorenzo Booker and Kyle Eckel are up for that final spot. Booker's days here are over (I can hear the fans sing). Buckley has been a nice surprise this preseason, but has hands of stone. Eckel can play both RB and FB and catch the ball out of the backfield. I'm not sure if he adds enough sizzle, but he's a professional and you can't have too many of those.
Will make the team: Westbrook, McCoy, Weaver and Eckel.
WIDE RECEIVER
Six seems to be the number again this season. DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Jason Avant and Kevin Curtis are in. The final two spots are between three guys: Hank Baskett, Reggie Brown and Brandon Gibson. Here's my story on that very subject this morning. I think Baskett is a lock. If Brown isn't traded, Gibson will land on the injured reserve with some fake injury from tomorrow night's game.
Will make the team: Jackson, Maclin, Avant, Curtis, Baskett and Gibson.
TIGHT END
When Cornelius Ingram tore his ACL a position that looked well-equipped turned into a problem spot. Brent Celek will start. The rest is a mixed bag. Tony Curtis came via Dallas and has a good blocking rep, so he's probably on the roster. Undrafted rookie Rob Myers has nice hands, but he's small and is now injured (groin). Matt Schobel may get the last spot by default unless the waiver wire produces an alternative.
Will make the team: Celek, Curtis and Schobel.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Andy Reid usually carries ten on the line so I'll go with that number. The starters, right now, are Jason Peters, Nick Cole, Jamaal Jackson, Stacy Andrews and Shawn Andrews. Regular starting left guard Todd Herremans will start the season injured after foot surgery. That leaves Max Jean-Gilles, Winston Justice, King Dunlap and Mike McGlynn. The Eagles drafted two linemen -- Paul Fanaika and Fenuki Tupou -- that will probably end up on the practice squad.
Will make the team: Peters, Cole, Jackson, Stacy Andrews, Shawn Andrews, Herremans, Jean-Gilles, Justice, Dunlap and McGlynn.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Because the Eagles have a few ends that can sub in as tackles in the nickel, the team will probably carry only nine linemen. Bryan Smith was a project when he was drafted third in 2008 and spent the season inactive. But I'm wondering if the Eagles view that experiment as a failure. He's still rather skinny and was barely noticeable during the preseason. Of course, the team invested a third round pick in the guy so that might mean he makes it. I think he's out and that gets Jason Babin in. Tackle Dan Klecko, unfortunately, doesn't make this team.
Will make the team: Trent Cole, Victor Abiamiri, Juqua Parker, Chris Clemons, Darren Howard, Babin, Mike Patterson, Broderick Bunkley and Trevor Laws.
LINEBACKER
Stew Bradley's injury opened the door for someone to start and it gave another linebacker a shot at making the team. Moise Fokou, despite being a seventh round pick, had an uphill climb when he joined the team. But he impressed the team enough to recently earn some time as a starter in the middle. He won't start there -- Omar Gaither will, with Joe Mays as the backup -- but he's on the team because he can also play SAM. Tracy White is there because he can and wants to play special teams.
Will make the team: Chris Gocong, Akeem Jordan, Gaither, Mays, Fokou and White.
DEFENSIVE BACK
Jack Ikegwuonu was cleared of burglary charges in the off-season and looked poised to make the team as the fifth cornerback. I'm not so sure now. Dimitri Patterson has had a better camp and preseason. But Ikegwuonu falls in that same category as Bryan Smith. He was a fourth round pick last year. I think Jack sneaks in. Just a hunch. The rest of the d-backs are fairly easy to guess.
Will make the team: Sheldon Brown, Asante Samuel, Ellis Hobbs, Joselio Hanson, Quintin Mikell, Quintin Demps, Sean Jones, Macho Harris and Ikegwuonu.
SPECIALISTS
No brainer (my specialty) here.
Will make the team: Kicker David Akers, Punter Sav Rocca and long snapper Jon Dorenbos.
