My 53-man Eagles roster, which I'm sure Chip has been waiting to see

Before heading up the New Jersey Turnpike this afternoon, I thought I'd favor you with some indispensible guidance -- my projection for the 53-man roster the Eagles have to get to by 4 p.m. Saturday, but will probably arrive at on Friday, then tweak throughout the Labor Day weekend.

Pretty sure Chip Kelly has been holding off on deciding some of these roster battles until I weighed in. Time to end the suspense.

Quarterback (3): Sam Bradford, Mark Sanchez, Matt Barkley. Yeah, Chip could have some secret plan for Tim Tebow. Wouldn't have brought him in if he really liked Barkley. Wouldn't discount the possibility he's just done with Barkley, and that Barkley would be better off elsewhere. But I have to evaluate off what I've seen in camp and in preseason games, and what I've seen is that Barkley knows the offense better, makes quicker decisions, passes more accurately. Oh, and those people who think the Eagles – starting a QB coming back off two ACL tears – should keep only two quarterbacks? They're nuts.

Running backs (4): DeMarco Murray, Ryan Mathews, Darren Sproles, Kenjon Barner. Cross your fingers that Raheem Mostert gets to the practice squad. Wouldn't shock me if they kept him and tried to get Barner through waivers to the PS. Teams have had plenty of chances to sign Barner over the past couple of years. As great as Barner has been on preseason returns, right now the Eagles don't plan to use him there to start the regular season.

Wide receivers (6): Are they gonna keep that many? Yeah, pretty much have to, for special teams. Jordan Matthews, Riley Cooper, Miles Austin, Seyi Ajirotutu, Nelson Agholor, Josh Huff. Roxborough High's Rasheed Bailey to practice squad.

Tight ends (4): I say four to start next week if there's any uncertainty at all over whether Zach Ertz (abdominal surgery) plays in the opener. So, Brent Celek, Ertz, Trey Burton and Eric Tomlinson. Tomlinson to practice squad when Ertz is healthy.

Offensive line (8): This is where it gets tough. Jason Peters, Allen Barbre, Jason Kelce, Andrew Gardner, Lane Johnson, Matt Tobin – huge shock if those aren't the top six. Has Dave Molk outperformed Julian Vandervelde? Maybe a little, so make Molk the backup center. Josh Andrews is a bigger, more versatile guy there, but he didn't get enough time in preseason games to make a real case for keeping him ahead of Molk/Vandervelde. My eighth guy is Dennis Kelly, and I cross fingers on getting Malcolm Bunche to the practice squad for a week or so until I need only three tight ends. But again, if Ertz is healthy, then three tight ends to start with, and Bunche is on the team. John Moffitt might be back at some point, but he has no practice squad eligibility and has looked so rusty, he's a project right now, one the Eagles probably can't afford to take on in a 53-man framework. Dennis Kelly seemed on the way out at the end of last season, but seems to have changed coaches' minds with a strong summer.

Defensive line (7): Fletcher Cox, Vinny Curry, Bennie Logan, Beau Allen, Brandon Bair, Cedric Thornton, and Taylor Hart. Not entirely sure Hart has had the breakthrough camp some people think, but he's ahead of seventh-round rookie Brian Mihalik, who is a practice squad-type project. Collectively, this group is as good as any group of seven d-linemen in the league.

Inside linebackers (4): Kiko Alonso, Mychal Kendricks, DeMeco Ryans, and Jordan Hicks. Najee Goode is a tough cut, but unless they ditch OLB Marcus Smith, I don't see where the Eagles get a roster spot for him. Keep that possibility in the back of your mind, though.

Outside linebackers (5): Connor Barwin, Brandon Graham, Bryan Braman, Brad Jones, Marcus Smith. Would they cut Smith a year after drafting him in the first round? Probably not, but given his injuries this spring and summer; lack of definitive proof he can contribute, it has to be on the table. Axing him would open a spot for Goode or Diaheem Watkins. I like Watkins for the practice squad. Smith does have practice-squad eligibility, by the way. Would someone claim him if they tried that? Dunno. Would it be a big loss?

Cornerbacks (4): Yeah, four isn't enough, but Walter Thurmond can slide over in a pinch, and I just don't think 2014 fourth-round pick Jaylen Watkins has done much this summer. Coaches might see it totally differently. I'd go with Byron Maxwell, Nolan Carroll, E.J. Biggers, and Eric Rowe, with undrafted Denzel Rice and sixth-round draftee Randall Evans on the practice squad. Watkins also retains practice-squad eligibility.

Safeties (5): Malcolm Jenkins, Thurmond, Chris Maragos, Chris Prosinski, and Jerome Couplin. Appendectomy was ill-timed for Couplin, but I think he has more upside than Maragos or Prosinski, who are mainly special-teams guys. Would not be shocked to see somebody come in after other teams' cutdowns, which could mean the practice squad for Couplin. Ed Reynolds has a shot at the practice squad again.

Specialists (3): Cody Parkey, Donnie Jones and Jon Dorenbos, unless this Parkey groin thing doesn't go away and they need to keep Kip Smith around for the opener, which would mean another cut somewhere, maybe safety.