Who Makes the Roster: Linebacker

The Eagles will narrow their roster from 90 to 75 by Sept. 1 and to 53 for the regular season by Sept. 5. We're spending eight days predicting who stays and who goes. Here's the lineup:

Aug. 24: Defensive line
Aug. 25: Linebacker
Aug. 26: Wide receiver/tight end
Aug. 27: Offensive line
Aug. 28: Cornerback
Aug. 31: Safety
Sept. 1: Running back
Sept. 2: Quarterback/specialist

LINEBACKER

LIKELY TO KEEP: 9

WHO STAYS

Connor Barwin, Brandon Graham, Mychal Kendricks, Kiko Alonso, DeMeco Ryans, Brad Jones, Bryan Braman, Jordan Hicks, Marcus Smith.

We could have broken up this position into two, but there are only so many days until cutdown day. Besides, there isn't as much of a divide between outside and inside linebacker this season with the addition of Brad Jones, who will swing both ways. Jones started inside when camp opened earlier this month, but injuries to Travis Long and Marcus Smith have led to him playing more on the outside. Jones spent his first three seasons with the Packers on the outside and then moved inside for the next three. So he can do both. The question is whether the Eagles trust him enough on the outside to let him be the No. 3 guy, behind starters Connor Barwin and Brandon Graham. Jones won't see time inside during the regular season as long as Mychal Kendricks, Kiko Alonso and DeMeco Ryans are healthy, but that No. 3 outside backer can play around 40 percent of the snaps if productive. Graham played 43 percent last season.

Barwin (as the "Jack") and Graham (as the "Predator") form a formidable 1-2 punch off the edge. Both have the potential to hit double digits in sacks. Barwin set a career high with 14 1/2 last season. But he's just as valuable as an edge setter against the run and dropping into coverage. Graham has improved significantly in both disciplines and will be given a starter's playing time for the first time in his career. The Eagles were giving Smith every opportunity to claim that third spot, but he suffered a setback with a hamstring injury and is now out for the remainder of the preseason. Both Chip Kelly and Bill Davis gave lukewarm endorsements when asked whether Smith has done enough to warrant a roster spot. He has improved, but I'm not sure I saw a guy the Eagles could trust to put out there in a regular role. And now I wonder if the Eagles will even keep him. They would be giving up their 2014 first-round pick very early in the process, but stranger things have happened. I have him on the 53 right now, but I could change my mind next week.

Four months after reportedly being on the trade block, Kendricks signed a 4-year, $29 million extension on Monday. Of the $29 million, $16.4 million is guaranteed. That's three-down linebacker money. Kendricks missed four games last season, but he put up the kind of versatile numbers you want from an inside backer – 108 tackles, four for loss; four sacks and three forced fumbles. He can cover, too. He had three interceptions in 2013. Alonso arrived in the LeSean McCoy trade. He's coming back from missing all of last season after tearing his ACL, but you couldn't tell as early as the first open practice of the spring. A concussion on the third day of camp sidelined him for two weeks, but he's on target to play Saturday against the Packers. He can do it all in this defense and should play all three downs, too. So where does that leave Ryans? He seemed to be ahead of pace returning from the second ruptured Achilles tendon of his career, but Ryans has been either out or limited the last two weeks and Davis said on Tuesday that he still wasn't sure if the 31-year old would be 100 percent by the opener. Ryans is a valuable member of the team even if he doesn't play. There isn't a more respected player in the locker room. But if he plays, it will likely be only in the Eagles' base defense.

The Eagles expended a third-round pick on Jordan Hicks, and that alone guarantees that he will make the team. He has had some moments in camp and the preseason, but doesn't yet look ready to play steady snaps. He will likely be inactive on game days to start the season.

WHO GOES

Emmanuel Acho, Najee Goode, Deontae Skinner, Diaheem Watkins, Dasman McCullum.

Emmanuel Acho has done everything to make the team. He goes all-out every practice and consistently makes plays in the preseason. Unfortunately for him, he might be the odd man out. The Eagles just have too many inside backers to justify keeping Acho as the sixth. He seems to always find his way back onto the roster, so don't count out a later return if there's an injury. The Eagles had plans to use Najee Goode on passing downs last season, but he tore a pectoral muscle in the opener and was done for the year. He hasn't looked as good (no pun intended) this year. Deontae Skinner, Diaheem Watkins, and Dasman McCullum were added over various parts of camp. Skinner actually started a game for the Patriots last season, but hasn't stood out here. Watkins is raw, but there's some ability as an edge guy. He was kicked out of intersquad practices last week when he got into it with a Ravens offensive lineman.