the birds have a decent team...but best roster in the nfl...child please— slovakstud18
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way to draft a project in the 3rd round.— daveH
Keep Buckley.— tpizza- i like Eugene Bright to take the last TE spot— talktoya
- trevor, not victor laws.— alex3780
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- Let's say that Jeff is correct in his picks. Assuming that all 3 QB's will be active on game day, who are the 8 game-day inactives among this bunch, assuming everyone is healthy? My guesses: 1. King Dunlap 2. Mike McGlynn 3. Winston Justice (Stacy Andrews can slide out to RT if Shawn gets hurt during the game, and Herremans can play LT if Peters gets hurt during the game. For the first few weeks Justice will be active while Herremans rehabs the foot) 4. Brandon Gibson 5. Matt Schobel (or whomever the 3rd TE is) 6. Moise Fokiu 7. Jack Ileguwono 8. Jason Babin— erformc1
- Great talent on offense; and the defense will come together. 10 wins says the Gringo !— Gringo4
- How are Eckel and Booker anything alike? lol— dmurphy2103
- Kevin Curtis seems to be hurt more than he plays yet his spot always seems secure. He's as overrated at wide receiver as Bradley is at linebacker.— JLH
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- I am not going to make the roster I made McNabb kiss the baby to many times at camp.— cusoraider
- New player Victor Laws, ha. Yes they should and will I think keep buckley. Eckel and Booker too vanilla.— peteike
- I think you are right on everything except RB, I think Buckley makes it over Eckel. I look at this projected roster and think its a very good one with the exception of TE. I hope they go out and get someone. Tennessee is stock piled with TEs, look for a trade of Reggie Brown or someone to get one from them. The will kick Schobel to the curb and make Myers the inactive TE on the roster throughout the season so he can get the hang of the game.— traugdog420
I'd pick up Warren Dunn or another vetern RB. Buckley and Booker and the others cut. Reggie Brown to the Ravens for a conditional 5th. I like Bright better than Schoebel.- That 53 looks about right to me. Although I would not be entirely shocked if they let Curtis go. Also, any assessment on the play of the rookie OL's - Fanaika and Tupou?— CarpGuy
- Eldra Buckley, is real go with him dude, reminds me of that kid down in Dallas— rayzoe
- I think your picks are just about right...a lot is determined, I guess, by who they think they'll be able to sneak on to the practice squads. But with a lot of teams hurting where the Eagles have young players who were drafted high and still have promise [Bryan Smith, Jack Ikegwuonu], the Eagles will have to be prepared to lose some of these 'projects' before they have an opportunity to bear fruit...if they do. I can see them going with one less OL in exchange for another special teams contributor, like Tank Daniels. I also agree that most would rather see Bright in back-up TE spot than Schobel. He can't be worse, and at least he has upside.— jmk1512
- Also, hope Amandola makes the practice squad. Interesting to see what he could do against real competition. Hopefully it never comes to that...— jmk1512
Eckel is dependable but Buckley might turn out to be another Marion Barber - someone to plow into the endzone.— Richard Saunders- I don't know how you keep no talent Eckel over a competitor like Buckley. Eckel had his chance last season and didn't do a thing. This year we have a fullback, plus Buckley is the perfect mop up RB. Takes his chances and runs hard all the time. No brainer.— sla6yer
- Please get rid of Reggie Brown. He's one of the softest receivers out there. I'm tired of wathcing him catch the ball and run out of bounds to avoid contact. If someone is dumb enough to trade for him, great.— flyigglesfly
- keep dan klecooooooooo— Serge_Matthews
- Hey JLH. Curtis was a 1,000 yrd receiver for this team ( Not many of them lately) ,, Bradley is an overated, serial hole misser. One is a proven player (albet injury prone lately),the other is the creation of delusional sports writers.— phillyroni
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- Bradley had over 150 tackles last year in his first season as a starter. How is he overrated?— citizenkane
- Eckel... and just as I was thinking the Eagles couldn't possibly come up with a better reason that Vick not to watch them this year.— Fascinated
- When you make comments like "because it means less opportunity to see Heather Mitts outside the Eagles' locker room on game days" doesn't it hurt your realtionship with the players? I mean you can see where they'll see you as being unprofessional? It may be true, but I think those thoughts are expected to remain in your head. Just sayin.— NickEeee
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- Feeley gets traded? To who, for what? No strength up the middle with Dawk and Bradley gone. This team's final roster will include a few street agents, hopefully a TE and MLB. We're 8-8 at best. Seen this show before.— warbird
- There is no way the Eagles will be able to keep both McNabb and Vick after this season. IF Vick is a flop, they will let him go. If Vick does well he will either seek a new team at a higher contract next year or be the Eagles starter. McNabb will be traded to the many teams desperate for QBs. They can't pay both Vick and McNabb starter salary. To figure out of Vick is worth keeping they have to have him play as QB sometimes during the season. So we will wind up with Vick or McNabb, and Kolb. Then who is the third QB? There aren't many as good as A.J. available in the NFL, so now we are stuck. I'd keep 4 QBs until I figure out whether Vick or McNabb is the starter and which one stays.— atp2007
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- As much as it pains me to live in Giants country in a down year for the Eagles, I think that's what I'm looking at. I think Philly goes somewhere between 6-10 and 9-7, and out of the playoffs. I bought into the SB hype in the offseason, but know I just don't feel it and I just don't see it. Two reasons--injuries and the competition. It's not just the losses of Stewart Bradley and Cornelius Ingram--though their absence could prove bigger than anyone realizes now. It's that Stacy Andrews is coming off ACL surgery, you never know what you're going to get with his brother, and now Todd Herremans has had foot surgery; people are expecting him to play this year? Really? Injuries and disunity on the offensive line will be a major factor in this team's downfall, and I just don't think that the defense is going to scare anybody. As to the competition, I have a feeling that Carolina and the Giants will clearly be better than the Igs; the Saints and Bears have the potential to be; and I think the Cowboys might have finally gotten that mess figured out. Dominant defense and strong running game is usually the winning formula in the NFC East, and the Giants and Cowboys have it. Plus, as much as I love Donovan, he can be a hot mess when things don't go his way. I think it's going to be a long season. I hope and pray I'm wrong.— andrewfrombrooklyn
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- your a dope....buckley has the most catches of any eagle or player in the NFL this preseason.....how do you guys get this job, really?— phillyone
- Keep Buckley and go with Patterson at D-back, if his camp was better. I hope they upgrade the TE position. I like Celek, but this offense needs to TEs that can catch. Go get the guy from Denver.— 76er
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- My prediction...Buckley make the team, Feely is traded to NE for Ben Watson, Schobel is cut, Reggie Brown is traded to the Ravens for a 5th Rd pick.— jss31
- I think this is dead on except Ekel. I think we have a RB/FB in weaver. We have 2 westys with McCoy now. But we dont have a regular old quick guy up the middle. Id go with stone hands.— stevo8drum
- Keep Buckley & release Eckel.— Irish Frank
- Will make the team: Westbrook, McCoy, Weaver and Eckel....Wrong man!!!! Will make the team: Westbrook, McCoy, Weaver and Buckley.— Nzenaozo
- I'd say Buckley over Eckel. Trade Curtis and Brown, keep only 5 receivers. Keep Bryan Smith with the extra spot. Otherwise, the roster above looks just right. And it may be what the Eagles will actually do, but I like mine better.— tacklinjoe
- Buckley's on the Practice squad for a Reason...Westbrook is through, won't last 3 games. Booker stays, plays. Looks at Sproules on San Diego...very successful small guy...Keep him...need a healthy fast small back...— Bob Frapples
- Eldra has hands of stone???? on NFL network they showed stats and Eldra is the fifth leading receiver in the preseason— flyerdog
- Eckel was our best short yardage back last year...— albertpa
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- what about reshard langford?? He makes it ...— crohnkiller
- Eckel is to good to let go of well he isnt great he adds size to the RB position so if reids smart he puts him in 3rd and short a problem the eagles had until they added eckel who can pound the ball not saying westbrook cant but eckels beefier— Flyers0929
I'm cool with everything except Buckley. That kid is the best pure RB on the team. He explodes through the gaps and I'll bet anything that he's the strongest back the Iggles have. Watch this kid, he's Nassy.- Comment removed.
- Buckley over Eckel. Patterson over Ike. Myers over Schobel.— gaitherfan
- It's too bad, in hindsight, that the Eagles kept trading in the 3rd round of the draft and did not take Jared Cook from South Carolina at TE, and instead rolled the dice on a player who was recovering from knee surgery. Given that Eckel can play FB and catches better than Buckley, he's likely to make the roster. I can't see the Eagles cutting ties with Reggie Brown. Partly out of stubbornness, and partly because when he's at his best, he and McNabb have actually had a decent level of success. This is Curtis's last year on this team. Maclin will replace him next season. I would let Hank Baskett go.— montgomeryhopkins
- Since when did Bradley become overrated? Did he not have somewhere in the neighborhood of 145+ tackles last year? He was very solid in pass coverage, and was key in run-stoppage. He was one of the main reasons the defense was ranked 3rd in the league. If you don't watch games, or if you don't understand what you are watching, you should provide a disclaimer when posting.— montgomeryhopkins
- Bradley is a solid MIKE, who benefits greatly from his size and quickness. He's our best MIKE, but to say he was solid in pass coverage is off. He was okay (though often struggled) in pass coverage, solid against the run. Gaither and Jordan are both substantially better against the pass than Stewart... albeit Gocong is the weak link when it comes to the pass. PS. We can dream, but to the guy who thinks Langford makes it is out of his mind. He could be a PS guy, but nothing more.— gaitherfan
